Pricing Frames & Mats

The pricing of frames and mats is done by grouping.  All frames and mats need to belong to a Price Group that controls how they are priced when ordered.  ProSelect will automatically create a default frame or mat price group if one is not assigned.  Once your groups have been priced, you will need to assign frames using the Manage Frames dialog (Go to the top menu, Products > Frames > Manage Frames), and assign mats using the Mat Design dialog (Go to the top menu, Products > Traditional Mats & Virtual Styles > Designer).

You can set up as many Price Groups as you like, however, it is recommended that you use as few as possible to keep things simple.  Each Price Group has a Group Code (up to 8 characters long), a Name, and a Pricing Method.

Go to the top menu, Products > Frame & Mat Pricing Manager.  Select the tab at the top of the dialog to work with either Frames or Traditional Mats.

 

Important Info - Select Your Price List

Before you start pricing your frames and mats, be sure you have selected the applicable price list from the drop-down menu on the bottom left. 

 

  • Drop-down arrow: Click to reveal all of the items within the Frame or Mat Group.
  • Used: This column shows a green checkmark when the Pricing Group is currently being used by a product in the Product & Pricing Manager.  Any changes you make here will be reflected in those price lists.
  • Group Code: This is the code assigned to the price group.
  • Name: This is the description of the price group.
  • Pricing Method: This is the pricing method currently assigned to the price group.  (xM) indicates a markup is being used.  (+F) indicates an additional fixed cost has been added.
  • Prod. Code: If you have enabled product codes in your Settings, this is where they appear.
  • Tax: a T indicates the item is taxable.  An N indicates the item is non-taxable.
  • Markup: The item price (rate) and markup appear here.
  • Price: This column indicates the total retail price of your frame or mat.
  • Lock: This particular product is from a Supplier Collection and cannot be modified (except for the price).
  • You can change the order of the price groups by selecting a row and dragging it to where you want it to be.
  • There is a button to Set Product Codes (if enabled) located at the bottom of the window.
  • Once you have made changes be sure to click the Save button.

Automatic pricing methods can be used to calculate the price of an item based on its size.  These methods work for Extras, Frames, and Mats.  Using automatic pricing methods can greatly simplify your price list because you only need one price list entry for any ordered size.  Because you can also specify different “rates” for the same item in each of your price lists, your prices can easily change when you change to a different price list.

The following Automatic Pricing Methods are available:
  • Fixed price - Items using this method are priced at the specified price regardless of size.
  • INC: Included - Select this method to always use a price of $0 for all mats or frames that use a price group with this pricing method selected.
  • UI: United Inches - The price is calculated by adding the width and height of the outside of the print or product (the mat size) and multiplying it by the rate in the price list.
  • UC: United Centimetres - Same as United Inches, but in metric units.
  • AF: Area sq. ft - The price is calculated by multiplying the width and height of the outside of the print or product (the mat size) and multiplying it by the rate in the price list.
  • AI: Area sq. in - Same as Area sq. ft. but in inches.
  • AM: Area sq. m - Same as Area sq. ft. but in metric units.
  • UIF: United Inches Framed - The price is calculated by adding the width and height of the outside edge including the frame and multiplying it by the rate in the price list.  For items without a frame, this will be the same value as United Inches.  This calculation includes a standard 1/4” (6mm) rebate on the frame but will support different rebate amounts for different frames in future releases.
  • UCF: United Centimetres Framed - same as United Inches Framed, but in metric units.
  • FPS: Fixed Price by Size - This price allows you to set a price for specific sizes of items.  See the Fixed Price by Size page for more information.
  • CF6: Chop PP Foot 6" - This method is for frames only.  The price is calculated by getting the outside length of the frame in feet rounded up to the next 1/2 of a foot.
  • CF4: Chop PP Foot 4" - This method is for frames only.  The price is calculated by getting the outside length of the frame in feet rounded up to the next 1/3 of a foot.

Adding to these automatic pricing methods, you may want to include an additional fixed cost (+F) or markup (xM).

  1. Select the appropriate tab (Frames or Traditional Mats). 
  2. Click the Add button on the right-hand side of the dialog.



