axis diplomat 2020 Modules

11. Hire Management

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Add functionality to your axis diplomat system to manage both the hire of equipment and the accompanying sale of consumables.
 

11.1 The Hire Management Module

Comprehensive details of hire items are recorded and divided into two types – capital items and expendable items. A capital item is held individually, for example a compressor, whilst expendable items are held in quantity, such as scaffold poles. Details of daily charges, service history and costs, earned revenue and availability are held against each plant record.

Reports and analysis can be produced for both the hire desk and management on the availability of items for hire, which customers have which items, which items are due for service and which items are due for return by customers.
 

11.2 Recording

The important tasks of recording the hire and return of equipment are undertaken by the raising of advice and collection notes. As each item goes out or back, the system is automatically updated to provide an accurate availability position.

Throughout the hire period, details can be amended to take into account any changes to the original terms or any substitutions required for repair and maintenance; at any time new items can be added to the register or old items removed on disposal.

Consumable items are recorded in the Stock Ledger of an axis diplomat Accounts package. Sales can be invoiced directly by the axis diplomat Sales Ledger invoicing functions or they can be entered via the Hire Management System, either separately or in conjunction with equipment hire charges.
 

11.3 Invoicing

Invoices are created automatically from the advice and collection notes recorded in the system. Each current hire is scanned and the number of chargeable days calculated, either from the date of the advice note or from when an invoice was last produced.

There are both monthly and daily invoicing procedures: the monthly procedure automatically calculates charges for continuing hires; the daily procedure is used to produce immediate invoices for off-hired items and for any miscellaneous charges, such as collection charges.
All invoices are posted to the main Sales and Nominal Ledgers of the linked axis diplomat Accounts module.

 
 

11.4 Built in Calendar Function

A built-in calendar function takes into account weekends, holidays or any other dates when equipment is not to be charged. This is a very flexible facility, enabling immediate calculation of the total days to be invoiced.
 
 

11.5 Rating Structures

A number of hire types are supported, including:

  • Hourly Charged
  • Operated Plant
  • Fixed Period (month, quarter, half year, year)
  • Forward Dated

The key to successfully handling hire invoicing is in correctly specifying and calculating the hire charges for given periods of time. axis diplomat Hire Management makes this very easy by using a mechanism of Rating Structures. A number of different Rating Structures may be set up on the system, each of which can be applied to one or more items.

A Rating Structure defines how charges will be calculated for the hire of particular items over varying periods of time. Rating Structures can range from simple (for example a fixed daily rate) to very complex, (for example where special rates apply to weekends, long period hires etc).

Rating Structures only refer to percentages of a base rate and do not specify actual amounts - the actual base rate price is specified on each item. The same Rating Structure can, therefore, be applied to any number of items where the actual hire price differs but not the way in which hire charges are calculated.

Hire items have both short and full descriptions whilst system parameters allow you to specify, for each type of document, which description is to be used. The date each item was purchased and its price are recorded for memo purposes and the module has a built-in diary reminder for servicing periods and along with the next service date, will appear on reports and enquiries.

For those who require greater control and recording of service dates and results, the optional Test Scheduling and Recording module can be used. Revenue earned by an item is recorded on a “this period”, “this year” and total basis. Costs are also recorded against each item and these figures are kept up to date by recording ongoing service costs.

 
 

11.6 Advice Notes and Collection Notes

The system uses one entry of data to place items on hire and another one to accept them back.

Invoices are automatically issued against advice and collection notes and they can contain both hire charges and consumable item sales. Alternatively invoices for consumable items can be issued directly from the Accounts Sales Ledger.

Additional facilities are provided to amend an advice note, to delete an advice note and substitute items on hire.

Once a hire contract is terminated, collection note details are entered in order to identify items that have been off-hired; partial collections are also permitted. There is also an opportunity to enter any consumables sold and miscellaneous charges. The system also allows for minimum charges to be applied.