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Utility

CHAPTER 1 Utility Accounts 1

Account Maintenance 1Look-up/Edit/Delete 1View Balances 3View Backflow Devices 7Notes 8Detail 8File Attachments 9Generate Letter 10Print an Individual Bill 11Add Account 11

Cycle Maintenance 20

Bill Group Maintenance 22

User Message Maintenance 23User Code Listing 23

Custom Report 24Page 1 25Page 2 26Page 3 27Save and Open Custom Reports 28

Account Labels 29

Mailer Export 30

Property Tax/Utility Comparison Report 30

CASS Import/Export 31

Update Bank Codes From Bank File (Non-Tax users only) 31

Backflow 31Backflow Maintenance 32Backflow Listing 34Backflow History Adjustment Routine 34

CHAPTER 2 Meter Readings 1

Meter Reading Batch 1Create New Batch - Manually Add Readings 1Modify Existing Batch 4Auto Create Batch - Manual Entry 6Batch Verification and Update 7

Import Meter Readings 8Copy (Step 2) 8Import (Step 3) 9

Export Meter Gun Data 10

Auto Estimate Readings 11

Utility Usage Study Export 13

Meter Reading Report 14

Tripped/Zero/Consecutive Estimates Report 15Tripped Meter Report 16Zero Reading 17Consecutive Estimates 17

1 - 1

Create Work Orders 17

Reading Variance Report 17

Meter Inspection Report (Work Order users only) 19

Meter Worksheet/Books 19

Meter Reading Adjustment Routine 20

CHAPTER 3 Billing 1

Bill Code Maintenance 1Create New Bill Code 2Look-up/Edit/Delete 7Bill Code Listing 8

Deduction Code Maintenance 8Create New Code 9Look-up/Edit/Delete 9Deduction Code Listing 9

Bill Calculation/Update 9Reverse Billing 11Bill Log Listing 11

Billing Register 11

Print Utility Bills 13Print Utility Consolidated Bills 15

Calculate Utility Final Bill Adjustment 18

Print Final Bill 21

Reconcile Budget Plans 22

Calculate New Budget Plan Amounts 23

Calculate Leak Adjustment 24

Utility Bill Adjustment Batch 25Create New Batch 25Modify Existing Batch 27Batch Verification and Update 28

Billing Adjustment Report 29

Penalty Calculation/Update 31

Surcharge Calculation/Update 32

Bill Format Maintenance 34Page 1 35Page 2 (Non-Postcard formats) 36Page 2 and 3 (Postcard formats) 37Page 3 - PDF Bills 38Bill Format Listing 39

CHAPTER 4 Balance Adjustments 1

Balance Adjustment Code Maintenance 1Balance Adjustment Code Listing 3

Balance Adjustment Batch 3Create New Batch 3Modify Existing Batch 5

1 - 2

Batch Verification and Update 6

Automated Balance Adjustments 7Apply Overpayments/Transfer Credits 8Transfer Penalty Credits 9Refund Overpayments 10Establish/Transfer Lien (NJ Municipal) 11Cancel By Resolution 13Adjust Principal/Penalty Balances 14

Balance Adjustment Report 15

CHAPTER 5 Reports 1

Account Status 1

Aging Report 3

Overpayment Report 5

Delinquent Report 6Create Work Orders 8

Delinquent Notices/Labels 8Page 1 9Page 2 10

Transaction Inquiry 12

Zip Code Summary 13

Utility Change Transaction Inquiry 14

Posting Reference Report 15

Charge Search 16Page 1 16Page 2 17

CHAPTER 6 Utility Payments 1

Payment Code Maintenance 1Add 1Editing/Deleting Payment Codes 5Payment Code Listing 5

Payment Window 6Validating 11Payment Window Toolbar Options 12Payment Window FAQ’s 12

Payment/Reversal Batch 14Batch Entry - Editing/Deleting/Adding Payments 14Reversals 16

Verifying and Updating Payment Batches 19Batch Verification and Update 19

Payment Batch Summary Report 20

Bank Payment Batch 21

Payment Entry - Bank Code (Utility) 22

Payment Entry - Import (WIPP and Utility Lockbox Import) 23Edmunds WIPP (Web Inquiry & Payment Portal) 23

1 - 3

Lockbox Imports 25

Utility Lockbox Export 27

Direct Withdrawal 28

Void Reversals 30

Cash Receipts Report 31

Payments/Reversals Reference Report 34

Search Payment by Check Number Report 34

CHAPTER 7 Work Orders 1

Work Order Code Maintenance 1View/Edit/Delete 2Add 2

Work Order Maintenance 2Add 5

Print Range of Open Work Orders 9

Process Completed Work Orders Routine 9

Work Order Management Report 10

Purge Work Orders 11

Auto Create Recurring Work Orders 12

1 - 4

CHAPTER 1 Utility Accounts

This chapter will discuss the Utility Account Maintenance, Accounts menu, and other maintenances required for utility accountset-up.

• Utility Account Maintenance

• Cycle Maintenance

• Bill Group Maintenance

• User Message Maintenance

• Account Custom Listing/Labels/Reports/Exports

• Backflow

Note: Options and screens in this chapter will vary depending on the services types used by an organization (e.g. Water, Sewer, Trash, Electric).

Account Maintenance

The Utility Account Maintenance stores various Utility account information including owner and bill to addresses, billing cycles and rates, meter information, and balances. Detailed transaction information (payments, adjustments, billings, meter readings, and work orders) can be viewed directly from the Account Maintenance screen. The following sections will walk you through viewing, editing, and adding utility accounts.

Look-up/Edit/Delete

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Accounts>Account Maintenance.

Utility Accounts 1 - 1

Account Maintenance

Figure 1-1

You may Tab, Enter, or Click between fields in this screen.

Accounts may be selected using the following fields:

• Account Id

• Alternate Id

• Owner

• Property Location

• Service Location

• Bill To Name

• Property Identifier (BLQ, Map/Parcel, etc.)

• Meter Number (See the Meter tab)

• Book/Page (See the Meter tab)

Move to the appropriate field. Type the information in and press Enter or use the picklist <F3> to make a selection. Partial searchinformation can be entered in most fields. For example, type “Main” in the Property Location field and then use the picklist toview all Main Street properties. See Figure 1-2.


Account Maintenance

Note: The Owner Name and Property Location picklists will display if an account is Inactive.

Scroll between accounts using the << and >> toolbar buttons.

Figure 1-2


Edit - Click this toolbar button to change account information. Click Save when finished.

Delete - Click this toolbar button to delete an account. Only accounts with no transaction history may be deleted. A Delete Pass-word is required.

View Balances

Total Balances

Click on the Balances tab. The Total Balances tab will default and show the overall principal and interest/penalty balances for each service type on the account. The screen will also display a Current Due (amount due as of today) for each account. If Collections Parameter Maintenance is set to show balances that will come due within a certain number of days, a separate column will appear to show balances Due As of MM/DD/YY. Any account deposit balances and earned interest are displayed at the bottom of the screen.


Account Maintenance

Figure 1-3

Interest Date - If per diem interest is calculated on delinquent balances, this button can be used to project interest due as of a futuredate.

Transfer Deposits - If applicable, this button is used to transfer the deposit balance on an account to another account. Click on thebutton to display the following screen. Specify the service type balance to transfer, transfer date, and the account to which the bal-ance should be transferred.

Figure 1-4


Account Maintenance


Note: The Deposit buttons will only be enabled for accounts with a deposit balance.

Apply Deposits - If applicable, this button will apply a deposit balance and any accumulated deposit interest to the account bal-ance. Click on the button to display the following screen. Specify the deposit service type balance to apply and an adjustmentdate. The adjustment code used to apply the balance to the account should default from the system parameters, but can be changed.If interest has been earned on the deposit balance, it can be applied to the account balance by checking the appropriate box.

Figure 1-5


Year/Period Balances for a Service Type

To view a year/period display of the balances for a service type, click on the tab for that service type. An example of a year/periodtab for a Water service type balance is displayed below.


Account Maintenance

Figure 1-6

Note: The balances displayed with a code (e.g. ADM, REC) indicate a Separate Charge balance exists for the year/period.

Aged Balances

Click on the Aged Balances tab to display service type balances by the number of days they are past due. Balance categories are shown in the below figure.


Account Maintenance

Figure 1-7

View Backflow Devices

If an account has backflow devices installed, click on the W/S Meter tab and then click the Backflow tab. The Backflow tab will display any backflow devices installed on an account. This information can only be updated in Backflow Maintenance.

Figure 1-8

Note: The Backflow Device Listing may be printed by double clicking on a backflow device sequence line.


Account Maintenance

Notes

Date stamped notes may be added or modified on a Utility account.

To add or modify notes, click Edit and then click the Notes toolbar button. See Figure 1-9.

Figure 1-9


Click the Add Note button shown in the above figure to create a new note.

Existing notes may be modified by typing in one of the note fields.

Click Done when finished. Click Save.

Detail

Various transaction detail and Work Order history can be viewed for an account. Click the Detail toolbar button.

Figure 1-10


Account Maintenance


Tran Type - Select the type of information to view. Choices are described below:

Transactions - Produces a detailed Utility Account Status report showing all payment, reversal, adjustment, and bill-ing transactions.

Summarized Transactions - Transaction activity is summarized by type and transaction date. No year/period or transaction codes are shown, making the report easier to read.

Summarized by Service - Transaction activity is summarized by type, transaction date and service type. No year/period or transaction codes are shown, making the report easier to read.

Billings - Produces a Transaction Inquiry report which shows all calculated billings, final bills, and billing adjust-ment transactions.

Meter Readings - Produces a Meter Reading report which shows detailed meter readings and usage.

Work Orders (only appears if Work Order module installed) - Produces a Work Order Management report for an account’s work orders.

Payments - Displays payments by date. Check numbers and amounts are shown. If the Print Detail Lines box is checked, the report will display how the payments were applied.

Change Transactions - The Change Transaction Inquiry displays all changes made to the account in Account Main-tenance.

Service Type - Select the service type(s) for which to display detail.

Begin/End Date - A transaction begin and end date may be specified to limit the transaction detail displayed on the selected report.

Order by Year/Period - When checked, transactions are displayed in year/period order, rather than date order.

Exclude Non-NSF Reversed Payments - This box is only enabled when the Transactions report is selected. Check this box toexclude payment transactions that have been reversed with a Non-NSF type payment code (used for bounced checks). This willhelp to eliminate some of the unnecessary payment detail from the report. Reversal transactions entered with an NSF paymentcode will remain on the report.

Click Ok. Reports may be printed after they generate to the screen.

File Attachments

Electronic files can be attached to a Utility account for informational or record keeping purposes.

Files are attached, opened or removed by clicking the paperclip icon shown in the bottom right corner of Figure 1-11.


Account Maintenance

Figure 1-11

To attach a file, click the paperclip icon and then click the Attach File button. A Windows Attach dialog box will appear. Browseto a file, select it and then click Attach. A special description for the file may be entered. Click Ok to attach the file.

If a scanner is connected to your PC, the Scan Document button can be clicked to scan and attach a file.

Accounts with attached files will display a green plus (+) sign on the paperclip icon as seen in the previous figure. To open anattached file, click on the paperclip icon and double click on one of the file names listed, or select a file name and click Open. Toremove an attached file, click on the paperclip icon; select a file name and click Remove.

Generate Letter

A form letter can be automatically generated by clicking the Letter toolbar button shown in the figure below.


Account Maintenance

Figure 1-12

After clicking the Letter button, the system will prompt the user to select a PDF form letter from the MCSJ\Forms\UtilityBillingdirectory. After selecting a letter, the form fields will populate with the appropriate information from the Utility account and theletter can be printed.

Note: Contact an E&A representative for assistance with designing a form letter.

Print an Individual Bill


Click the Print Bill on the General tab. Select a bill year/period from the menu or select Other to print a bill for a year/period thatis not listed. Enter the bill print information and click Print.

Add Account


Click Add. Choose from one of the following options:

Create a new account - The user will be prompted with the next available utility account number. This number can be accepted or any previously unused account number may be entered.

Add sub to existing account - This option will be used to add a sub account to an existing account number. The user will be prompted to enter the existing master account number. The system will assign the next available sub number (can’t be changed) to the existing account. Sub numbers are added when multiple utility accounts exist for the same property location. (e.g. condos, apartments, strip malls, etc.)

Duplicate this account - This option will add a sub account account to an existing account number and will transfer selected information from the existing account number to the new account number (e.g. owner name/address, bill codes, last reading, meter information, etc.). It is designed for users who create new accounts for each new owner/tenant on a property.


Account Maintenance

Figure 1-13

Regardless of the option selected, the process of adding a new account is basically the same. If the “Duplicate” option wasselected, some account information will already appear on the new account.


Account Maintenance

General

Figure 1-14


Type - This field is usually used to specify whether an account is residential (RES) or commercial (COM). However, it may beused for a variety of creative purposes. Up to 3 alphanumeric characters can be entered. This is a required field.

Note: Totals by Type are provided on a variety of Utility reports.

Owner - Enter the property owner’s name. e.g. (SMITH, JON AND NANCY)

Prop Loc - Enter the property location. e.g. (15 MAIN STREET)

Serv Loc - A service location may be entered if it differs from the property location of an account.

Alternate Id - This is a user specific field usually used to reference a previous account number from another software program.The field can be used look-up up an account. It is not required.

Owner - Complete the owner address information for the account.


Account Maintenance

Bill To - Enter the billing name and address information for the account if it differs from the owner name and/or address.

Note: User specific bill formats will determine whether bills are printed for Bill To, Owner or both addresses.

E-Bill - Select for the owner and/or bill to if an E-Bill is to be sent when bills are printed. If this checkbox is selected, you mustenter an e-mail address.

Section - The section can be used to categorize an account for reporting purposes. Section totals appear on a variety of Utilityreports. If desired, specify up to 3 alphanumeric characters.

User Msgs - Red message(s) will appear on the Utility account and in the Payment Window if a code is assigned in the User Mes-sage Code fields. Codes can be set-up in Billing/Collections>User Message Maintenance to display a message like the one in thebelow figure. Up to three messages can be assigned to each account.

Figure 1-15

Lien/Assignment, Sp Charges - These boxes will be checked by the system when a Lien or Special Charges account is added forthe property. When checked, a red note will appear on the account, indicating these special accounts exist. The boxes may beselected or deselected manually.

Bankruptcy/Date - The user can manually select this box and enter a date when an account is in bankruptcy. A red note willappear on the account.

Exclude from Tax Sale (NJ) - If selected, delinquent account balances will not be subject to the Tax Sale.

Do Not Disconnect - When checked, no automated work orders will be generated for this account from the delinquent report.

CO Date - Certificate of Occupancy date.

Bank Code - Used to reference a mortgage holder and/or service company for an account. Bank Codes are added in Bank CodeMaintenance.

Property Identifier (BLQ, Map/Parcel, etc.) - Type in or use the picklist to select the property identifier number for an account.

Note: The City Id field, if enabled, is used to identify the city/town of an account located in another municipality. It also helps to ensure a Property Identifier (BLQ, Map/Parcel, etc.) is not duplicated as a result of this sit-uation.


Account Maintenance

Note: If a Property Identifier number is entered, it may not already be assigned to another master Utility account number. All Utility sub accounts must have the same Property Identifier number.

Primary Property (Property Tax users) - If selected, this Utility account will display the Property Tax balances for the PropertyTax account with the corresponding property identifier (e.g. BLQ, Map/Parcel, etc.).

Additional

Click on the Additional tab. Miscellaneous account data, including Direct Withdrawal information, is stored and entered on this tab.

Figure 1-16


Direct Withdrawal -These fields are applicable to accounts who have funds electronically debited from their accounts.

Bank DFI - Routing number. The routing number must exist under System Utilities>Bank DFI Maintenance before it can be entered on this screen.

Account Num - Bank account number


Account Maintenance

Type - Checking/Savings

Prenote - Tells the system whether a test record should be created on the ACH file for this account. When checked, the account will appear as a test record on the file and will NOT be debited.

WIPP (Web Inquiry & Payment Portal) - These fields are applicable to clients who accept on-line payments using MCSJ WIPP.

WIPP PIN - This number is auto-generated by the system, but may be changed. If the WIPP module is configured to require user PINS, the bill payer on the account is required to enter this PIN number in order to utilize on-line inquiry and payments.

Do Not Accept Online Payment - Check to prevent this account from making on-line payments.

Bill Group Id - A Bill Group Id may be assigned to an account when a single person or company owns several different propertiesand wants to receive only one bill. A “Consolidated Bill” may be printed for all accounts with the same Bill Group Id. Bill GroupId’s are added under Utility Accounts>Bill Group Maintenance.

Vendor - The user may select a specific Vendor Id from the picklist to be used when a refund purchase order is created using theCreate Utility Refund Payments routine (A/P menu). If no Vendor Id is assigned to a Utility account, the routine will automaticallycreate a Vendor Id (if applicable). Vendor Id’s are added in Finance>A.P>Vendor>Vendor Maintenance.

Soc Sec # / Driver’s License / State / Birth Date / Employer / Co-Applicant - A tenant’s information can be stored for debt col-lection purposes.

Service Type Tabs (e.g. Water, Sewer, etc.)

Click on a Service tab (e.g. Water/Sewer, Sewer, Electric, etc.). If the account has multiple services, each applicable service tab must be completed. The Service Type tabs indicate the status of a service type (i.e. Active/Inactive) and store bill codes (rates), billing cycle, and a few fields related to interest/penalty.

Note: Screens below will vary depending on the services installed.


Account Maintenance

Figure 1-17


Cycle - Use the picklist to assign a billing cycle to the account. The billing cycle determines the billing and due date schedule foran account. Cycle records are created for each service type and billing year in Cycle Maintenance.

Status - Select the service type status: Active or Inactive. Inactive accounts will not be updated when bills are calculated.

Active/Inactive Date - Specify the date the account became active/inactive.

Bill Codes / Units - Use the picklists to assign an account up to 6 bill codes. Bill codes store the rates used to calculate a billing.In order for a bill code to be included in the bill calculation, a number of units MUST be specified. Depending on the bill code set-up, units may be factored into the rate calculation.

Ded Code - If applicable, use the picklist to assign the account a Deduction code. Deduction codes act as a “discount” rate and willreduce any calculated billing on the account by a set amount or percentage.

Apr 2 - 2nd Annual Percentage Rate. This field is only applicable when an interest/penalty threshold amount is used. For exam-ple, an organization may calculate 8% interest on balances under $1500 and 18% interest on balances exceeding $1500. The sys-tem will automatically check the box when all balances for the service type are calculating at the 2nd rate of interest. The box maybe checked or unchecked manually if special circumstances arise.

Int Exemp - Check the box to exempt an account from delinquent interest or penalty.


Account Maintenance

Unpaid Int - An unpaid amount of service type interest may be entered in this field. The amount will be included in the delinquentbalance shown in the Payment Window. This amount may be updated by the system when a per diem interest amount is overriddenin the Payment Window.

Budget Plan Information

Budget plans are an optional feature designed to help customers manage their finances when billings tend to have large seasonalfluctuations. A budget plan allows an account to pay the same “budgeted” amount on each billing, instead of paying for the actualusage during the billing period. The system will continue to track the actual billings and balance on the account and at the end of ayear or other specified time period, the budgeted figure can be adjusted to ensure the customer’s actual balance isn’t falling out ofline with their budget balance.

Accounts can be placed on a budget plan by checking the Budget checkbox. When on a budget plan, the system will bill the Bud-get Amt on each calculated billing after the Start Date. Until the account is removed from the budget plan, the system will displaya “budgeted balance” in addition to its actual balance.

Note: An account must be flagged as “Int Exemp” in order to be placed on a budget plan.

****

Complete the appropriate fields for each applicable account service type.

