The Fine Print

Charge Policies and Prices

Charge Policy

To use PC-Plod you need a current User Licence.
Licences are an “Enterprise Licence”. You may operate PC-Plod for your own purposes on any number of computers at your main office and, if appropriate, at worksites and branches which are part of your normal operations. Unless specifically agreed in writing otherwise, you may not use the system for businesses which are separate activities or are not wholly owned subsidiaries.
Licence Fees are calculated in advance each year. The first year licence fee is dearer than the renewal annual fee, partly to cover the cost of installation, and also to recoup your portion of the development costs invested so far.
Licence fees are non-refundable.
The same Licence Fees apply to in-house installations and Plod in the Cloud (PITC), although PITC customers will also need to pay a Cloud Access Fee for each User Login.
Licence fees vary depending on the size of your business, measured by Rigs and Employees. Larger firms pay more because the system is worth more to them in absolute terms. The fee is based on Rigs/Employees; it is not based on the number of staff who log-in or use the system.
Licence Fees are calculated based on Rig and Employee counts agreed to at the time a Licence is taken out or each twelve months thereafter. Your Renewal Licence Fee will vary from year to year as your Rig and Employee counts vary, but we do not apply fee adjustments mid-year if Rig or Employee counts vary.
When calculating Licence Fees:
1. Rigs: is the number of Rigs you own or control. Rigs that are parked-up or idle at the time should be included. Rigs on order but not arrived should not be included.
2. Employees: Is the total number of non-terminated part –time, full-time or casual employees on file. Employees on stand-down or leave should be included, as should admin staff (including yourself?).
3. The amount to be paid in advance each month is one twelfth of the annual fee calculated.
As from 1/5/2016 Licences for new customers and renewing customers become monthly licences as specified in PC-Plod Terms and Conditions. Licence Fees are to be prepaid each month.
1. This is best done by customers setting up a Periodic Payment at their bank where the agreed amount is automatically paid to our PlodCo account on the nominated day each month.
2. A licence is deemed lapsed if unpaid and the customer must cease using PC-Plod until payment is made.
A specified amount of support is embedded in the Licence Fees. Beyond this Support is chargeable at the hourly rate specified below. (See Support Policy)
Note that the amount of Embedded Support has been deliberately set to what we see as a minimum level. You should expect that, from time to time, support charges will apply over and above your Licence Fees.
All travel and accommodation by us necessary to install and support your site is at your cost. (See Travel Policy).
In the unlikely case that we are making external purchases on your behalf, we prefer this be done on your account. If it is necessary for us to process payment via our account then we will charge you cost plus 25%.
We do not charge you for ongoing development – this is included in your Licence Fees. (See Development Policy)
Licence Fees and charge rates may vary from time to time. The rate in force at any point in time is that published on our website (plod.com.au) at the time.

Prices

First Year PC-Plod User Licence: $4,000 + ($900 per Rig) + ($110 per Employee) + GST per annum (divide by 12 for monthly Licence Fee)
Annual Renewal PC-Plod User Licence: $1,500 + ($90 per Rig) + ($31 per Employee) + GST per annum (divide by 12 for monthly Licence Fee)
Support charge rate: $110 per hour +GST
Plod in the Cloud access charges:
- Per User Login – Terminal Services or RemoteApp customer: $50 + GST per month.
Travel and Accommodation: At cost (MV Km rate is deemed to be $0.75/Km)
Other outgoings: Cost + 25%

Last Updated: 2/6/2016

Licence Fee Calculator:

Enter your Rig and Employee counts below to determine Licence Fees.

Development Policy

Our objective is that PC-Plod should be regarded as the industry standard system for Drilling Companies. To this end we have adopted the following policy:

PC-Plod is a “single version” system, it is one-size-fits-all. Having said this, there are parameters, features and facilities that can be turned on/off to tailor PC-Plod to your individual requirements. In some circumstances we may agree to create a different system derived from PC-Plod, but such different system will be developed separate from PC-Plod and not be covered by this Development Policy.
The cost of development and updates is included in your Licence Fee. At all times all users are entitled to the latest version of PC-Plod.
Our budget allows for ongoing development that will include:
1. Changes to meet industry and statutory requirements
2. Changes to meet user requirements
3. New modules and facilities
4. Improvements to existing modules and facilities
We use a prioritised Development Schedule. Our developers work on tasks from this schedule. Items get onto the Development Schedule:
1. By necessity – Statutory changes, advances in technology, discovered bugs, etc.
2. Determined by us as being potential or desirable changes or additions.
3. Requested by Clients.
You may submit items to be included on the Development Schedule.
We do not charge you for development; it is included in the License Fees. The exception is that you may request a feature that we regard as not being a requirement of the industry generally; or you wish not to be available to other users. In these cases we will negotiate an arrangement with you.
Other than the exception noted above, once development of an item has been completed and tested it becomes available to all users (whether they choose to use it or not).

