Invoice Status

Module:    Accounting

Overview

Use Invoice Status to view or change invoices on one account or contract. This program displays the following information about invoices:

• Current status

• Balance

• Reminder status

SBN can display up to 1,000 invoices for one account.

To access this program, select Contract Master (program #548) from the main menu of SBN and then choose the Invoice Status tab.

Invoice Status Options

You may use options to control aspects of Invoice Status. For detailed information on an option and its default setting, see SBN Options.

Option ba258 - controls whether you must select a credit reason for negative totals on work orders or when you credit invoices

Option ba273 - when this option is on, SBN does not validate the reference WO for those customers whose contract number begins with the prefix 'INT.' (This option is for Protectron only.)

Option bl032 - controls the default view of the Invoice Details pane

Option bl087 - defines the default view of several columns in the Invoice Details pane

Option bl133 - controls whether you can credit a partially paid invoice

Option bl135 - controls whether SBN automatically closes a credit work order when you choose Credit Invoice (branch restrictions apply)

Option bl136 - controls whether SBN automatically approves a credit work order when you choose Credit Invoice (branch restrictions apply)

Option bl164 - This option is dealer-based. When on and there is an overpayment on an invoice, SBN automatically applies the remaining credit to another invoice with a balance on the same billing account. When off and there is an overpayment on an invoice, SBN credits the whole payment to the specified invoice, creating a credit balance (-) for that invoice.

Option bl171 - when on, a Work Order Type field appears in the Credit Reason dialog box so that you can choose the type of work order to create

Option bl187 - when on, SBN does not change the due date of an invoice when a user sets up scheduled payments. When off, SBN changes the due date of an invoice to the date of the last scheduled payment when a user adds scheduled payments.

Option bl188 - when on, the tax rate of a credit invoice matches the tax rate of the invoice being credited regardless of the invoice date entered for the credit in Invoice Manager (program #1557)

Option bl199 - when on, a warning message appears when a user attempts to remove the Print flag from an invoice that another user has flagged to print.

Option bl204 - when on, SBN prints the internal invoice number when you print an invoice, even if the invoice has an external invoice number. SBN also uses the internal invoice number in the entry it generates in the Communication Log (program #1888) when you print an invoice and this option is on. When this option is off, SBN prints the external invoice number (if defined) when you print an invoice.

Option blinvsho - controls the display of the main window of Invoice Status to either all invoices or unpaid invoices.

Option callurl - The value of this option holds both the URL to be called in the Invoice Status and Payment Status tabs as well as a list of parameters that SBN passes to the URL.

   You may include the following parameters as part of the option value:

• @clientcode@

• @acct_no@

• @acct_bal@

• @acct_name@

• @terminal@

Option insinvsh - controls availability of a third view (Installation Invoices) of the main window of Invoice Status. Installation Invoices shows only installation invoices for the selected account.

The Invoice Status Tab

The following graphic shows the Invoice Status tab as the program opens. The fields in the left pane show account information about the customer. The columns in the right pane show a history of invoices on this account.

Note: When action 548/58 is enabled, SBN puts the selected (highlighted) invoice number in the clipboard, allowing you to paste it into external applications or other SBN programs (such as the Communication Log, program #1888).

Note: When action 548/45 is enabled the Export Details button displays in the Invoice Status main screen.

Field Descriptions — Account Information

The following table describes the fields used in this pane.

Column Descriptions — Invoice History

The following table describes the columns used in this pane.

Flagging an Invoice for Print

In the Invoice Status tab, choose Print to flag an invoice for print when you export an invoice from Invoice Manager (program #1557) or run Invoice Print (report #2171). You cannot print an invoice directly from the Invoice Status tab.

Once a user prints the invoice using one of these methods, the Print Flag resets.

Note: When option bl204 is on, SBN prints the internal invoice number when you print an invoice, even if the invoice has an external invoice number assigned. SBN also uses the internal invoice number in the entry it generates in the Communication Log (program #1888) when you print an invoice and this option is on. When option bl204 is off, SBN prints the external invoice number (if defined) when you print an invoice.

Use the following steps to set the Print Flag for an invoice:

1.  Select the invoice you want to flag for print.

2.  Choose Print.

Note: When option bl199 is on, a warning message appears when a user attempts to remove the Print Flag from an invoice that another user has flagged to print.

  w The Print Flag dialog box appears.