Meter Tab

If a metered service type (e.g. Water, Sewer, Electric) is active for the account, click on the appropriate meter tabs and complete the following information.

Note: The information entered on this screen will vary depending on the type of reading software and reading methods (hand-helds, radio, etc.) used by an organization. The completion of this screen should be dis-cussed thoroughly with your trainer prior to completing meter information for an account.


Account Maintenance

Figure 1-18


Meter Num - Primary meter number for an account.

Book / Page - Commonly referred to as route numbers or a walking order. The book and page identify the location sequence ofmeters for manual reading routes. When radio or remote reading technology is used, the book helps to group meters read with thistechnology together.

Mult - Multiplier. The multiplier factor is applied to the reading imported/entered. For example, a reading of 500 becomes a read-ing of 5000 when a multiplier of 10 is used (i.e. 500 x 10). Based on parameter settings, multipliers may be applied at the time ofimport/batch entry or may be applied only for purposes of the usage calculation.

Num Dials - Dial size for a meter. This field is used to specify the maximum reading size for an account (e.g. 4 represents a max-imum reading of 9999). Specifying the correct number in this field allows the system to identify when a meter has rolled.

Location - Meter location.

Serial Num - Meter serial number.

Gun Type - Company that supplies readings.


Cycle Maintenance

Gun Rdg Type - Reading technology used.

Sensus MXU - Trainer will inform user if field needs to be completed.

Badger/MVRS - Trainer will inform user if field needs to be completed.

Meter Descript - A size or other meter description may be entered.

Pipe Size / Footage / Year Installed - Additional meter description information.

Latitude/Longitude - Enter if known.

View Map - Click to display the property location on Google Maps.

2nd Meter - The meter fields on the right hand side of the screen are used when a 2nd meter is present on the account. Secondmeter functionality is described below:

Compound (Water/Sewer) - this option will combine usage from both meters to calculate both water and sewer usage.

Deduct (Sewer) - this option will deduct the usage from the second meter when calculating sewer usage.

Compound (Water) - this option will combine usage from both meters to calculate water usage only. Sewer usage will be based only on the first meter’s usage.

If a second meter exists, complete the remaining meter information in the same manner as meter 1.

Click Save when the Meter tab(s) are complete.

Cycle Maintenance

The Cycle Maintenance stores billing and due date schedules for each service type. Accounts are billed based on the cycles assigned to them.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Cycle Maintenance.


Cycle Maintenance

Figure 1-19


Note: Cycle Active periods and Revenue Years may not be edited while Payment batches exist.

To select a cycle, type in the Bill Year and press Enter. Select a Service Type and then use the picklist to select a Cycle number.

Edit - Click to change cycle information. Click Save when finished.

Add - Click to create a new cycle. A Bill Year, Service Type and Cycle number must be specified. Complete the remaining fieldsas described below:

Bill Format - A bill format (Bill Format Maintenance) must be assigned to the cycle in order to be able to print bills for the cycle.

Each Period represents a billing. If the period is Active (Y), a billing, payment or adjustment can be applied to it. Inactive periodsshould be designated with an (N). For example, if the cycle is billed quarterly, only periods 1-4 should be active.

From/To - This date range represents the time period covered by the billing. For example, the period 1 bill may cover the timeperiod of the 1st quarter (01/01-03/31). Depending on Bill Format settings, this date range may appear on the bills. The date rangehas no impact on any calculations or the way payments are applied.

Due - Specify the payment due date for the billing. The due date should NOT include any grace period, which would be specifiedon bill codes.

Discount Expires - If a discount is given for paying prior to a certain date, specify the discount date. Discount parameters shouldbe specified in Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance.


Bill Group Maintenance

Revenue Year - This field will only appear for organizations operating on a fiscal year. When payments are applied to a particularperiod, the system will use the Revenue Year specified to determine which payment code revenue account should be utilized. Forexample, if 2013 is specified, the system would use the revenue account slotted in the payment code’s 2013 Billing field.

Click Save.

Bill Group Maintenance

Bill Group Id’s are created and stored in this maintenance. A Bill Group Id may be assigned to an account when a single person or company owns several different properties and wants to receive only one bill. A “Consolidated Bill” may be printed for all accounts with the same Bill Group Id.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Accounts>Bill Group Maintenance.

Figure 1-20


Scroll between accounts using the << and >> toolbar buttons.

Add - Click to create a new Bill Group Id. Enter up to 10 alphanumeric characters. A Description can be entered.

Edit - Click to make changes to owner information.

Delete - Click to remove a Bill Group Id.

Click Save to finalize changes. If owner information is changed, you will be given the option to update owner information on allutility accounts with this Bill Group Id assigned. Click Yes if you wish to update owner information on the Utility Accounts withthe information entered in this maintenance. Click No to leave current owner information on Utility accounts.


User Message Maintenance

User Message Maintenance

User Messages are customized messages that can be assigned to a Utility account. A red message will appear in both the Utility Account Maintenance and Payment Window.

Select Billing/Collections>User Message Maintenance.

Figure 1-21


Add - Click to create a new message.

Edit - Double click or select a message and click Edit to change the message.

Delete - Click to remove a message.

Click Save to finalize changes.

Print - Click to print a list of user messages.

User Code Listing

The User Code Listing enables the user to view the accounts that have particular messages.

Select Billing/Collections>User Code Listing.


Custom Report

Figure 1-22


Custom Report

The Custom Utility Report is a user customizable report that can be generated to Excel. The user chooses the static account infor-mation to display on the report and has options to print account balance and transaction totals and/or usage data. A variety of report parameters also give the ability to only list accounts meeting user specified criteria.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Accounts>Custom Report.


Custom Report

Figure 1-23


Page 1

This screen is mainly used to select the accounts to include on the report and to choose the order in which they will appear.

Report Sequence - The report may be sorted by Account Id, Property Id (Map/Parcel, etc.), Property/Service Location, Owner/Bill To Name, Bill Group Id, Book/Page, Alternate Id or Bank Id Code. Ranges may be specified depending on the sort sequenceselected.

The report may be filtered to only include accounts that contain Types, Sections, Cycles, Bill Codes, or User Message Codeswithin the specified ranges. Leave these ranges blank to include all accounts.

CO Date (Certificate of Occupancy) - The report can filtered to only include accounts with a CO date in the range. Leave therange as it defaults to include all accounts.

Enter Status to Include - Only accounts with selected status will appear on the report.

Include Only Accounts With - Use these selections to only include accounts with one or more of the available criteria listed inthis section. If more than one set of criteria is selected, the user must specify whether to include an account if it meets ANY of theselected options or only if it meets ALL of the selected options.


Custom Report

Skip Budget Service Types - If checked, accounts with budget plans are skipped.

Print To Excel - If the report should be generated to Excel, check this option.

Page 2

Click on Page 2. This screen is used to select the account information to appear on the report. If a metered service type was selected on Page 1, the user will also have the option to include account usage data on the report.

Figure 1-24


Select the static information fields to appear for each account listed on the report.

Meter Usage

Usage - Check to include usage data on the report.

Reading Year/Prd - Usage will be calculated for the year/periods specified.

Export Separate Usage Column for each Reading Prd in Range - If selected, usage will print for each reading year/period in the specified range. If not selected, usage for the entire year/period range will be summarized into one total.


Custom Report

Page 3

Click on Page 3. Use this screen to select any account balance information to appear on the report. The user can choose to include information from the Utility Account Status or from the Aging Report.

Figure 1-25


Report Type - The user can select information from the Utility Account Status report or from the Aging report. If Aging isselected, the Aging Report selections will become enabled and the Status Report selections will be disabled.

Include Only Accounts With - Located at the bottom of the screen, these options are available for both report types. The usermay use these fields to include/exclude accounts based on their balance amount. Total (principal + penalty), principal, or depositbalance criteria can be specified.

Export Separate Columns for each Service Type - Located at the bottom of the screen, this option will be enabled if multipleservice types have been selected. Check the box to print separate data columns for each service type. If not checked, service typetotals will be combined.


Custom Report

Status Report Selections

Bill Year/Period - Balances are accumulated for the specified year/period range. If activity summary options are selected, only theactivity affecting the year/period range is included on the report. If Include Prior Year/Prds in Balance is selected, balances forany prior year/periods are included in the beginning and total balance, but the activity for these prior periods is not included.

Date Range - Only activity during this range and affecting the year/period range will be summarized on the report. The previousbalance will show as of the day prior to the first date in the range.

Select the balance and transaction summary information to appear on the report.

Export Separate ‘Billed’ Column for each Bill Prd in Range - This box is enabled when the Billed transaction summary optionis checked. When this box is enabled, it can be checked to print separate billed totals for each selected year/period.

Aging Report Selections

Specify an As Of Date for the balance calculation and then select from any of the available Aging Report balance options.

Save and Open Custom Reports

When the same report will need to be run on multiple occasions with refreshed data, the report selections can be saved as a query and later retrieved. This saves the user the hassle of having to re-select report options each time they want to generate the same report.

After choosing the desired report selections, click Save on the toolbar and a Windows dialog box will appear enabling the reportquery to be saved. Browse to the location where the file will be saved and type a file name. Click Save. The file will be savedautomatically with the (.ser) file extension.

Figure 1-26


If the parameters for a customized report have been previously saved, the report may be regenerated with refreshed data by return-ing to the Employee Custom Listing report screen and opening the saved file.

Click Open on the toolbar and a Windows dialog box will appear. Browse to the saved query file, select it, and click Open. All ofthe report parameter selections will appear and the report can now be reprinted.


Account Labels

Account Labels

Account owner or bill to address labels may be printed to laser or dot matrix printers. Options to include account numbers and meter information on labels are available.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Accounts>Account Labels.

Figure 1-27


Select Print Sequence - Print the labels by Account Id, Zip Code/Account Id, Block/Lot/Qual or Book/Page.

Use the various ranges to filter the account labels to print. At least one service type must be selected.

Enter Status to Include - Labels will only print for the selected type(s) of accounts.

Name/Address to Print - Select whether to print Owner or Bill To name and address labels.

Select Printer Type - Specify the label format: Laser - Avery 5160, Dot Matrix - Avery 4603, or Meter Book/Page Labels (Laser).The Meter Book/Page Labels will include a meter number and serial number.

An alignment label may be printed by clicking the Check Alignment of Labels button. If the alignment needs to be adjusted, usethe X and Y Offset fields. X adjusts to the right, Y adjusts up and down.


Mailer Export

Mailer Export

This routine will generate a mailing file containing account numbers, bill to and owner information, service and property location, and block/lot/qualifier (property id). The file is designed for printers who may be contracted to do certain types of mailings.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Accounts>Mailer Export.

Figure 1-28


Select File Sequence - The file can be sequenced in Account Id, Zip Code/Account Id or BLQ (Property Id) order.

Use the various ranges to filter the accounts appearing on the file. At least one service type must be selected.

Export File Name - The file will be created in the MCSJ\importFiles directory. The default file name is utmailer.exp. The loca-tion and file name may be changed.

Click Next.

Property Tax/Utility Comparison Report

Using a property identifier number (e.g. BLQ, Map/Parcel), this report will compare selected information (i.e. Bank Codes, Prop-erty Location, and Owner data) on Tax and Utility accounts. It also identifies any properties that don’t have a Utility account.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Accounts>Property Tax/Utility Comparison Report.


CASS Import/Export

CASS Import/Export

This routine exports a file of mailing addresses which will be certified by the USPS for delivery location accuracy and will be assigned a +4 zip code. Once processed, the addresses are imported back into the system and bills may be printed with special bar coding that indicates the addresses have been CASS certified. Mailings that are CASS certified will result in discounted postal rates. An E&A representative must be contacted in order to utilize this feature.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Accounts>CASS Import/Export.

Note: The MCSJ/ImportFiles directory will be used when importing and exporting files.

Update Bank Codes From Bank File (Non-Tax users only)

This routine will update bank codes on Utility accounts from a file provided by a bank (mortgage service company).

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Accounts>Update Bank Codes From Bank File.

Note: The file to import must be placed in the MCSJ/ImportFiles directory and named as specified on the screen.

Backflow

The MCSJ Utility module can track backflow devices and their installation and testing history. A backflow prevention device is used to protect water supplies from contamination or pollution. Many states or local municipalities require annual testing of these devices. The MCSJ system can track these devices and produce a listing of devices that need to be tested. This section will cover how to add the devices, record installation and testing history, and how to print a listing of devices.


Backflow

Backflow Maintenance

The Backflow Maintenance is used to add backflow devices to a Utility account and record installation and testing history. Device information is recorded and modified on this screen.

Note: Once added in Backflow Maintenance, backflow devices can be viewed on a Utility account. The Backflow tab is located under the Water/Sewer Meter tab of Utility Account Maintenance.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Accounts>Backflow>Backflow Maintenance.

Figure 1-29


To select an existing device, type in the appropriate information and press Enter or use the picklists in the Account Id, PropertyLoc or Serial Num fields.

Edit - Click to change device information. Click Save when finished.

Delete - Click to remove a device. Devices with history may not be removed.

Detail - Click to view the Backflow Device Listing. This report displays device information and its installation and testing history.

Add - Click to create a new device. Type in or use the picklist to select a Utility Account Id. Complete the remaining fields asdescribed below:


Backflow

Enter any available device information in the appropriate fields.

Device Type - DCV (Double Check Valve), RPZ (Reduced Pressure Zone), None

Install Date - Enter the installation date of the device.

Click Save.

Record Device History

Installation and testing history for a backflow prevention device is updated from the Backflow Maintenance screen.

Click on the Record History toolbar button and the following figure will appear.

Figure 1-30


Tested Date - Enter the transaction date for the history transaction.

Tester Id - Use the picklist to assign the individual who installed or tested the device.

Note: Tester Id’s must exist in System Utilities>User Maintenance.

Status - Select the type of history transaction to record from the list shown in the above figure.

Comment - Notes may be added to the history transaction.

Clicking Ok will create a history transaction.


Backflow

Backflow Listing

The Backflow Listing can be used to display backflow device information and transaction history. It also includes an option to only display backflow devices that have not been tested since a given date.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Accounts>Backflow>Backflow Listing.

Figure 1-31


Select Status Type to Include - In order for a device to be listed on the report, it must have at least one selected transaction withinthe Transaction Date Range.

Exclude Devices Tested After - Enabled when Device Tested is selected. Devices tested after this date will not appear on thereport.

Backflow History Adjustment Routine

This routine is used to correct or delete history transactions updated with the wrong date, status, Tester Id, or comment.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Accounts>Backflow>Backflow History Adjustment Routine.


Backflow

Figure 1-32


To modify or delete a transaction, enter or select the Utility Account Id and Seq (sequence) number of the backflow device. Thenenter the bad transaction’s original Tested date (transaction date) and Status.

Click Edit to change any information. Click Save.

Click Delete to remove the transaction.


CHAPTER 2 Meter Readings

This chapter covers the Meter Readings menu of the Utility Billing module. Instructions will be provided for entering, adjusting,importing/exporting, and auto-estimating meter readings. In addition, the various types of meter reading and usage reports will becovered.

Meter Reading Batch

The Meter Reading Batch is used to manually enter or estimate readings and to edit auto-created or imported readings. Meter Reading batches must be verified and updated before accounts are posted.

Create New Batch - Manually Add Readings

This section will cover the manual entry of readings and estimated readings.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Meter Reading>Meter Reading Batch.

Meter Readings 2 - 1

Meter Reading Batch

Figure 2-1


Batch Id - Type in a unique Batch Id and press Enter.

Batch Date - Enter the default reading date for entries in the batch. Reading dates may be changed within the batch.

Note: The Service Type, Reading Type, Year/Period and Meter Book fields are only applicable when using the Auto-Create Batch option.

With the Batch Entry button selected, click Next to enter the batch.

Click Add.


Meter Reading Batch

Figure 2-2


Acct # / Sub # - Type in a Utility account number or press <F3> to access the account picklist.

Service Type - Select the appropriate service type. Readings for different services (e.g. Water, Electric) may be entered in thesame batch.

Reading Type - Click on the field or press the spacebar to access the combo box. Reading types are described below:

Standard - A normal reading. Usage is calculated by subtracting the previous reading.

Interim - An actual reading taken, but entered prior to the standard read for a year/period. These are usually entered when a meter is replaced. Usage is calculated by subtracting the previous reading.

Final - A reading taken when an account is “finaled”. In most cases, final reads are entered using the Calculate Final Bill Adjustment Routine. The next bill will only be calculated on usage accumulated after this reading.

Reset - A beginning read, usually for a new meter. No usage is associated with a reset reading.

Prorated - A final reading indicating that a pro-rated final bill was calculated. In most cases, prorated reads are entered using the Calculate Final Bill Adjustment Routine. In terms of the billing calculation, a prorated read is included in the total usage (like Standard and Interim) to calculate a subsequent billing. However, because the previ-ous billing transactions were prorated, the prorated billing amounts will be subtracted from the calculated subse-quent billing.

Consumption - This is a usage amount, not an actual reading.

Note: The system expects readings to be entered sequentially by year/period and reading date. If readings are entered with the wrong year/period or date it will impact the usage calculation. Within a period, readings should be entered in the following order: Interim, Reset, Standard (I-R-S).

Date - The reading date may be changed.

Year / Period - Enter the year/period of the reading. Entering the wrong year/period will impact the usage and billing calculations.


Meter Reading Batch

2nd Meter - If N, the reading is assigned to an account’s 1st meter. If Y, the reading is assigned to the account’s 2nd meter.

Estimate - This field is only applicable when entering an estimated reading. Click on the field to make a selection. Choose Esti-mate when the estimated read is calculated by the user. Customer Read can be selected to indicate the estimated read was called inby the customer.

Reading - Enter the reading or consumption (Consumption reading type only). The reading may be multiplied automatically if amultiplier exists on the account. If the reading is not known, it can be estimated automatically by pressing the <F5> key. The fol-lowing screen will appear.

Figure 2-3


Enter the previous reading year/period range on which to base the estimated usage. When Ok is selected, the system will populatea reading that would result in the appropriate estimated usage.

Rollover - If the meter has rolled, change the rollover flag to Y. This will ensure that negative usage is not calculated on a readingthat is lower than the previous reading entered.

Enter to the next line and continue to enter meter readings. When finished, click Save. Click Close to exit the batch. The batchmust now be verified and updated before the readings will post to the accounts.

Modify Existing Batch

This section will describe how to modify readings in an existing Meter Reading Batch. The steps to modify manually created, auto-created, or imported Meter Reading batches are the same.

Note: Only the readings may be modified and no new lines may be added in an auto-created Meter Reading Batch.

Note: Refer to the “Create New Batch - Manually Add Readings” section for reading type and field explanations.



Meter Reading Batch

Figure 2-4


Batch Id - Use the picklist to select the appropriate Meter Reading Batch Id.

With the Batch Entry button selected, click Next to access the batch. A screen similar to Figure 2-5 will appear.

Figure 2-5


Add - Click to add a new reading. Click Save when finished adding lines.

Edit - Double click a line or select the line and click Edit to change information on a reading line. Click Save when finished.

Delete - Select a line and click Delete to remove a reading line. To delete an entire batch, press CTRL + DEL on the keyboard.Click Save.


Meter Reading Batch

Go To - Click this button and enter a sequence number to jump to a particular line in the batch. Sequence numbers appear to the farright of each line in the batch and on the Batch Verification Listing.

Auto Create Batch - Manual Entry

The Auto Create Batch option will create batch entries for all accounts or for a specified Meter Book. An entry will be created for every account that does not already have a reading with the same specified type and year/period. All accounts in the batch will be assigned the same date, reading type, and year/period. Once the entries are created, the user must use the Batch Entry to edit the reading for each account.

Note: Only the readings may be modified and no new lines may be added in an auto-created Meter Reading Batch. Batch lines may be deleted.


Figure 2-6



Batch Date - Enter the reading date for entries in the batch. Dates may NOT be changed.

