Automatic Delivery and Pickup Fees

    
This article explains how to configure delivery and pickup items in Point of Rental so that contracts properly prompt for freight zones and allow separate charges for delivery and pickup. It addresses common scenarios for both account customers (multi-month, cycle-billed contracts) and cash customers (short-term rentals). 

Topics included in this article

Background

Step 1: Configure Pickup Item Keys

Step 2: Prompting Pickup Items on Contracts

Step 3: Adding Pickup to Existing Contracts

Best Practices

Example Scenario

Summary

More Information / FAQ

Background

By default, the Delivery and Pickup checkboxes on a contract trigger prompts for freight zones. This works well when delivery and pickup are both required. However, some users find that once the delivery fee is selected, the system does not always prompt for the pickup fee again—particularly in short-term contracts.

To ensure both fees appear correctly and independently, you need to configure your pickup items with specific item keys and optionally link them to your delivery items.

Step 1: Configure Pickup Item Keys

Getting There
    

Elite: Configuration gear icon > File Maintenance under Core Options > Item File.

• Both delivery and pickup items must begin with the pipe (|) symbol in their key fields.
  • Delivery item example: |DELIV
  • Pickup item example: |PKUP
• For multiple pickup options, add variations:
  • |PKUP-1
  • |PKUP-Zone1
• Tip: Adjust the descriptions as needed to align pickup items with delivery zones.
  

Step 2: Prompting Pickup Items on Contracts

There are two ways to make the system automatically prompt for pickup fees:

Option A: Link Items

1. Open the delivery item record.
2. Go to Options > Link Item.
3. Use one of the following formats:
   • O|PKUP → Displays a list of available pickup items for selection.
   • o|PKUP-1 → Automatically adds a specific pickup item.
   • Note: Uppercase “O” prompts for a choice, while lowercase “o” forces a specific item.
     
         

Option B: Suggested Items

1. Open the delivery item record.
2. Navigate to Tools > Suggested Items.
   
       
3. Right-click and select New.
   
4. Add your pickup item.
5. When the delivery item is selected on a contract, the system will prompt for the pickup item.

Step 3: Adding Pickup to Existing Contracts

• If pickup items are not set up with the |PKUP key format, the system will not prompt automatically.
• In that case, you will need to manually add the pickup fee by clicking Add Item at the bottom of the contract screen.
  

Best Practices

• Always use the pipe symbol (|) before the pickup item key.
• Use clear naming conventions (e.g., |PKUP-Zone2) to align with delivery zones.
• For streamlined workflow, link or suggest pickup items to delivery items so both fees are addressed at the beginning of the contract.
• For existing contracts, train staff to verify whether pickup charges were applied and add them manually if needed.

Example Scenario

• A cash customer rents equipment for one week with delivery and pickup.
• Staff selects the delivery item (|DELIV-Zone2).
• The system prompts for the pickup item (|PKUP-Zone2) because it was linked as a suggested item.
• Both charges are added as separate line items on the contract without needing to toggle checkboxes manually.

Summary

By correctly setting up item keys and using linking or suggested items, you can ensure that pickup fees are consistently applied and billed as separate line items. This streamlines contract creation for both long-term and short-term rentals.

For further help, contact Support at support@pointofrental.com.

More Information / FAQ Section

Q1: What happens if I forget to add a |PKUP item key?
A: The system will not automatically prompt for pickup fees. You will need to add them manually to the contract.
   

Q2: Can I force the system to always apply a specific pickup fee?
A: Yes. Use o|PKUP-1 in the Link Field to automatically add a specific pickup item without prompting.
   

Q3: Do I need to set up both Link Items and Suggested Items?
A: No. You can use either method depending on whether you want staff to choose from multiple options or apply a fixed pickup item.
   

Q4: How can I ensure consistency across staff?
A: Train staff to confirm that pickup items appear on contracts. Use clear naming conventions (e.g., |PKUP-Zone2) that align with delivery zones.