     

3.  Choose Save.

  w An X appears in the Print Flag column for the selected invoice.

     

Changing the Display Mode

In the Invoice Status tab you may choose Display Mode to toggle the view of invoices between:

• All Invoices

• Installation Invoices

• Unpaid Invoices

• Overdue Invoices

Note: Use options blinvsho and insinvsh to control the view of the Invoice Status tab.

Viewing Group Mode and Groups

To use the Group Mode feature, turn on one of the following options and define option ba361:

•  ba358

•  ba359

•  ba360

In the Unpaid Invoices display mode, you may choose Group Mode to toggle the view between Individual invoices and Grouped invoices.

Note: Action 548/39 controls access to the Group Mode button.

Searching for an Invoice

From the Invoice Status tab, you can search for a specific invoice for any customer account or contract.

Use the following steps to search for an invoice:

1.    Choose Invoice Search.

‰    The Invoice Number Search dialog box appears.

2.    Type the full number of the invoice for which you want to search.

3.    Choose OK.

4.    The invoice appears in the columns to the right of the window.

Note: If you type an invalid invoice number, SBN displays the closest invoice for this account in the columns.

Working in the Invoice Details Window

From the Invoice Status tab, you can view more details about any invoice, including invoices on accounts with no active contracts. You can view information about past actions taken on each invoice.

Note: Use option bl032 to define the default view of the Details window.

To access the Invoice Details window from the Invoice Status tab, choose Invoice Details.

The Invoice Details Window

The following graphic shows the Invoice Details window after you choose an invoice to view. The fields in the left pane show details about this invoice. The columns in the right pane show revenue and work order information for this account. The columns in the lower pane of the window show information about payments applied to this account.

Field Descriptions - Invoice Details

The following table describes the fields used in the Invoice Details (left) pane of the Invoice Details window.

Column Descriptions - Revenue and Work Order Information

The following table describes the columns used in the revenue pane and work order (right) pane of the Invoice Details window.

Note: Use options bl032 and bl087 to define the default views of the Invoice Detail pane of this window.

Column Descriptions - Payment Transfer

The following table describes the columns used in the Payment Transfer (lower) pane of this window. This pane displays information about payments applied to this account.

Working with Invoice Details

You can perform many functions from within the Invoice Details window:

• View additional information on a work order on this account

• View details about export items

• Change the display of the Invoice Details window

You can switch between line item view and revenue view of the Invoice Details window by choosing Display Mode.

Getting Work Order Information

From the Invoice Details window, you can view additional information about any work order on this account. For more information, see Work Orders.

Use the following steps to view a work order:

1.    From the Invoice Details window, select the work order for which you want more information.

2.    Choose Get Work Order.

The Work Orders window appears.

3.    Choose Exit to return to the Invoice Details window.

Viewing Export Details

From the Invoice Details window, you can view details about exports for this account. This is a read-only window.

Use the following steps to view export details:

1.    Choose Export Details.

The Export Details window appears.

2.    Choose x or ESC to return to the Invoice Details window.

Viewing Aging

From the Invoice Status tab, you can view the current status of invoices and payments on this account or contract. The Aging dialog box shows payments owed by this customer in two different formats:

• By account number

• By contract

Use the following steps to view aging:

1.    Choose Aging.

The Aging Contract dialog box appears.

Note: You can use Toggle to view aging information by Contract or by Account.

2.    Choose Exit.

Setting the No Reminder Flag

From the Invoice Status tab, you can set the No Reminder flag for any invoice to indicate if reminders print for customers who are late with an invoice payment.

The following table describes the different reminder flags available.

Use the following steps to set the No Reminder flag:

1.    Select the invoice for which you want to set the No Reminder flag.

2.    Choose No Reminder.

‰    The No Reminder Flag dialog box appears.

3.    Choose the status for the No Reminder flag from the Reminder Flag menu.

‰    If you select either w or *, a date field appears from which you may select a date for a delayed reminder.

4.    Select a date for the reminder date, if applicable.

5.    Choose Save.

Crediting an Invoice

From the Invoice Status tab, you can apply a credit to an invoice and adjust the cycle date of all cycle fees on an invoice back to the original cycle date before the invoice was created. When you generate credit invoices, SBN applies the credit directly against the account number from the original work order. If you select the Adjust Cycle Fees check box in the Credit Reason dialog box, SBN changes the cycle date of all cycle fees on the selected invoice back to the original cycle date before a user created the invoice.