Service Type - If multiple metered services are used, select the appropriate service type.

Reading Type - Specify the reading type for each entry in the batch.

Reading Year/Period - Specify the reading year/period for each reading.

Meter Book - Leave blank to create entries for all books. Otherwise, specify a single book.

With the Auto Create Batch button selected, click Next.


Meter Reading Batch

The batch must be modified using the Batch Entry screen. Refer to the “Modify Existing Batch” section for assistance.

The batch must be verified and updated in order for readings to post to accounts.

Batch Verification and Update

In order for readings to post to accounts, each Meter Reading Batch must be verified and updated.


Figure 2-7


Use the picklist to select the Batch Id to verify and update.

Batch Verification - Select this option and click Next to print the verification listing. The screen or printer options may be usedto review the listing. However, the verification listing MUST be printed to a printer in order to update the batch. The listing maybe printed in Sequence or Account Id order.

The verification listing will show each reading transaction and display a usage total at the bottom of the report. The last page of thelisting will identify any warnings or errors. Warnings should be reviewed, but errors MUST be corrected. Errors can be correctedin the Batch Entry and the verification listing MUST be reprinted in order to proceed.

Update Batch - Once the verification listing has been successfully printed and reviewed, click on the Update Batch button andselect Next. When the batch has updated, a Meter Reading Batch Update Report can be printed. The report displays the number ofposted entries and a reference number.


Import Meter Readings


This routine is used to automatically import meter readings from a file into the Meter Reading Batch. Some details associated with this process will vary depending on the company or gun software providing the file. However, basic instructions are provided in this section. Your organization’s particular process should be reviewed with your E&A trainer.

The import process requires 3 basic steps:

1. Place the meter readings file in the MCSJ directory.

Note: If using reading gun software, make sure the software is configured to export the file to the MCSJ direc-tory. Contact the software provider for assistance with configuring the software file import and export locations.

2. Run the copy routine. This will rename and move the file to the final import location for the MCSJ software (MCSJ/Import-Files directory).

3. Run the import routine. This routine will import readings into the Meter Reading Batch and print a warning/error listing.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Meter Reading>Import Meter Readings.

Figure 2-8


Copy (Step 2)

Note: The current file to be imported must exist in the MCSJ directory prior to running the Copy routine.



Routine Type - Will default to Copy File. This is correct.

Select File Type - Select the appropriate file type for your organization. This correct selection should have been discussed withyour E&A trainer.

Input File Name - The default file name will appear based upon the selected file type If the file name that appears does not matchthe meter reading file placed in the MCSJ/ directory, the input file name may be changed.

Click Next to run the copy routine. A “File Copied Successfully” message should appear. If the file was not copied, the Importroutine cannot be run. Go back to the beginning of this section and try again. Contact an E&A representative if further assistanceis required.

Import (Step 3)

Note: Do not attempt to import the file if Step 2 (above) has not been completed successfully.

Figure 2-9


Routine Type - Select Import Readings.

Book Page Range - A book/page range can be specified to only import readings for a selected route. Leave the range blank toimport all readings on the file.

Batch Id - Specify a unique Meter Reading Batch Id.

Service Type - If multiple metered service types are used, be sure to select the correct service.

Select File Type - Make sure the correct file type is still selected.


Export Meter Gun Data

Reading Type - Specify the type of reading being imported. This reading type is assigned to each imported reading.

Bill Year/Period - Assign the appropriate bill year/period to the imported readings.

Input File Name - Will be disabled.

Click Next to run the import.

A Reading Import Exception Listing will appear on the screen. If the file could not be imported, it will explain why. If the file wasimported, any warnings or errors will be displayed. Warnings will be imported and may be edited in the Meter Reading Batch.Errors are not imported. The listing should be reviewed thoroughly prior to updating the Meter Reading Batch.

If the file was imported, the Meter Reading Batch must be verified and updated before the readings will post to accounts. See theMeter Reading Batch section for assistance with editing, verifying, and updating the batch.

Export Meter Gun Data

This routine will export a file containing account and meter information used to load meter reading guns/devices. The file created will be located in the MCSJ/Import Files directory. The file name will vary depending on the company or type of guns used by an organization.

In order for an account to be exported:

• Account service type must be Active.

• Meter Number field on the Account Maintenance Meter tab must have a number.

• Account must be in the Book/Page range.

Note: Any additional export requirements for account meter information are specific to the Meter Gun Company and type of reading technology used by an organization. These requirements should have been previously discussed with an E&A trainer.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Meter Reading>Export Meter Gun Data.


Auto Estimate Readings

Figure 2-10


Select Meter Gun Company - Select the appropriate company.

Select Service Type to Include - If multiple metered service types are used, be sure to select the correct service.

Book/Page Range - Information for a selected route may be exported by specifying a range. If the range is left blank, the meterinformation for all accounts will appear on the file.

Enter Year/Period to calculate usage for High/Low Limits - This field will only appear for certain meter gun company selec-tions. The field is used to alert readers when a new reading results in current usage significantly higher or lower than previoususage levels for an account. The user should specify a previous year/period containing usage that would be reasonably comparableto the current period’s usage. (e.g. prior quarter, same period last year, etc.)

Output File Name - The file will be exported to the MCSJ\ImportFiles directory with the specified file name.

Click Next to run the routine.


This routine is used to create an estimated reading for all accounts that do not have reads entered for the specified year/period. Itmay also be used to enter zero reset reads on accounts. The routine generates a Meter Reading Batch that must be verified andupdated.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Meter Reading>Auto Estimate Readings.



Figure 2-11


Batch Id - Specify a unique Meter Reading Batch Id.

Service Type - Select the appropriate metered service type.

Ranges of Cycles / Book/Page - The routine will only estimate readings for accounts in the designated cycles and/or routes. Acycle range MUST be specified.

Reading Date - All estimated readings will be assigned the date entered.

Year/Period - All estimated readings will be assigned to the year/period entered.

Estimate Type - Options are described below:

Same as Previous Reading - This option will calculate an estimated read based on a prior/year period’s average usage. The system will create a reading that will give the year/period specified usage equal to the average usage during the range specified. User must specify a Year/Period Range for prior usage. Readings will not be created for an account if a Standard read already exists for the specified year/period.

Flat Consumption - All readings will be estimated to create a specified amount of usage. User must enter the amount of usage to be calculated in the Consumption field. Readings will not be created if any reading exists for the specified year/period.

Zero Reset - This will create a zero reset read for each account in the range.

Click Next to run the routine. An Auto Estimate Meter Readings Error Listing will be generated to the screen. The listing willidentify accounts where readings could not be estimated. The listing should be printed and reviewed prior to updating the MeterReading Batch. The routine will create all estimated readings in a Meter Reading Batch. The batch must be verified and updatedbefore the estimated reads will post to accounts. Refer to the Meter Reading Batch section of this chapter for assistance in modify-ing and/or updating the batch.


Utility Usage Study Export

Utility Usage Study Export

This routine will generate an Excel file and is designed to help an organization analyze billable usage and the potential effect rate or usage allowance changes will have on revenue. Users will be able to see how total usage (user specified period) for selected accounts is allocated to the allowance levels of a rate structure bill code (usage study bill code). The usage study bill code can be a pre-existing code or a “test” code can be created to analyze various “what-if” scenarios.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Meter Reading>Utility Usage Study Export.

Figure 2-12


Service Type - Select the appropriate service type.

Accounts may be filtered on the report by status, cycle, and account type. Leave the cycle and account type ranges blank to includeall.

Range of Bill Codes - An account must have at least one bill code in the specified range in order to be included in the study. Leaveblank to include all.

Reading Year/Period Range - Usage will be calculated for the year/period range entered.

Usage Study Bill Code - A rate structure bill code must be entered or selected from the picklist. All calculated usage will beapplied to the allowance increments on this bill code.

Click Next to create the Excel file. A Windows Save dialog box will appear. Enter the name of the file to create and browse to thesave location.


Meter Reading Report

Meter Reading Report

This report offers a variety of options for displaying updated meter readings and usage. Some of the reports capabilities include:

• Calculate total usage and excess usage

• Filter accounts by a variety of criteria (e.g. Account Type, Section, etc.)

• Display detailed meter reading information or usage summary information

• View select types of readings

• Display only accounts with zero usage

• Specify a minimum and maximum usage threshold on the report

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Meter Reading>Meter Reading Report.

Figure 2-13


Report Sequence - The report may be ordered by Account Id or Book/Page. A range of accounts or book/pages may be specified.

Range of Reading Dates - Only readings dated within the range will be included on the report, in either detail or for usage calcu-lation purposes. Leave 0 in the first date field to include all readings prior to the second date.

Range of Reading Years/Periods - Only readings in the specified year/period range will be included on the report, in either detailor for usage calculation purposes.

The report will only include accounts that fall within the Range of Cycles, Account Types and Sections. Leave these fields blankto include all accounts.

Range of Group Ids - The range may be used to include only accounts with a particular Bill Group Id.


Tripped/Zero/Consecutive Estimates Report

City Id Range - If applicable, this range can be used to include/exclude inside or outside of town accounts.

Select Reading Type to Include - The report will only include readings of the selected types.

Service Type - Make sure the correct metered service type is selected.

Status - Readings and usage can be displayed for either Active or Inactive accounts.

Report Formats - Select from the following options:

• Detail - The report lists readings and usage breakdown by date and year/period. A variety of general account and meter infor-mation will print for each account.

• Condensed - Only total and excess usage is displayed for each account. Some general account information will print for each account.

• Super Condensed - Identical to the Condensed report except that no owner/bill to name will print on the report.

• Totals Only - Total accounts and usage breakdown are summarized by Account Type. No individual account detail is printed.

• Zero Usage - Prints only accounts with zero usage totals during the specified time period.

Note: Use the Tripped/Zero/Consecutive Estimates report to print accounts with zero readings.

Name / Location to Print - When applicable, specify the information to appear for each account.

Minimum / Maximum Usage - The report will print accounts with accumulated usage that falls between these two amounts.Leave the fields alone to include accounts regardless of their usage totals.

Select Estimate Flag to Include - Actual will show non-estimated readings when checked. Customer Reads will show estimated customer reads when checked. Estimate will show estimated readings (does not include customer reads). Deselect any of these options to exclude a particular type of reading from the report.


This reading report is actually 3 reports in one. Each of the reports help to identify potential reading and usage issues and should be reviewed prior to billing. The reports may be run separately or combined into a single report. Each individual report is described below.

The report also contains an option to auto-generate work orders for any accounts that meet the report selection criteria. For exam-ple, re-read work orders can be automatically generated for any accounts that appear on the Zero Readings report.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Meter Reading>Tripped/Zero/Consecutive Estimates Report.



Figure 2-14


Standard report options:


Report Sequence - The report may be ordered by Account Id or Book/Page.

Location to Print - The report can display the Property or Service location for each account.

The report will only include accounts that fall within the Range of Cycles, Account Types and Sections. Leave these fields blank to include all accounts.

Meter - Leave All to search readings/usage on both 1st and 2nd meters on an account. Options are also available to only look at at 1st or 2nd meters.

Tripped Meter Report

The Tripped Meter report shows accounts that have negative usage and/or accounts that have a previous reading that is higher than the subsequent reading (rollover). The report should be reviewed prior to billing to ensure the rollover flag has been set properly on accounts and the correct usage is billed.

Select Report Type to Include- Check Tripped Meter.

Reading Year/Period Range - Usage is accumulated for the specified range.


Reading Variance Report

Zero Reading

The Zero Reading report shows accounts that have no readings in the year/period range selected.

Select Report Type to Include- Check Zero Readings.

Reading Year/Period Range - The report will display accounts with no readings in the specified range.

Consecutive Estimates

This report is designed to identify accounts that have estimated reads for a specified number of periods. It can help identify accounts with a non-functioning meter or which are not being read for other reasons.

Select Report Type to Include- Check Consecutive Estimates.

Reading Year/Period Range - Readings and usage are listed for each year/period in the range.

Consecutive Estimates - Specify the number of consecutive estimates in the year/period range. The report will only displayaccounts with consecutive estimated readings equal to or greater than this number.

Create Work Orders

Work orders can be auto-generated for any accounts that appear on these reports. For example, if accounts are appearing on the Zero Readings report, work orders can be auto-generated for re-reading each account on the report.

To auto-generate work orders, select the Create Work Orders box. Enter a Work Order Prefix for the new work orders. Eachcreated work order number will start with the designated prefix. Numbering begins after the last number entered for that prefix.Then, select a Work Order Code for each enabled service type. The work order code(s) will appear on each work order created.

Click Print to generate the report and create work orders. The report will contain a list of the generated work orders. Use the PrintRange of Open Work Orders option under the Work Orders menu to print the work orders.

Note: It is recommended that report results are reviewed on the screen PRIOR to selecting the “Create Work Orders” option.


This report will compare the usage between 2 selected year/periods. A variance percentage will print for each account. Variance % levels can be entered to only show accounts where usage exceeds or falls below certain percentages. The report is useful for iden-tifying accounts with excessively high or low usage compared to prior usage history. The report should be run prior to billing to help reduce the number of over or under billings due to bad readings, leaks, etc.



Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Meter Reading>Reading Variance Report.

Figure 2-15


Report Sequence - The report may be ordered by Account Id or Book/Page.


The report will only include accounts that fall within the Range of Cycles, Account Types and Sections. Leave these fields blankto include all accounts.

The report will print only accounts that have a variance % less than the percentage entered in the Less Than Variance field ormore than the percentage entered in the Greater Than Variance field. Leave the variance fields blank to print any accounts witha usage variance. A (-) sign should be used to show variance greater or less than a negative variance percentage.

The following formula is used to calculate the variance %:

((Current Usage - Compared To Usage)/Compared To Usage) * 100

The usage in the first Year/Period (usually current) will be compared against the usage calculated for the Compared To Year andPeriod (prior usage).

Average same for last 3 years - If selected, the system will average the usage for the “Compared to” year/period and the prior 2corresponding year/periods (e.g. 2009 5, 2008 5, 2007 5). The current usage will be compared to the averaged prior usage to cal-culate a variance.

Print Accounts with No Previous Usage - Check to show accounts that have zero usage in the “Compared To” year/period. “NoPrevious Usage” will print next to these accounts on the report.


Meter Inspection Report (Work Order users only)

Name/Location to Print - Select the account information to print.

Meter Inspection Report (Work Order users only)

This report is designed to identify Utility accounts that require a meter inspection. The report will search for accounts without a work order (with a specific work order code) after a certain date.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Meter Reading>Meter Inspection Report.

Figure 2-16


Exclude Meters Inspected Since - Accounts without a meter inspection work order created after this date will be identified.

Work Order Codes - Identify the codes used for meter inspections.

Location to Print - Select the account information to print on the report.

Meter Worksheet/Books

The Meter Worksheet/Books can be used to print a worksheet or a meter book. The worksheet prints accounts in book and page order, provides meter and property location information, previous reading and date, and a blank space to enter the current reading


Meter Reading Adjustment Routine

and date. Books print one account per page and include name and address information, meter information, and the previous read-ing/date.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Meter Reading>Meter Worksheet/Books.

Figure 2-17


Print Type - Select Worksheet or Book.


This routine is used to modify or delete individual meter reading transactions. Users select an updated reading and can delete it or change the reading, year/period, estimate flag, and meter rollover flag.

Note: The MCSJ Special Routines program contains a routine to delete readings by reference number.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Meter Reading>Meter Reading Adjustment Routine.



Figure 2-18


Service Type - Select the metered service type of the reading to modify or delete.

Account Id - Type in or use the picklist to select one. Press Enter.

Meter - Specify whether the reading is on the account’s 1st Meter or 2nd Meter.

Reading Type - Specify the type of reading.

Reading Date - Type in the reading date and press Enter or use the picklist to select the reading.

Note: Use caution and make sure the correct reading has been selected.

The reading transaction information will default.

To edit the reading information, click Edit. All editable fields will appear in white. Click Save when finished.

To delete the reading from the account, click Delete. Enter the Delete Password.


CHAPTER 3 Billing

The following areas will be discussed in the Billing chapter:

• Creating Bill Codes

• Calculating Billing

• Billing Register

• Printing Bills

• Calculating/Printing Final Bills

• Reconciling/Calculating Budget Plans

• Calculating Leak Adjustments

• Billing Adjustments

• Billing Adjustment Report

• Penalty and Surcharge Calculations

• Bill Format Maintenance

Bill Code Maintenance

Bill Code Maintenance stores codes used to calculate or add billing to an account. The codes can store default rates and rate struc-tures. Bill codes will be assigned to accounts in order to calculate a standard billing, but can also be used to adjust billing chargesin the Bill Adjustment Batch. There are various types of billing codes including flat rate, rate structure, percentage, and separatecharges. This section will discuss each unique type of bill code.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Bill Code Maintenance.

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Figure 3-1


Create New Bill Code

Click Add. Enter up to 3 alphanumeric characters for a bill code. It is recommended similar type billings (same service type) be grouped with sequential codes.

Description - Enter a description for the code.

General

Service Type - Select the service type to be affected by the bill code.

Calc Type - Calculation type options are described below:

Flat - Select this option when the code will be used to calculate or adjust a flat billing amount.

Rate Structure - This option should be chosen when a bill is calculated based on usage. A Rate Table tab will appear which can be used to specify a minimum bill, allowances, and excess usage rates.

Percentage of Selected- This option is used when the billing to be calculated is a percentage of other calculated bill-ings on an account. Selecting this option will display a Percentage Codes tab which can be used to reference up to 6 bill codes. The Percentage bill code will multiply a specified percentage by the total charges on an account for each specified bill code. If the user chooses not to specify any bill codes, the Percentage bill code will multiply the per-centage by any non-percentage billings of the same service type.

Percentage of All this Service Except Selected - This code works like the above option, but it will automatically cal-culate a percentage of all non-percentage billings for its service type. Instead of using the Percentage Codes tab to

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specify the bill codes on which to calculate, the user will only specify the codes that should be excluded from the percentage calculation.

Bill Group Rate Structure (For Condos) - This rarely used option can be selected when usage is entered on a main account, but bills must be calculated for sub accounts. A Rate Table tab will appear and can be completed just like a Rate Structure bill code. However, the billing that is calculated will be multiplied by a percentage that is stored on the sub accounts. Each sub account will receive a portion of the total calculated bill.

Disable Code - Checking the box will prevent the bill code from calculating charges during the bill calculation routine.

Calc Interest - Check to ensure that penalty and/or per diem interest is calculated on billed amounts.

Grace Days - Interest or Penalty will not be calculated on charges during the number of grace days entered. The grace days will beadded from the due date of the bill code’s charges (could be adjustment date or period due date).

Adjustment Due Date - The due date of charges levied with this code will depend on the option selected in this field.

Period Due Date - Code charges are due on the year/period due date to which they are assigned. Due dates are spec-ified in Cycle Maintenance. Per diem interest will calculate from this due date when charges are delinquent.

Adjustment Date - Code charges are due on the date they were adjusted/assigned to the account. Per diem interest will calculate from this date when charges are delinquent.

30 Days from Adj Date - The due date of the code charges will be 30 days from the adjustment date of the charges. Per diem interest will calculate from this date when charges are delinquent.

Separate Charge - A separate charge is a billing that maintains its own separate balance on an account. For example, a bouncedcheck fee can be billed on the water service type, but the balance of this particular fee will appear separate from the water billing.Payments are applied to the separate charge balance with a designated payment code, which enables users to track these paymentsand record revenue accurately.

Separate Charge - This is the standard selection for a single separate charge.

