Recurring Invoices (Contracts)

This screen allows you to create and maintain a schedule of planned Invoices against a Customer. This feature facilitates the generation of Invoices to cover a regular Service (such as routine Maintenance) rather than delivery of goods.

List Tab

Display fields

The displayed fields are taken from Recurring Invoice information entered into the ‘Detail’ tab. The selection of which fields to display is at the user’s discretion. To select the fields to display simply ‘right mouse’ in the main panel and select ‘Customize List Fields’. On the displayed panel you can:

•	Click on the ‘Show field’ checkbox to display the field

•	Amend the column heading by changing the content of ‘Display Label’

•	Define the sort sequence of the records by going to the lower panel and dragging the field from ‘Available Fields’ to ‘Sort By’.

•	Click the ‘Save’ Button when done.

Data Display Options

Field Position - On the List screen you can move the field position by dragging the column heading left or right to the position where you want it to appear.

Filtering and Sorting - If you ‘check’ the checkbox then the displayed data is available for filtering and sorting:

•	To sort the data in a selected column simply click on the column heading. Clicking against will sort in descending order.

•	Click on the black ‘down arrow’ to the right of your selected column heading and you can either select a specific entry to display all records containing that entry, or you can select (Custom) to enter detailed selection criteria.

Include Closed Status - If this is checked then the displayed list will include those Recurring Invoice schedules whose status is ‘Closed’

Searching - If you enter some text into the ‘Search’ field and click on the ‘binoculars’ Icon then all records will be interrogated and those records that contain the entered text will be displayed. To revert back to displaying all records click on the ‘Eraser’ Icon

Buttons

Close: This will close the Recurring Invoice screen. If you have any unsaved data then you will be asked if you wish to save it before the screen is closed.

Add: This will bring up a panel for entry of the following information that is required when creating a new Recurring Invoice Schedule

Customer: From the drop-down list select the Customer against who this Recurring Invoice is being created

Billing Customer: This is prefilled with the Billing Customer held against the above Customer record but may be amended here and made specific to this Recurring Invoice. To amend the Billing Customer click on the icon within this field and select the Customer from the displayed list.

Description: Enter a brief description of the Invoicing Schedule.

Creation Date: The Date that the Invoicing Schedule was raised. This is prefilled with system date but can be amended by selecting the date from the drop-down calendar

Contract Type: From the drop-down List select the Type of Recurring Invoices that will be generated. The options are:

Fixed Term: The schedule is effective for a predefined period

Continuous: The schedule will repeat until manually stopped

Contract Category: From the drop-down List select the Contract Category to which this Invoicing Schedule will be linked. Contract Categories are user-defined via Sales>Settings>Contract Categories and enable you to segregate Recurring Invoice for Reporting and Analysis purposes.

Contract Start Date: The Date when the first Invoicing Schedule Line will be created. This is prefilled with system date but can be amended by selecting the date from the drop-down calendar.

Per Invoice Value: Enter the value (nett of Tax) that will be used against each Invoice. Note: You have the option to amend this value against each line in the generated schedule.

Planned Invoice Frequency: This has three fields

Every: The number of Days or Months that an Invoice will be generated

(Period): Select the period (Days or Months) from the drop-down list

No of Times: Only visible for ‘Fixed Term’ Contract Type. Enter the number of periods that is to be included in this Fixed Term.

These fields are NOT applicable where the Contract Style (see below) is Customer Usage Billing in which instance they are not displayed

Contract Style: From the drop-down List select the Style of Contract covering this Invoice Schedule. The options are:

Financial: For charges only (Example: Consultancy or Financial Services)

Customer Asset Service: Routine Servicing (Example: Aircon, Cleaning)

Company Asset Rental: Rentals (Example: Equipment Rental, etc)

Customer Usage Billing: Where the usage comes from Readings held against this Asset

Currency Code: From the drop-down List select the Currency Code covering this Invoice Schedule.

Invoice Line Details: Covers the generated Invoice Line Information

Line Type: The Line Type is pre-defined as ‘Descriptor Code’

Code: Select the Descriptor from the drop-down list. Descriptors are maintained under Inventory>Descriptors

Line Description: Prefilled with the description of the Descriptor Code. It can be amended here and made specific to this Invoicing Schedule.

If the Contract Style is NOT Customer Usage Billing then the following fields will be displayed:

Unit: Display only field showing the Unit as held against the Descriptor Code.

Invoice Quantity: Enter the quantity of this Descriptor that is used in the Invoice. This quantity will appear on the Invoice and is for information purposes only. I.e. It takes no part in calculating the invoice value.

If the Contract Style is Customer Usage Billing then the following fields will be displayed:

Unit: Display only field showing the Unit as held against the Descriptor Code.

