Rate Utility Overview

The Rate Utility has recently been updated to reflect changes in the way freight is written back to your financial system. Before, you might have used Rate Utility rules to change the freight on your order or invoice. With the introduction of Freight Rules, however, the Rate Utility can now strictly be used to define rates.

Updated Terminology

Applied Freight

In previous versions of The Eagle, the "Modified" rate was used to describe the freight amount including Rate Utility rules. This was the freight charge populated on the Shipping window and on the Order or Invoice. In The Eagle 9.9, we have changed the naming convention to provide more clarity. On the Shipping window, you'll see a new column for freight, called Applied. The Applied freight will be the list or custom rate after the application of any freight rules you've defined. The Applied rate is the freight charge that is written back to the financial system when you have freight write-back enabled.

Custom Rates

UPS, USPS, SpeeDee

We've introduced a new feature to the Rate Utility called the Custom rate. The Custom rate is the List Rate with Rate Utility rules applied (before or after the fuel surcharge*). UPS has the additional option of importing your custom rates from the carrier.

Note that USPS does not have a fuel surcharge and therefore the Custom rate is the List Rate plus any rules you define.

FedEx and DHL

You won't see a Custom Rates or Rules tab in the Rate Utility for these carriers because your custom rates are automatically downloaded from the carrier and displayed as the List rates. There is no need to create rules in order to get the custom rate.

Rate Utility Rules vs. Freight Rules

So what is the difference between the two, how do they relate, and when do you use one versus the other?

Rate Utility rules define the rates that you are charged by the carrier. Freight rules define the freight you charge your customers.

Rate Utility rules allow you to add rules to List rates in order to achieve your negotiated carrier discounts - i.e. your Custom rates. You can then take these Custom rates (or use the List rates) and use them as the basis for freight rules to define how much and when freight is written back to the source document (order/invoice). If you're importing your custom UPS rates, you don't need to create rules (and won't see a Rules tab) because you've already got your negotiated rate.

Use Rate Utility rules for your rates. Use Freight Rules to configure the freight you charge to your customer, which is the Applied freight shown on the Shipping window.

The Eagle Shipping Window

Changes to the Shipping window further clarify the different freight charges. Rates are shown as:

List = published rate (including fuel surcharge);
Custom = published rate less your company discounts;
Applied = list or custom rate + freight rules

The Rate Utility is accessible by selecting Carriers > Rate Utility from The Eagle’s main menu.

The left side of the Rate Utility window displays carriers and their related services. If you ship with multiple carrier accounts, the carriers are listed by account. You can create separate rate rules for each account.

To expand any carrier or service type, click on the "+" next to it. Clicking on a service name will display the List rates, Custom rates, and Rules for that service in the tabs to the right.

You can use the splitter bar in the center of the window to increase your view of the carriers/services or the rates tabs.

Click on Additional Options to view rates for package options that are available for the selected carrier. These rates show extra fees in addition to the normal service charges. You can also apply rules to Additional Options rates.