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Overview
Vehicle Groups let you organize your vehicles into fleets based on source of business and unique use cases.
How Do Vehicle Groups Work?
After uploading vehicles in Dealerware, you can move them into specific Vehicle Groups to satisfy programs at your dealership. Each Vehicle Group has its own set of cost recovery and revenue settings, which apply to all vehicles within the group, and corresponding customer contracts.
If your dealership is leveraging Multi-Agreements, you can assign specific Driver Agreements to Vehicle Groups.
*Admin permission is required to create and manage Vehicle Groups and configure settings.
Create Vehicle Groups
Create Vehicle Groups to satisfy unique use cases.
- Select Settings > Vehicle Groups from the main navigation
- Select Add Vehicle Group
- Input the Vehicle Group Name
- Select Create New Group
Assign Driver Agreements
Assign Driver Agreements to Vehicle Groups.
- In Vehicle Group Settings, locate General Group Settings
- Select the Driver Agreement dropdown
- Select the applicable agreement
- Select Save
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Done
Configure Cost Recovery Settings
Cost Recovery Settings is split into 4 sections. Learn about Vehicle Group settings and how to configure them below.
- Fees
- Custom Fees
- Taxes
- Credit Card Holds
Types of Fees
Daily Rate
A Daily Rate is a fee charged to customers daily for vehicle use. When enabled, the fee applies to all vehicles within the Vehicle Group. See: Credit Card Holds to learn how to authorize a hold in the amount of a Daily Rate.
How are days calculated for Daily Rate?
The actual length of contract dictates the number of days charged to customers.
Contract length is based on Actual Pickup and Actual Drop Off dates, which can be found in the Contract Details for each contract.
A single Daily Rate is applied to the customer’s balance upon contract start. 24.5 hours after contract- start, an additional Daily Rate is incurred, and so on. Dealerware does not prorate or charge partial days.
Example:
- Contract Length: 1 Hour = 1 Daily Rate charge
- Contract Length: 24 Hours = 1 Daily Rate charge
- Contract Length 25 Hours= 2 Daily Rate charges
- Contract Length 48 hours = 2 Daily Rate charges
When are Daily Rates charged?
Daily Rates are charged once a contract is finished using Dealerware Web or Mobile.
If you have enabled a Daily Rate, it’s best practice to highlight such in your location’s Agreement Terms.
Fuel Used
This fee allows you to recover fuel costs. The dollar amount entered is per gallon, therefore charges will vary based on the starting and ending fuel amounts.
Fuel Charge Allowance
This setting allows you to set a fuel allowance, to prevent customers from incurring fuel charges if the total fuel used is less than the configured amount.
Fuel Convenience Fee
This flat fee is applied to the customer’s invoice if the fuel level reported at contract finish is less than it was at contract start.
If Fuel Charge Allowance is enabled, the Fuel Convenience Fee will only apply if the fuel charge exceeds the allowance.
Example A: No Fuel Charge Allowance Applied
- Your dealership has enabled a Fuel Used fee of $3 per gallon and a Fuel Convenience Fee of $5
- A vehicle is provided to the customer with a full tank of fuel & is returned with 4 gallons less.
- The charges are calculated as follows: Fuel Charge: $3 x Fuel Used: 4 Gallons = $12 + Fuel Convenience Fee: $5 = Total Charge: $17
- A $17 balance will be applied to the customer’s invoice at contract finish
Example B: Fuel Charge Allowance Applied
- Your dealership has enabled a Fuel Used fee of $3 per gallon, a Fuel Convenience Fee of $5, and a Fuel Charge Allowance of $10
- A vehicle is provided to the customer with a full tank of fuel and is returned with 1 gallon less.
- The charges are calculated as follows: Fuel Charge: $3 x Fuel Used: 1 Gallon = $3 + Fuel Convenience Fee: $5 = Total Charge: $8
- A balance will not be applied to the customer’s invoice at contract finish because the total charges were less than the $10 Fuel Charge Allowance
Charge for Excess Mileage
This setting lets you set an average daily mileage allowance and configure the amount to charge per mile when the limit is exceeded. Customers will be invoiced overage charges at contract finish.
How is Charge for Mileage calculated?
Customers will be allotted a set number of miles based on the Daily Mileage Allowance and the total number of contract days.
Total Allotted Mileage = Contract Days x Daily Mileage Allowance
Example:
2 contract days x 150 miles/day allowance = 300 miles total
If the customer exceeds 300 miles during their 2-day contract, they will be charged per mile for the excess mileage.