You may credit an invoice for multiple contracts/installations associated with a single account number if your action profile includes action 548/301.

When you create a credit work order in Invoice Status and the invoice being credited is the only invoice associated with the original work order, the Ref WO from the original work order defaults into the credit work order.

If you use Partner Invoicing and your action profile includes action 250/123, when you create a credit work order by choosing Credit Invoice, the Ref WO from the original work order defaults into the credit work order. However, SBN does not validate the Ref WO.

Action 548/54 allows you to credit cycle fees and action 548/55 allows you to credit one time fees. If either of these actions are not active in your action profile, SBN displays messages to notify you if any fees will not be credited when you attempt to credit an invoice.

Note: If option ba273 is on, turn off action 250/123 for all users.

Credit Invoice Options

• Option ba258 — controls whether you must select a credit reason for negative totals on work orders or when you credit invoices

• Option ba273 — when this option is on, SBN does not validate the reference WO for those customers whose contract number begins with the prefix 'INT.' (This option is for Protectron only.)

• Option bl133 — controls whether you can credit a partially paid invoice

• Option bl135 — controls whether SBN automatically closes a credit work order when you choose Credit Invoice (branch restrictions apply)

• Option bl136 — controls whether SBN automatically approves a credit work order when you choose Credit Invoice (branch restrictions apply)

• Option bl150 — when on, the credit invoice defaults to include comment.

• Option bl171 — when on, a Work Order Type field appears in the Credit Reason dialog box so that you can choose the type of work order to create

• Option bl188 — when on, the tax rate of a credit invoice matches the tax rate of the invoice being credited regardless of the invoice date entered for the credit in Invoice Manager (program #1557)

• Option bl205 — when on, SBN uses the internal invoice number in the Comment dialog box of the Credit Invoice process. When you select the Include Comment check box in the Comment dialog box, SBN includes the internal invoice number in the Comment field of the credit work order. When option bl205 is off, SBN uses the external invoice number (if defined) in the Comment dialog box of the Credit Invoice process.

Crediting an Invoice

Use the following steps to credit an invoice:

1.    Select the invoice you want to credit.

Note: You can select Credit Invoice on an invoice for which the amount equals zero.

2.    Choose Credit Invoice.

‰    If option ba258 is on, a dialog box appears.

3.    Select a credit reason.

4.    You may select the Adjust Cycle Fees check box to change the cycle date of all cycle fees on the selected invoice back to the original cycle date before a user created the invoice.

Note: If one or more cycle fees on the selected invoice have been invoiced again since the selected invoice was created and their cycle date has changed, SBN displays an error message when you choose Save: "One or more cycle fees could not be reset."

5.    You may select a Work Order Type for the credit work order. If you leave the Work Order Type field blank, SBN uses the Credit Work Order Type defined for the work order type of the original work order in program #1796.

Note: The Work Order Type field only appears if option bl171 is on.

Note: The auto-generated entry in Communication Log (program #1888) will show this work order type in the ComCode field.

6.    Choose OK.

Note: If this customer usually pays by direct debit, SBN displays a warning.

‰    SBN asks you to confirm that you want to add a credit to the selected invoice.

7.    Choose YES.

‰    SBN asks if you want to print a copy of the credit.

8.    Choose YES if you want to print a copy of this transaction; choose No if you do not want to print a copy of this transaction.

‰    If multiple contracts/installations are associated with the selected account number and your action profile does not include action 548/301, SBN prevents the credit and displays an error message.

‰    SBN confirms that it created a work order for this credit and displays the work order number. If multiple contracts/installations are associated with the selected account number and your action profile includes action 548/301, SBN creates multiple work orders.

Note: When you create a credit work order, both the Currency and Cycle Currency fields of the work order must contain the primary currency type of the billing account. This is the only way SBN will allow you to create a credit invoice in program #1557.

9.    Choose OK.

‰    A dialog box appears in which you may type comments to enter in the Communication Log and the Work Order Comments field.

Note: If option bl205 is on, SBN uses the internal invoice number in the Credit Invoice Comment dialog box. When you select the Include Comment check box in the Comment dialog box, SBN includes the internal invoice number in the Comment field of the credit work order. When option bl205 is off, SBN uses the external invoice number (if defined) in the Credit Invoice Comment dialog box.

