Bill Entry - Transaction Details Entry Area Prompts

Billing Run Window

Enter the billing run information which includes the billing cycle and the billing run dates.

Billing Entry Summary

Here is a summary of the billing transaction entry.  Each step is explained below.

1.  From the customer entry area, retrieve the displayed sequence number or enter a customer ID or a location ID.

2.  Accept the displayed transaction code or enter another transaction code, if applicable.

3.  Accept the prior reading or enter a new prior reading, if this is a usage transaction.

4.  Enter or edit the present reading, if this is a usage type transaction.

5.  Confirm the charge amount and tax amount, if applicable.

6.  Confirm the age for the transaction.

7.  To complete the billing transaction, press [Enter] or click Add to List .

8.  When all billing transactions for the service connection are entered, click Commit List .

Entering a Customer

The book number, company group and cycle # for the billing run displays for your reference.

Bill Entry - Customer Entry Area Example:

Sequence #

Location

Customer

You can call up customers in sequence number order, or by location or by customer.

Note:  Customers are included in the billing run, only if they have matching book numbers, company numbers and cycle numbers as specified by the billing run for the billing run.  To determine why a customer is excluded from the billing run, see Bill Entry - Customer and Billing Run Comparison window.

Entry Options:

• To retrieve the account for the sequence number displayed, press [ENTER] or click Retrieve .

• Or, to enter the desired sequence number, press [CTRL +  x] to clear the sequence number entry and enter the desired sequence number.

• Or, to manually enter a customer number, press [CTRL + x] to clear the sequence number and then enter the customer ID. (up to 12 characters)

• Or, to enter a customer location, press [CTRL + x] to clear the sequence number and then enter the location ID.

• Or, if you entered Bill Entry from the Customer Fast Access Panel, the most recent customer displays and the cursor stops at the Tran. Code field for you to enter the customer's billing transaction detail.  For directions, see Transaction Entry Step below.

• Or, to find a customer, click Search and then select the customer from the list.  Keyboard shortcut:  [ALT + r]
  Note:  A customer retrieved through the search routine must meet the criteria of the billing run.

Batch

To assign the transaction to a batch, enter the batch ID.  Or, leave blank to omit a batch for the transaction.

To find a batch to assign to the transaction, click Search .  Or to create a new batch, click Fast Access Maintenance .

To change the billing run, click Reset Run.   
Note:  For directions to enter another billing run, see Bill Entry - Billing Run Window.

Customer Information

The owner and tenant names, addresses, account balances, and their billing elements (meters, meter trailers and components) and their transaction profiles.  If billing transactions have already been entered and committed, the billing transaction detail displays in yellow and can be edited.  

Billing Information Area

Customer billing information that may be used to generate billing transactions displays.  Also, within this area you have the option to edit the billing run dates for an individual customer, if applicable.

Bill Entry - Customer Billing Information Area Example:

• Billing ID - Displays the identification of the person or party to be billed for the charges being entered.

• Multiplier - Displays the usage multiplier for the service connection, if applicable.

• Prior Read - Displays the last reading amount.

• Prior Read Date - Displays the date of the prior reading, if applicable.

• - To edit the Billing Run dates for an individual customer, click Billing Run Code Edit Icon .  

Name, Address Area

The name and address area shows the customer's name, any tenant name (if applicable), the service location address, and the customer's mailing address.

Bill Entry - Customer Name and Address Area Example:

• Owner - Displays the first name and last name of the customer who is assigned as the Owner of the location.

• Tenant - Displays the first name and last name of the customer who is assigned as the tenant of the location, if applicable.

• Address Line 1 - 3 - Displays lines 1 -3 of the customer's mailing address.

• City - Displays the city or town name as the city portion of the customer's mailing address.

• State - Displays the US Postal Service State code associated with the customer's mailing address.

• Zip - Displays the customer's Zip Code.

• Service Location - Displays the location's house number and the street index as the service location for your reference.

