Add Ons vs. Products

When adding smaller items or one time extras to your portfolio, the question often comes up: Should this be created as an Add On or as a Product?

The difference mainly lies in how the item is used.

An Add On is always connected to an existing service. A Product stands on its own as a separate portfolio item.

What Add Ons are made for

Add Ons are intended for one time actions or small supplementary items that belong to a service, but should not be managed as separate objects in equipme.

They are booked directly on the related service, processed once, and then completed. After that, they do not continue through their own lifecycle.

An Add On therefore does not create:

• recurring costs
• a separate inventory entry
• an independent lifecycle

This makes Add Ons useful for cases such as:

• maintenance
• reinstalling a device
• cleaning a device
• a notebook bag
• a phone case
• a screen protector

A screen protector is a good example. It may be relevant when a smartphone is ordered or managed, and you may want to see that it was provided. At the same time, it usually does not need to become its own inventory object. As an Add On, it stays traceable through the related service without making the inventory unnecessarily detailed.

How Products differ

A Product is used when something should be available as an independent entry in the portfolio.

Unlike an Add On, it is not attached to another service. It is offered on its own and booked as its own item.

That means a Product is the better choice when the item should not depend on an existing service, but should be available separately in the portfolio.

When should you use Add Ons and when Products?

Use an Add On when:

• it belongs to an existing service
• it should only be booked in connection with that service
• it is processed once and then completed
• it should not create recurring costs
• it should not appear as its own inventory item

Use a Product when:

• it should be available as a standalone portfolio item
• it should be booked independently
• it should not be tied to another service

A simple example

A notebook bag can be handled in both ways, depending on how you want to offer it.

If it should only be selected together with a notebook service, it is a good fit for an Add On. It remains connected to that service and can still be tracked in that context.

If you want to offer the bag independently in your portfolio, it should be created as a Product.

The key question is therefore simple:

Does it belong to another service, or should it stand on its own?