Unit Price: Enter the Unit Price per Billing Unit that is used in the Invoice.

Reading Name: From the drop-down list select the Reading Name from which the billing Usage will be derived. The derived Usage is multiplied by the Unit Price to arrive at an Invoicing amount.

Tax Code: Prefilled with the Tax Code from the Descriptor. It can be amended here and made specific to this Schedule by selecting another Tax Code from the drop-down list.

Analysis Group: Prefilled with the Analysis Group from the Descriptor. It can be amended here and made specific to this Schedule by selecting another Analysis Group from the drop-down list.

Buttons

Create: Click the ‘create’ button to create the Invoicing Schedule and take you to the ‘Details’ tab for entering further information.

Cancel: Click the ‘cancel’ button to exit this panel

Save: Not applicable to the List panel

Cancel: Not applicable to the List panel

Delete: This removes the current Recurring Invoice Schedule from this table

Related: This will bring up a list of functions that are related to the Recurring Invoice Schedule. You may open and maintain information in those screens whilst still remaining in the Recurring Invoice Schedule screen.

Reports: This will bring up a list of Reports that are related to the Recurring Invoice Schedule. You can immediately run the report whilst still remaining in the Recurring Invoice Schedule screen.

Detail Tab

This tab allows you to maintain the Invoicing Schedule

Entry and Display fields

Contract Number: Display only field showing the Invoicing Schedule number. Sales Contract Numbers are maintained via File>System Configuration>System Settings

Creation Date: This is date when the Contract was created and is for information only. You can amend the date by either overtyping the date or selecting the date from the drop-down calendar.

Status: During Contract Invoicing Schedule creation this is prefilled with ‘Open’. You can amend this status by selecting the required status from the drop-down list. The options are:

•

Open

•

On-Hold

•

Closed

Description: Description of this Contract. This may be amended at any time. No checks are made on the entry

Contract Type: Display only field showing the Contract Type selected during the Contract Invoice Schedule creation routine.

Contract Style: Display only field showing the Contract Style selected during the Contract Invoice Schedule creation routine.

Category: This Contract Category is initially populated with the Category selected during Contract Invoice Schedule creation. You can amend this at any time by selecting another Contract from the drop-down List.

Tax Code: This Tax Code is initially populated with the Tax Code selected during Contract Invoice Schedule creation. You can amend this at any time by selecting another Tax Code from the drop-down List.

Currency Code: Display only field showing the Currency Code covered by this Contract

Site Name: This is prefilled with the Site Name related to the User's Signon record. If this User is flagged as being allowed to change sites then this field is activated. The Site can then be amended from the drop-down list if required

Scheduled Invoice Settings

Planned Invoice Frequency: Display only fields showing

Every: The number of Days or Months that an Invoice will be generated

(Period): Select the period (Days or Months) from the drop-down list

Per Invoice Value: Not visible if Contract Style is 'Customer Usage Billing'. This value will be used when an Invoice is generated automatically from ‘Continuous’ Contract Type or manually entered in the Scheduled Invoices tab. It can be amended at any time.

Contract Start Date: Display only field showing when the Contract commenced

Contract Finish Date: Only visible if the Contract Type is ‘Fixed Term. This is a display only field showing when the Contract will finish. I.e. The date of the last planned Invoice in the ‘Scheduled Invoices’ tab

Customer: Display only field showing the Customer to which this Contract relates.

Billing Customer: Display only field showing the Billing Customer to which this Contract relates.

Contract Information: You can enter unlimited amount of Information that is related to this Contract. Whenever you click on this field an icon will appear in the top-right. By clicking on this Icon you can bring up the Frequently Used Text table. Select the text to be copied and either press the OK Button in that screen or double-click the selected record.

Contract Style specific fields

For Contract Style 'Customer Asset Service' the following will be displayed

Customer Asset Name: The Customer Asset Name selected when creating this record. You can amend this if required from the drop-down list

Asset currently at: Display only field that shows where this Asset is located.

(Button) Asset Tracking: This brings up a separate screen for maintenance of the Asset’s Location.

For Contract Style 'Customer Usage Billing' and 'Company Asset Rental' the following will be displayed

Company Asset Name: The Customer Asset Name selected when creating this record. You can amend this if required from the drop-down list

Contract Values: The following fields are maintained by the program and provides Invoice summary information as follows:

Nett Contract: The sum of all the Scheduled Invoices excluding Tax

Tax Amount: The sum of Tax due in all the Scheduled Invoices

Total Amount: Nett Amount + Tax Amount

Invoiced Amount: Value of Scheduled Invoices converted into physical Invoices

Remaining Amount: Value of Scheduled Invoices yet to be converted. This is NOT displayed if the Contract Style is 'Customer Usage Billing'

Invoice Header Information Tab:

You can enter unlimited amount of information that is related to this Contract. This information will be copied to each generated Invoice. Whenever you click on this field an icon will appear in the top-right. By clicking on this Icon you can bring up the Frequently Used Text table. Select the text to be copied and either press the OK Button in that screen or double-click the selected record.