Please read our Speak-To-Us Policy.

Last Updated: 06/08/2012

Update Policy

Licensed Users are entitled to the latest version of PC-Plod. The cost of updated versions is included in the Licence Fee, although there may be some Support charges involved in actually installing the update for individual customers.

Our policy for distributing updated versions to users is:

In the case of Plod in the Cloud we will update the system (including database meta-data), and advise you by email of changes made.
In the case of in-house installations of PC-Plod we will:
1. Advise you by email that an update is available and the changes made.
2. Mutually agree on a schedule and procedure to update your copy of the system.
3. You may request that we manage the update, or work with your local staff/contractors to do this. Time spent by us doing this is recorded as Support Time and may result in a charge at month end.
4. In some cases a version update may involve meta-data changes to your database. In these cases we will need to use online support to make these changes for you. This time is recorded as Support Time and may result in a charge at month end.
Users are not obliged to install the latest versions as they become available, although you will be required to keep your version “reasonably” up to date as old versions will eventually reach a stage of becoming un-supportable.
1. If your installation becomes six months out of date, commencing from the release date of the version that supersedes it, then:
  1. Any free installation and training Support is deemed exhausted
  2. Any ongoing, free Embedded Support is suspended
  3. Ongoing Embedded Support will resume once your installation is brought up to date.

Last Updated: 06/08/2012

Travel Policy

Travel and accommodation are a particular expense we would all like to minimise. To achieve this we have made no allowance for travel or accommodation (T&A) in our Licence Fees or Charge Rates and adopted the policy that all travel and accommodation required by us to support you will be at your cost.

The following points apply:

We attempt to keep travel to a minimum.
1. To this end support is usually provided by phone or online.
2. If we can reasonably arrange a visit to your site to coincide with some other purpose or client we will do so and split the costs.
3. PC-Plod can be successfully installed and user training provided using online Remote Support from our office – even for larger drilling companies. The procedure that works best is where we use Remote Support to get you up and running and then arrange a site visit several months later to give in-depth training on analysis and procedures. By this time you are familiar with the look, feel, and terminology of PC-Plod and have sufficient history to provide meaningful analysis.
We do not set out to make a margin or profit on T&A. We simply expect to recover any direct costs involved to us.
Usually you would be in a position to provide/arrange T&A at a lesser cost than we can.
Where a site visit becomes necessary (eg Installation), we will discuss with you the best way to arrange T&A.
Where T&A is arranged or paid for by us we will invoice you to recover our costs.
We do not charge hourly rates for labour while travelling.
When travelling in our vehicles we charge $0.75/Km (as at May 2010, based on rates at http://www.australianbiz.com.au/small-business-tax-rates.aspx)

Last Updated: 06/08/2012

Support Policy

Our intention is to provide ongoing Support on a fair and equitable basis. It is a fact of life that some users will require more Support than others. On the other hand we do not wish to discourage users from using Support where it is applicable. To this end we have embedded a nominal amount of Support into the licence fees and adopted a User-Pays approach as below:

Support may be provided onsite, or by telephone, or online. We prefer a system whereby we can use RDP to log into your LAN as a means of providing Support.
Support includes time spent on installation, training, general support, problem solving and generally covers any time that we spend specifically on your behalf (as opposed to time spent on development or administration or on behalf of all customers collectively).
A specified amount of Support is embedded in your User Licence. This is referred to as Embedded Support. We do not charge for Embedded Support. We do charge for Support beyond the limit of Embedded Support.
A 1^st Year Licence includes a set amount of Embedded Support to nominally cover installation and training. After this has been used (for installation or otherwise) then Embedded Support continues at the rate of one hour per calendar month on a use-it-or-lose-it basis. ie: Once you have exhausted your installation support then up to the first hour of Support each month thereafter is not chargeable. This hour per month continues as Embedded Support for Renewal Licences, again on a use-it-or-lose-it basis.
We maintain a Timesheet(s) of Support provided to you. This will show the date, amount of Support and an indication of what was provided.
Support times are recorded in increments of 0.25 hours (15 minutes).
Where the Support provided during a month exceeds the amount of Embedded Support we charge you for the excess and attach a copy of the timesheet to the invoice.
All the computers, routers, printers, and other related hardware and operating systems at your site(s) make up your Local Area Network (LAN).
1. We are not responsible for your LAN, we prefer that you have an in-house or local provider who maintains this for you.
2. Where we are required to provide assistance in relation to your LAN, or liaise with your provider, then this time will be recorded as Support.
We encourage situations where our customers co-operate with each other on support/user issues. We do not charge for Support not provided by us.
Any travel and accommodation required by us to provide Support is at your expense (see our Travel Policy).
If there are particular features you would like to see included in PC-Plod then you should approach us to have it included into our Development Schedule. If it is subsequently developed and included in the system then you will not be charged for this – updates are covered by the Licence Fees. See our Development Policy.
If Support provided to you relates to an error in the system (bug) then this time may still be chargeable (at our discretion). Our Terms and Conditions point out that PC-Plod is a system undergoing continued development and you have accepted the risks and obligations this implies.
Where an in-house installation of PC-Plod becomes six months out of date, commencing from the release date of the version that supersedes it, then:
1. Any free installation and training Support is deemed exhausted
2. Any ongoing, free Embedded Support is suspended (ie: All Support becomes chargeable)
3. Ongoing free Embedded Support will resume once your installation is brought up to date.

