Billing Batch Runs
Once billing is configured (See Billing Overview), a Billing Batch Run is used to generate the required invoices for import into the destination software.
Billing Batch Configuration
Patriot can schedule billing batch runs to periodically send billing data to your accounting software package for invoicing. Multiple batch runs may be needed depending on your setup, for example, separate runs for dealer billing and client direct billing.
There are currently several ways to generate and process billing batch runs.
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External Billing (Custom) Integration
- Our recommended option for new systems. Patriot triggers a custom program to load charges, generate invoices, and transmit to the external software.
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- The Patriot Odoo task can synchronise charges and client information between Patriot and Odoo.
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- The Patriot CSV billing task can generate CSV text files from a custom query.
Batch Review
Once a billing batch run completes, you can easily review all invoice data sent to your accounting package. You can also choose (by unchecking the Authorised option in the batch settings) to delay sending the invoice data to your accounting package until after it has been reviewed in Patriot. The invoice data displayed includes the Invoice No. generated by your account software
Generator-specific features
Some batch run generators also expose additional options:
Invoice Reports
By expanding the invoice lines of a generated batch run, you can run a standard client, activation or work order report on any item being charged in the invoice.
An Invoice Charge summary report can be printed for each invoice generated by a billing batch run. A copy of the charge summary report format can be downloaded here, and the procedure for importing a report format file is explained in custom report layouts. Charge summary reports can be automatically emailed to the invoice recipient at the same time the invoice is sent to your accounting software for processing. This is useful when billing large dealer accounts - by enabling the Amalgamate Invoice Lines option and choosing an email output option you can send a single line invoice to your accounting software to produce a formal invoice, while at the same time a full charge breaks down is sent to the dealer directly from Patriot.
Credit Notes
Patriot can apply credit notes to an invoice. This feature is typically used to issue credit notes for clients that were billed in advance for a billing period that they did not complete.
When a credit note batch is run Patriot will calculate the extra months or days that the bureau (or customer) has been charged for, and will then produce credit for these extra months or days.
There are two options available in Patriot for issuing credit notes: Monthly Off Credit and Daily Off Credit. This option is set in the Part Charging section of the Batch Setup and Run tool.
When the Monthly Off Credit option is used credit notes are calculated to the nearest complete billable month (therefore this option is only applicable when you are billing quarterly, half-yearly or annually). The Daily Off Credit option is used to calculate credit notes to the nearest complete billable day and can be used for any billing period. Credit notes are calculated based on the Start and End dates set for the service charge(s) assigned to your clients on the Billing tab.