  3. Group Code: A group code will automatically be generated.  Use this or create your own unique code.
  4. Description: A description will also be automatically generated.  Use this or type in a description of your own choosing.
  5. Pricing Method: Select a pricing method from the drop-down box.  If you have chosen Fixed Price By Size, there are additional sizing options you need to select.  
  6. Check the box if you wish to include a markup rate (xM).
  7. Check the box if you wish to add an additional fixed cost (F).  This is useful when you have a fixed assembly cost plus a size-dependent part to your automatic pricing method.  When this option is selected, the pricing method will display with a +F next to it in the Frame & Mat Pricing Manager dialog.  (If you have chosen fixed price as your pricing method, this checkbox will be disabled).
  8. Product Code: If enabled, one will be auto-generated.
  9. Check the Taxable box if you wish the price group to be taxed.
  10. Click the Add Item button.

  • Click on the dollar amount (0.00) of the selected row. 
  • Depending on the pricing method being used, type in a price, rate, markup, and/or additional fixed cost into the boxes on the bottom right of the dialog.
  • Click the Save button OR press the ReturnEnter button on your keyboard.
  • The price group is now priced, and the selection moves down to the next line for you to type in a price for the next item.
  • Once your groups have been priced, you will need to assign frames using the Manage Frames dialog (Go to the top menu, Products > Frames > Manage Frames), and assign mats using the Mat Design dialog (Go to the top menu, Products > Traditional Mats & Virtual Styles > Designer).
Important Note - FPS

If you have chosen Fixed Price By Size as your pricing method, you will need to price each size you have added into the pricing group.  The drop-down arrow on the left-hand side of the Frame & Mat Pricing Manager dialog will expand the group and reveal all the sizes associated with it.

Also, note with FPS, you can apply a markup to the group as a whole (by selecting the row), or you can expand the group out, select each size individually, and enter a custom markup. 

 

  1. Select the row of the price group you wish to edit.
  2. Click the Edit button on the right-hand side of the Frame & Mat Pricing Manager dialog.
  3. The selected price group window will appear.
  4. Make any changes you need to make.
  5. Click the Change Item button when you are finished.

  1. Select the row of the price group you wish to duplicate.
  2. Click the Duplicate button on the right-hand side of the Frame & Mat Pricing Manager dialog.
  3. A confirmation window will open, click Yes to duplicate the group.
  4. The duplicate will appear by default at the bottom of the list.  The name will be the same as the original group, with "Copy 1" added at the end.

  1. Select the row of the price group you wish to delete.
  2. Click the Delete button on the right-hand side of the Frame & Mat Pricing Manager dialog.
  3. A confirmation window will open, click Yes to remove the price group.
Shortcut

Hold the OptionAlt key down while clicking the Delete button.  This will delete the price group immediately without asking for confirmation first.

When ordering custom frames, frame companies often calculate pricing by using a United Inches chart.  Below is an example of charts used by the companies.  The charts calculate the length of frame molding required in decimal feet (including waste) as well as the cost per foot.

Example 1 - Ordering a 16"x20" Frame.  The supplier rounds their lengths to the next 1/2 of a foot (6"):

To Order a 16" x 20" frame:

  1. Convert to United Inches (L+W), (16+20) = 36
  2. Using a 2.5" wide molding would require a total of 8.0' of molding to build.
  3. The supplier will round this up to the nearest 1/2 of a foot.
  4. The supplier charges $16.72 per foot (join cost).  Giving us a total price of $133.76
  5. Charging a 3.0 markup would bring the total cost to $401.28

In this case, using the Chop PP Foot 6" pricing method will get the same result.

Setting Up Chop PP Foot 6" Pricing
  1. Click on the "Frames" tab at the top of the Frame & Mat Pricing Manager dialog.
  2. Add a new price group.  
  3. Select CF6 - Chop PP Foot 6" as the pricing method.  Check the "Include markup rate" box.



  4. Frame Price Group 30 has been created.  It uses the CF6 pricing method, and we have checked the box allowing for a markup.
  5. Our new Price Group appears at the bottom of the Frame & Mat Pricing Manager dialog.  Select the row by clicking on it.
  6. We know that our supplier charges $16.72 per foot for a frame.  This is the price we enter in the Rate/Ft box.
  7. We would like to sell the frame to a client for 3 times that amount.  Our markup is then 3.0.  This is the value we enter into the Markup box.
  8. Click the Save button. *The total price won't be immediately assigned in the Product & Pricing Manager, as the price will vary depending on the size of the frame ordered.



  9. Once you have assigned a frame to use this newly created price group, any size you order will correctly calculate the cost.

  • In the above example, we have applied a BAY Gallery BronzeReverse frame.
  • The frame was assigned the Chop PP Foot 6" price group.  
  • When the frame is ordered, the total cost is $401.28 which matches the cost the supplier is charging plus the 3.0 markup.