Combine w/ Sep Chrg - This option can be used to pool various separate charge billings together under a single sep-arate account balance. Sometimes multiple separate charge bill codes need to be created because of varying rates or other reasons, but the billings are all for the same purpose and can be tracked as a single separate balance. In this scenario, the user can create a “master” Separate Charge bill code and then link the other codes to this code by set-ting them up with the Combine w/ Sep Chrg type. Although the actual code used to bill the account will appear on transaction reports, the charges will always accumulate under the master Separate Charge balance. The same pay-ment code referenced on the master bill code will be used for the “sub” bill codes.

Combine with Bill Code - This picklist is only enabled when the Combine w/ Sep Chrg type has been selected. Use this field tolink the bill code to a master Separate Charge bill code.

Default Pay Code - This picklist is only enabled when the Separate Charge type has been selected. Use this field to define thepayment code used to pay this separate charge balance.

Note: The Payment Code must be created before the Separate Charge bill code can be saved. Create and save the payment code, reference the payment code on the bill code, save the bill code, and then go back and refer-ence the bill code on the payment code.

Calculation

Click on the Calculation tab.

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Figure 3-2


Maintenance Fee - When charges are calculated (billing calculation) for the bill code, the amount entered in this field will beadded to any calculated charges. The additional charge can be for any purpose required by the user.

Maintenance Calc - The above charge can be calculated Per Account (Charge = Maintenance Fee) or Per Unit (Charge = Accountbill code units x Maintenance Fee).

Flat Fee/Percentage - This field is not available for Rate Structure codes. When a Flat code is used, enter a flat default billedamount. This amount will be used in a bill calculation and will default when the code is entered in a Bill Adjustment Batch. If aPercentage bill code is used, enter a percentage (e.g. 3.50 = 3.5%).

Flat/Minimum Calc - This field determines how the flat fee (Flat codes) or minimum (Rate Structure) is calculated.

Per Account - (Charge = Flat/Min amount)

Per Unit - (Charge = Flat/Min amount x Account bill code units)

Divide by Bill Group Units - This option is only used in conjunction with the Bill Group Rate Structure calculation option. It will find the main account for a group of sub accounts and divide the minimum amount by the main account’s bill code units. The result will be billed as the minimum amount for each sub account.

Round Usage (Rate Structure codes only) - When calculating bills, the system will round the total usage for an account based onthe selection in this field.

Usage Unit Msre (Rate Structure codes only) - Usage units of measure. (e.g. gal, cubic feet, etc.)

Allowance Calc (Rate Structure codes only) - The allowances specified on a Rate Structure bill code will be multiplied by thenumber of account bill code units when Per Unit is selected. The allowances will not be adjusted for bill code units when PerAccount is selected.

90 Day Adjusted Per Unit - During the bill calculation, the allowances on the rate table are multiplied by the number of bill code units on an account. This allowance is then multiplied by the number of days between the current and previous readings and divided by 90. The resulting allowance is used in the bill calculation.

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Revenue (Optional)

The Revenue tab is only applicable to users who update billing to revenue (Utility Receivables Update Parameter). The tab is used to identify the revenue accounts to be updated when billings are posted with this bill code.

Figure 3-3


Type in or use the picklists to select an Accrual Basis revenue account for each billing year. The Refund account should only beentered for Separate Charge bill codes.

Rate Table

If a Rate Structure bill code is being entered, click on the Rate Table tab. This screen is used to specify minimums, usage allow-ances, and rates for billing calculations based on usage.

Figure 3-4

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This particular rate structure would be read as follows:

A minimum bill of $37.24 will be given for usage between 0 and 5000 gallons. An excess charge of $3.50 per 1000 gallons ischarged for the portion of usage between 5001 and 20,000 gallons. An excess charge of $3.75 per 1000 gallons is charged for theportion of usage between 20,001 gallons and 80,000 gallons. An excess charge of $4.25 per 1000 gallons is charged for the por-tion of usage exceeding 80,000 gallons.

Percentage Codes

If a Percentage of Selected or Percentage of All this Service Except Selected bill code is being entered, click on the PercentageCodes tab.

Percentage of Selected (Figure 3-5): Use the picklists to select up to 6 bill codes. The Percentage of Selected bill code will multiply a specified percentage by the total charges on an account for each specified bill code. If the user chooses not to specify any bill codes, the Percentage bill code will multiply the specified percentage by any non-per-centage billings on an account.

Figure 3-5


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Percentage of All this Service Except Selected (Figure 3-6): Enter any bill codes to EXCLUDE from the percentage calculation.

Figure 3-6

Click Save.

Look-up/Edit/Delete

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Bill Code Maintenance.

Figure 3-7


Bill codes may be selected using the picklists in the Bill Code or Description fields.

Use the << and >> buttons to scroll between codes.

Edit - Click to change bill code set-up or modify rates. All editable fields will appear in white. Click Save.

Delete - Click to delete a bill code. Bill codes assigned to accounts or referenced in transactions cannot be deleted.

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Deduction Code Maintenance

Bill Code Listing

The Bill Code Listing will print a list of bill codes for a selected service type. Bill code set-up information is included on the report.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Bill Code Listing.

Deduction Code Maintenance

Deduction codes are used to discount or show a reduction in the total billed amount for an account. For example, seniors may be billed at the same rate as a typical homeowner, but are entitled to receive a special discount amount. The use of deduction codes enables the user to calculate a standard billing, but reflect the discount or reduction in billing with a separate code. This makes it easier to report the deductions and identify the deduction on certain bill formats. Deduction codes can be assigned to accounts in order to calculate a deduction amount/percentage during the standard bill calculation or may be entered manually in the Bill Adjustment Batch.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Deduction Code Maintenance.

Figure 3-8


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Bill Calculation/Update

Create New Code

Click Add. Enter up to 3 alphanumeric characters as a Deduction Code.

Description - Enter a code description.

Service Type - Select the service type to be affected by the deduction.

Amount / Percentage - If an amount is entered, the total billing will be reduced by that amount. A percentage will be multipliedby the flat billing in order to calculate a deduction amount. The Apply to Excess box can be checked to reduce the excess amountbilled by the same percentage.

Revenue Accounts - Optional. Revenue accounts are only applicable to users who update billing to revenue (Utility Receivables Update Parameter). The tab is used to identify the revenue accounts to be updated when billings are posted with this deduction code.

Click Save.

Look-up/Edit/Delete

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Deduction Code Maintenance.

Deduction codes may be selected using the picklists in the Deduction Code or Description fields.


Edit - Click to change code set-up or modify rates. All editable fields will appear in white. Click Save.

Delete - Click to delete a code. Codes assigned to accounts or referenced in transactions cannot be deleted.

Deduction Code Listing

The Deduction Code Listing will print a list of deduction codes for a selected service type. Deduction code set-up information is included on the report.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Deduction Code Listing.


This routine will calculate billing amounts for a particular service type/cycle. The routine will post billing transactions to accountsand will also apply overpayments/credits to account balances. Billings may be calculated multiple times. If a prior calculated bill-ing exists for the year/period, the routine will delete the prior billing calculation.

Prior to running this routine, verify the following:

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1. Rates on bill codes are correct.

2. All accounts to be calculated are Active.

3. If bills are based on usage, verify readings are updated and reading/usage reports have been verified for accuracy.

4. The billing year/period(s) and usage year/period(s) (if applicable) to calculate are known.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Bill Calculation/Update.

Figure 3-9


Service Type / Cycle - Select the service type and cycle to calculate. The routine must be run for each service/cycle combination.

Bill Year/Period - Enter the range of bill year/periods to calculate. Use caution and make sure the correct range is entered.

Billing Date - Enter the billing transaction date.

Reading Year/Period - If the service is metered, enter the range of reading year/periods for which to calculate usage. The billingwill be based on the total usage within this range. If the billing is based on average usage for the range, check Average Usage.


Note: The system will provide a warning if a calculated billing already exists in the year/period range. If the user chooses to proceed, the system will delete the entire prior billing calculation.

Note: The Billing Register should be verified after the bill calculation is run and PRIOR to printing bills.

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Billing Register

Reverse Billing

If bills are accidentally calculated for the wrong year/period or cycle, this routine will reverse a calculated billing. The routine requires a reference number which can be obtained from various transaction reports or the Bill Log Listing report.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Reverse Billing.

Figure 3-10


Enter the service type, cycle, and reference number for the billing.

Click Next to reverse (delete) the billing. The routine will also delete any of the applied overpayment/credit transactions createdwhen the original billing was calculated.

Bill Log Listing

A log of all calculated billings can be printed by running the Bill Log Listing. The report will display the reference number, cycle/service, bill date, calculation information (bill year/period, reading year/period), and user for each calculated billing. If a billing is deleted, a deletion date will be noted on the bill log.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Bill Log Listing.

Billing Register

The Billing Register report should be run immediately following the bill calculation. The register will show account billing totals and, if applicable, will provide usage information. Bill code and service type totals are provided. The report can be run at anytime and is capable of including calculated billings, billing adjustments, and final bills.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Print Bills/Billing Reports>Billing Register.

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Billing Register

Figure 3-11


Report Sequence - The report may be printed in Account Id, Book/Page or Owner Name order.

Cycle Range - A cycle range must be specified.

Bill Year/Period / Date Range - The report will only show the selected billing types that affect a bill year/period within the BillYear/Prd Range. The billing transaction dates must also fall within the Bill Date Range in order to appear on the report.

Select Status - Choose to display Active, Inactive or Both accounts.

Select the Service Type(s) to include on the report.

Reading Year/Period / Date Range - These fields are enabled when a metered service type is selected. To see usage totals on thereport, complete the Reading Year/Prd Range and the Reading Date Range fields. In order for readings to be included in theusage totals on the report, they must affect a reading year/period and have a transaction date within the specified ranges. Toexclude usage totals, uncheck the Calculate Usage box.

Accounts may be included or excluded on the report by specifying a Range of Account Types, Section Range, and/or City IdRange (if applicable).

Report Type -

Detail - The report will list extensive account information and provide flat, excess, and total billing charges for each account. Usage will appear for each account if selected.

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Print Utility Bills

Condensed - Prints minimal account information, but billing and usage totals appear as they would on the Detail report.

Totals Only - Only prints the totals page. Totals will appear for service types, bill codes, flat and excess billing amounts, estimated billings, number of accounts and units, and usage (if selected).

Name / Location to Print - When applicable, select the appropriate information to appear for each account.

Select Bills to Include - Select the type of billings to appear on the report.

Print Accounts with Zero Charges - Unless this box is checked, the report will not display accounts without a selected billingtransaction during the specified time period.

Print Utility Bills

Note: The Utility Bill Format Maintenance must be completed prior to attempting to print bills. This mainte-nance determines the type of bill printed (e.g. postcard, stub bill, etc.), the information that appears on the bill, and the accounts for which a bill is printed.

Note: The Billing Register should be thoroughly reviewed prior to printing bills!

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Print Bills/Billing Reports>Print Utility Bills.

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Print Utility Bills

Figure 3-12


Cycle Id Range - A cycle range must be entered.

Bill Year/Period - Specify the year/period range for which to print billed amounts.

Bill Type - Printed Bills should be selected to print regular utility bills. E-Bills should be selected to e-mail utility bills.

Note: The E-bill option will only appear if Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance is setup to send E-Bills. Each customer must also be setup in Account Maintenance to receive an E-Bill. Contact E&A for assistance set-ting this up.

Select the service type(s) to appear on the bill.

Click Next. This will enable the remaining fields on the screen.

Report Sequence - This selection determines the order in which the bills will print and the range options. Options may vary byuser.

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Print Utility Bills

Note: If a single bill needs to be printed, select the “Account Id” report sequence and specify the account in the range fields.

Bank Code Option - This selection enables the user to print bills for accounts with a bank code (mortgage company), no bankcode or All. If not printing advice bills or sending mortgage service company bills, this option should be left at All.

Reading Year/Period - The reading year/period range is used to calculate the usage appearing on a bill (if applicable). It alsodetermines what readings are printed. A range will appear for each metered service type on the bill.

Billing Date - This billing date will appear on the bills.

Due Dates - The due date(s) will default from Cycle Maintenance. The due dates may be changed on the bill print screen, butshould also be changed in Cycle Maintenance.

Print Direct Debit Message - When direct withdrawal is used by an organization, this option will appear. If checked, accountswith direct withdrawal information (and not set-up for a prenote) will receive a “Direct Debit Plan - DO NOT PAY” message ontheir bills.

Click the Alignment button to print an alignment bill. If the alignment needs to be adjusted, the X and Y Offset fields may beused. X will adjust to the right and left, Y will adjust down and up.

Note: Once a proper alignment setting has been determined, the X and Y offset may be stored permanently in Bill Format Maintenance. The settings will then automatically default the next time bills are printed.

To print bills, click Print. A Utility Bills Total page will appear on the screen and may be printed when the bills have stoppedprinting.

Print Utility Consolidated Bills

This routine prints consolidated bills for accounts with a Bill Group Id. By assigning a Bill Group Id to accounts owned by the same customer, the customer can receive a single bill for all their account charges.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Print Bills/Billing Reports>Print Utility Consolidated Bills.

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Print Utility Bills

Figure 3-13


Bill Group Id Range - Specify a range of Bill Group Ids or leave blank to print consolidated bills for all groups.

Format Id - Use the picklist and select a Consolidated Bill Group format.

Cycle Id Range - A cycle must be entered.

Bill Year/Period - Specify the year/period range for which to print billed amounts.

Select the service type(s) to appear on the bill.

Click on Page 2.

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Print Utility Bills

Figure 3-14


Choose the appropriate Mail To address. Mail To addresses are defaulted from Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance.

Return to Page 1 and click Next. This will enable the remaining fields on the screen.

Reading Year/Period - Specify the year/period range for which to calculate usage. It will also determine the readings that appearon the bill.

Billing Date - This billing date will appear on the bills.

Due Date - The due date will default from Cycle Maintenance. The due date may be changed on the bill print screen, but shouldalso be changed in Cycle Maintenance.

Click the Alignment button to print an alignment bill. If the alignment needs to be adjusted, the X and Y Offset fields may beused. X will adjust to the right and left, Y will adjust down and up.

Note: Once a proper alignment setting has been determined, the X and Y offset may be stored permanently in Bill Format Maintenance. The settings will then automatically default the next time bills are printed.

To print bills, click Print.

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Calculate Utility Final Bill Adjustment


The Calculate Final Bill Adjustment routine is used to enter a final reading, calculate a billing, and print a final bill all in one step. The routine can calculate a prorated bill or a billing with or without full minimums. The routine can also interact with completed or processed work orders to produce a final bill.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Calculate Utility Final Bill Adjustment.

Figure 3-15


Account Id - Type in or use the picklist to select an account.

Work Order Id - If applicable, a work order with a final read work order code may be selected. Service type, billing and readinginformation will default. The final read recorded on the work order will default.

If no work order was selected, check the service type(s) to include on the final bill. Bill code and unit information will default fromthe account.

Calculation Option - Choose a calculation option for each bill code. Click on the field to display the options as shown in Figure3-15. Each option is described below.

Prorate - This option allows the user to specify the number of days to be prorated in the billing period. Any mini-mums and/or allowances on the bill code will be prorated based on this ratio when calculating the final billing amount. A P type read is placed on the account, which will cause this usage to be included in the total usage calcu-lated for the next standard billing. The next standard billing amount will be equal to the total calculated billing for all usage less the amount billed on the final bill.

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No Minimum - This option charges no minimum and calculates a final bill by comparing the final usage to normal allowance amounts. An F type read is placed on the account, which will cause the final usage to be excluded from the current usage when the next standard bill is calculated. In other words, the next standard bill will be based only on the usage from the Final reading to the new current reading.

Full Minimum - This option charges the full minimum on the bill code and calculates a final bill by comparing the final usage to normal allowance amounts. An F type read is placed on the account, which will cause the final usage to be excluded from the current usage when the next standard bill is calculated. In other words, the next standard bill will be based only on the usage from the Final reading to the new current reading.

Additional bill codes may be added by clicking the Add button. Bill code charges that should not be included on the final bill maybe deleted by selecting the bill code and clicking Delete. Double click a line to Edit bill code and/or units.

Bill Date - Enter final billing date.

Bill Year/Period - Enter the bill year/period for the final billing. The bill year/period specified cannot already contain a calculatedbilling. Therefore, the year/period after the last period billed should be entered.

Reading Date - Enter the final read date.

Days to Prorate / Days in Period- If the Prorate calculation option is selected, enter the number of days for which to prorate thebilling. The number of days in the period will default, but may be changed. This ratio will be used to prorate usage allowances andminimum billing.

Reading Year/Period - Enter the reading year/period for the final read. No readings may exist on a higher year/period.

Reading - Enter the final reading. Check the Rollover flag only if the meter has rolled since the previous reading. If applicable, afinal read for a 2nd meter may be entered.

Note: If more than one metered service type is selected, be sure to enter the reading information under the appro-priate service meter.

Verify the information entered and click Next. The following screen will appear and gives the user a chance to review the calcula-tion.

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Figure 3-16

If satisfied with the calculated final billed amounts, click Update. Readings and billings will post automatically. Otherwise, clickChange to return to the Calculation screen and make any necessary modifications to the calculation options.

When the final billing is updated, the screen will flip to the Bill Print tab. See Figure 3-17. This screen is used to enter the infor-mation to appear on the bill and will be used to print the bill.

Note: Once the screen is closed, the bill can no longer be printed using this routine. Refer to the Print Utility Final Bill menu option if the bill still needs to be printed.

Figure 3-17


Bill Literal - The words Final or Rebill can be selected to print on the bill.

Interest Thru - If per diem interest is calculated, the interest that prints on the bill will calculate through the date entered.

Due Date - The bill’s due date may be changed.

Name / Location to Print - Choose the appropriate information to appear on the bill.

Return To - Select a return mailing address to appear on the bill. Mail to addresses are set-up in Utility Billing Parameter Mainte-nance.

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Print Final Bill

Message - A custom message may be typed to appear on the bill.

The X and Y offset fields can be used to adjust the alignment of the bill. X will adjust left and right. Y will adjust up and down.

Format - Select Blank 8 1/2 x 11 to print to blank sheet of paper or PDF Form to print a PDF final bill. The PDF form must besaved in the forms\Utility Billing directory in order to use this option..

Click Print.

Note: If the bill does not print successfully, it may always be reprinted using the Print Utility Final Bill option under the Print Bills/Billing Reports menu.

Print Final Bill

This menu option allows you to print or reprint final bills for a single account. Bills can be printed on 8½ x 11 paper in a standard format. or as a PDF bill. No bill format is needed to print Final Bills. The Final Bill Calculation does not need to be run.

Note: In order to use the PDF format, the form must be saved in the forms\Utility Billing directory.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Print Bills/Billing Reports>Print Utility Final Bill.

Figure 3-18

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Reconcile Budget Plans


Account Id - Type in an account and press Enter or use the picklist to select one.

Check the service types for which the final bill is being printed.

Bill Date - The bill date must be equal to or prior to the date of the Final Bill charges in order for these charges to appear as “cur-rent charges.” Outstanding charges billed prior to the bill date entered will appear as a previous balance on the bill.

Bill Year/Period - Specify the current bill year/period.

Due Date - The due date will appear on the bill.

Reading Date - The system will print the reading that falls on this date or the closest reading prior to this date as the “current read-ing.”

Interest Date - If applicable, per diem interest charges will calculate as of the date entered.

Name / Location to Print - Choose the appropriate information to appear on the bill.

Format - Select Blank 8 1/2 x 11 to print to blank sheet of paper or PDF Form to print a PDF final bill. The PDF form must besaved in the forms\Utility Billing directory in order to use this option..

Return To - Select a return mailing address to appear on the bill. Mail to addresses are set-up in Utility Billing Parameter Mainte-nance.

Bill Literal - The words Final or Rebill can be selected to print on the bill.

Message - A custom message may be typed to appear on the bill.

The X and Y offset fields can be used to adjust the alignment of the bill. X will adjust left and right. Y will adjust up and down.

Click Print.