10.    Type text.

11.    In Include Comment —— enter a check mark to have the comment appear in the Comment field of the associated work order.

Note: Text typed in this dialog box appears on the work order created for the credit in the Comments box. This comment prints on the credit invoice or invoices (if a consolidated invoice) produced. This text also appears in the Communication Log. You can access the Communication Log by choosing program #1888 or by choosing [CTRL+W] from anywhere in SBN.

12.    Choose Save.

Making Payments or Adding Credits to an Invoice

With the View Invoice button, you can make payments, add credits to, or view an invoice. Options callURL and holdid must be on for you to link to a credit card/ACH processor outside of SBN.

Use the following steps to make payments, add credits to, and view an invoice:

1.    Select the invoice you want to credit.

2.    Choose View Invoice.

‰    A window to an external credit card/ACH processor displays.

3.    Follow the instructions on the processor to continue with the selected invoice.

Note: If option holdid is on, the client or company ID transfers to the external payment processor.

Scheduling Payments for an Invoice

You can view, change, or add payments that have been promised by a customer for any invoice.

When option bl187 is on, SBN does not change the due date of an invoice when a user sets up scheduled payments. When option bl187 is off, SBN changes the due date of an invoice to the date of the last scheduled payment when a user adds scheduled payments.

Note: When you write off an invoice with scheduled payments in Write-off Batches (program #1579), SBN invalidates the entire payment schedule by flagging all remaining scheduled payments as Refused.

The following graphic shows the Scheduled Payments window with scheduled payments displayed.

Field/Column Descriptions

The following table describes the fields and columns used in the Scheduled Payments window.

Viewing Scheduled Payments

Use the following steps to view scheduled payments on an invoice:

1.    Select the invoice for which you want to view scheduled payments.

2.    Choose Scheduled Payments.

‰    The Scheduled Payments window appears.

3.    Choose Exit.

Changing Scheduled Payments

Use Schedule Payments to change or add scheduled payments to an existing invoice on this account. You must have action 548/34 in your action profile to change scheduled payments. When you choose Recalculate, SBN calculates evenly distributed monthly payments. After you calculate scheduled payments, you can edit the amount and due date for each scheduled payment. If you choose to edit the calculated payments, remember that:

• Due Dates must be listed in increasing order

• The sum of all the scheduled payment amounts must be less than or equal to the Invoice Balance

• Each payment must have both an Amount and Due Date defined

Use the following steps to change a scheduled payment:

1.    From the Invoice Status tab, select the invoice for which you want to add or change the payment schedule.

2.    Choose Scheduled Payments.

‰    The Scheduled Payments window appears.

3.    Choose Change.

‰    The fields and payment grid open for changes.

4.    To recalculate all of the monthly payments, complete the fields and choose Recalculate.

5.   To edit individual scheduled payments, click in the Scheduled Payment or Due Dates columns.

6.    Choose Save.

 â€°   SBN saves the scheduled payments and takes you back to the Invoice Status tab.

Document Retrieval

Use Document Retrieval to pass search parameters to a third-party software application to find documents related to the installation. When option docretr is on, the Document Retrieval button uses the application path entered in the Search Application Inv field of SBN Client Document Retrieval Options to retrieve related invoice documents. For more information, see Configuring Document Retrieval Options.

Viewing Details of Unposted Payments

Choose View Unposted Details to view a list of unposted payments for a contract and the batches that include those payments.

The Unposted Detail window displays the following information for each payment:

• Batch number

• Index

• Invoice Number

• Amount

• Check number

• Transaction Code

• Transaction Date

Changing Export Attributes

Choose Export Attributes to change the Expected Pay Date and Pay Method information for an invoice.

Use the following steps to change the Export Attributes for an invoice:

1.    Select the invoice you want to change.

2.    Choose Export Attributes.

       The Export Attributes window opens, displaying payment information for the invoice.

3.    Change payment information as necessary.

4.    Choose Save.

Export Details

On the Invoice Status tab you can view details about exports for an account. This is a Read-Only window.

Use the following steps to view the export details:

1.   Choose the Export Details button on the Invoice Status main screen.

The Invoice Export Detail window display for the selected invoice.

2.  Click the X or Esc to close the window and return to the Invoice Status main screen.

The Invoice Export Detail window can also be access from the Invoice Details window.