Bundled Cable is one type of "package" in SI and they are managed in the Package Explorer. These behave differently than the three other types of packages in SI: Packages, Allowances and Solutions.
Bundled Cable Packages are intended to be used for "pre-bundled" cables consisting of multiple wires/cables, similar to the example shown below that has two CAT5 cables, and two RG6 cables:
If you aren't doing schematic drawings in Visio or AutoCAD, you may not have the need to create Bundled Cable Packages. You could simply create a Bulk Wire Item for the bundled cable product you sell. If you are doing schematic drawings in Visio and want to record the connections of each wire/cable within the bundle, then you will want to create Bundled Cable Packages. Click here for details.
Pricing for the Bundled Cable and labor are set directly on the Bundled Cable. Pricing and labor does not come from the Items added to the Bundled Cable Package. The Items that you add to the Bundled Cable Package will primarily be the individual wires in the bundle and possibly terminals/connectors. If the items you add to the Bundled Cable Package contain Accessories, you have the option to include or exclude them.
Bundled Cable Packages can be created in your Catalog or they can be created "on the fly" within a Project. The Package Explorer allows you to manage the Packages in your Catalog. A Package created within a Project is not stored in the Catalog. It will only exist in the Project in which it was created, unless you use the Update to Catalog feature.
Bundled Cable Packages can be added to Purchase Orders, Tasks, Service Orders, or Service Plans.
Bundled Cable Packages can be transferred to QuickBooks on Estimates or Purchase Orders as Items to QuickBooks.
The General tab displays basic information about the Bundled Cable Package. This includes a Name, Group, Description, Image and Options.
Name
Displays the name of the Bundled Cable
Category
Displays the Package Group assigned to the Bundled Cable. Click the Package Groups button on the ribbon to manage your groups.
Abbreviation
This allows you to set an abbreviation for the Bundled Cable that can be used in the Component ID format for the Bundled Cable.
Description
Displays the Description for the Bundled Cable.
Click the Check Spelling button to check the spelling and add to the dictionary:
You can change the case of one or multiple words at a time. Make multiple selections by holding down Shift (to select a series) or Ctrl (to select outside of a series). Your options are: Upper, Lower, Title, Sentence.
You can also insert an existing Snippet or add a new Snippet. See Snippets.
Part Number
Here you can enter a Part Number for a Bulk Cable if desired.
Image
Here you can add an image to a Bundled Cable. You can use the Add, Paste, Clear functions or you can drag and drop images directly into the field.
The Options section allows you to specify how this package will behave when added to a project.
Prompt Accessories
This setting applies when adding Bundled Cables to a Project via the Package Explorer within a Project. This will prompt you for any accessories when adding the Bundled Cable to the Project vs. automatically adding them.
Note: In order for this feature to work, you must also check "Include Accessories".
Include Accessories
When checked, the accessories for any Item added to the Bundled Cable will be included in the Bundled Cable.
Include in Service Plan
When this box is checked you will be prompted to add the Product as a Project Item when creating a Service Plan. Within a Project, this option will be on the Service Plans tab.
Accounting Item Name
This field will display the QuickBooks Item Number when using our QuickBooks Integration. You can also manually enter an "accounting ID" from your own accounting software
Approved
Indicates whether a Bundled Cable has been approved for use.
The Price tab is where you will set the pricing for the Bundled Cable and the pricing for the labor. Both the product pricing and labor pricing is by the foot or meter, depending on your Windows settings.
Note: If the Bundled Cable you are adding is already a set length, e.g. a pre-terminated Bundle Cable that is x feet/meters long, you will likely want to add a Wire Length of 1 and then set the cost and price for the Bundled Cable as a single unit.
Wire Length
The default is 100 feet when creating a Bundled Cable. Set the default wire length for the Bundled Cable for when it is added to a Project. This is important as all pricing below is based on the length of the wire.
Unit Cost
Here you will enter the unit cost (per foot/meter) for the Bundled Cable.
