Signal Based Billing

Program #: 602

Module: Accounting

Overview

The term "signal-based billing" refers collectively to the processes involved that automatically assign accurately priced services and items to installations. This allows you to:

Automate billing for recurring monitoring-related services.
Automate billing for permits.
Automate billing for dispatches.
Automate billing when the number of events exceed a pre-established limit.

Signal-based billing includes four distinct processes:

Determination of usage by data and activity
Discovery through data and activity - immediate, nightly, or monthly
Pricing and placement - immediate or month-end
Approval

This document contains the following topics:

The Signal Based Billing Window

Toggling through Fees by Status

Searching for a Fee

Approving a Fee

Rejecting a Fee

The Signal Based Billing Window

The following graphic shows Signal Based Billing window as the program opens. The window displays the imports available for your company.

Field/Column Descriptions

The following table describes the columns shown in the search pane of the Signal Based Billing window.

Field	Description
Dealer	Dealer's ID number. This list originates from program #1537.
Sub Type	Type of physical location. This list originates from program #1534.
Period	Allows you to select a date range.
Item Code	Allows you to select an item code. This list originates from program #1535.
State	Allows you to select a U.S. state. This list originates from program #1510.
Country	Allows you to select a country. This list originates from program #1865.
Ins No	Allows you to search by typing the installation number.
Cycle	Allows you to search for cycle fees.
One Time	Allows you to search for one time fees.

The following table describes the columns used in the search results pane of the Signal Based Billing window.

Column	Description
Item Code	Item code of the listed item.
Contract #	Contract number associated with the item.
Dealer ID	Dealer ID associated with the item
Install #	Installation number associated with the item
Dealer ID	Dealer ID associated with the item.
Alarm ID	Alarm ID associated with the item.
Name	Company Number
Approved	Indicates whether the item was approved.
Date	Date of approval.
Time	Time of approval.
User ID	User ID of the person who approved the item.

The following table describes the columns shown in the item details pane of the Signal Based Billing window.

Field/Column	Description
End Flag	Date that the billing cycle ends
From Date	Date that the billing cycle begins
To Date	Date that the billing cycle ends
Fee	Fee amount
Revenue Type	Revenue type
Fee Period	Time period that is covered in the fee
TxInc	Tax included
Cycle Date	Date that the cycle fee is applied
Cycle Day	Day of the month the cycle fee is created
Cycle Period	Length of the cycle fee period
Abbreviation
Description	Description of the usage and activity
Item Code	Item code
Count	Number of items
Hidden	Indicates whether the Item is hidden
Rollup	Indicates whether there are multiple fees
Currency	Type of currency to be used for the transaction
Fee	Fee amount
Type	Indicates whether payment was on time or in arrears
Inhibit Start Date	Beginning date of a specified free period
Inhibit End Date	End data of a specified free period
Contract No	Contract number.
(not labeled)	Dealer ID number.
Item Code	Item code.
Description (not labeled)	Description of the selected item.
Ins No	Installation number.
Dealer ID (not labeled)	Dealer ID number
Account No	Account number
Dealer ID (not labeled)	Dealer ID number
(not labeled)	Sub type (double-check)
Reason	Allows you to select a reason for the invoice.
Revenue Type	Revenue type.
Valid From/To	Allows you to select a date range.
Cycle Period	Cycle period.
Hidden	Allows you to indicate whether the item is hidden.
Cycle Fee	Cycle fee amount
Fee Period	Allows you to type the fee period.
No fee	Check box that indicates that no fee will be charged for this invoice.

Toggling through Fees by Status

The Signal Based Billing window defaults to the Pending status. To view the Approved, Rejected, and Pending Cancellation statuses, click the Toggle button (Shift+F5).

Searching for a Fee

To search for a fee, complete the following steps.

1. Access the Signal Based Billing window (program #602).

2. Type or select search parameter(s) in the search pane.

3. Choose the Get button.

The search results appear in the search results and item details pane.

Question: Sometimes I get an error message when entering search parameters. What are the rules for entering parameters?

Approving a Fee

To approve a fee in pending approval status, complete the following steps.

1. Perform a search on the Signal Based Billing window for the fee you want to approve.

2. Select the fee by double-clicking it in the search results pane.

The results are displayed at the bottom of the page in the item details window.

3. Choose the Quality Control button.

The following fields in the item details pane become available:

Valid From/To
Cycle Period
Hidden check box
Cycle Fee

4. Make any necessary changes to the available fields.

5. Choose the Save Enter button.

The changes are saved and SBN moves the item to the Approved window.

Rejecting a Fee

Questions: How do you reject a pending fee or one in pending cancellation status?

How do you change a fee that is pending cancellation to approved status?

What is the advantage of being able to jump to contract master?

Button Functions

The following table displays the buttons, describes the shortcut keys, actions, and functionality.

Button	Name	Shortcut Key	Action	Description
	Get record	Alt+F1		Gets the record(s) as the results of a search.
	Previous	F4		Takes you to the previous record.
	Next	F5		Takes you to the return record.
	Delete	Shift+F10		Deletes the selected record.
	Jump	Shift+F10		Opens the Contract Master window.
	Toggle	Shift+F5		Allows you to toggle to the Pending, Approved, Rejected, and Pending Cancellation search results.
	Search	F6		Allows to search for records according to selected criteria.
	Quality Control	F1		Allows you to edit fields in the selected record.