Quick Start
When you first log into the m3ter Console and have selected the Organization you want to work in, the Dashboard opens:
You can jump right in from the Dashboard and work through a 4-step Getting Started workflow - you'll quickly see how easy it is to set things up in m3ter for usage-based pricing on your products and services.
This Quick Start topic offers guidance when following the four-step Getting Started workflow from your Dashboard. This workflow invites you to jump in and start to set up and configure key m3ter entities for implementing usage-based pricing. However, following this Quick Start is not meant to give you full working configuration knowledge of these m3ter entities and their dependencies with other parts of the system. At each step, links to full coverage topics are given, and we strongly recommend that you review this full coverage before attempting to configure your production environment.
Quick Start Experience! Worked Examples with Video Walkthroughs: You can follow some worked examples with video walkthroughs showing how to set up usage-based pricing for SaaS products in the m3ter platform, submit some test usage data, and go on to check Bills.
Working in the m3ter Console? For more details on working in the m3ter Console see the m3ter Console page. This includes a Console Orientation video which gives you a guided tour of the Console layout and its features .
First: Create a Product
A Product in m3ter represents a product or service that you offer to your end customers. You can use a Product to group together Meters, Aggregations, Plans, and Pricing:
1. In the Console navigation, select Product. The Products page opens and lists any existing Products in your Organization.
2. Select Create Product. The Products>Create page opens.
3. Enter the new Product details:
Name. Enter a descriptive name for your Product.
Code. Unique identifier for the Product. You will need the Code as a unique id when submitting API calls, such as a call to retrieve a Product.
Note that when you've entered a name and then click in the Code field, the field is auto-populated with a default code string based on the name you've entered. You can edit this as required.
Custom Fields? These are optional and you can ignore them for now.
3. Select Create. Your new Product is added to your Organization and you are returned to the Products page.
Full Details on Creating Products? See Create and Manage Products.
Second: Create a Meter
Create Meters to collect usage data for customers who consume your Product:
1. In the Console navigation, select Usage>Meters. The Meters page opens and lists any existing Meters in your Organization.
2. Select Create Meter. The Meters>Create page opens.
3. Use the Product drop-down to select the Product you want to create the Meter for.
Tip: Global Meter? You can create a Global Meter, which is not tied to a specific Product if you want to charge across several Products on the basis of the usage data the Meter collects. If you remove the selection, (Global) will show for Product.
4. Enter the new Meter details:
Name. Descriptive name for the Meter.
Code. Used as unique id when submitting API calls, such as a call to update a Meter.
5. Add the Data Fields you need to collect usage data:
For example, suppose you offer your customers a cloud storage Product and you want to charge for this Product on the basis of the cumulative volume of files stored on your service per billing period.
To meet this example, you can enter details for a single numeric quantity field of type Measure to collect usage data on the volume of files stored:
6. Select Create. The new Meter is added to your Product and you are returned to the Meters page.
What are Derived Fields? These are Meter data-collection fields you can add that perform a calculation on Meter Data Fields, Custom Fields, or Timestamp Fields.
Full Details on Creating and Configuring Meters? See Reviewing Meter Options and Creating Meters.
Third: Create an Aggregation
Create Aggregations to define specific units of measurement of usage data collected by your Meters. You can then use these Aggregations to price your Product Plans:
1. In the Console navigation, select Usage>Aggregations. The Aggregations page opens and lists any existing Aggregations in your Organization.
2. Select Create Aggregation. The Aggregations>Create page opens.
3. Use the drop-down to select the Product you want to create the Aggregation for.
4. Enter the new Aggregation details:
You can create an Aggregation that targets the numeric quantity Data Field on the Meter created in step 2, and which then uses a Sum aggregation method to give the total volume of gigabytes stored:
Aggregation Config? You can leave Default Value, Custom Fields, and Segments for now. See Reviewing Aggregation Options for more information on those sections.
5. Select Create Aggregation. The Aggregation is added to your Product and you are returned to the Aggregations page.
Full Details on Creating and Configuring Aggregations? See Reviewing Aggregation Options and Creating Aggregations.
Fourth: Set Up Plans and Pricing
Create Product Plans and define pricing for Plans using Aggregations:
1. Select Pricing>Pricing Editor. The Pricing page opens. Because you haven't yet created any Plans for your new Product, you'll see a warning.
2. Select Create Plan. The Plans page opens. Plans are always the child of a Plan Template. Because no templates have been created for your Product, this page open with the Create a new template option selected. When you create your new Plan, it will be saved as a new Plan Template.
3. Enter the Plan details:
Plan Configuration? You can leave the Standing charge billing, Product minimum spend, and Custom Fields sections for now. See Reviewing Options for Plans and Plan Templates for more information on these sections.
4. Select Create Plan. The Plan is created for your Product and you are returned to the Pricing page.
5. Select Add plans. A popup appears listing Plans created for your Product.
6. Select the Plan you've just created and select Confirm. The popup closes and the selected Plan is added to the Pricing page ready for pricing.
7. Select Add aggregations. A popup appears listing the Aggregations created for your Product.
8. Select the Aggregation you created for your Product and then select Confirm. The popup close and the Aggregation is added to the Pricing page. A warning shows to tell you that no pricing has yet been configured for the Plan using the Aggregation.
9. Select Create Pricing. The Pricing page adjusts with a summary of the Plan and the Aggregation shown at the top of the page.
10. Select the Pricing Type you want to configure for your Product Plan - select Tiered pricing and select Next. The page adjusts to allow you to set up a Tiered pricing structure with two pricing bands.
Pricing Configuration? See Reviewing Pricing Options for Plans and Plan Templates.
11. Select Create. You are returned to the Pricing page and the pricing structure you’ve configured using the Aggregation is shown under the Plan:
You now have a usage-based pricing Plan set up for your new Product and you can attach this Plan to a customer Account that consumes your Product. Metered Bills will be produced by the m3ter service based on this pricing and the usage data collected for the Account.
Full Coverage on Setting Up Plans and their Pricing? See Creating and Working with Plan Templates and Plans and Pricing and Managing Plans and Plan Templates.
Note: When you've completed the Getting Started workflow and created at least one Product for your Organization and added a Meter, Aggregation, and priced Plan, the Getting Started panel will disappear from the Dashboard page.
Additional Support
Login to the Support portal for additional help and to send questions to our Support team.