Software Billing System Custom Usage Data Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current software billing systems require independent software vendors (ISVs) and channel partners to adhere to standard criteria for billing, leading to increased operational costs and limitations in combining usage data across primary keys.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that allow users to upload raw usage data and map it to standard usage data fields, enabling aggregation, transformation, and invoicing within a software marketplace billing system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a billing system specifies standard criteria for all ISVs and channel partners, then the billing system can uniformly assess and charge for software consumption, but the operational costs for ISVs and channel partners increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables ISVs and channel partners to self-serve by uploading their own usage data files in various formats and defining custom aggregation rules without requiring manual configuration assistance. The billing system automatically processes these uploads, validates the data, and generates invoices, reducing the need for operational support staff and lowering operational costs while maintaining billing uniformity through standardized processing pipelines
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic configuration of usage data parameters including custom field mappings, aggregation rules, and billing cycles. ISVs can modify these parameters without system reconfiguration, enabling flexible adaptation to different business models while the billing system maintains consistent processing standards. This parameter flexibility reduces operational overhead by eliminating manual system configuration requests
2Ease of operation
If the billing system uses a predetermined specified format for usage data, then data processing is standardized, but it becomes impossible to combine usage across primary keys
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static predetermined formats to dynamic configurable formats. ISVs can define custom field mappings and aggregation rules that adapt to their specific data structures and billing needs. The system processes these dynamic configurations through standardized validation and processing pipelines, enabling both format flexibility and processing standardization simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the usage data processing into modular components: data upload, validation, custom aggregation rule application, and invoice generation. This segmentation allows ISVs to configure specific aggregation behaviors for different primary keys while the overall processing remains standardized. Each segment can be independently configured and validated, enabling flexible usage combination across multiple primary keys
Data Source
AI summary
As disclosed herein, a method for billing for usage of software applications is provided. The method may include receiving usage data associated with a software application and stored in a first plurality of user fields. The method may include aggregating the usage data using a unique identifier. The aggregated usage data may include values stored in a second plurality of user fields. The method may include receiving a mapping between the second plurality of user fields and a plurality of predefined fields. The method may include applying the mapping to the aggregated usage data to store the aggregated usage data in a usage database. The method may include applying a usage rate to the stored usage data to determine a total usage charge. The method may include generating a usage invoice based on the total usage charge. A system and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium are also disclosed.