Total Excess Mileage Charge = Excess mileage x Excess Mileage Rate
Example:
10 miles x 0.25 cents/ mile = $2.50: Excess Mileage Charge
Days under contract is based on the "Actual Pickup" and "Actual Dropoff" that can be found in Contract Details.
Configuring Fees
- In Vehicle Group Settings, locate Cost Recovery Settings > Fees
- Ensure Collect Customer Credit Card Information is toggled on
- Input a dollar amount into the Amount field of the fees you wish to enable
- Select the Taxable checkbox to collect taxes (optional)
- Select Save
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Done
Types of Custom Fees
- Facility Fee
- Rental Fee
- Road Safety Fee
- Transportation Fee
- Trip Fee
- Recovery Fee
Configuring Custom Fees
- In Vehicle Group Settings, locate Cost Recovery Settings > Custom Fees
- Select Add Fee
- Select the Fee Type dropdown to choose the fee type
- Select the Frequency dropdown to choose the frequency
- Select Add
- Select Save
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Done
Types of Taxes
- Sales
- State
- City
- County
- Rental
- Event
- Venue
- Luxury
- Tourism
Configuring Taxes
- In Vehicle Group Settings, select the Taxable check box next to any fee
- Select Save
- Scroll to the Taxes section
- Input the Sales Tax or select Add Tax to apply a new tax type
- Choose the tax type from the dropdown
- Input the tax rate
- Select Add
- Select Save
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Done
*Consult with your dealership's Controller or finance contact to determine taxability and state requirements.
Types of Credit Card Holds
Credit Card Holds authorize payments on customer credit cards at contract start. When charging the customer at contract finish, the hold amount is applied to the customer's balance. Any unused funds are released to the customer's credit card.
Holds are based on the following selections:
- Estimated Charge: Contract Days x Daily Rate + Additional Charges
- Security Deposit: Flat rate based on the configured amount
Configuring Credit Card Holds
- In Vehicle Group Settings, locate Cost Recovery Settings > Credit Card Hold
- Select the hold type that best applies
- If you selected Security Deposit, input the amount
- Select Save
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Done
Configure Additional Settings
Types of Additional Settings
- View Vehicle Positions During Contracts: Allows users to view the location of a vehicle while assigned to a contract.
- Driver Minimum Age: Ensures a driver must meet a minimum age requirement in order to be assigned a vehicle.
- Dealer Code: Ensures a dealer-specific code is applied to Driver Agreements.
Configuring Additional Settings
- In Vehicle Group Settings, locate Cost Recovery Settings > Additional Settings
- Toggle on any setting that applies
- Select Save
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Done
Edit or Remove a Vehicle Group
Learn how to edit or remove a Vehicle Group below.
Edit a Vehicle Group
- Select Settings > Vehicle Groups from the main navigation
- In Current Vehicle Groups, locate the applicable group
- Select the pencil icon next to the group
Remove a Vehicle Group
Prior to removing a Vehicle Group, all vehicles within the group must be assigned to a different group. Once the group is free of any vehicles, you can remove it by following the steps below:
- Select Settings > Vehicle Groups from the main navigation
- In Current Vehicle Groups, select the trash can icon next to the applicable Vehicle Group
- Select Delete
Assign Vehicles to Vehicle Groups
Learn how to assign vehicles to Vehicle Groups (Vins to Multiple Groups)
All Dealerware users can assign vehicles to Vehicle Groups using Dealerware Web. However, vehicles must be in an available status in order to be assigned. You can assign vehicles to groups individually or in bulk.
Assign Vehicles to Groups to Groups Individually
- Select Vehicles from the main navigation
- Locate the applicable vehicle(s) and select the checkbox next to the vehicle(s)
- Select the pencil icon at the bottom of the page
- Confirm the correct number of vehicles have been selected
- Select the drop-down arrow
- Select the applicable Vehicle Group
- Select Save
Change the name of a Vehicle Group
Learn how to change the name of a Vehicle Group using Dealerware Web below.
- Select Settings > Vehicle Groups from the main navigation
- Select the pencil icon next to the applicable Vehicle Group
- In General Group Settings, input the preferred Group name (names must be unique and cannot be repeated)
- Select Save
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Done
The Vehicle Group name is not visible to customers and should be used as a reference for Dealerware users. Vehicle Group names will be indicated on the Vehicles in Dealerware Web, and during vehicle Selection in Dealerware Mobile.
* If a Daily Rate is configured, it's best practice to include the dollar amount of the Daily Rate in the name of the Vehicle Group, to signal to Dealerware users that assigning a vehicle within the group to a contract will result in the customer incurring a Daily Rate. Example: “Premium: $20/day.”