Design Your Catalog

This guide will walk you through a Self-Assessment, so you can discover your optimal Catalog structure. When you're finished, you will have a catalog structure diagram, so you can begin creating your catalog.

Summary

Feature: Catalog
You Need: An understanding of what you sell, and how it is priced.
Code: No
Difficulty: ◉◎◎◎◎

Self-Assessment

Complete these questions for each Billing Model you have. Most companies have 1-2 models (eg: "Self-service" and "Enterprise").

1. Answer five questions

Tip: Write down your answers as you go.

Question 1 - Invoice Line Items
Which Line Items need to show on a Customer’s Invoice?

Select...	If...	Example
A	Your business model has subscription plans with add ons; or, subscription plans without add ons.	You sell Bronze, Silver, Gold Plans with no add ons; Or, Bronze, Silver, Gold Plans with add ons.
B	It's complicated. Your business model has anything beyond option A.	Anything more complex than A

Question 2 - Pricing Variations
Excluding currencies or coupons, do any of the Line Items have pricing variations?

Select...	If...	Example
Yes	Your business model has different versions, or different rates, or custom pricing.	You sell an item called “Thing”, and within that item, you sell variations such as “Thing version 1”, “Thing version 2”, etc.
No	Your business model has 1 rate for a line item.	You sell an item called “Thing”, and Thing has 1 price point. Thing might have tiered pricing within it, but it is still 1 price point you offer to all customers.

Question 3 - Reporting
If 2 is Yes, do you want to report on the Item or the Variation? If 2 is No, skip this question.

Select...	If...	Example
Item	Your business model has reporting needs at the item level.	You sell an item called “Thing”, and within that item, you sell variations such as “Thing version 1”, “Thing version 2”, and you want to report on the main item called “Thing”.
Variation	Your business model has reporting needs at the variation level.	You sell an item called “Thing”, and within that item, you sell variations such as “Thing version 1”, “Thing version 2”, and you want to report on the variation called “Thing version 1”.

Question 4 - Restrictions
Within this billing model, do you restrict some of your Line Items to specific segments of your Customer Base, or create new signups in a CRM?

Select...	If...	Example
Yes	Your business model has groups of items, segmented to a specific customer base; Or, you create new signups in a CRM.	You sell a group of items called “Items Group A”, and only specific customers can buy. You also sell “Items Group B”. Customers who subscribe to Items Group A, don’t know Items Group B exists.
No	Your business model has no groups of items, all customers can buy any item, and you do not create signups in a CRM.	You sell items, and customers can subscribe to any of them.

Question 5 - Bundles
If 1 is Yes, when you sell to your customer, do you pre-package multiple line items together in a bundle, where each line item has a fixed quantity?

Select...	If...	Example
Yes	Your business model has multiple items are bundled into a package, and you sell that package, and you want all the line items to appear on a customer’s invoice.	You sell 5 items, bundled in a package. Your customer purchases the package as-is with no modifications. The customer receives an invoice that contains all 5 items within the package.
No	Your business model has anything other than the above.	n/a

2. Find your model

Based on your answers to questions 1-5, find your optimal configuration model. Then find your results.

#1	#2	#3	#4	#5	Optimal Configuration Model
A	Yes	Item	No	No	Model 1a
A	Yes	Item	Yes	No	Model 1b
A	Yes	Variation	No	No	Model 1c
A	No	-	No	No	Model 1c
A	Yes	Variation	Yes	No	Model 1d
A	No	-	Yes	No	Model 1d
A	Yes	Item	No	Yes	Model 1e
A	Yes	Item	Yes	Yes	Model 1f
A	Yes	Variation	No	Yes	Model 1g
A	No	-	No	Yes	Model 1g
A	Yes	Variation	Yes	Yes	Model 1h
A	No	-	Yes	Yes	Model 1h
B	Yes	Item	No	-	Model 2a
B	Yes	Item	Yes	-	Model 2b
B	Yes	Variation	No	-	Model 2c
B	No	-	No	-	Model 2c
B	Yes	Variation	Yes	-	Model 2d
B	No	-	Yes	-	Model 2d

3. Choose an implementation strategy

You will either build your catalog build in Chargify (manual), or Chargify Onboarding will help import your catalog.

Select...

If...

Next Steps

Build in Chargify

Your business has a small catalog <25 items, or wants to getting started immediately.

Build the basics, then start building your catalog.

Get Started

Import

Your business has a medium/large catalog >25 items, and/or wants import assistance.

Build the basics, then start building your catalog import CSV file.

Get Started