Understanding Billing

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Typically, billing managers handle the billing functions in BillQuick Online, though they can delegate these tasks to accountants or project managers. BillQuick Online allows a lot of flexibility and variety in terms of billing rules, methods, payment terms, invoice formats and related decisions. Billing decisions determine how a project is billed and what information prints on an invoice. As a biller, you need to understand the pre-billing tasks and setup decisions before carrying out the actual billing tasks.

 

* Decisions such as how to bill, what to bill, what to say about the work done and the layout of the invoice, begins with the client and project setup (master information). * Reviewers or managers in a company must approve time and expenses charged to a project. When ready to bill, accumulated work-in-progress or * pre-defined billing schedule flows to the Billing Review (or Manual Invoice) screen. You can even set up projects for automatic billing.

 

* Billing decisions can be made in real time (on-screen) or through a printed Billing Review report (off-screen). When creating invoices, billing decisions can range from no-decisions-needed to application of retainers, adjustments, exclusion of time and expenses, and marking some entries as billed. * After executing decisions, the manager typically reviews and signs off on draft invoices, and then someone generates final invoices to * send them to the clients. This billing flow applies to standard invoices as well as joint invoices. * After receiving payments and running final reports, the project is completed.

 

Click on the desired areas of the image for details.

 

The billing managers can review the following checklist to ensure that they take all billing decisions with the right information at the right time.

 

Billing

Area

Decision

Where to Implement

Pre-Billing Tasks

Print or check on-screen memos and project journals for billing-related notes and decisions.

Time and Expense Memos

Project Journals

Check reports for approved time and expenses (WIP) as well as unapproved entries.

Report Center

Invoice Layout

Add a logo to invoices.

Company screen

Check company name, address, etc. to print on invoices.

Company screen

Typically add the standard text as memos or notes on multiple invoices.

Auto Complete screen

Hide no-charge (non-billable) entries on detailed invoices.

Global Settings—Billing screen

Billing Arrangement

Define contract type and invoice settings at the project level.

Project-General screen

Project-Billing screen

Review bill and cost rates of the employees, activity and expense codes and special rates in the fee schedules.

Employee screen

Activity screen

Expense screen

Service Fee Schedule

Expense Fee Schedule

Determine special bill rates to apply to a project when you pre-purchase hours (funds/retainer on account).

Project-Billing screen: Delayed SFS

Negotiate retainage with the client.

Project-Billing screen

Identify who receives the invoice in the client organization (billing/contact address).

Client-Details screen: Main Contact

Project-Billing screen: Contact

Define payment terms to print on invoices.

Terms screen

Client-Billing screen

Project-Billing screen

Identify clients and projects to bill in a foreign currency and check currency settings.

Currency Manager screen

Project-Billing screen

Client-Billing screen

All or selective project invoices should be emailed to the client.

Client-Billing screen

Project-Billing screen

 

Set up projects for automatic billing on a specified frequency.

Project-Billing: Automatic Billing

Invoice Formats

Assign or change standard/custom invoice formats for different project contract types.

Global Settings-Templates

Project screen

Set the standard invoice number format for invoices.

Optionally, define custom invoice numbers for projects.

Global Settings-Billing

Project-Billing screen

Joint Invoices

Identify projects for a client or project phases to bill together. Set the default to joint invoice.

Client-Billing screen

Project-Details screen

Combine billing records on a single invoice.

Billing Review screen

Retainers

Request retainers from the clients

Create retainer invoices.

Retainer Management screen

Project-Billing screen

Record retainer payments from clients.

Payment screen

Apply project or client retainer payments.

Payment screen

Billing Review

Aging

Set aging period for outstanding invoices of all clients

Global Settings-Billing screen

Set interest rate and grace period for past due invoices related to a project

Project-Details screen

 

Billing Methods

 

BillQuick Online offers various billing methods and arrangements with highly flexible options. You can choose a method according to your need and situation:

 

 

Billing Processes

 

After you have completed the pre-billing tasks and made the initial billing decisions, you are ready for actual billing. The billing managers can handle the billing task themselves or delegate it to accountants or admin staff.

 

You can accomplish billing in the following ways:

 

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