Reconcile Budget Plans

This routine will reconcile all accounts set up for a Budget Plan. This routine must be run prior to the last billing period of the year.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Reconcile Budget Plans.

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Calculate New Budget Plan Amounts

Figure 3-19

Service Type - Select the service type to reconcile. This routine must be run separately for each service type.

Cycle - Enter the cycle to reconcile or leave blank to reconcile all cycles.

Click Next to reconcile budget accounts.

The Budget Status will be set to R in Account Maintenance to reflect that the account has been reconciled. When the bills are cal-culated and printed, accounts with a budget plan will be billed their actual balance, which is the difference between what theaccount should have been billed and the budget amount that was billed.

Calculate New Budget Plan Amounts

This routine will calculate budget amounts for all accounts set up for a Budget Plan. This routine must be run prior to the first bill-ing period of the year.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Calculate New Budget Plan Amounts.

Figure 3-20

Service Type - Select the service type to calculate. This routine must be run separately for each service type.

Cycle - Enter the cycle to calculate or leave blank to calculate all cycles.

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Calculate Leak Adjustment

Bill Year/Prd Range - Enter the range for the budget year on which to base the new budget amount.

New Budget Date - Enter the new budget start date.

Click Next to calculate budget amounts.

This routine will calculate the average bill based on the consumption for the bill year/period range entered and update the BudgetAmount in Account Maintenance. The Budget Amount will be rounded to the nearest whole dollar. The Budget Status will also beupdated along with the Budget Start Date. When the bills are calculated and printed for the first billing period of the year, any left-over debit or credit balances from the prior budget year will appear on the account and print as a previous balance on the bill.

Calculate Leak Adjustment

This routine allows an account’s prior billing to be adjusted for abnormally high usage (e.g. a leak).

The routine determines:

What the average usage should have been billed at the regular rate

What the usage over the average should be billed based on the Leak Rate Bill Codes entered by the user

What was actually billed for the Leak Usage Year/Prd for Water/Sewer Bill Code 1

An billing adjustment is updated to the “Adjustment Year/Prd” for the difference

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Calculate Leak Adjustment.

Figure 3-21

Adjustment Year/Period - The billing adjustment is written to this year/period.

Leak Usage Year/Period - Enter the year/period with the leak or high usage.

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Utility Bill Adjustment Batch

Average Usage Year/Period - Enter a past year/period range to calculate an average usage.

Regular Rate Bill Code - Used to determine what should have been billed based on the average usage.

Leak Rate Bill Code - Used to determine how much to bill the usage beyond the average.

Click Next to see the calculation result. Click Save to accept the calculation result and update the adjustment.


The Bill Adjustment Batch is used to adjust billings or create new billings. Billing adjustments require a bill or deduction code andwill affect the overall billed amount for an account.

Note: See the sections on Bill Code Maintenance and/or Deduction Code Maintenance for assistance with setting up new codes.

Note: Billing adjustments should not be used in place of balance adjustments. Balance adjustments should be used when the balance of the account needs to be adjusted or transferred without affecting the original bill-ing. Balance adjustments are entered in a Balance Adjustment Batch.

Create New Batch

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Utility Bill Adjustment Batch.

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Figure 3-22



Batch Date - Enter the default billing transaction date for entries in the batch. Dates may be changed within the batch.


Click Add.

Figure 3-23


Acct # / Sub # - Type in an account or use <F3> to select one.

Type - Click on the field as shown in the figure above. Bill will require a bill code to be entered. Deduction will require a deduc-tion code.

Code - Type in or use <F3> to select a bill or deduction code.

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Year/Period - The billing will be affected in the year/period entered.

Flat Amount / Excess Amount - The flat and/or excess (excess usage) amount of a billing may be adjusted. If a bill code has beenentered, enter positive amounts to increase the billing and negative amounts to decrease the billing. If a deduction code has beenselected, enter positive amounts to decrease the billing and negative amounts to increase the billing.

Descript - A brief adjustment description can be entered.

Prorate - This flag should only be changed when the adjustment is being done to correct a prorated Final Bill. To flag the billingadjustment as a prorated billing amount, change the flag to a Y. The billing adjustment will behave as if it was calculated as a pro-rated final bill through the Calculate Final Bill Adjustment Routine.

Date - The adjustment transaction date can be changed.

Click Save when finished entering adjustments. The batch MUST be verified and updated before the adjustments will post toaccounts. See Batch Verification and Update.



Figure 3-24


Batch Id - Use the picklist to select the appropriate Batch Id.

With the Batch Entry button selected, click Next to access the batch. A screen similar to the figure below will appear.

Billing 3 - 27


Figure 3-25


Add - Click to add a new adjustment. Click Save when finished adding lines.

Edit - Double click a line or select the line and click Edit to change information on a line. Click Save when finished.

Delete - Select a line and click Delete to remove an adjustment. To delete an entire batch, press CTRL + DEL on the keyboard.Click Save.


After any changes are made, the batch must be verified before it can be updated.


In order for billing adjustments to post to accounts, each Billing Adjustment Batch must be verified and updated.


Billing 3 - 28

Billing Adjustment Report

Figure 3-26



Batch Verification - Select this option and click Next to print the verification listing. The screen or printer options may be usedto review the listing. However, the verification listing MUST be printed to a printer in order to update the batch.

The verification listing will show each adjustment transaction and print a totals page with bill code and service type totals. The lastpage of the listing will identify any warnings or errors. Warnings should be reviewed, but errors MUST be corrected. Errors canbe corrected in Batch Entry and the verification listing MUST be reprinted in order to proceed.

Update Batch - Once the verification listing has been successfully printed and reviewed, click on the Update Batch button andselect Next. When the batch has updated, a Bill Adjustment Batch Update Report can be printed. The report displays the numberand total of posted entries and a reference number.


The Billing Adjustment Report can display bill/deduction adjustments and has options to include billing adjustments, calculated bills, and final bills. The report can list transaction detail and will provide bill code and service type totals.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Print Bills/Billing Reports>Billing Adjustment Report.

Billing 3 - 29


Figure 3-27


Report Sequence - The detail report may be ordered by Account Id or Date.

Report Type - Detail lists account transaction detail. Totals Only will only print a total page.

Bill Year/Period / Date Range - The report will only show the selected billing types that affect a bill year/period within the BillYear/Prd Range. The billing transaction dates must also fall within the Bill Date Range in order to appear on the report.

Accounts may be included or excluded on the report by specifying a Cycle Range, Section Range, and/or City Id Range (if appli-cable).

Bill / Deduction Code Range - Only transactions with the designated bill and/or deduction codes will be included on the report.

Location to Print - When the detail report is selected, choose the location to print for each account.

Select the service(s) to include on the report.

Select Type to Include - Bills will include transactions entered with bill codes. Deductions will include transactions entered withdeduction codes.

Select Bills to Include - Choose the billings to include on the report.

Billing 3 - 30

Penalty Calculation/Update

Penalty Calculation/Update

This routine will calculate penalty on delinquent accounts. The routine is run for selected penalty service types and must be run separately for each cycle. Flat and percentage penalty may be calculated. Penalty transactions will post immediately to accounts.

Note: This routine will automatically apply overpayments/credits to account balances.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Penalty Calculation/Update.

Figure 3-28


Service Type - All penalty service types will be available for selection. Select the service type for which penalty should beapplied. If a combined service type (i.e. Water/Sewer) is selected, choose a Primary Balance. All penalty will be applied to theprimary balance unless that service type is not active or is interest exempt for an account.

Cycle - Required.

Bill Year/Period Range - Penalty will be calculated for delinquent balances in this range only. All periods in the range must bepast due (including the grace period).

Calculation Date - Penalty will be calculated on balances “as of” the date specified. Therefore, adjustments or payments after thecalculation date will be ignored.

Transaction Date - Penalty will be applied to accounts with this date. Reports will reflect the penalty as of this date.

Transaction Descript - A description may be entered for each penalty transaction.

Billing 3 - 31

Surcharge Calculation/Update

Apply Penalty Method - This selection determines to which year/period(s) the penalty is applied. Select Apply to Each Period toapply penalty to each delinquent period within the specified bill year/period range. Select Apply Total to Last Period to apply thetotal calculated penalty to the last year/period in the specified range.

Note: If penalty should be calculated and applied to Separate Charge balances rather than attached to the base balance of an account, be sure to select the Apply Penalty to Utility Separate Charges in System Utili-ties>Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance.

Calculate Inactive Accounts - Check to calculate penalty on Inactive accounts.

Penalty Type - Specify whether the penalty is a Flat amount or a Percentage of the delinquent balance.

Flat Amount / Penalty % - The penalty amount or percentage specified in Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance will default tothe appropriate field. If no amount or percentage is specified, complete the Flat Amount or Penalty %1 fields. Percentages areentered in whole numbers (e.g. 8% would be entered as 8.00)

Charge Per Unit - If flat amount penalty is calculated, this box may be checked in order to multiply the penalty amount by thenumber of units on an account (1st bill code units).

Penalty %2 / %2 Threshold - For percentage penalty calculations, the portion of an account’s delinquent principal balance thatexceeds the amount entered in the %2 Threshold field will calculate at the percentage entered in the Penalty %2 field. If onlyone percentage is used, leave these fields blank.

Minimum Penalty - For percentage calculations, if the penalty calculated is lower than this amount, the minimum penalty amountwill be applied to the account. If not applicable, leave blank.

Minimum Balance - Accounts with total delinquent principal balances less than this amount will not receive penalty.

Click Next to run the routine. The Penalty Calc and Transfer (overpayments/credits) posting reference reports will print to thescreen.

Note: A Special Routine is available for deleting a penalty calculation by reference number. Contact an E&A representative for assistance.


This routine will create a Separate Charge billing adjustment on accounts with a balance (not necessarily delinquent). The routine calculates the surcharge on principal balances. Flat and percentage surcharges may be calculated. All Separate Charge adjust-ments will post immediately to the accounts.

Note: This routine will automatically apply overpayments/credits to account balances.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Calculate Bills>Surcharge Calculation/Update.

Billing 3 - 32


Figure 3-29


Service Type - Select the service type for the surcharge. If a combined service type is selected, the surcharge will be applied to theservice type balance of the bill code selected.

Bill Code - Type in or use the picklist to select a Separate Charge bill code.

Cycle - Required.

Bill Year/Period Range - A surcharge will be calculated on the total balance in this year/period range only.

Calculation Date - The surcharge will be calculated on balances “as of” the date specified. Therefore, adjustments or paymentsafter the calculation date will be ignored.

Transaction Date - The surcharge will be assigned with this adjustment date.

Transaction Descript - A description may be entered for each billing adjustment transaction.

Apply Surcharge Method - This selection determines to which year/period(s) the surcharge is applied. Select Apply Total to LastPeriod to apply the total calculated surcharge to the last year/period in the specified range. Select Apply to Each Period to applythe surcharge amount (full) or percentage to each period with a balance.

Surcharge Type - Specify whether the surcharge is a Flat amount or a Percentage of the balance.

Flat Amount / Percentage - The bill code default amount or percentage will default. If no amount or percentage is specified, com-plete the appropriate field. Percentages are entered in whole numbers (e.g. 8% would be entered as 8.00)

Charge Per Unit - If flat amount surcharge is calculated, this box may be checked in order to multiply the surcharge amount by thenumber of units on an account (1st bill code units).

Billing 3 - 33

Bill Format Maintenance

Minimum Surcharge - For percentage calculations, if the surcharge calculated is lower than this amount, the minimum surchargewill be applied to the account. If not applicable, leave blank.

Minimum Balance - Accounts with total balances less than this amount will not receive a surcharge.

Include Penalty Exempt Accounts - Check to calculate surcharges on accounts that are exempt from penalty.

Include Penalty Exempt Balances - Check to include billed or adjusted charges that are exempt from penalty towards the totalbalance used in the surcharge calculation.

Click Next to run the routine. The Utility Billing Posting Reference and Utility Transfers (overpayments/credits) Posting Refer-ence reports will print to the screen.

Note: A Special Routine is available for deleting incorrect billing adjustment transactions by reference number. Contact an E&A representative for assistance.


The Utility Bill Format Maintenance stores the type of bill(s) used by an organization (e.g. PDF, Postcard, Stub bill, etc.). It also determines the information that appears on the bill (e.g. previous balance, readings, etc.) and the accounts for which a bill is printed (e.g. Inactive, credit balances, etc.).

Note: Utility Bill Formats should initially be set-up with the assistance of an E&A trainer.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Print Bills/Billing Reports>Utility Bill Format Maintenance.

Billing 3 - 34


Figure 3-30


Use the picklist in the Format Id field to select a bill format. Click Edit to make changes.

Page 1

Note: Options will vary slightly on this screen depending on the bill format selected.

Type - Various bill types are shown in the above figure.

Billing Address - Options may vary. This field determines the address to which bills are sent. If Bill To is selected and no bill toname exists for the account, the Owner address will be printed. If the Both option is available and is selected, two bills will printfor accounts with both a bill to name and owner name.

Location - Choose the account location to print.

Printer Type - Most bill formats are laser only.

X and Y Offset - The default X and Y alignment offsets for bills may be entered and will default when bills are printed.

Print Property Id (BLQ, Map Parcel, etc.) - Check to print this information on the bill.

Billing 3 - 35


Print Name on Stub - Check to print the owner or bill to name on a bill stub.

Print Current Resident - Prints “or Current Resident” under the addressee name.

Print Zero Bills - Check to print bills with no amount due.

Print Credit Bills - Check to print bills for accounts with credit balances.

Print Inactive Bills - Check to print bills for inactive accounts.

Page 2 (Non-Postcard formats)

Page 2 has similar options for all of the non-postcard format bills. Options include:

• Display previous balance on bills

• Print interest/penalty on bills

• Include reading and usage information

• Print billing period dates/number of days

• Include a message

Note: Options will vary slightly on this screen depending on the bill format selected.

Figure 3-31


Billing 3 - 36


Print Bill Period Date - Date range for the bill period stored in Cycle Maintenance.

Print Num Days Between - Number days between readings.

Combine Flat & Excess - Will not break out the billed amount into flat and excess categories.

Click Save.

Page 2 and 3 (Postcard formats)

Postcards have 10 customized boxes of information that can appear on the bill. Select the bill print information using the combo boxes provided.

Note: Box 9 and 10 (Page 3) are not available if the Print Message option is checked.

Figure 3-32

Billing 3 - 37


Figure 3-33

Click Save.

Page 3 - PDF Bills

Starting settings are shown below for standard and self-mailer PDF bills.

Figure 3-34

Billing 3 - 38


Figure 3-35

Bill Format Listing

A listing of Utility bill formats and their settings may be printed.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Print Bills/Billing Reports>Utility Bill Format Listing.

Billing 3 - 39

CHAPTER 4 Balance Adjustments

This chapter will cover the Utility Balance Adjustments menu.

Balance Adjustment Code Maintenance

This maintenance stores codes used to enter balance adjustments. Balance adjustments are adjustments that do NOT change the billing on an account, but may or may not affect the account’s overall balance. Some examples of balance adjustments include the transfer or application of overpayments/credits, cancellation of small balances or penalty, and adjustments to reflect a refund.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Balance Adjustments>Balance Adjustment Code Maintenance.

Figure 4-1


Balance Adjustments 4 - 1

Balance Adjustment Code Maintenance

Existing codes may be retrieved using the picklists in the Adjustment Code or Description fields.


Edit - Click the toolbar button and any editable fields will appear in white. Click Save.

Delete - Click the toolbar button to remove a code. Codes with activity may not be deleted. A Delete Password is required.

To add a new code, click Add. Enter a code up to 3 alphanumeric characters. Enter a code description.

Figure 4-2


Deposit - This box should only be checked on codes used to adjust deposit balances. These type of codes can not be used to adjusta primary account balance.

Revenue Type - These settings describe the general purpose of the code. Although the types are mainly used to facilitate therequired journal entries when the Utility Update Receivables to Revenue option is activated, codes should still be identified prop-erly. Types are described below:

Accrued Revenue - Use for most general balance adjustments that will change the overall balance on an account. (e.g. balance corrections)

Transfer Overpay - Use for adjustments to apply or transfer overpayments/credits on an account. These adjustments do not affect the overall balance of an account.

Refund - Use for adjustments to refund balances or deposits on an account.

Write Off (GAAP users only) - Only use when the code is used to cancel or “write-off” a balance and a resulting jour-nal entry is required to debit an “Allowance for doubtful accounts” G/L account.


Balance Adjustment Batch

Revenue Accounts (Update Utility Receivables to Revenue users ONLY) - For each service type, identify the revenue accounts orgeneral ledger account to be updated when this code is used in a transaction. Accrual Basis revenue accounts are required for eachbilling year. If per diem interest is used, the interest account may be Cash Basis.

Click Save.

Balance Adjustment Code Listing

A listing of balance adjustment codes and their settings may be printed.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Balance Adjustments>Balance Adjustment Code Listing.


This batch is used to process balance adjustments.

Note: This batch is NOT intended for Billing adjustments. Billing adjustments should be entered in the Utility Bill Adjustment Batch.

Create New Batch

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Balance Adjustments>Balance Adjustment Batch.

Figure 4-3





Batch Date - Enter the default adjustment transaction date for entries in the batch. Dates may be changed within the batch.


Click Add.

Figure 4-4


Acct # / Sub #- Type in an account or use <F3> to select one.

Service Type - Click on the field to display the combo box and select a service type. Unlike bill codes, no service type is directlyassociated with the adjustment code. The correct service to adjust MUST be selected.

Tran Type - Click on the field, as shown in the figure above, and select a transaction type.

Balance Adjustment - This adjustment enables the user to adjust the balances on a specified year/period.

Refund Overpayment - This adjustment is used to reduce the “OVERPAID” bucket on an account in order to reflect the refund of an overpayment balance.

Refund Deposit - This adjustment is used to reduce the deposit balance on an account in order to reflect the refund of a customer deposit. The adjustment code used for this transaction MUST be a “deposit” code.

Cancel Overpayment - This adjustment is used to reduce the “OVERPAID” bucket on an account for any purpose other than a refund.

Adj. Code - Type in or use <F3> to select a balance adjustment code.

Bill Code - A bill code should only be referenced when adjusting the balance of a Separate Charge billing. Type in or use <F3> toselect a Separate Charge bill code.

Year/Period - Balance Adjustment transactions must be applied to a specific year/period.



Principal - Positive adjustments will increase the principal balance on an account. Negative adjustments reduce the balance on anaccount. Positive adjustments should be entered when using the Refund/Cancel Overpayment or Refund Deposit transactions. Anegative number can only be entered to reverse one of these transactions.

Int/Penalty - This field is used to adjust the penalty balance on an account. Positive adjustments will increase and negative adjust-ments will decrease the penalty balance. Memo adjustments may be entered for users who calculate per diem interest, but theadjustments will not affect the balance or interest owed on an account.

Date - The adjustment transaction date may be changed.

Click Save when finished. Balance Adjustment batches must be verified and updated before accounts will be posted. See BatchVerification and Update.



Figure 4-5


Batch Id - Use the picklist to select the appropriate Batch Id.

With the Batch Entry button selected, click Next to access the batch. A screen similar to the figure below will appear.



Figure 4-6


Add - Click to add a new adjustment. Click Save when finished adding lines.

Edit - Double click a line or select the line and click Edit to change information on a line. Click Save when finished.

Delete - Select a line and click Delete to remove an adjustment. To delete an entire batch, press CTRL + DEL on the keyboard.Click Save.

Note: CHG will appear next to lines in edit mode. INS will appear next to newly added lines. DEL will appear next to lines that will be deleted. These actions are performed when then batch is saved.


After any changes are made, the batch must be verified before it can be updated.


In order for balance adjustments to post to accounts, each Balance Adjustment Batch must be verified and updated.