Service Connections Area

The service connection items to be billed and the associated transaction codes display in 2 lists.  The first list is the Service Connections list that identifies the types of service connections for the customer and the inventory items associated with the service connection.  The second list identifies the transaction codes to generate billing transactions for the service connection currently highlighted in the Service Connection List.

Note:  If the customer has multiple meters or multiple components, the order they appear in the Service Connection List is determined by the customer's service connection sequence code.

Bill Entry - Customer Service Connections Area Example:

Service Connection List

Reference Type - Displays the service connection reference type to identify the type of services being billed.  Customer Service connections are Reference Types are listed in the order shown below.

Associated Inventory Items:

1.  Reference Type L displays Location IDs.

2.  Reference Type M displays Meter IDs.

3.  Reference Type T displays Meter Trailer IDs.

4.  Reference Type C displays Component IDs.

5.  Reference type S displays system references not associated with a device (for example, trade discounts).

Inventory Items - Displays the inventory item.

Transactions List

Displays the following information for your reference:

• Transaction Code - used to generate the billing transaction

• Rate Code - The transaction code rate code

• Description - The transaction code description

Transaction Entry

Use the Transaction Details Entry area to enter and edit the billing details.  Generally, you enter all the billing detail transactions for the customer's first service, then commit the detail lines.  Then you can enter the billing transactions for the customer's next service.  Continue until the billing for all services have been entered and committed.

Tips:  

• To identify the service you are billing, the service description displays above the Tools Area.

• The customer's billing items will display in the Billing Transaction Details Entry area in the order they are listed in the service connections list.

• To view the list of all committed billing transactions for the customer instead of the entered, but not committed customer transactions, click the Toggle .

• For information on entering special bills such as a new bill, final bill, estimated bill, roll-overs, resets, demand or compound or series meters, see Entering Special Bills.

Tran. Code

Displays the first transaction code assigned to the customer's billing element.  Another transaction code to generate the billing transaction can be entered if needed.

Notes:

• The transaction code description displays in the transaction code list above.

• Only a transaction code set to the appropriate service code and having a transaction type set to Bill Entry is allowed.  

• To reverse a posted billing charge, enter a (-) negative transaction code.  For directions, see EDIFICE Bill Reversal Instructions.

• The transaction code's calculation type determines how the transaction detail is entered and calculated.  For more information, see Bill Entry - Transaction Detail Calculations.

• To search for a transaction code, click Search or press [CTRL + f].

Prior Reading

If the transaction code requires usage, the customer's prior reading displays.  This can be edited, if necessary. (10.0 numeric)

Note:  If the transaction code's calculation type is set to Flat or to Enter Charge, the cursor skips to the charge field.

Present Reading

Enter the present reading that is used to determine usage. (10.0 numeric)

Usage

Displays the difference between the prior reading and the present reading as the usage or consumption.  This field can not be edited.

Charge

Displays the calculated charge amount, if applicable.  This can be edited, if needed. (7.2 numeric)

Charge Notes:  

• For calculation type Usage - 1:  present reading - prior reading = usage. usage - minimum usage = remaining usage.  Remaining usage is applied to each line of the rate table (for the transaction code) accumulating the total charge until all usage is used.

• For calculation type Flat - 2:  the transaction code minimum charge = charge amount

• For calculation type Enter Charge - 3:  enter the charge amount

• For calculation types unit - 4:  the customer # of units x the transaction code minimum charge = charge

• For calculation type usage unit - 5:  customer # of units divided by the transaction code minimum usage x the minimum charge = charge

• For calculation type ERU/EDU - 6:  transaction code ERU amount x the transaction code minimum charge = charge

• For more details, see Bill Entry - Billing Detail Calculations

Tax

Displays the calculated tax amount, if applicable. (7.2 numeric)

Amount

The billing transaction total amount, which is calculated by adding together the charge amount and the tax amount displays.  This field cannot be edited.

