Configurator Tools Made To Order

Configuration Services
Our made to order configuration tools allow businesses to create automated guides to help their sales representatives: configure complex products and services, determine the right pricing as well as to help the organization streamline processes by monitoring its relevant data.

These tools utilize sets of rules that enable the sales personnel to select the right product combinations and define pricing of services. These rules can be expressed through Algorithms, Decision trees, Radio Buttons in addition to Filters which can be used in conjunction with tables and pulled data in order to express restrictions and relationships between products and services. Engineering Support services provide our customers with configuration templates which solve for correct pricing, values, and configured selections.

Configuration Services
For Example, a product configurator can prevent compatibility errors through the application of algorithm(s) with any level of complexity. These instructions and constraints will help to ensure that only a valid product or service will result out of the configuration. The configurator tools are made available through our web based sales automation system allowing for online access to all the tools from any location. We aim to reduce potential errors, make the quoting process easier and help to improve the overall effectiveness of the sales team. Through collaboration with our customers which may include importing macros and using predefined rules, iQuote Xpress engineering support services charter is to assist in surveying critical information from each relevant department within our clients company in order to use this information to effectively design configuration tools responsive to our customers challenges. This results in templates within the iQuote Xpress platform made to order for our customers unique requirements and needs.

Some Advantages
Easy
implementation. We can import our customers current algorithms, exceptions, logical progressions and create new ones.

Flexibility. Algorithms can be easily edited in real-time, ensuring configurations are always up-to-date Accuracy. Using configuration tools ensures that the product or services proposed are the ones that
best fit the customers needs.

Support.

iQuote Xpress will not only provide the software but will also work closely with you in creating and maintaining your configuration templates.

iQuote Xpress is an ideal platform for multiple departments within an organization to benefit from
configuration services which can include Contract Compliance, Warranty T/C, Project Management, Technical Support, Commission Calculations, Products, Services and of course Pricing.

Computer Configuration
iQuote Xpress prevents the representatives of the computer assembly company from quoting incompatible products together. One of their main challenges is making sure the right modules are selected for each motherboard. Motherboards have limited compatibility with microprocessors (CPU) and random access memory (RAM) chips. The following conditions define how the motherboard, memory chips and microprocessor are put together as the essential pieces for a new computer: The number of random access memory chips is limited by the number of available slots for connection.

The motherboard can accept either SDRAM or DDR SDRAM chips but these two types cannot be combined on the available slots.
The RAM modules can be compatible with motherboards of 168 pin, 184 pin and/or 200 pin. The CPU units can only located on the motherboard if it compatible with its CPU socket or Processor support.

Table: CPU Compatibility

The CPU socket or Processor support on the motherboard must support the CPU family according to the following table:

Socket Name

CPU Families

Socket P
Socket 441 Socket B Socket A

Intel Core 2
Intel Atom Intel Core i7 AMD

The above diagram shows how the available motherboards carry up to 3 RAM chips.

CPU socket type of the Motherboard determines the type of Microprocessor that can be selected.

(Radio Buttons) (Drop-down List)

(Read-Only Drop-down List) (Drop-down List)

(Read-Only Drop-down List) (Drop-down List) (Numbers Only Textbox)

The number of Units of RAM Modules is limited to the type of motherboard selected. In this case, the number of RAM Modules can be a maximum of three. X<3 X>0 X: # of RAM Module Units

Insurance Premium
An insurance company offers several coverage options for vehicle insurance. The salesmen are not very familiar with how the premium for the collision coverage is calculated; however, iQuote Xpress allows them to easily generate quotes using the configuration created for this vehicle insurance option. The formula used to calculate the premium for this insurance option is the following: Collision Premium = (Original Price x (Years of the Vehicle x 15%)) x 20% In other words, the yearly collision premium is 20% of the depreciated value of the vehicle. This formula can be expressed as follows in order to perform calculations: Collision Premium: Z Original Price: X Years of the Vehicle: Y Z = (X * (Y* 0.15))* 0.20 Once the Collision Premium has been determined using the details about the vehicle, the discount to which the customer might be entitled to will be defined by a diagram.

Decision Tree: Premium Discount

This decision tree shows how an individuals gender, age and driving history are the deciding factors to determine the discount rate for vehicle insurance.
For example, a women above 25 years of age with a positive driving history obtains the maximum discount rate available, while a negative driving history eliminates any discount possibilities.

The discount rate that the customer is entitled to will be determined by personal details such as gender, age and driving history. These aspects are associated according to the decision tree structure.
(Radio Buttons)

(Check Box) (Numbers Only Text Box)

(Numbers Only Text Box) (Read-Only Text Box)

(Read-Only Text Box) Total = CP 20%

The Insurance Premium is generated through a formula related to the purchase price of the vehicle and its years of age.

Z = (X * (Y* 0.15))* 0.20 Collision Premium: Z Original Price: X Years of the Vehicle: Y

Vehicle Transportation Scenario

A towing services company has nationwide coverage, offering long distance transport of sedans, minivans, SUVs and trucks. The companys service pricing is related to the distance, destination, type of vehicle and incident. This information is used to define the specifications of required hardware such as tow hitch, wiring and bed. iQuote Xpress allows the representatives to quickly provide pricing once receiving an inbound call from the potential customers.

