Multiple cost codes

Abiquo 6.0.1 introduces multiple cost codes and enables users to add cost codes to VMs. You can now add multiple cost codes to VM templates, and to hardware profiles in private cloud. Abiquo will automatically add these cost codes to VMs, and you can add additional VM cost codes. There are new cost code units for usage per CPU and per user licenses. Abiquo accounting and billing support multiple cost codes.

Manage cost codes

As in previous versions, administrators create cost codes in Pricing view.

• The privileges for viewing and managing cost codes in Pricing view are the ones for Pricing view: Access pricing view and Manage pricing.

• For hardware profiles, VM templates, and VMs, the additional privileges to manage cost codes are Add a cost code when editing a VM template and Access pricing view.

Create a cost code

To create a cost code:

1. Enter a Name and Description that will identify the cost code for other administrators and users. The length of these fields has been increased in Abiquo 6.0.1

2. The Type is the entity where you will use the cost code, such as Template, Hardware profile, Virtual machine, or All. The Custom service type is not supported in 6.0.1.

3. The Unit specifies how to calculate the cost using the cost code:

   1. Usage period is for usage x time

   2. Usage CPUs is for usage x number of CPUs

   3. Usage user licenses is for usage x number of users that you enter in the VM

   4. Subscription is only for Customer service types and it is not supported in Abiquo 6.0.1

As usual, you can enter the initial prices for a cost code.

And you can update these prices in a pricing model.

Apply cost codes to VM templates and hardware profiles

To apply a cost code to a VM template:

1. Edit the VM template and go to Cost codes
   

   

2. Click the + add button

3. Select a cost code, click Add
   

   

4. After you finish adding cost codes and editing the template, click Save

You can also add a cost code to a hardware profile in the same way.

Create and capture VMs and add cost codes

When you create a VM, Abiquo will automatically add cost codes from the hardware profile and the VM template as inherited cost codes. The user cannot change these cost codes.

• You can add more cost codes to the VM

• If you are using a cost code that will bill for Usage user licenses, enter the number of users

• When you later edit a VM and change the hardware profile, Abiquo will update the cost codes.

When you capture a VM, you can also add cost codes of type Virtual machine or All.

When you release a VM, the cost codes will no longer apply.

Cost codes in accounting and billing

The accounting system represents the usage of cost codes with the costCode parameter. By default Abiquo accounts for cost codes and stores their data (meaning that the costCode usage is activated).

In previous versions and in Abiquo 6.0.1, to enable the cost_code usage in classic billing, you configure each cost code separately. Abiquo is currently reviewing this configuration.

# # Include the cost codes that are required in the CSV file
cost_codes=true
cost_code_1=true
cost_code_1_name=CCVM

Each bill will have one record of each cost code with the usage and price.