Age

Displays the default age for the transaction code.  This can be edited, if needed. (4.0 numeric)

Tip:  Typically, you will accept the default age displayed.

Current Total

Displays an accumulated total of the billing detail amounts committed for the customer.  This field cannot be edited.

Reference

Enter a reference for the billing transaction, if applicable. (up to 240 characters)

To complete the billing transaction detail line, press [ENTER] or click Add to List.

Keyboard shortcut:  [ALT + a]

Or, to cancel transaction before adding to the Transactions List, click Cancel .

Keyboard shortcut:  [CTRL + c]

Note:  The completed detail line displays in the Billing Transaction Detail list which is now highlighted.  The cursor returns to the Tran. Code field for you to add another line or you can complete the billing transactions for the customer's billing element by clicking Commit.  See below.

To complete entry for the customer's service after all detail lines are entered, click Commit List.

Keyboard shortcut:  [CTRL + o]

If the customer has multiple billing elements or services, billing for the next billing element or service is automatically started.  The next transaction code to be billed displays in the Tran. Code field and if the service connection is a meter the prior reading displays.  To enter charges for the next billing element, repeat the above steps.  Continue until the billing transactions for all services have been entered and committed.  

Editing Transactions

Editing Uncommitted and Committed Billing Transactions

Note:  Billing transactions can be edited as many times as necessary until the Billing Post is performed.

1.  From the Transaction Detail List area, click to highlight the desired billing transaction line to change.

2.  Click the field to change.

3.  Enter the data changes.

4.  To complete the edit process, click Add to List.

Tip:  After you click Add to List, you can see the changed charge transaction in the Transaction Details List area.

Editing Posted Billing Transactions

During Bill Entry you can enter a reversing charge, perform the Billing Post and next enter the correct bill.  For detailed directions, see EDIFICE Bill Reversal Instructions.  Note:  NDS recommends using this method to provide a complete audit trail.

Deleting Transactions

Deleting Uncommitted and Committed Billing Transactions

Use these steps to delete uncommitted or committed billing transactions.  To delete Posted billing transactions, see below.

• To delete a single transaction line, from the Transaction Detail List area, click to highlight the billing transaction line to change.  To delete the highlighted billing transaction, click Delete.

• Or, to delete ALL committed billing transactions for the customer, click Trash Bin .   Then, click Proceed .  Or, to prevent the billing transactions from being deleted, click Cancel .  Keyboard shortcut:  [ALT + c]
  

Deleting Posted Billing Transactions

During Bill Entry you can enter a reversing charge, perform the Billing Post and next enter the correct bill.  For detailed directions, see EDIFICE Bill Reversal Instructions.  Note:  NDS recommends using this method to provide a complete audit trail.

Tools Area

Bill Entry - Tools Example:

Actions

• - Displays the service to identify the services currently being billed for the customer.  In this example, the service description is Water.  
  Note:  When the next service for the customer is being billed, the service description changes to alert you.

• - To complete the billing transaction detail line, click Add to List or press [ENTER].  Keyboard shortcut:  [ALT + a]
  Note:  The completed detail line displays in the Billing Transaction Detail list which is now highlighted.  The cursor returns to the Tran. Code field for you to add another line or complete the billing transactions for the customer's billing element.

• - To complete entry and to commit the billing transactions for the customer after all associated detail lines are entered, click Commit List.  Keyboard shortcut:  [CTRL + o]

• - To remove a detail item from the Transaction list, click to highlight the desired detail transaction line, and next click Delete.  Keyboard shortcut:  [CTRL + d]

•  - To cancel the transaction detail line prior to adding it to the Billing Transactions List, click Cancel.  Keyboard shortcut:  [CTRL + c]

•  - Displays the Committed message to alert you that billing transactions have been committed for the current customer.

• - To delete ALL billing transactions for the customer, click Trash Bin.  
  Note:  For directions, see Deleting Transactions above.