Table: Price per Mile

The following table contains the multiplying factor that will define the price of the towing service once the distance has been determined:

Per Mile Factor Mechanical Accident Impounded Fire

Sedan $2.50 $2.60 $2.25 $2.65

Minivan $2.75 $2.86 $2.48 $2.92

SUV $3.16 $3.00 $2.60 $3.06

Truck $3.32 $3.15 $2.73 $3.21

Table: Zip Code Information

The table containing the latitude and longitude values of each U.S. Zip Code can be obtained online. This information is then imported to iQuote Xpress in order to perform distance calculations. The following tables contain some of the Zip Code location information used to calculate distance: PICK UP
ZIP 85098 85099 85123 85200 CITY Phoenix Phoenix Mesa Mesa STATE AZ AZ AZ AZ LATITUDE LONGITUDE

33.276539 -112.18717 33.276539 -112.18717 33.427135 -111.758483 33.423596 -111.594435

DESTINATION
ZIP 75396 75397 75398 75401 CITY Dallas Dallas Dallas Greenville STATE TX TX TX TX LATITUDE 32.767268 32.767268 32.767268 33.15023 LONGITUDE -96.777626 -96.777626 -96.777626 -96.11289

The following configuration shows how iQuote Xpress allows the over-the-phone representatives provide pricing instantly:

(Radio Buttons) (Drop-down List)

(Drop-down Lists)

(Drop-down Lists)

The distance between the pick up location and the destination is calculated using the latitude/longitude pair for each Zip Code and applying the formula: Distance = (25,000 miles)*(# of Degrees) / 360

VoIP Hardware Installation Company

A technology company specializes in VoIP installations. This service provider has grown exponentially, requiring a sales team with limited technical background to generate price quotes at an efficient rate. The voice transmission items that must be part of each offer are associated like the following diagram shows:

The setup of the Voice over IP system relies on the specifications of the Router and Switch selected. Routers have Analog and LAN connections, which are used to connect analog phones and switches respectively. On the other hand, every Switch has a number of ports to which computers can be connected to. The following Router and Switch models are used by the installation company: Routers Models: Model A: 1 Analog, 2 LAN Connections Model B: 2 Analog, 2 LAN Connections Model C: 2 Analog, 4 LAN Connections Switch Models: Model A: 4 Ports Model B: 8 Ports Model C: 16 Ports

Algorithms
The following rules are added as algorithmic constraints to the iQuote Xpress configuration in order to generate quotes with the appropriate hardware for the VoIP system: Y1 X1 Y1: Routers # of LAN Connections X1: # of Switches The number of LAN connections of the router must be greater than or equal to the number of switches. Y2 X2 Y2: Switchs # of Ports X2: # of Computers The number of ports on the switch must be greater than or equal to the number of computers. Y3 X3 Y3: Routers # of Analog Connections X3: # of Analog Phones The number of analog connections must be greater than or equal to the number of analog phones.

Each destination can contain a table with a set of fees for towing service:

(Numerical Text Box)

(Numerical Text Box)

(Radio Buttons)

The Radio Buttons are automatically selected according to the established algorithms that relate the quantities of analog phones and computers with the router and switch specifications.

APPENDIX

Objects of the Graphical User Interface

Radio Button: Used when only a single selection is possible. These are known as mutually exclusive options.

Combo Box: Mutually exclusive options are displayed in a drop-down list.

Check Boxes: Allow multiple selections from a number of options.

Text Box: Used to input text information.

Data Types and Expressions

The Made to Order configuration service can manage all forms of data to generate algorithms. The following are some examples of them:

Character: Used to represent letters, numbers, punctuation marks. Boolean: Logical data type that can have a true or false value. Integer: Represents mathematical integers, meaning positive and
negative whole numbers.

String: Contains a sequence of characters or values chosen from an array. Float: It describes a numerical data type that contains decimals. Date: Representation of a date.
A number of mathematical and logical expressions can be combined and associated with different objects and data types in order to satisfy any configuration need. Some of the commonly used expressions are:

and, or abs(number) round(number, decimal places) sin(), cos(), tan(), exp()

Representation of Data
The representation of values and calculations has certain variations according to the application that is being used. For instance the standard order in which operations are performed obeys these rules in the following order: 1. Expressions within parentheses. Expressions within nested parentheses are evaluated from inner to outer. 2. Prefix functions (such as sin, cos, tan, ln). 3. Postfix functions (such as ! (factorial)). 4. Power (^) and square root. 5. Negation (-), multiplication, and division. 6. Addition and subtraction. In contrast, an application such as Excel reads expressions in the following order: : colon , comma single space Negation (as in 1) % Percent ^ Exponentiation and / Multiplication and Division + and Addition and Subtraction & Connects two strings of text (concatenation) = < > <= >= <> Comparison