Automated Balance Adjustments

Figure 4-7



Batch Verification - Select this option and click Next to print the verification listing. The screen or printer options may be usedto review the listing. However, the verification listing MUST be printed to a printer in order to update the batch.

The verification listing will show each adjustment transaction and print a totals page with adjustment code and service type totals.The last page of the listing will identify any warnings or errors. Warnings should be reviewed, but errors MUST be corrected.Errors can be corrected in the Batch Entry and the verification listing MUST be reprinted in order to proceed.

Update Batch - Once the verification listing has been successfully printed and reviewed, click on the Update Batch button andselect Next. When the batch has updated, a Balance Adjustment Batch Update Report can be printed. The report displays thenumber and total of posted entries and a reference number.


This menu option contains several automated balance adjustment routines. Each routine is described separately below.

• Apply Overpayments/Transfer Credits

• Refund Overpayments

• Cancel by Resolution

• Establish/Transfer Lien

• Transfer Penalty Credits (Penalty users only)

• Adjust Principal/Penalty Balances (Penalty users only)

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Balance Adjustments>Automated Balance Adjustments.



Apply Overpayments/Transfer Credits

This routine is used to automatically apply overpayments and/or transfer credits to debit account balances. An explanation of the difference between applying overpayments and transferring credits is provided in the routine instructions. The routine is live and does NOT create a batch. It may be run for an account range or all accounts. The routine is run for one service type at a time and uses the settings in Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance to determine whether balances may be transferred between service types.

Note: Verify the Overpayments tab in Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance is properly configured prior to run-ning this routine.

Note: This routine is automatically run each time a billing or penalty calculation is processed.

Figure 4-8


Routine - If not already selected, choose Apply Overpayments/Transfer Credits.

A range of accounts can be specified. Leave blank to run the routine for all accounts.

Service Type - The routine must be run for one service at a time. Credits and/or overpayments will only be applied to balances inthe designated service type. Depending on Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance settings, credits and/or overpayments may betransferred from other service types and applied to the selected service type.

Cycle Range - Specify a cycle or leave blank for all.

Apply Overpayments - This option refers to the application of overpayments in an account’s “OVERPAID” balance. These creditbalances are created by payments. Balances in the “OVERPAID” bucket will applied to debit year/period balances on an account.



Transfer Credits - This option refers to the transfer of credit balances on a year/period. These credit balances are typically createdby adjustments. Credits will be applied to debit year/period balances on an account.

The Adjustment Code should default from the system parameters for both of the above categories. It may be changed, but mustbe a Transfer Overpay type code.

Adj. Date - Specify the adjustment date for all applied overpayments/credits.

Click Next to run the routine. A Posting Reference Report will be generated to show any overpayments/credits applied.

Note: A Special Routine exists to delete balance adjustments by reference number. Contact an E&A representa-tive for assistance.

Transfer Penalty Credits

This routine is applicable to users who calculate penalty on delinquent Utility balances. The routine will apply penalty credit bal-ances to penalty debit balances on an account. The routine is live and does NOT create a batch. It may be run for an account range or all accounts. The routine is run for one service type at a time and uses the settings in Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance to determine whether balances may be transferred between service types.

Note: Verify the Overpayments tab in Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance is properly configured prior to run-ning this routine.

Figure 4-9




Routine - Select Transfer Penalty Credits.


Service Type - The routine must be run for one service at a time. Penalty credits will only be applied to penalty debit balances inthe designated service type. Depending on Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance settings, penalty credits may be transferred fromother service types and applied to the selected service type.

Cycle Range - Specify a cycle or leave blank for all.

Transfer Credits Adjustment Code- Penalty credits are transferred and applied with the same adjustment code. The adjustmentcode should default from the system parameters. It may be changed, but must be a Transfer Overpay type code.

Adj. Date - Specify the adjustment date.


Note: A listing of transactions created by this routine may be printed by running the Balance Adjustment or Transaction Inquiry reports.

Refund Overpayments

This routine will create adjustments to reflect the refund of overpayments and/or credits. It may be run for a range of accounts or all accounts. The routine will generate a Balance Adjustment Batch, which must be verified and updated before accounts are posted.

Figure 4-10




Routine - Select Refund Overpayments.


Service Type - The routine must be run for one service at a time.

Cycle - Specify a cycle or leave blank for all.

Year/Period Range - The year/period range is only applicable when credit balances on a year/period are being refunded (RefundCredits is checked). The system will only create adjustments to refund credit balances in the year/period range. An account musthave an overall credit balance in the range in order for a refund adjustment to be created.

Refund Overpayments - If selected, the “OVERPAID” balance on an account will be refunded. This type of credit balance is cre-ated by a payment.

Refund Credits - If selected, credit balances in the year/period range will be refunded. Year/period credit balances are typicallycreated by adjustments.

Adjustment Code(s) - Specify the balance adjustment code used for refunding overpayments.

Batch Id - Specify a unique Balance Adjustment Batch Id.

Adj. Date - Specify the refund adjustment date.

Description - A balance adjustment transaction description may be entered.

Click Next to run the routine. A Balance Adjustment Batch will be created and must be verified and updated before accounts willbe posted.

Establish/Transfer Lien (NJ Municipal)

This routine will adjust off balances for a range of due dates on Utility accounts with a municipal lien. A Balance Adjustment Batch is created. Although it is most commonly used when transferring past due charges to a municipal lien, an option is also available to adjust off balances on accounts with outside liens. For organizations that don’t use MCSJ Tax Collection, accounts with outside and municipal liens can be flagged and the routine can be used to adjust off all balances that were included in a Tax Sale.



Figure 4-11


Routine - Select Establish/Transfer Lien.

A range of accounts may be selected or leave blank for all.

Service Type - The routine must be run separately for each service type.

Cycle Range - Enter a range or leave blank for all.

Due Dates - Only balances with a due date in the range will be adjusted.

Batch Id - Enter a unique Balance Adjustment Batch Id.

Adj. Date - Transaction adjustment date.


Adj Code - Use the picklist to select the Utility balance adjustment code used to transfer charges to municipal lien.

Include Outside Liens - Check to adjust balances on accounts with outside liens. In most cases, this box should NOT be checked.




Cancel By Resolution

This routine is typically used to cancel small account balances (debit and/or credit). The routine will create a Balance Adjustment Batch.

Figure 4-12


Routine - Select Cancel By Resolution.


Service Type - The routine must be run for one service at a time.

Cycle - Specify a cycle or leave blank for all.

Year/Period Range - The year/period range is only applicable when balances on a year/period are being canceled (Cancel Debits/Credits is checked). The system will only create adjustments to cancel balances in the year/period range. The total principal/pen-alty balance in the range must fall with the Cancel Amt range.

Cancel Overpayments - If selected, the “OVERPAID” balance on an account will be canceled.

Cancel Debits/Credits - If selected, balances in the year/period range will be canceled.

Adjustment Code(s) - Specify the balance adjustment code used for canceling balances.

Cancel Amt - Specify a range of balances to cancel. For example, enter -5.00 to 5.00 to cancel all debit or credit balances less than$5.00.



Batch Id - Specify a unique Balance Adjustment Batch Id.

Adj. Date - Specify the adjustment date.


Include Inactive Accounts - Check to cancel balances on accounts with an inactive status.


Adjust Principal/Penalty Balances

This routine will clean up debit and credit balances between principal and penalty for a single service type. Within a specified year/period range, the routine will apply any penalty credits to any principal debits and vice versa. Penalty credits that can not be applied will be moved to principal in the last year/period in the range. The routine will not transfer between service types. A Bal-ance Adjustment Batch will be created.

Figure 4-13


Routine - Select Adjust Principal/Penalty Balances.

A range of accounts may be selected or leave blank for all.

Service Type - The routine must be run separately for each service type.

Cycle Range - Enter a range or leave blank for all.


Balance Adjustment Report

Year/Period Range - The routine will apply any credit balances in the range to any debit balances in the range.

Batch Id - Enter a unique Balance Adjustment Batch Id.

Adj. Date - Transaction adjustment date.


Adj Code - Use the picklist to select the Utility balance adjustment code used to adjust principal/penalty balances.



The Balance Adjustment Report is used to view balance adjustment history. The report can display adjustment transaction detail or can print totals only.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Balance Adjustments>Balance Adjustment Report.

Figure 4-14


Report Sequence - The Detail report can be ordered by Account Id or Date.



Report Type - Detail includes account adjustment transaction detail. Totals Only provides a summary of adjustment activityduring the time period. An extensive set of totals are provided on both report types.

Bill Year/Period / Date Range - Balance adjustments affecting a year/period must fall with the range specified. All adjustmentsmust fall within the date range.

Note: Some adjustment transactions (e.g. Cancel Overpayments) do not affect a year/period. These adjustments must only fall within date range criteria to be included on the report.

Adjustment history may be filtered using the Cycle, Adjust Code, Type, Section, and City Id ranges. Ranges may be left blank.

Location to Print - Choose the account location information to print on the Detail report.

Select the service type(s) to include on the report.

Print Type Total Page - Adjustment totals by Account Type (e.g Residential, Commercial) can be included in report totals.




CHAPTER 5 Reports

This chapter covers the Utility Billing Reports menu and some additional miscellaneous reports.

Account Status

The Utility Account Status report provides account service type balances as of a specified date. The report can be run to show indi-vidual account activity and balances or overall totals. It is recommended that this report be run monthly, as it will provide a sum-mary of the different types of activity (payments, adjustments, billings, etc.) during the month. It can be used to ensure the proper journal entries and transactions have been recorded in the Finance system and will also be used to reconcile monthly Utility activ-ity.

The report always prints a “Totals” and “Audit Totals” page. The “Totals” page includes summarized activity and balances byType (e.g. residential, commercial). The “Audit Totals” page shows an overall beginning balance and then summarizes the timeperiod’s activity to arrive at a final ending balance.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Reports>Account Status.

Reports 5 - 1

Account Status

Figure 5-1


Report Sequence - The report may be ordered by Account Id, Property Location, or Property Id (e.g. BLQ, Map/Parcel).

Bill Year/Period - Balances are accumulated for the specified year/period range. Only activity affecting the year/period range isincluded on the report. If Include Prior Year/Prds in Balance is selected, balances for any prior year/periods are included in thebeginning and ending balance, but the activity for these prior periods is not included.

Date Range - Only activity during this range and affecting the year/period range will be printed or summarized on the report. Theprevious balance will show as of the day prior to the first date in the range.

Accounts may be included or excluded from the report by specifying a Cycle Range, Account Type Range, or Section Range.

Select Status - Choose to include Active, Inactive or Both accounts.

Select the service type balances and activity to include on the report.

Report Type -

Detail - Account name and location are included on the report. Transaction activity is listed in detail with a running balance for each account.

Condensed - Account name or location is printed. Transaction activity is summarized for each account.

Totals Only - Only the Totals and Audit Totals pages are printed.

Name / Location to Print - Choose the account information to appear on the report.

Reports 5 - 2

Aging Report

Include Section Totals - A separate totals page will print by account Section if this option is selected.

Include Zero Balances - Check to print accounts with a zero balance.

Exclude Non-NSF Reversed Payments - This option is only available on the Detail report. If this box is checked, all paymentsand corresponding reversals done with non-NSF type payment codes will not print on the report. This will help to eliminate someof the unnecessary detail from the report without affecting the balance of the account.

Include Year/Prd Balance Only - If checked, overpaid balances (not associated with a year/period) are excluded from the reportand only the balance for the year/period will be displayed.

Print Property Id (BLQ, Map/Parcel, etc.) - Check to print the property identifier for an account (if applicable).

Print Only Accounts with Service/Separate Charge Debit AND Credit Balances - This option is used to identify accounts withboth debit and credit balances. No audit totals page will print.

Aging Report

The Aging Report shows the age of service type balances. The report can be run to show individual account activity or just overall totals. It also has options to display only accounts with debit, credit or delinquent balances. The total principal balance for a ser-vice type on an account is broken into the following categories:

• Balances >= 180 days




• Current Balance

• Interest/Penalty Balance

• Not Due

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Reports>Aging Report.

Reports 5 - 3

Aging Report

Figure 5-2


Report Sequence - The report may be ordered by Account Id, Property Location, or Property Id (e.g. BLQ, Map/Parcel).

Accounts may be included or excluded from the report by specifying a Cycle Range, Account Type Range, or Section Range.

Report Type -

Detail - Transaction activity is listed in detail with a running balance for each account.

Condensed - Only aged balances are shown for each account.

Totals Only - Total aged balances are shown for each service type.

Name / Location to Print - Choose the account information to appear on the report.

Balance Threshold - Only accounts with total balances greater than this amount are included on the report.

Balance Type -

Credit Balances - Only accounts with overall credit balances are included.

Debit Balances - Only accounts with overall debit balances are included.

Debit/Credit Balances - Accounts with either type of balance are included.

Delinquent Accounts - Only accounts with delinquent balances as of the Due as of Date are included.

Date Range - Only activity during this range and affecting the year/period range will be printed or summarized on the report. Theprevious balance will show as of the day prior to the first date in the range.

Reports 5 - 4

Overpayment Report

Transaction Date Range - The Detail report will print activity during this date range.

As of Date - Balances are accumulated as of this date.

Select the service type balances to include on the report.

Use Net Balance - When checked, the system will accumulate an overall balance for the service types selected. This overall bal-ance will be used to determine whether or not the account has a debit, credit, or delinquent Balance Type. When the box is dese-lected, the system will independently compare each service type balance to the Balance Type. If any service type qualifies to beincluded on the report, the entire account will print.

Print Property Id (BLQ, Map/Parcel, etc.) - Check to print the property identifier for an account (if applicable).

Overpayment Report

This report is designed to show all accounts with an overall credit balance for a selected bill year/period range. The report format is mostly the same as the Account Status report, but does not include the Audit Totals page.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Reports>Overpayment Report.

Figure 5-3


Reports 5 - 5

Delinquent Report

The report accumulates an overall selected service type balance for the Bill Year/Period as of the Date Range end date. IfInclude Prior Year/Prds in Balance is selected, any prior year/period balances will be added to the accumulated account balance.The account will qualify to print on the report if this balance is a credit.

Note: The Year/Period Range may be blanked out to include all year/periods.

Balances Less Than - Leave blank or enter a negative (-) number. Only accounts with a credit balance less than this amount willprint.

Skip Budget Service Types - Check to skip accounts on a budget plan.

Delinquent Report

This report is designed to show delinquent accounts. The report format is mostly the same as the Account Status report, but has a few additional options and does not include the Audit Totals page. The Delinquent Report can also be used to auto-generate work orders for any delinquent accounts.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Reports>Delinquent Report.

Reports 5 - 6

Delinquent Report

Figure 5-4


The report accumulates an overall selected service type balance for the Bill Year/Period as of the Date Range end date. IfInclude Prior Year/Prds in Balance is selected, any prior year/period balances will be added to the accumulated account balance.The report will print any accounts with any included balances delinquent as of the Print if Any Balance Due As of date. Anaccount does not have to have an overall debit balance to appear on the report.

Note: The Year/Period Range may be blanked out to include all year/periods.

Balances Greater Than - Only accounts with balances greater than this amount will print.

Report Type - In addition to the standard report type options, a Super Condensed report option is available for the DelinquentReport. This option will simply print account service type principal and penalty/interest balances.

Print if Any Balance Due As Of - The report will print any accounts with any included balances delinquent as of this date. Anaccount will only print if its oldest due date is less than or equal to this date. The option allows users to print accounts with a bal-ance as of a certain date. For example, this date range can be adjusted backwards to only show accounts which are 30 or more daysdelinquent.

Reports 5 - 7

Delinquent Notices/Labels

Interest Date / Include Current Interest - If applicable, per diem interest will calculate as of the date entered. If Include Cur-rent Interest is checked, per diem interest will be included for delinquent charges in year/periods due subsequent to the delinquen-cies included on the report.

Project Penalty - If applicable, this option is only available on the Super Condensed version of the report. If selected, a Penalty% can be applied to the delinquent account balance. The projected penalty will be included in the printed account balance.

Create Work Orders

Work orders can be auto-generated for any accounts that appear on the delinquent report. For example, a “shut-off” work order can be created for each delinquent account.

To auto-generate work orders, select the Create Work Orders box. Enter a Work Order Prefix for the new work orders. Eachcreated work order number will start with the designated prefix. Numbering begins after the last number entered for that prefix.Then, select a Work Order Code for each enabled service type. The work order code(s) will appear on each work order created.

Click Print to generate the report and create work orders. The report will contain a list of the generated work orders. Use the PrintRange of Open Work Orders option under the Work Orders menu to print the work orders.

Note: It is recommended that report results are reviewed on the screen PRIOR to selecting the “Create Work Orders” option.

Note: Accounts flagged as “Do Not Disconnect” will be skipped when work orders are generated.


Various delinquent notice formats and mailing labels can be generated.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Reports>Delinquent Notices/Labels.

Reports 5 - 8


Figure 5-5


Page 1

Report Sequence - Notices/labels may be printed in Account Id, Zip Code/Account Id, or Property Id (e.g. BLQ, Map/Parcel)order.

Notice Type - Select the notice type or a label option to print. This will default to the type set-up on the Deq Notices tab in SystemUtilities>Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance.

Note: If labels are being printed for notices, be sure to use the same parameter selections for both notices and labels.

An account will receive a notice when its selected year/period balances net to a delinquency as of the Balances Due As Of date andthe oldest due date of these delinquencies is less than or equal to the Print if Any Balance Due As Of date.

The Bill Year/Period Range may be left blank to print delinquent notices for all delinquencies on an account. However, a range ofyears/periods may be specified so that only delinquent balances within the bill year range will appear on the notice. Any previousbalances for the year selected in the range will ALWAYS appear on the notices. Balances from prior years will only show as partof the previous balance if the Include Prior Years in Previous Balance box is checked. Deselecting this box will exclude prior

Reports 5 - 9


year balances from being included in the previous balance. It will also enable the Print Prior Year Balance Message box. Check-ing this box will display the message, “Prior Year Balances are not included on this notice.”

Notices may be printed for specific accounts that fall within a specified Cycle Range, Account Type Range, or Section Range.

Print Balances Greater Than - Notices will only print for accounts with a total delinquent balance greater than this amount.

Select the appropriate service type balances.

Balances Due As Of - Delinquent balances calculate as of this date.

Use Net Balance - If deselected, the report will print any account with a delinquent service type balance, even if credits on anotherservice offset or exceed the delinquent amount.

Interest Date / Include Current Interest - If applicable, per diem interest will calculate as of the date entered. If Include Cur-rent Interest is checked, per diem interest will be included for delinquent charges in year/periods due subsequent to the delinquen-cies included on the notice.

Print if Any Balance Due As of - An account will only print if its oldest due date is less than or equal to this date. The optionallows users to print accounts with a balance as of a certain date. For example, this date range can be adjusted backwards to onlyprint notices for accounts which are 30 or more days delinquent.

Notice Date to Print / Shut Off Date - Dates appear on notice.

Page 2

Click on Page 2. Some information on this screen is only applicable to notices.

Reports 5 - 10


Figure 5-6


Notice Description - The description of the notice may be changed.

Name/Address to Print - Notices/labels can be printed for Bill To or Owner addresses. If Bill To is selected and no bill to addressis available, the notice will print for the owner. Select Both to print a notice for each address on an account.

Mail To - A return address must be specified. If an address does not default, type in the address.

Message Lines - A custom message can be typed in and will appear on each notice.

Note: For PDF Notices an additional Message tab will appear. The message will default to the message entered on the Deq Notices tab in System Utilities>Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance but can be modified here.

Print Only Accounts with ‘Bill To’ Address - If checked, notices will only print for accounts with a bill to address.

Include Accounts with... - Check to print notices for accounts in lien or bankruptcy.

Print Bank Code - If checked, bank codes will print on the delinquent notices.