Unit Cost (With Tax)
This displays the sum cost with tax if a Use Tax is set for the Bundled Cable.
Unit Price
Here you will enter the unit price (per foot/meter) for the Bundled Cable.
Margin
Margin =(1 - (Unit Cost / Unit Price)) x 100. This field calculates automatically for you based off of the Unit Cost and Unit Price. This behavior varies based on your Price Settings.
Markup
Markup = (Selling Price - Product Cost) / Product Cost * 100%. This field calculates automatically for you based off of the Unit Cost and Unit Price. This behavior varies based on your Price Settings.
Discount
Here you can enter a discount percentage for the price of the Bundled Cable.
Net Unit Price
This field will show the unit price of the Bundled Cable after the discount is applied.
There are two ways you can set your labor pricing for a Bundled Cable, both of which are by the foot/meter.
Use specific cost and price
With this option chosen you will manually enter a cost, price and/or margin or markup for the hourly rates of labor. This pricing will be multiplied by the Hours field. You can select a Phase with this option but no pricing will come from the Phase.
Use cost and price from phase
With this option chosen, the Cost, Price, Margin, and Markup fields will gray out and all pricing will come from the Phase assigned to the Bulk Cable. The Phase pricing will be multiplied by the Hours field.
Cost
When using the "Use specific cost and price" option you will enter the cost per hour for the labor. When using the "Use cost and price from phase" option, this field will be grayed out.
Price
When using the "Use specific cost and price" option you will enter the price per hour for the labor. When using the "Use cost and price from phase" option, this field will be grayed out.
Margin
Margin =(1 - (Unit Cost / Unit Price)) x 100. This field calculates automatically for you based off of the Unit Cost and Unit Price.
Markup
Markup = (Selling Price - Product Cost) / Product Cost * 100%. This field calculates automatically for you based off of the Unit Cost and Unit Price.
Phase
Here you can set a phase for the Bundled Cable regardless of your pricing choices above.
Hours
Here you will enter the number of hours per foot/meter for the Bundled Cable. All labor pricing is by the hour but is factored by the number of hours entered. A common value here is .005. For a 100 foot run of the Bundled Cable, .5 hours of labor will be charged.
Cost
Displays the sum cost of all the products and labor in the Bundled Cable. Tax is not included in this value. Read-only.
Price
Displays the sum price of all the products and labor in the Bundled Cable. Tax is not included in this value. Read-only.
Margin
Margin =(1 - (Unit Cost / Unit Price)) x 100. This field calculates automatically for you based off of the Unit Cost and Unit Price. Read-only.
Markup
Markup = (Selling Price - Product Cost) / Product Cost * 100%. This field calculates automatically for you based off of the Unit Cost and Unit Price. See "Pricing Settings" below. Read-only.
Taxable?
Here you can choose a tax value to apply to the Bundled Cable.
Use Tax
Here you apply a use tax to the cost of the Bundled Cable.
Note: You may see different fields for taxes depending on your Tax Settings.
To see full details of pricing, including taxes, click the Estimated Installation Price link:
The Order Tab allows you to enter fields for use with Purchase Orders.
Preferred Vendor
This field will display the QuickBooks Vendor when using our QuickBooks Integration. You can also manually enter a vendor from your own accounting software.
Order this product in a different unit than you sell
This option allows you to identify products in your catalog that are bought in different units than they are sold. This is useful for creating Purchase Orders so that accurate quantities are calculated. If you buy the wire in boxes/spools of some length, and are selling the Bundled Cable by the foot/meter, you may want to set this.
Order UOM
Here you can enter your Unit of Measure for the product.
Number of units in Order UOM
Here you can enter the number of units in your Unit of Measure.
The Items Tab allows you to add/edit/delete Products to the Bundled Cable:
No pricing will come from Products added to the Bundled Cable. All pricing is set on the Price tab as described above.