Please read our Speak-To-Us Policy.

Last Updated: 2/6/2016

Speak-To-Us Policy

You have chosen to use PC-Plod to handle your invoicing, payroll and analysis procedures. This means that PC-Plod is responsible for most, if not all of your income and the largest part of your expenses. It will do this very well, but it does represent a serious commitment by both of us to achieve the best results.
To meet our commitment to you:
1. PC-Plod is constantly evolving to meet changes in technology and drilling industry requirements. The changes we make are partly reliant on feedback we get from you.
2. We, and you for that matter, need to be confident that your staff are using the system as it was intended and not digging themselves into a hole
So it makes perfect sense that we should be in step with each other - you need to be aware of the latest trends with PC-Plod and where we are heading, and we need to be aware of your user experience, your aspirations, and any difficulties you have with using PC-Plod.
We have found in the past that some users will avoid contacting us for the sake of saving a few dollars on Support fees. In the overall scheme of your objectives this is entirely counter-productive; so we have adopted a policy where the first hour of Plod Support each month is free of charge.

Last Updated: 06/8/2012

Cloud Policy

As an option for customers PC-Plod as also available as a Cloud Service where, instead of the system and data being installed on the customer’s computers or network, they are installed and operate on a world-class Datacentre connected to the customer users by the internet. Customers may choose to use PC-Plod either in-house or as a Cloud Service.

“Plod in the Cloud” is PC-Plod operating as a Cloud Service. We offer Plod in the Cloud on the following basis:

Plod in the Cloud is the same system that would otherwise be installed in-house. From the user’s point of view it looks and feels the same as the in-house system (we use the same executable programs in both cases).
To provide Plod in the Cloud we use one or more Virtual Servers at Equinix.
1. Equinix is an operator of world-class datacentres with operations internationally and in Australia. The Australian datacentre, which we use, is located in a purpose built facility in Sydney.
2. A Virtual Server is not a PC as such, but a small portion of the datacentre configured as a dynamically scalable Windows Server. We can alter the CPU, memory, storage and other resources dedicated to this Virtual Server depending on changing needs from month to month.
3. Equinix operates the datacentre. In Australia they have a channel marketing arrangement with Vadis Pty Limited who distribute Equinix Virtual Servers, Virtual Desktops and related services to vertical market operators such as us. Our contract is with Vadis and allows us to use the Equinix resources to provide Cloud services to our customers.
4. We are confident that the service from Equinix /Vadis meets world-class standards to the point we expect it represents a solution more reliable and secure than the average in-house installation. We offer the Cloud Service to you on the understanding we are acting as your agent in terms of the services provided by Equinix /Vadis so we have no consequential liability in the event of a failure of the service provided by them.
Our customers connect to Plod in the Cloud via the internet, which you accept is beyond our control. This particularly applies to your internet connection between your end-user device and your internet service provider (ISP).
1. We are not responsible for failures in your internet connection, even though we do apply technology that will provide a better than average service in most conditions.
2. We are not responsible for charges to you by your ISP for using this service.
Our Development policy states that all customers are entitled to the latest version of PC-Plod at all times. In the case of an in-house installation we mutually agree on a timeframe when program updates should be installed. In the case of the Cloud Service the latest version will be installed by us automatically. We will advise you of such updates.
From time to time we will need to undertake various maintenance functions which may involve the Cloud Service being unavailable to you for short periods. We will advise you in advance of such Scheduled Outages and try and time them to cause the least overall disruption.
Despite the levels of security, backup and redundancy provided by Equinix, some customers feel more comfortable if they have a copy of the database(s) in their own physical possession. We offer, at no extra cost, an option whereby we will:
1. Make a special overnight backup of your database(s) at the datacentre
2. Use a special FileSync Client to copy this backup to one of your PCs at the next reasonably available opportunity.
  1. To receive the copy your PC will need to be turned on and connected to the internet.
  2. If the PC is turned off (eg: overnight), or your internet fails, then when it comes back online the FileSync Client will detect this and make the copy.
3. This means that you will always have at the PC a copy of the latest available backup of your database(s).
4. This FileSync service is optional, on an opt in basis.
5. You accept that using this FileSync service may result in additional download charges to you by your ISP.
Plod in the Cloud simply provides you with an alternate means of using PC-Plod.
1. All of our other Terms and Conditions, Policies and Charges that relate to an in-house installation still apply.
2. The Licence Fees that allow you to use PC-Plod still apply (at the same rate as for an in-house installation)
3. Up until 1/5/2016 Licence Fees apply, and are charged, on an annual basis in advance; from 1/5/2016 Licence Fees are charged on a monthly basis as per PC-Plod Terms and Conditions.
4. Plod in the Cloud Logins are rented and charged on a monthly basis in advance.
5. You may change the number of Logins, up or down, from month to month.
We offer Plod in the Cloud connecting to our Virtual Server(s) as a RemoteApp (similar to RDP).
1. Customers use Plod in the Cloud using an RDP type client running on a device connected to our virtual server(s) via the internet.
  1. “The RDP type client” could be the standard Microsoft Windows RDP program, or an equivalent third-party program for Windows, or Mac, or some other device.
  2. The “device” may be a free-standing Windows, Linux, Mac or other PC; or part of a network; or an Internet Café PC; or an iPad or similar; or even an iPhone – provided it is capable of running an RDP type client that is capable of connecting to our Virtual Servers or Virtual Desktops. (Our Virtual Desktops also allow a “web-based” interface).
2. You accept that different devices have different characteristics and that we cannot be held responsible for how these may affect your user experience.
3. You will need one or more of these connections (Logins) for each of your staff (Users) who are connected to the system at any one time.
  1. If you have five different staff who may use PC-Plod then you may elect to purchase one Login for each. ie: five Logins, each customised in terms of UserName and Password for each staff member.
  2. If you consider that, at the most, only three of these will need to be using the system at any point in time then you may elect to purchase three logins using generic UserNames and Passwords.
4. The monthly charge for Logins is as per our Charge Policies and Prices.
5. At any stage customers may choose to switch their use of PC-Plod from in-house to Plod in the Cloud or vice-versa.
  1. Such a switch has no impact on Licence Fees but will involve work by our Support staff which will be charged at normal Plod Support charge rates. (Part or all of this may be offset against unused embedded Support entitlements).
  2. You cannot use both at the same time as PC-Plod relies on all data being held in a single database for each Company or Ledger. If you operate more than one Ledger you may choose to have some on the Cloud and some in-house.