Print a Total Page - Check to print a summary page.

Return to Page 1 to print notices or labels.

Reports 5 - 11

Transaction Inquiry

The X and Y Offset fields are used to adjust the notice/label alignment. X will adjust to the right and left. Y adjusts up and down.An alignment notice/label may be printed by clicking on the Alignment button.

Click Print.

Transaction Inquiry

This report enables the user to view selected types of transaction history. The report can display account transaction detail or can be run just to see transaction totals.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Reports>Transaction Inquiry.

Figure 5-7


Report Sequence - The Detail report may be printed by Account Id or Book/Page.

Select the service type(s) for which to include transactions.

Reports 5 - 12

Zip Code Summary

Range of Years/Periods / Dates - The report will only include the selected transactions if they affect the year/period range and fallwithin the transaction date range. The year/period range may be left blank to include all transactions. Leave a 0 in the first daterange to include all transaction dates prior to the end date.

Report Type - Detail will list detail transactions for each account. Totals Only will not include account detail and only printstransaction totals.

Bill / Deduct /Pay / Bal Adj Code Range - These ranges will enable based on the transaction types selected. The report can be fil-tered to only include transactions with specific codes.

Select the transaction types to include on the report.

Print Revenue Receivables Reference Num - This option is only available to users who have the Update Receivables to Revenue(Billing/Adjustment Update to Revenue) option activated in Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance. If selected, any transactionsupdated using the Revenue>Update Receivables to Revenue routine will display a reference number. If this option is selected, theRevenue Receivables combo box may be utilized to view only transactions with a certain posting status. The various posting sta-tus options are described below:

Posted - Transaction was updated to revenue.

Not Posted - Transaction was not updated to revenue, but was processed by the routine.

Unprocessed - The transaction has not yet been processed for update to revenue.

Interface Off - The Utility Receivables parameter was not turned on when this transaction was created. If applicable, it must be posted manually to revenue.

All - Displays all transactions regardless of their posting status.

Ref Number Range - A range of reference numbers may be specified to see only transactions posted with a particular RevenueReceivables Reference Number.

Zip Code Summary

This report will list the number of accounts associated with a particular zip code. Various ranges may be specified to determine what accounts are included in zip code totals.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Utility Reports>Zip Code Summary.

Reports 5 - 13

Utility Change Transaction Inquiry

Figure 5-8


Utility Change Transaction Inquiry

This report is used to identify changes made in various areas of the Utility Billing module. It can also be used to display deleted meter reading and/or adjustment transactions.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Change Transaction Inquiry.

Reports 5 - 14

Posting Reference Report

Figure 5-9


Select Transaction Type - Identify the area of the system where you want to search for changes. Depending on the selection, anappropriate range will default.

Field Group - If desired, narrow the search parameters by specifying a group of fields to search. Select Deleted Transactions toidentify deleted readings and/or adjustments.

Field - If a field group was selected, the user can narrow the change search to a particular field.

Posting Reference Report

The Utility Posting Reference Report will list selected types of transactions associated with a particular reference (batch) number. The report requires the user to select a type of transaction and to supply a reference number. Reference numbers can be retrieved on Update Posting Sheets and a variety of transaction reports.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Posting Reference Report.

Reports 5 - 15

Charge Search

Charge Search

This report is designed for title search companies and will display all outstanding charges on a Utility account.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Charge Search.

Figure 5-10



Page 1

Title Company Id - Required. Use the picklist to select a title company.

Note: Title Company Id’s are added under Billing/Collections>Title Company Address Maintenance.

Return To - A return address must be specified. Utility return addresses are added in Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance.

Reports 5 - 16

Charge Search

Include Int/Penalty - Check to include delinquent interest/penalty on the search.

Include Sub Accounts - Check to include charges for each Utility sub account on a property.

A custom message can be typed to appear on the printed search form.

Page 2

Click on Page 2.

Figure 5-11


This screen is used to enter any charges not tracked in MCSJ. The charge descriptions, due dates and charge amounts will print onthe search form.

Return to Page 1 to print the form.

If search forms are printed to pre-printed forms, the alignment may be adjusted using the X and Y Offsets. X adjusts right. Yadjusts down.

Reports 5 - 17

CHAPTER 6 Utility Payments

This chapter discusses the preparation required for entering payments, posting payments through the Payment Window, automatedprocessing of payments (Direct Withdrawal, importing from files and WIPP), and reversing payments. Payment menu reports arealso covered.

Payment Code Maintenance

In order to record payments in the MCSJ Utility Billing system, payment codes must be set-up in Payment Code Maintenance. Thepayment codes tell the system to which type of balance a payment should be applied, e.g. (Tax, Water, etc.). If Billing/Collectionpayments are updated to Finance, payment codes also store revenue accounts and other important Finance related information.

Add

Select Billing/Collections>Payments>Payment Code Maintenance.

Click Add. Enter a payment code using up to 3 alphanumeric characters. Enter the description for the type of payment in theDescription field.

Note: Grouping similar payment codes in numerical or alphabetical order is recommended. This ensures that codes can be selected in a sequential range on reports that allow you to select ranges of payment codes.

Utility Payments 6 - 1


Figure 6-1


Click on the drop down arrow to select a payment type in the Payment Type field. The types available depend on the differentprogram modules installed. Each type is described below.

• Miscellaneous- Any type of payment that is not designated for a specific account balance. (i.e. marriage licenses, permits, etc.)

• Tax/Utility service types- Payments designated for the corresponding balance on a tax account or utility account.

• Utility- Payment type to gain access to the balances of multiple utility service types, e.g. (Water, Sewer)

• Tax Penalty (NJ)- Payments applied to penalty on tax accounts.

• Tax/Special Assessment/Sp Charges/Lien Misc Charge- Payments for miscellaneous charges adjusted onto Tax, Lien, Special Charge or Special Assessment accounts.

• Special Assessment (NJ)- Payments for special assessment accounts.

• Special Charges- Payments for balances stored on special charges accounts.

• Sp Charges Tax Penalty (NJ)- Payments applied to tax penalty that was adjusted to special charges accounts.

• Lien (NJ)- Payments for tax balances adjusted to the lien.

• Lien Fees (NJ)- Payments applied to fees associated with liens. (i.e. Recording Fees)

• Lien Tax Penalty (NJ)- Payments applied to tax penalty adjusted to liens.

• Tax Sale (NJ)- Payment type required to gain access to the Tax Sale Payment Window. See the chapter titled “Tax Sale.”

• Stay out of Sale (NJ)- Payment type used to calculate what municipal charges must be paid to keep a BLQ out of Tax Sale.

• Animal Licensing (NJ)- Dog/Cat payments for clients with Animal Licensing.

• Invoice/Customer- Payments for clients with the Accounts Receivable module.

NSF Reversal - Box can be checked for payment codes designated specifically for reversing bounced checks. These codes willtotal separately on reports so that reversals done for bounced checks may be easily identified during the reconciliation process.



Bill Code - A Separate Charge bill code may be assigned to a payment code used for payments of separate charge billings. Thepayment code can only be used to pay the separate charge billing. The payment code will default in the Payment Window when aUtility account has a separate charge balance with this bill code.

Note: A separate charge payment code must be created and saved without initially specifying a bill code. Then the Separate Charge bill code is created and will be set up to reference the payment code. Once the bill code is saved, the payment code may be edited to reference the bill code.

Payment Codes - These picklists will only become enabled when the Utility payment type has been selected. A Utility paymenttype or “combined” payment code allows the user to pay multiple service types in the same window. Payment codes should beselected for each service type to be paid when this code is used to access the Payment Window. The codes selected for each servicetype will default and be applied to account balances, not the “combined” payment code.

Bank Id - Use the picklist to select the bank where the money received with this payment code will be deposited. This is arequired field.

Note: Bank Id’s are set-up in the Finance module. Select Finance>Revenue>Bank Maintenance. If an organi-zation automatically updates payments to Revenue, the Bank Id will affect the Finance system’s General Ledger.

Outside Buyer Payment (NJ Tax Only)- The drop down box is used to flag a payment code as either Tax Sale or Subsequent.Only codes that will be used when recording tax sale payments should be flagged as Tax Sale. The Subsequent option is used to tellthe system that payments recorded with this code are subsequent payments made by a lien holder. When the Subsequent option isselected, the O.B. Subsequent Adjust Code field will become enabled. A Tax adjustment code must be entered for transferringsubsequent Utility payments to a lien.

Note: Creating Tax Sale payment codes is discussed in the Tax Sale chapter of the NJ Tax Collection manual.

Note: When a payment is recorded using a Subsequent Outside Buyer payment code, the payment reduces the balance on the Utility account and an adjustment is automatically created on the lien account to reflect the transfer of the subsequent payment.

Deposit Payment - Checking the box will apply the payment to the Deposit balance on a service type.

Animal Type (NJ Only) - This field is only applicable for Animal Licensing type payment codes.

If your organization does not update payments to the Revenue module, click Save. Otherwise, click on the Revenue tab. See Fig-ure 6-2.



Figure 6-2


Source Id - This field identifies the source or type of payment being received. It is used for reporting purposes in the Finance sys-tem.

Note: Source Id’s are set-up in the Finance module. Select Finance>Revenue>Source Maintenance.

Revenue Accounts - The payment type of the payment code will determine which fields are editable. If revenue needs to beupdated, any fields in white must be completed with a valid revenue account. Assign the revenue account to be used when pay-ments are applied to each bill year category. The revenue account used for interest/penalty payments should be specified in theInterest field. The Overpay/Deposit field is used for two different purposes depending on the type of payment code being cre-ated. If a Utility service type code (not used for deposit payments) is being created, the Overpay/Deposit field should be used toreference the revenue account used when an overpayment is received. If a deposit payment code is being created, the Overpay/Deposit field will be the only one enabled. Specify the revenue account used to record a deposit payment.

Note: The Overpay revenue account will only be used for Utility overpayments when no default overpayment payment code is referenced on the Overpayments tab in Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance.

Note: Revenue accounts must be set-up in Finance>Revenue>Revenue Account Maintenance in order to appear in the picklist.



Click Save when finished.

Editing/Deleting Payment Codes

Select Billing/Collections>Payments>Payment Code Maintenance.

Figure 6-3


Type in a code and press Enter or use the picklists in the Payment Code or Description fields to select a payment code.

The << and >> buttons may be used to scroll between codes.

Edit - Click to change information on a code. All editable fields will appear in white. Click Save when finished making changes.

Delete - Click to remove a code. A Delete Password must be entered.

Note: Payment Codes may not be deleted if they have been used in a transaction or if they are referenced some-where in the system (e.g. Parameters, Bill Code).

Payment Code Listing

This listing will print payment codes and their corresponding information.


Payment Window

Select Billing/Collections>Payments>Payment Code Listing.

Payment Window

The Payment Window allows a user to receipt any type of Utility payment while viewing the account balance and account informa-tion. Payments are applied automatically to outstanding balances based on system parameter settings. However, the user will have some flexibility to change payment splits and other information directly from the window. The Window enables a user to print a receipt, validate, and open the cash drawer if applicable.

All payments posted through the window will flow into a payment batch, which should be verified and updated daily. There are 3options for payment batch posting:

1. Standard Batch Posting - Currently the most common option, payment activity will not affect the Account Maintenance balance screen until the payment batch is updated and transactions are posted to the account. Users can correct any misposted transac-tions in the batch prior to the update.

2. Online Updating - Payment transactions are posted to accounts when payments are saved through the window. If a posting mis-take is discovered, a payment reversal transaction must be entered to correct the payment.

3. Real-time Updating - The Utility Account Maintenance balance screen will reflect any payments sitting in the Payment Batch. Payment transactions are not actually posted until the batch is updated, so users still have the option of correcting mistakes in the batch prior to the update. The Calculate Penalty routine will also recognize payments in a Payment Batch when accumulat-ing the balance for an account.

Note: For all of the above options, revenue is updated when the Payment Batch is updated.

Select Billing/Collections>Payments>Payment Window.

Figure 6-4



Payment Window

Batch Id - The user login Id will default. Type in a different Id or use the picklist to select an existing Batch Id. If an existing Id isselected, any payments recorded will be added to the existing batch. The use of a new Id will create a new batch.

Payment Date - Enter the default payment date. The date may be changed for individual payments within the window.

Print Receipt / Validate / Open Drawer - These boxes will be checked or unchecked based on the default settings located in Col-lections Parameter Maintenance. Check the boxes if you want the system to perform the action described. Uncheck the boxes ifyou don’t want to perform the action.

Click Next to continue.

Click Add.

Figure 6-5

Type in or use the picklist to select a code.

Note: A Separate Charge payment code may not be used to gain access to the window. A service type code or combined Utility payment code must be selected.

Note: Proceed to the section titled “Payment Window Toolbar Options” to read about the toolbar options avail-able in the Payment Window. Proceed to the section titled “Payment Window FAQ’s” for a list of fre-quently asked questions and common situations encountered when posting Utility payments in the Payment Window.

Once a code has been selected, the Utility Payment Window will appear.


Payment Window

Figure 6-6


If a scanner is not used, an account may be selected by typing in information or using the picklists in the following fields:

• Account Id

• Property Id (BLQ, Map/Parcel, etc.)

• Owner / Bill To Name

• Property / Service Location

Once an account has been selected, the screen will look similar to Figure 6-7.


Payment Window

Figure 6-7


A combined Utility type payment code was selected in the above example, which is why multiple service type balances appear inthe window. Any Separate Charge balances associated with the service types in the window will also appear. The ZZS code dis-played in the figure above is an example of a separate charge balance.

A summary of Service Type and Separate Charge balances will be listed with a grand total of principal and interest/penalty due.The payment codes that will be used for each balance type will appear under the Code field. The payment codes may be changedby clicking in the field and using <F3> to access the picklist.

The Split field will only appear if the account has multiple service type balances displayed on the screen. It will show how thepayment will be allocated between service type balances. After entering the payment amount, the splits may be changed. The totalsplit must equal the total payment amount.

To view the more detailed year/period breakdown of the charges and their due dates, click on the Year/Prd button in the bottomright hand side of the window. The screen will look more like Figure 6-8.


Payment Window

Figure 6-8


Note: Interest and/or Penalty amounts may be changed for a year/period on this screen. Penalty amounts can only be reduced or an error will appear on the verification listing.

Click on the Service Type button to return to the original summary display of service type balances.

Payment Amt - Enter the full intended payment amount in this field. If the payment amount is equal to the total amount due, justpress Enter and the payment amount will automatically default. When the year/prd button is selected, a checkbox will appear nextto each year/period with a balance due. Select the checkbox for the latest year/period being paid and the payment amount willdefault to include that amount along with all prior year/period balances.

The payment amount out may be broken out between the Check Amt, Cash Amt, and Credit Amt fields. Up to 3 checks may beentered. The total distributed between these fields must equal or exceed the payment amount. If it exceeds the payment amount,the Change Due field will display the change due. If no payment distribution is entered, the system will apply the payment as acheck amount.

Complete the Check No. and Payment Descript fields if applicable.

Note: You may bypass distributing the payment amount between the check, cash, and credit fields by either click-ing Save or pressing <F5>. The payment amount will automatically be put in the Check 1 Amount field. If


Payment Window

you click Save, you will be warned before the payment is finalized. If you press <F5>, the payment will be immediately sent to the Payment Batch.

Click Save. Answer “Yes” to save the payment. If not validating, an option will appear to pick a new payment code. If the Vali-date option was checked prior to entering the Payment Window, see Figure 6-9 under “Validating”.

Validating

Figure 6-9

Note: The default validate option that appears next to Type may be changed in Collections Parameter Mainte-nance. The user may choose to default the validate option to Stub, Bill, or Check options.

Each type is described below:

• Check (Single Property/Check #) - Will validate the back of the check with payment for the account that was just paid or for multiple accounts if paid with same check number.

• Check (Total Payment) - This option should be selected after posting a single check payment to multiple accounts where the check number was not referenced. It will validate the subtotal for all of the payments, instead of only validating the last pay-ment applied. The Subtotal button is used in conjunction with this option.

• Bill - Will validate the back of a bill.

• Stub - Will validate individual bill stubs.

• Duplicate Receipts - Will print a duplicate receipt.

After selecting an option, click Print. Another option may be selected if desired. When finished, click Exit. The option to pick anew payment code will appear.


Payment Window

Note: In order for an account number to appear when validating, an account number must be assigned to the Bank Code. Bank Codes are stored in Finance>Revenue>Bank Maintenance.

Payment Window Toolbar Options

There are several options available on the Payment Window toolbar.

Figure 6-10

The << and >> arrows on the toolbar can be used to move to another account.

Detail - This button works the same way as the Utility Account Maintenance Detail button. It can be used to view payment, bill-ing, work order and meter reading history for an account.

Notes - If the “Notes Exist” message appears on the screen, this button can be selected to view the notes entered for the account.

Verification List - This button will enable the user to view the current verification listing for the Batch ID shown in the upper leftcorner of the screen. The listing will show the detail and totals of any payments already posted to the batch.

Payment Window FAQ’s

FAQ: What happens if a payment is received for more than the total amount due on a Utility account?

When posting to Utility accounts, a payment is sometimes received for more than the total amount due on the account. If no year/period balances exist to apply the payment against, the overpayment amount will be posted to an account’s “OVERPAID” bucket.The “OVERPAID” account balance can later be applied to a year/period balance or refunded/canceled. The system automaticallyapplies overpayments during bill and penalty/surcharge calculations. However, the user may apply/refund balances using the Util-ity Automated Adjustment Routines or Balance Adjustment Batch.

FAQ: Changing the Interest Date. (Per diem interest)

To change the interest date the system is using to calculate the interest due, click the Interest Date button.

FAQ: Changing the Payment Date.

To change the payment date the system will use to record the payment, click the Payment Date button.


Payment Window

FAQ: Changing/Overriding the amount of interest/penalty.

After an account has been selected in the Payment Window, click on the Year/Prd button to display the account’s detailed year/period balances. Interest/Penalty amounts may be edited for each year and period balance on this screen. An override key is avail-able for users with proper security when payments are less than the total interest due. If this override is utilized, the remainingunpaid interest will appear in the Unpaid Interest field on an account.

FAQ: What does the Subtotal button do? / How can I track the totals of a single payment to multiple accounts?

The Subtotal button displays a screen that tracks the check, cash and credit total of payments applied in the current Payment Win-dow. Use of the Subtotal button is especially helpful when entering a single payment that will be applied to multiple accounts.The Subtotal screen will enable the user to track how much of the payment has been applied as they continue to select the accountsto be paid.

Before entering the 1st account that will paid as part of a single payment to multiple accounts, the user can click the Clear buttonshown in Figure 6-11. The totals will reset to zero and a running subtotal will be kept for every subsequent payment. If validatingpayments, the subtotal for a single payment to multiple accounts can be validated on the check stub by selecting the Check (TotalPayment) option shown in Figure 6-12 or simply by selecting the check number if it was referenced on each payment.

Figure 6-11

Note: The subtotals do not include the current payment being entered.


Payment/Reversal Batch

Figure 6-12


All payments entered through the Window, as long as the Online Update option is not activated, appear in the Payment Batch untilthe batch is updated. The Payment Batch can be used to edit or delete payments receipted through the Payment Window. It is alsoused when reversing previously updated payments.

Payments may also be manually entered through the Payment Batch. However, the ability to see account information, the auto-matic application of payments to delinquent balances, and many of the other automated Payment Window features are not availablewhen the Payment Batch is used to post payments.

Batch Entry - Editing/Deleting/Adding Payments

As payments are posted through the Window, they will be stored in a Payment Batch under the Batch Id of the Payment Window used to receipt the payments. The payments will not affect the accounts until the Payment Batch is updated. Prior to the update, the Payment Batch may be used to add, edit and delete payments. Payment amounts may be added, changed, applied to different year/periods, cash and check totals can be redistributed, or payments may simply be deleted.

