Boarding Package Setup: Configuring Your Board Offerings in BarnBeacon
Getting your boarding packages configured correctly in your barn management software is foundational to accurate billing. A horse on the wrong package gets billed the wrong amount every month until someone catches it. A package with the wrong included services generates billing disputes. This guide covers how to set up boarding packages properly.
Before You Configure: Document Your Package Definitions
Create a written reference document with every package you offer. For each package, list:
- Package name (as it will appear on invoices and in client communication)
- Monthly price
- Exactly what is included: List every service that is included without additional charge. Be specific. "Two feedings daily of hay per barn schedule, water ad lib, daily stall cleaning, access to small paddock from 8 AM to 3 PM."
- Exactly what is not included: List the services that incur additional charges when used. "Grain, supplements, blanketing, farrier coordination, veterinary coordination, additional turnout, trailer loading."
- Who this package is for: Brief description of the typical client for this package, which helps during sales conversations.
This document is your reference. Configure software to match it exactly.
Package Configuration in BarnBeacon
In BarnBeacon, packages are configured as templates that can be applied to any horse. Steps:
Create the package template: Enter the package name, monthly price, and description. The description appears on invoices if you choose to include it, so write it as client-facing language.
Set the default billing frequency: Most packages are monthly recurring. If you have any packages billed differently (weekly for temporary care, or annual for a deposit), configure accordingly.
Link standard add-ons: If certain packages always include specific add-ons (a training package that always includes a weekly training log), link those add-ons to the package so they populate automatically when the package is applied to a horse.
Create the add-on library separately: Add-ons that are optional rather than package-standard should be in the add-on charge library, not linked to packages. See boarding billing setup for the add-on setup process.
Applying Packages to Horses
Once your packages are configured, apply the correct package to each horse's record. Verify:
- Is the package name correct?
- Is the monthly price correct for this horse? (If a horse negotiated a different rate, that should be noted)
- Does the horse have any standard add-ons that should be linked?
After applying packages, generate a test invoice for each horse and verify the charges are correct before going live.
Updating Packages
When you change a package price, update the template. The new price applies to all horses on that package for the next billing cycle. Update before the invoice generation date to ensure the new price appears on the next invoice.
When the definition of a package changes (you add or remove an included service), update the template description and communicate the change to all boarders on that package with appropriate notice.
For the full billing setup context, see barn billing setup and boarding billing management.
FAQ
What is Boarding Package Setup: Configuring Your Board Offerings in BarnBeacon?
Boarding Package Setup in BarnBeacon is the process of defining and configuring your barn's boarding offerings directly in the software so billing, client records, and service tracking all align. Each package captures the package name, monthly price, included services, and add-on charges. Accurate setup ensures every horse is billed correctly and reduces billing disputes caused by mismatched package assignments or missing service definitions.
How much does Boarding Package Setup: Configuring Your Board Offerings in BarnBeacon cost?
BarnBeacon's boarding package configuration is included as part of your BarnBeacon subscription—there is no extra charge to create or manage packages within the platform. Your costs come from the packages themselves: whatever monthly rates you set for full care, partial care, pasture board, or custom tiers. The software simply reflects your pricing structure rather than adding to it.
How does Boarding Package Setup: Configuring Your Board Offerings in BarnBeacon work?
You start by documenting each package offline—listing the name, price, included services, and excluded services—then recreate those definitions inside BarnBeacon. Once configured, each horse's profile is assigned to a package, and the system uses that assignment to generate recurring monthly charges automatically. Add-on services billed separately are tracked as line items on top of the base package rate.
What are the benefits of Boarding Package Setup: Configuring Your Board Offerings in BarnBeacon?
Proper package setup eliminates manual billing errors, prevents horses from being charged under the wrong rate, and reduces client disputes over what is or isn't included in their board. It creates a consistent paper trail, makes onboarding new clients faster, and gives barn managers a single source of truth for service expectations. Accurate configuration also saves significant time during monthly billing runs.
Who needs Boarding Package Setup: Configuring Your Board Offerings in BarnBeacon?
Any boarding barn using BarnBeacon that offers more than one type of board needs to configure packages. This is especially important for facilities with multiple tiers—full care, partial care, pasture, training board—or seasonal variations. If your barn has even two different monthly rates, setting up distinct packages ensures the right clients are billed the right amount without manual intervention each cycle.
How long does Boarding Package Setup: Configuring Your Board Offerings in BarnBeacon take?
Initial package setup typically takes one to two hours for a barn with a standard range of two to five boarding tiers. The preparation phase—documenting what each package includes and excludes before touching the software—often takes longer than the actual configuration. Ongoing adjustments, such as annual price increases or adding a new package tier, are quick once the baseline is established.
What should I look for when choosing Boarding Package Setup: Configuring Your Board Offerings in BarnBeacon?
Look for clarity and specificity in how BarnBeacon lets you define included services. You should be able to describe exactly what is covered—feeding schedules, turnout hours, stall cleaning frequency—not just a package name and price. Also confirm the system supports add-on line items for excluded services, and that package changes on a horse's record are logged with an effective date for audit purposes.
Is Boarding Package Setup: Configuring Your Board Offerings in BarnBeacon worth it?
Yes, if you are running a boarding barn with recurring monthly charges, correct package configuration is foundational. A horse on the wrong package creates a billing error that compounds every month until caught. The setup investment is small compared to the ongoing risk of manual billing, client disputes, and lost revenue from undercharging. Getting this right at the start saves meaningful administrative time over the life of every client relationship.