Tri-annually
Tri-annually billing charges customers on a recurring 36-month schedule — the longest standard commitment period CMP supports. The tri-annual price comes from the rate card package; how much is charged at creation or renewal and when invoices are generated depend on your billing rule, payment mode, and (for postpaid/manual) advance invoice settings.
| Duration | 36 months (3 years) |
| Also called | Every 3 years, tri-annual |
| Best for | Deepest long-term discount |
Configure pricing: Settings → Billing Setup → Rate Cards → [Rate Card] → Packages → [Service Type] → Billing cycle and pricing
| Topic | Summary |
|---|---|
| Cycle | Customer commits to a 36-month billing period (package tri-annual price on the rate card) |
| Charge amount | Billing rule — PRO_RATA, UNFIXED_PRORATA, DATE_TO_DATE, FIXED_CALENDAR_MONTH, UNFIXED_CALENDAR_MONTH (not always full 3 years upfront) |
| When customer pays | Prepaid or manual recommended — not postpaid |
| Advance invoicing | Optional manual flags — see Monthly — invoice timing |
| Postpaid | ❌ Not recommended — revenue and fraud risk over a 36-month period |
| Early deletion | No refund for unused time in the committed period ❌ |
What tri-annual billing means
Tri-annually means the package’s tri-annual rate card price applies and the service renews every 36 months.
That does not mean CMP always charges the full 3-year price on the day the service is created. The charged amount and invoice timing depend on billing rule, payment mode, and advance invoice flags.
Charge amount by billing rule
Tri-annual supports:
| Billing rule | Behaviour |
|---|---|
PRO_RATA | Partial start: daily pro-rata to month end, then full remaining months within the aligned period. See FIXED_PRORATA. |
UNFIXED_PRORATA | Pro-rata for creation month only; next invoice is a full 36-month period from the 1st of the following month. See UNFIXED_PRORATA. |
DATE_TO_DATE | Each period runs creation date → same date 36 months later − 1 day. See DATE_TO_DATE. |
FIXED_CALENDAR_MONTH | Calendar-aligned first invoice — see FIXED_CALENDAR_MONTH. |
UNFIXED_CALENDAR_MONTH | Full creation calendar month pro-rata, then rolling period — see UNFIXED_CALENDAR_MONTH. |
Pro-rata uses cycle price ÷ 36 for monthly equivalent. See Billing Rules.
Invoice and charge timing
See Monthly — invoice and charge timing.
| Mode | Supported? | Tri-annual behaviour (high level) |
|---|---|---|
| Prepaid | ✅ Recommended | Wallet deducted at creation/renewal; amount per billing rule |
| Postpaid | ❌ Not recommended | Long outstanding period — revenue delay and fraud risk |
| Manual | ✅ | Offline settlement; same invoice timing patterns as monthly |
Tri-annual billing is not recommended with postpaid payment mode.
| Risk | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Revenue delay | You may wait 3 years or more before collecting payment for the committed period |
| Fraud exposure | A customer can consume services for the full 3-year period and leave before paying |
Use prepaid or manual. Postpaid is appropriate only with hourly and monthly billing cycles.
Early deletion
No refund for unused time. The full 3-year period is charged even if the customer deletes the service early.
Tri-annual plans require clear communication on non-refundable terms. CMP does not support partial refunds — see Billing Cycles.
Service contracts
The service contract system applies to quarterly and longer billing cycles only — not hourly or monthly.
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Billing cycle | Quarterly or longer (this page: tri-annual = 36-month contract) |
| Billing rule | DATE_TO_DATE only |
| Payment mode | Postpaid or manual — not prepaid |
When contracts are enabled, the service is marked as a contract service in the portal.