Scope
In order to offer a flexible and modern cloud pricing model, SERAM now supports a pay-as-you-go billing scheme. This does not affect customers with fixed-rate contracts.
Usage cost unit and computation
SERAM is licensed by active data amount, not by number of users. The active data amount is determined as follows:
- All open reporting periods are enumerated.
- For each reporting period, all active input indicators on structures are determined and counted, resulting in a number of "Data Points".
- The Data Point count is recorded for every day.
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The billing cycle is per calendar month (per end of the month). The median value of all recorded daily Data Point counts in a month is used for billing.
- Temporary fluctuations (e.g. due to administrative tasks, restatements etc.) of the Data Point count will in consequence not affect the monthly charge.
- A free monthly allowance of Data Points may be granted (non-cumulative).
Data Point payment and credits
Conversion rates from the payment currency to Data Points are applied to monetary transactions. The conversion rate depends on the currency used and of any special offers or arrangements.
Pre-payments for Data Points use a more favorable (cheaper) conversion factor than post-payments. Payments may also be split: if a tenant has for example a current balance of -580 Data Points and a payment is made exceeding 580 Data Points (at post-payment rate), the remainder of the payment will be credited to the account at the pre-payment rate.
A Data Point balance statement listing all transactions (with credit and debit details) can be retrieved at any time.