Invoice Line Information Tab:

You may have multiple lines that will appear on the Invoice. Each line will comprise the following:

Line Number: This is automatically incremented by 10 each time a new line is added. You can amend this this as required.

Descriptor Code: From the drop-down list select the Descriptor that will appear on the generated Invoice

Description: prefilled with the description of the Descriptor selected in the previous field. This can amended against this Invoice Line if required.

Unit: prefilled with the Unit of Measure of the selected Descriptor. This can amended against this Invoice Line if required.

Unit Price: prefilled with the Unit Price of the selected Descriptor. This can amended against this Invoice Line if required.

Analysis Group: prefilled with the Analysis Group held against the selected Descriptor. This can amended against this Invoice Line if required by selecting the Analysis Group from the drop-down list.

Line Instructions: This is populated with the ‘Notes’ information held against the Line’s Descriptor. You can amend it at any time. This information will be copied to the generated Invoice Line. Whenever you click on this field an icon will appear in the top-right. By clicking on this Icon you can bring up the Frequently Used Text table. Select the text to be copied and either press the OK Button in that screen or double-click the selected record

Reading Name: If this line is associated with Usage Billing then select the Reading Name from the drop-down list.

Financial Tab:

Financial Category: Select the category from the drop-down list if applicable. (Used in linked external General Ledger system).

Buttons

Close: This will close the Recurring Invoices screen. If you have any unsaved data then you will be asked if you wish to save it before the screen is closed.

Add: This will send the cursor to a new line for creation of a new Invoice Line Descriptor.

Save: This will save the current data without exiting the screen

Cancel: Any changes made since the screen was opened or the last time the ‘Save’ Button was pressed will be lost.

Delete: This will delete the current Invoice Descriptor Line.

Buttons

Close: This will close the Recurring Invoices screen. If you have any unsaved data then you will be asked if you wish to save it before the screen is closed.

Add: This will bring up the same panel as described above for creating a new Recurring Invoice Schedule

Save: This will save the current data without exiting the screen

Cancel: Any changes made since the screen was opened or the last time the ‘Save’ Button was pressed will be lost.

Delete: Not applicable to the Detail panel

Reports: This will bring up a list of Reports that are related to the Recurring Invoice Schedule. You can immediately run the report whilst still remaining in the Recurring Invoice Schedule screen.

Scheduled Invoices Tab

This screen shows the Invoice Schedule. Scheduled Lines are created in one of three ways:

Fixed Term Contract - Auto-generated during Recurring Invoice Contract Creation

Continuous Contract - Auto-generated when current Scheduled Invoice is converted to physical Invoice.

Manually - Added directly into this screen

Usage Billing - If the Recurring Invoice Lines are related to a Reading Name that is flagged as 'Usage Billing' then Scheduled Invoices are automatically created via the 'Batch Invoice' screen and cannot be maintained here.

Entry and Display fields

Planned Date: The Planned Date for this line. You can amend the date by either over typing the date or selecting the date from the drop-down calendar. However, if this line has already been converted into a physical Invoice then this is the actual Invoice Date and cannot be amended.

Invoice Value: The Invoice value of this Line.

Note:

•	When creating a new line the ‘Per Invoice Value’ defined in the ‘Detail’ tab is used.

•	You can amend this value if the Line has not been converted into an Invoice

•	If this line has already been converted into an Invoice then this is the actual Invoice Value and cannot be amended.

Actual Date: The date of the actual Invoice generated from this planned Invoice

Invoice No: The Invoice Number that was generated from this planned Invoice

Reading Name: The Reading Name used for this Asset.

Reading Value: The Reading Value used for this invoice.

Readings (Lower Panel) - This is a record of all the readings done for this asset.

Date: Date of the reading.

Reading Value: The reading value recorded.

Buttons

Close: This will close the Recurring Invoices screen. If you have any unsaved data then you will be asked if you wish to save it before the screen is closed.

Add: Creates a line (with default Date and Amount) for entry of a new scheduled Invoice.

Save: This will save the current data without exiting the screen

Cancel: Any changes made since the screen was opened or the last time the ‘Save’ Button was pressed will be lost.

Delete: Deletes a Scheduled Invoice line. This only applies to lines that have not been converted into a physical Invoice.

Reports: This will bring up a list of Reports that are related to the Recurring Invoice Schedule. You can immediately run the report whilst still remaining in the Recurring Invoice Schedule screen.