Invoice Configuration

Invoice Configuration Process

Accessing the Invoice Configuration page

1. Click on Setup

2. Under the Configuration heading click on Invoice Configuration

3. Once selected you will see a standard 'Default' option already available

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Adding a New Invoice Configuration

1. Load the Invoice Configuration screen (see steps above)

2. Click the Add button on the right hand side of the window

3. The page shown below will appear allowing you to fully customize the Invoice Configuration to suit your needs.  Click Save when you are finished filling it out.

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• Default Delivery Type – you can later change this setting at the account level. The value selected at the Bill Group level represents the default when it is assigned to an account. (e.g. Hardcopy, Email, None etc.)

• Export - if checked the output of the bill run for this group will be exported to the directory specified in the Export Path field

• Export Path - If you would like to export the output of a bill run for this group, enter the path to the directory in this field

• Invoice Email Attachment Options  - this defines how you would like to attach the invoice, i.e. attached as a PDF or an HTML file (separate from how the body of the email is presented). The 'No charge invoice delivery type' determines whether EngageIP should deliver a zero dollar invoice. In some cases zero dollar invoices are valid if usage exists or you may not want to deliver it at all if the amount owed is $0

Associating the Invoice with a Bill Group

Once you have completed the setup of the Invoice Configuration the next step is to associate the configuration with a Bill Group.

Accessing the Bill Groups Page

1. Click on Setup

2. Under the Accounting heading click on Bill Groups

3. The Bill Groups page will load

From here you will see that a Default Bill Group already exists but you can have multiple Bill Groups. See below for instructions adding Bill Groups.

Adding a New Bill Group

1. Load the Bill Groups page (see steps above)

2. Click the Add button on the right hand side of the window

3. The page shown below will appear allowing you to define a new Bill Group, including which Invoice Configuration you wish to associate it with

4. Click Save when you are finished filling it out.

To get more information on how to create a Bill Group, please see the Bill Group Configuration article.

Required Billing Contact Configuration

To ensure there is always a proper address to send the invoice to, you must complete the following steps

1. Click on Setup

2. Under the heading Accounts and Roles click on Contact Types

3. Click on Billing Contact

4. Under the heading Contact Point Types click on Email Address

5. Check Required and Show To Add Account

Snapshot Invoices

Snapshot Invoice Overview

Snapshot Invoices provide a 'preview' of a customer invoice in advance of the invoice being sent in order to reduce the chance of bill shock. The goal being to reduce operational expenditures (fewer complaint calls, increased time to resolution on complaint calls and resolution of disputes prior to invoice generation).

Snapshot Invoices can be used in many ways:

• Configured with Bill Groups so that various Snapshot Invoices can be sent to different classes of users

• Configured on individual accounts

• Emailed and viewed on demand by an agent accessing a customer's account

• Emailed and viewed by the customer themselves through a customer self-service portal (API driven method)

Snapshot Invoices can be setup to use their own invoice templates, meaning they can be configured to contain or omit information that is or is not present on the regular invoice customers receive (for example Snapshot Invoices could be simplified to omit call logs or other usage data).

Snapshot Invoice Requirements

System Requirements

• The EngageIP Billing Service must be running on the server

• The EngageIP Job Service must be running on the server

• The EngageIP Event Service must be running on the server (in order to send Invoices via email)

EngageIP Requirements

• The Snapshot Invoices module must be enabled

• Email Settings (SMTP) must be configured so that Snapshot Invoices can be sent. See the KB article Email Settings Configuration for setup instructions

• In order to receive Snapshot Invoices by email, accounts must have a Billing Contact setup with an Email Contact Point. See the Required Billing Contact Configuration section above in this article for setup instructions

Snapshot Configuration

Invoice and Template Configuration

1. Load the Setup page and click on Invoice Templates

2. Create a new Invoice Template by clicking on the Add button

3. Design your invoice template or copy over the template from another existing invoice (if you don't want the Snapshot template to deviate from the Invoice sent when payment is due).  For details on customizing your Snapshot Invoice see the article: Invoice Template Sample Code

4. When your Snapshot template is configured Save it

5. Load the Invoice Configuration page on the Setup page

6. Create a new Invoice by clicking Add

7. Specify your newly created Snapshot template in Snapshot Invoice Template field

   • Snapshot Invoice Template - defines the invoice template that will be used when sending a Snapshot Invoice to the customer

   • Invoice Template - defines the invoice template that will be used when the regular invoice is sent to the customer

8. Populate the remainder of the fields as desired (Email Delivery Type, Email Subject, etc.)

9. Save the Invoice
   
   

Snapshot Invoice Advanced Delivery Scheduling

1. Load the Invoice Configuration page on the Setup page

2. Load the Snapshot Invoice edit page by clicking on the invoice Name

3. At the bottom of the page under Snapshot Invoice Policy Configuration click Add (note this section will not be present unless the 'Snapshot Invoice Template' field has been populated and saved)

4. Define the Name and Advanced Delivery Schedule values (for example '15 days' & '15D' if you want the Snapshot sent 15 days in advance of the normal Invoice)

5. Click Save or Save/New if you want to add another scheduled Advanced Delivery date (i.e. send a snapshot 15 days in advance and also 5 days in advance of the regular invoice delivery date)

Bill Group Level Snapshot Configuration

Snapshot Invoices can be sent based on Bill Group configuration ensuring only the collection of users you desire get Snapshot Invoices using the Advanced Delivery Schedule you defined. Simply modify existing Bill Groups and set the 'Invoice Configuration' field to use the Snapshot Invoices that you have configured. Information on adding and configuring Bill Groups can be found above in the section Associating the Invoice with a Bill Group

Snapshot Invoices will be sent out at midnight (00:00:00) when the 'Advanced Delivery' date is met. Regular invoices will continue be sent based on your Bill Group configuration settings.

User/Account Level Snapshot Configuration

Setting the Snapshot Invoice Configuration

You can set a particular user to receive Snapshot Invoices by loading the user account, clicking on the Tools page and then Snapshot Invoice Configuration. If you set the Snapshot Invoice configuration at the account level it will override the Snapshot Invoice configuration set at the Bill Group level for the user in question.

Emailing and Viewing Snapshot Invoices on Demand

You can render and email a Snapshot to a user by clicking on the Tools page and then Snapshot Invoice - Email Snapshot Invoice. Once the snapshot has been rendered you can view it by clicking on the Snapshot Invoice - View Latest Snapshot (also on the Tools page).

In order for the email & view features to be present and functional the following is required:

1. The Snapshot Role permissions must be added for the agent performing the view/send

2. An open invoice and unbilled package must be present on the account

3. The view/send Snapshot Invoice action must be executed prior to the invoicing date/invoice closure (you cannot send a Snapshot Invoice on the accounts actual Invoice Date)

4. The Snapshot Invoice must be rendered prior to using the 'Snapshot Invoice - View Latest Snapshot' option