Here you will want to add products for the wires/cables that are part of the Bundled Cable. You can use any existing wires/cables in your SI Catalog or you may want to create "generic" wire products. In the example above I have created wires using my company name as the manufacturer and filled in the Model field with the type of wire it is. These products are the wires that you will use on Visio and AutoCAD schematic pages to make your wire connections.
To add Products to the Bundled Cable, use the [Add Products] button
Select the item you want to add to the Package. Make multiple selections by holding down Shift (to select a series) or Ctrl (to select outside of a series). You can also paste products that you've copied, and edit or delete Products.
The Shapes and Blocks tab will allow you to assign a specific shape or block to a Bundled Cable for use on Visio and AutoCAD Line and Plan pages.
Add a shape or block for each package item
This is standard behavior for Bundled Cables and will drop a shape for every item within the Bundled Cable when the Bundled Cable is dragged and dropped onto a Visio/AutoCAD page
Add a shape or block for specific items in package
This option will allow you to select which items within the Bundled Cable will drop shapes when the Bundled Cable is dragged and dropped onto a Visio/AutoCAD page
Add a single shape or block for this package on line and Plan views
This will allow you to select a shape for just the Bundled Cable for Line or Plan pages in Visio/AutoCAD
The Package Categories button will display your Package Categories and allow you to manage them:
Package Categories allow you to organize your Packages:
Bundled Cable Packages have the following additional options on the General tab when added to a Project:
Package ID
This is the Component ID for the Bundled Cable.
Items in package can be in different location and system
This setting will allow you to assign items within a Bundled Cable to different Locations/Systems within a Project.
Optional
This will make the Bundled Cable optional within a Project. Click here for details on Optional Items.
There is also the Location hierarchy and System list for the Project.
Exclude in Calculated Items
Checking this option will exclude the product's pricing from being used in Calculated Products, Labor Items, Allowances, Miscellaneous Items, and on Service Plans.
Estimate Number
This field will display the QuickBooks Estimate number when using our QuickBooks Integration. This field is editable.
Order Number
This field will display the Purchase Order number when using Purchase Orders or creating a Purchase Order through our QuickBooks Integration.
Item Name
This field will display the QuickBooks Item Number when using our QuickBooks Integration. You can also manually enter an "accounting ID" from your own accounting software.
Do Not Order
This option will filter out the Bundled Cable when creating Purchase Orders.
Vendor
This field will display the Vendor that you have associated with the product. It is used when creating Purchase Orders..
Order Status
Here you can set the order status of the Product choosing from: Not Ordered, Ordered, and In Stock/Received or any custom Order Status that you have created.This field auto-populates and updates once on a Purchase Order.
Order Number
This field auto-populates and updates once on a Purchase Order.This can also be manually entered.
Ordered Date
This field auto-populates and updates once on a Purchase Order. This can also be manually entered.
Expected Delivery Date
This field auto-populates if set on a Purchase Order.This can also be manually entered.
Received Date
This field auto-populates when a Purchase Order Receipt is created. This can also be manually entered.
Task Number
This will list the Task Number to which the Product has been assigned.
Picked
Checking this box will mark the Products as "Picked". This auto-populates if the field is updated on a Task through Mobile Install. This can also be manually checked.
Picked Date
This field auto-populates if the field is updated on a Task through Mobile Install. This can also be manually entered.
Installed
Checking this box will mark the Product as "Installed" in the Project and on any Task this Product is a part of. This auto-populates if the field is updated on a Task through Mobile Install. This can also be manually checked.
Installed Date
This field auto-populates if the field is updated on a Task through Mobile Install. This can also be manually entered.
Install Notes
Here you can enter any installation notes for the Product. his auto-populates if the field is updated on a Task through Mobile Install
Include in Service Plan
If this box is checked, when you create a Service Plan associated with the Project you will be prompted to add the item to the Project Items on the Service Plan.
Service Plans
This field displays the Service Plans that the Product has been added to as a Project Item.
There is specific functionality for the Finish Wire shape in Visio when wires from a Bundled Cable are dropped on a schematic page. Click here for details.