Last Updated: 2/6/2016

PC-Plod Licence Terms and Conditions

PC-Plod is a computer system for drilling companies developed, marketed and supported PlodCo Pty Limited (PlodCo) on a licence basis.
A Licence issued before 1/5/2016 is valid for 12 months upon payment of the 1st Year License Fee. It will continue for further annual terms of 12 months upon payment of the Annual License Fee.
As from 1/5/2016 Licences for new customers and renewing customers become monthly licences on the following terms:
1. PlodCo will continue to support PC-Plod at least until 31/1/2017 (we have obligations under annual licences that run up until then) or some such later date to be nominated by PlodCo.
2. PlodCo may continue to support PC-Plod beyond 31/1/2017.
3. In either case, if PlodCo wishes to withdraw support of PC-Plod on or after 31/1/2017 then:
  1. PlodCo will give all customers licensed at the time at least three months’ notice of its intention to cease PC-Plod support.
    1. If PlodCo is to cease Plod Support on 31/1/2017 then all customers will be notified to this effect by or on 31/10/2016.
    2. Support for PC-Plod will continue to be available to licensed customers for the three month notification period.
  2. Customers who keep their licences current for all of the notification period may continue using PC-Plod unsupported, indefinitely and free of charge after support is withdrawn. At its own discretion PlodCo may elect to provide chargeable support for PC-Plod on a case-by-case basis after the end of the notification period.
4. Customers who let their licences lapse before the end of the notification period must cease using PC-Plod by or on the date the licence lapses.
5. Customers on annual Licences who fall due for renewal prior to 31/1/2017 will be offered renewal on a monthly basis as described above. By 31/1/2017 all customers will be on monthly licences.
6. Customers on monthly licences may terminate their PC-Plod licence by giving one calendar months’ notice in writing to PlodCo. Customers who terminate must not use PC-Plod after the end of the one month notice period.
7. Monthly Licence Fees are to be prepaid each month.
  1. This is best done by customers setting up a Periodic Payment at their bank where the agreed amount is automatically paid to PlodCo’s account on the nominated day each month.
  2. A licence is deemed lapsed if unpaid and the customer must cease using PC-Plod until payment is paid.
License Fees:
1. The 1st Year License Fee is calculated as $4,000 + ($900 per Rig) + ($110 per Employee) + GST.
2. The Renewal License Fee is calculated as $1,500 + ($90 per Rig) + ($31 per Employee) + GST.
3. Note that:
  1. “Rigs” is the number of rigs owned or controlled by the customer at the beginning of the licence period (including those “parked up” or not in use).
  2. “Employees” is the total number of non-terminated employees at the beginning of the licence period (including those on stand-down or on leave).
  3. The amount to be paid in advance each month is one twelfth of the annual fee calculated.
4. License Fees are non-refundable and payable in advance.
5. Where a Licence Fee is unpaid the Licence is deemed to be lapsed. Customers must not use PC-Plod where a Licence is lapsed.
6. Refer to Charge Policy and Prices for further clarification of License Fees.
Installation and Support
1. Each Licence term includes a specified amount of embedded installation and support, the cost of which is included in the License Fee:
  1. 1^st Year:
    - 20 Hours of Installation, Training and ongoing Support (where this is provided on-site then each day is deemed to be 7.5 hours).
    - Once the 20 hours is exhausted then up to one hour per calendar month telephone based Support, non-cumulative (ie: “use-it-or-lose-it”).
  2. Annual Renewal:
    - Up to one hour per calendar month telephone based Support, non-cumulative (ie: “use-it-or-lose-it”).
2. Installation and Support will be provided by PlodCo staff (refer to Support Policy).
3. Installation and Support above the embedded entitlements is chargeable PlodCo’s published hourly rate in force at the time.
4. Any travel and accommodation required in the provision of installation or support will be at the Customer’s expense. (Refer to Travel & Accommodation Policy).
The Licence is a “run-time Enterprise Licence”. The Customer may operate PC-Plod for their own purposes on any number of computers at their main office and, if appropriate, at worksites, branches and other locations which are part of their normal operations. The Customer may not use the system for other businesses which are separate activities or are not wholly owned subsidiaries. The Customer may not use PC-Plod without a current Licence.
The Customer may use PC-Plod by installing it on their own computers or network; or via Plod in the Cloud. (See Cloud Policy)
PC-Plod is a developing, industry standard system for the drilling industry. It is regularly undergoing development to meet changing statutory and industry requirements.
1. The Customer is entitled to updates and enhancements made to PC-Plod during the licence period. (See Development Policy)
2. The Customer is invited to provide input as to the design and future direction of the system.
3. The Customer accepts that, as with all ongoing software development projects, there is a risk that unforeseen circumstances, or errors on behalf of the developers or their advisers, may produce unexpected results from time to time. PlodCo will make every endeavour to rectify any such issues as they are made aware of them, but the Customer is responsible for auditing/checking that the results produced by the system are what would reasonably be expected.
4. There is no charge to the Customer for ongoing development of the system. This is covered by the License Fee(s).
PlodCo will not reveal or make available Customer confidential data or procedures to other users of PC-Plod or any other party. However, the Customer acknowledges that general features, procedures and methodologies relating to the system itself may become common knowledge between users of the system.
The Customer may not sell or assign the Licence without written approval from PlodCo. (In the case where assignment results from a normal commercial merger or take-over, such agreement will not be unreasonably withheld but may result in a License Fee adjustment).
The Licence is an agreement between the Customer and PlodCo.
A Licence is deemed to be current once
1. the Customer notifies PlodCo in writing, or by email, that they have read and accept these Terms & Conditions and the supporting policies on the website at http://www.plod.com.au/drilling/the-plod-fineprint.php , and
2. payment of the License Fee for the first monthly term has been received by PlodCo.
These Terms and Conditions are supported by the following policies as published at plod.com.au which form part of these Terms and Conditions:
1. Charge Policy and Prices
2. Travel Policy
3. Development Policy
4. Support Policy
5. Cloud Policy
6. Update Policy
7. Speak-to-Us Policy
Terms and Conditions, supporting Policies, Prices, and Charges may vary from time to time on the basis that the current version in force at any time is that as published on the website plod.com.au.

Last updated 2/6/2016