Note: Although payments posted through the Window using the Online Update feature will appear on the Pay-ment Batch Verification Listing, they may not be edited or deleted from Batch Entry. These payments have already posted to accounts and must be reversed if they need to be removed or corrected.

Select Billing/Collections>Payments>Payment Batch.



Figure 6-13

Batch Id - Type in or use the picklist to select the Batch Id to modify. If an new Batch Id is specified, a new batch will be created.Press Enter.

With the Batch Entry button highlighted, click Next.

Figure 6-14


Use the scroll bars on the right side and bottom of the batch to view all fields or maximize the window.

Edit - Double click a line or select a line and click Edit. Click Save after making any changes.

Delete - Select a line and click Delete to remove a batch line. To delete the entire batch, press CTRL+DEL on the keyboard. ClickSave.



Go To - This button can be used to jump to a particular sequence number in the batch. Sequence numbers are found to the far rightof each batch line and on the verification listing.

Add - Click to add a payment line to the batch. Batch fields are described below:

Tran Type - Click on the field to display Payment or Reversal. Reversals are explained in the next section.

Pay Code - Type in or use <F3> to select a payment code.

Acct# / Sub# - Type in or use <F3> to select a Utility account.

Year/Prd - Payments must be applied to a year/period with a balance. If an overpayment is being added, leave the year/period blank.

Principal - Enter the principal amount of the payment.

Int/Penalty - Enter any portion of the payment to be applied to an interest or penalty balance.

Method - Press the spacebar or click on the field to display Check, Cash or Credit.

Check # - Specify a check number, if applicable.

Descript - A payment description may be entered.

Date - Enter the payment transaction date.

Click Save when finished entering payments.

Note: The verification list must be generated after any modifications to a Payment Batch. The batch may not be updated until the Payment Batch has been successfully verified.

Reversals

When payments are erroneously updated or checks bounce, payments must be reversed. These reversals are done through the Pay-ment Batch.

Select Billing/Collections>Payments>Payment Batch.



Figure 6-15

Batch Id - If adding the reversal to an existing batch, type in the Batch Id or use the picklist to select it. To create a new batch, typein a unique Batch Id. Press Enter.

Batch Date - For new batches, enter the default date for which the reversals should appear on reports. This date may be changedwithin the batch.

Batch Type - For new batches, leave the Payment/Reversal option selected.

With the Batch Entry button highlighted, click Next.

Click Add and change the Tran Type to Reversal.

Figure 6-16


Pay Code - Type in or use <F3> to select the payment code to reverse the payment. If the payment was applied to multiple servicetypes/separate charges, multiple lines will need to be added for each pay code used.



Note: An NSF type payment code should be entered when reversing a payment due to a bounced check or non-sufficient funds. For reconciliation purposes, reversals done with this type of code will be identified sepa-rately on reports like the Account Status and Cash Receipts report. In most other cases, the payment code used to post the original payment should be used when reversing the payment.

Original Pay Date - This date must be entered in order for the system to locate the payment to be reversed. Enter the same datethe payment was recorded in the system. The user will later enter a 2nd transaction date to display the reversal on reports.

Acct# / Sub# - Type in or use <F3> to select a Utility account.

Year - Press <F3>. All of the account’s payments on the original payment date that were applied to the same balance type as thepayment code will appear. See the figure below.

Figure 6-17

Only one line may be selected at a time. However, in order to reverse an entire payment, it may be necessary to reverse multiplelines. Select the 1st line and press Ok. The original payment information will default.

Descript - A description or reason for the reversal may be referenced on each batch line.

Date - Enter the transaction date for the reversal. The reversal transactions will appear on reports (e.g. Cash Receipts, AccountStatus) as of this date. It may be different than the Original Pay Date initially specified.

If necessary, reverse each payment application line and repeat the above steps for each service type payment code until the entirepayment amount has been reversed.

Click Save. The batch totals screen will appear.

The batch must be verified and updated in order for accounts to be posted.

Note: Reversing revenue entries will be posted if the system is set up to Update Payments to Revenue.


Verifying and Updating Payment Batches

Verifying and Updating Payment Batches

The MCSJ system requires that all Payment batches be verified and updated before entries are posted.

Note: Payments receipted with the Online Update option activated do not have to be updated to post to the accounts. They post immediately when receipted through the Window and cannot be edited or deleted through the Payment Batch. However, the verification and update must still be completed in order for pay-ments to be updated to Revenue.

The verification list will show all payments receipted under a selected Batch Id. Payment application detail for each account is dis-played on the report. The verification listing identifies whether the batch contains any errors that will prevent the update. It will also list any warnings that may need to be reviewed before the batch is updated. If the batch contains no errors the following mes-sage will print after the payments are listed: “There are NO errors in this listing.” If errors do exist, they will be identified under the individual payment entries where the error has occurred. It must be corrected and the batch must be verified again in order to proceed with the update.

Verification listing totals include:

• Account totals

• Payment code and Payment type totals

• Principal totals by year and interest/penalty totals

• Overpayment totals

• Payment and Reversal totals

• Payment method (i.e. cash, check, credit totals).

• Bank totals

Note: Users who update to revenue will receive an additional page listing the financial accounts to be posted.

Note: The Payment Batch Summary Report can be utilized to summarize the totals of all outstanding batches on one report. However, all batches must still be verified and updated individually.


Select Billing Collections>Payments>Payment Batch.

Batch Id - Use the picklist to select the appropriate batch.


Payment Batch Summary Report

Figure 6-18


Batch Verification Listing - Select this option and click Next. The listing may be sorted by Sequence or Property Id (BLQ, Map/Parcel). The screen or printer options may be used to review the listing. However, the verification listing MUST be printed to aprinter in order to update the batch. The last page of the detail listing will identify any warnings or errors. Warnings should bereviewed, but errors MUST be corrected. Errors can be corrected in the Batch Entry and the verification listing MUST be reprintedin order to proceed.

Update - Once the verification listing has been successfully printed and reviewed, select this option and click Next. The updateprocedure will post transactions to accounts and will update revenue if applicable. After the update, the Payment Batch Update/Posting Report will print. The sheet contains a reference number and update totals.

Payment Batch Summary Report

This report will summarize the collection totals of all outstanding Payment batches. The collection summary consists of:

• Batch verification status for each individual batch

• Totals by payment code

• Yearly principal collections and interest/penalty totals

• Bank deposit totals

• Cash, check, and credit totals

Select Billing/Collections>Payments>Payment Batch Summary Report.


Bank Payment Batch

Bank Payment Batch

A single payment amount (e.g. Bank or Lender Payment) to be applied to multiple accounts can be entered so that a remaining pay-ment balance can be tracked as the user enters payments to each account. This can be accomplished by creating a new Payment Batch and selecting the Bank Payment option under Batch Type in Figure 6-19. The Bank Payment Amount should then be entered and the system will draw down from this amount as payments are posted in the batch.

Figure 6-19

Payments are added to the batch in the same manner as described in the “Payment Batch” section. However, the Batch Entryscreen will display a running balance as shown in Figure 6-20.

Figure 6-20

Bank Payment batches must be verified and updated just like regular Payment batches.


Payment Entry - Bank Code (Utility)

Payment Entry - Bank Code (Utility)

This is an automated routine that will generate a Payment Batch for all accounts with a specified Bank Code. The routine will find all accounts with the selected bank code and produce payment transactions for the balance due (user specified due date range). The batch can be edited and must be verified and updated before the accounts are affected.

Select Billing/Collections>Payments>Payment Entry-Bank Code.

Figure 6-21


Payment Type - Select Utility.

Batch Id - A unique Id should be specified in order to easily identify the Payment Batch. A suggestion would be to use the BankId as the Batch Id. An existing Payment Batch Id cannot be used.

Bank Code - Type in or use the picklist to select the bank.

Payment Code - Type in or use the picklist to select the payment code to be used.

Payment Date - Enter the payment transaction date.

Due From/To - The routine will generate payments for balances due within the date range.

Check Number / Description - A check number and payment transaction description may be entered.

Click Next to run the routine. A Payment Batch will be created under the Batch Id specified. This batch may be edited and MUSTbe verified and updated.


Payment Entry - Import (WIPP and Utility Lockbox Import)


The MCSJ Utility Billing system can import payment information from a file. The Payment Import will create a Payment Batch from a file provided by a third party.

Edmunds WIPP (Web Inquiry & Payment Portal)

This routine will import a WIPP payment file and create a Payment Batch. The file will contain any on-line payments posted by your customers that have not been previously imported.

Select Billing Collections>Payments>Payment Entry-Import.

Select File Type - Change to Edmunds WIPP.

Figure 6-22


User Name / Password - Enter the required user name and password to download payments from your WIPP site.

Batch Id - Specify a unique id for the Payment Batch.

Pay Code - Specify a payment code for each type of payment being imported.

Description - This description will appear on each imported payment transaction.

Create Separate Batches per Payment Date - A separate batch will be created for each unique payment date in the download.

Create Separate Batches for Tax & Utility - Separate batches will be created for Tax and Utility payments.



Click Next to import the payments and create a Payment Batch. The Download/Import WIPP Payments dialog screen will appearon the screen and will inform the user if the import was successful, failed or if no payments have been made since the last import.Click Ok and the Payment Import Error Listing will appear on the screen. A successful import will look similar to Figure 6-23.

Note: The Payment Batch MUST be verified and updated before any payments will be posted.

Note: Do NOT delete the imported Payment Batch. These payments cannot be imported again. If the batch is accidentally deleted, contact an E&A support representative for assistance.

Figure 6-23

If payments from a prior import have been canceled (e.g. insufficient funds), the screen will look similar to Figure 6-24. Thesetransactions should be reversed from the accounts using an NSF payment code. See the Reversals section of this chapter for assis-tance with entering a payment reversal.



Figure 6-24

Lockbox Imports

There are 2 steps involved in this process:

1. Copying the file

2. Importing the file

Note: Contact an E&A representative for Utility Lockbox Import file specifications.

Copying The File

Select Billing Collections>Payments>Payment Entry-Import.



Figure 6-25


Routine Type - Will default to Copy File. Leave this field alone.

Select File Type - Select Standard Utility Lock Box.

Input File Name - Identify the location and name of the file in this field.

Click Next to copy the file. If a “Copy Successful” message is not received, check that the file location and name have been typedcorrectly. Once the copy is successful, proceed to the Import step.

Importing the Payments

Once the file has been copied successfully, change the Routine Type to Import Payments.


Utility Lockbox Export

Figure 6-26


Select File Type - The Standard Utility Lock Box option should still be selected.

Batch Id - Specify a unique Payment Batch Id.

Payment Code - Type in or use the picklist to select the Utility payment code.

Description - A payment transaction description can be entered.

Click Next to run the import. A report showing the payments imported and any errors, warnings, or rejections can be printed to thescreen and/or to paper.

The imported payments may be found in the Payment Batch. They may be deleted or edited in the batch before they are updated.The batch must be verified and updated before the accounts will be posted. For assistance, follow the previous instructions in thischapter for “Payment Batch” and “Verifying and Updating Payments.”

Utility Lockbox Export

This routine will export a file containing Utility account balances.

Select Billing/Collections>Payments>Utility Lockbox Export.


Direct Withdrawal

Figure 6-27


File Type - Select Utility.

Include Charges As Of - Balances will be accumulated as of this date.

Specify a range of cycles or leave blank for all. Select the appropriate service types.

Include Delinquent Balances - Check to include delinquent balances on the file.

Include Interest - Check to include interest/penalty. Per diem interest, if applicable, will calculate as of the Interest Date.

Combine Service Types - Check to lump all service type balances together on the file. Otherwise, service type balances are iden-tified separately on the file.

Export File Name - The file will be generated to the MCSJ/ImportFiles directory. The file name is utlckbox.zip.

Click Next to generate the file.

Direct Withdrawal

This routine is used by organizations who have authorization to electronically withdraw Utility payments from customer bank accounts. The routine will create a Payment Batch to record the payments in the system and an electronic file that can be transmit-ted to your organization’s bank. Payments will only be created for accounts with bank account information.


Direct Withdrawal

Note: The Direct Withdrawal tab of Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance must be completed with your organi-zation’s bank information. The Utility Account Maintenance screen must be completed with customer bank information.

Select Billing/Collections>Payments>Direct Withdrawal.

Figure 6-28


A test file or pre-note file can be generated for all accounts that have the Prenote option checked in Utility Account Maintenance.This file is usually sent to the bank just to verify bank information on new direct withdrawal customers. To create this file, click onthe Generate Prenote File box. Only the Output File Name is required to generate the file.

Batch Id - Enter a unique Payment Batch Id.

Account Type - Select Tax or Utility. Be sure to select the correct Utility account if more than one bank account is used (e.g. sep-arate Water and Sewer bank accounts).

Pay Code - A Utility combined or single service type payment code must be entered.

Select the appropriate service types.

Payment Date - All entries will have the payment date specified.

Description - Each payment transaction will default to “Direct Withdrawal.” It may be changed.


Void Reversals

Bill Year/Period - Accounts are debited for the specified billing and any previous balances. The total balance owed as of the pay-ment date will be debited from the account

Cycle Range - Required. The file and Payment Batch will only include accounts in this cycle range.

Output File Name - Should default from Utility Billing Parameter Maintenance. The path and file name may be changed.

Click Next to run the routine. The Direct Withdrawal report may be viewed to the screen before printing it by checking Print toScreen. The report will list any discrepancies or errors, the amount to be withdrawn for each account, and bank information foreach account.

A Payment Batch will be created by the routine and must be verified and updated before the payments will post to the accounts.

Note: The routine may be run again and will always replace the previous direct withdrawal file.

Void Reversals

The MCSJ system can void reversals that were incorrectly done. Voiding a reversal will remove the reversal transaction from any transaction detail reports. The original payment will remain on the account, leaving the balance as it was before the reversal was made. If applicable, revenue transactions will be written to reflect the voided reversal.

Select Billing/Collections>Payments>Void Reversal Routine.

Figure 6-29


Cash Receipts Report


File Type - Use the drop down arrow to select the service type payment to be reversed. Each portion of the reversal must be voidedseparately.


Date - Enter the exact transaction date of the reversal(s) to be voided. Once a valid date has been entered, use the picklist to viewthe payment reversals for that date. See the figure below.

Figure 6-30


Each reversal line must be voided individually. Click on the payment reversal to be voided and click Ok. The payment reversalinformation will default.

Click Next to void the reversal. If the Revenue update is activated, a Void Date must be entered. Revenue will be posted usingthis date.

A “Void” status will appear in the Status field at the bottom of the screen after a reversal transaction has been voided. Repeat theabove process if more payment reversals need to be voided.


The Cash Receipts report allows you to print any receipts and/or reversal history between a given date range. Any activity done through the Billing/Collections>Payments menu can be tracked on the report. Numerous report parameters allow you to adjust the types of payments you will see and to include or exclude various payments. Each parameter of the report will be discussed below.

Select Billing/Collections>Payments>Cash Receipts Report.



Figure 6-31


The Report Sequence allows you to determine the order in which the report will print. Select BLQ/Account Id and the report willprint in block and lot order. Payments for each BLQ will be sub-totaled. Select Date and the report will print subtotal pages foreach date.

Ranges of BLQ’s, Utility Accounts, or Customer Id’s (AR module only) can be specified. Only payments for these accounts willbe reflected. Leave the ranges blank to see payments for all properties, accounts, etc.

Print Utility Accounts with Block/Lot/Qual - If selected, any utility payments associated with a particular BLQ will print underthat BLQ instead of under the utility account number. This enables the user to print Tax and Utility payments together under thesame BLQ.

Report Type options include Detail, Totals Only, No Headings and Summary by Date(only appears if report sequence is by date).Detail will print individual transactions and a totals page. Totals Only will print principal and interest totals by payment code. NoHeadings will exclude report headings and column descriptions from the report. It will simply list payment transactions on singlelines for purposes of easily manipulating the report using other software programs (e.g. Excel). Summary by Date will only printtotals for each date.

Specify a Date Range for the payments you wish to include on the report. Payments dated outside of this range will not appear.



A range of payment codes may be entered in the Pay Code Range. Only payments made with the selected codes will appear onthe report. Use the picklist or type in the payment code. Otherwise, leave blank for all.

A Batch Id Range may be specified in order to view only payments receipted under a specific Batch Id or user. Otherwise, leaveblank for all.

Specify a Bill Year and Bill Period Range for the payments you wish to see. Only payments receipted to a year and period withinthis range will be reflected on the report. Blank out the ranges in order to see all payments.

Select Owner or Bill To in the Name to Print drop down. Your selection determines what name will print for a property.

The Section Range applies to utility accounts. Accounts may be included or excluded from the report by specifying a section. Nopicklist is available.

The Range of City Ids applies to utility accounts. Accounts may be included or excluded from the report by specifying a City Id.No picklist is available.

Tax accounts may be included or excluded on the report by specifying a special tax code range in the Spec Tax Code Range fields.No picklist is available. Special Tax Codes can be located on the Assessed Values tab of Tax Account Maintenance.

If desired, the Range of Installment Due Dates can be used to show only Special Charge or Special Assessment payments appliedto a particular installment.

You may include or exclude cash, check, and credit card payments from the report. Leave the boxes in the Select PaymentMethod to Include fields checked in order to see those payments on the report.

Payments can be included or excluded based on their type. Use the Select Payment Type to Include boxes to choose the type ofpayments you wish to see. For example, checking the Tax box will show payments posted to tax accounts. Uncheck the boxes forany type of payments you do not wish to include on the report.

Print Miscellaneous w/Block/Lot/Qual - When checked, miscellaneous payments that referenced a blq will appear with the totalpayments for that BLQ.

Print Only Miscellaneous w/Block/Lot/Qual - When checked, miscellaneous payments that do not reference a blq will beexcluded from the report.

Checking the Print Reference Num box will print a reference number next to each payment listed on the report. The referencenumber can be used on the Payment/Reversals Reference Report to reproduce an updated Payment Batch.

Check Print to Screen and then click Print to view the report to the screen.

Click Print to print the report directly to a printer.

Note: Depending on the size of your data and your report selections, the report may take a while to appear on the screen. Please be patient.


Payments/Reversals Reference Report

Payments/Reversals Reference Report

This report will display updated payment and reversal batches by entering a reference number. Reference numbers appear on update posting sheets when Payment/Reversal batches are updated. They can also be found on transaction inquiry reports and the Cash Receipts report.

Select Billing/Collections>Payments>Payment/Reversals Reference Report.

Figure 6-32

Reference Number - Enter the reference number of the payment or reversal batch

All selected payment types will appear on the report.

Search Payment by Check Number Report

This report enables the user to search by check number for a particular payment transaction. The report will display various pay-ment transaction information including the User Id and Batch Id used to post the payment.

Select Billing/Collections>Payments>Search Payment by Check Number Report.


Search Payment by Check Number Report

Figure 6-33


Check Number - Enter the check number to find.

Date Range - The system will only search payments posted with transaction dates in the specified range.

System Date Range - This date range refers to the actual date when the transaction was updated, not the payment date enteredwhen posting the payment.

The system will only search the Payment Types selected.

Select Print to begin searching for the check number.


CHAPTER 7 Work Orders

The MCSJ Work Orders module allows users to enter and track the status of work orders. Work orders are detailed records of ser-vices provided by an organization. They enable the user to record service call information, provide work instruction, track materi-als and costs, and interface directly with the Utility Billing, Inventory Control, and Fixed Asset modules.

This chapter will provide instructions on setting up work order codes, entering work orders, and processing work orders. Workorder reporting is also covered.

Work Order Code Maintenance

Work order codes are assigned to work orders to identify the type of work to be performed. The codes may be set-up to automati-cally create billing adjustments, enter certain types of meter readings, and update the status of a utility account. Although they are technically not required to enter and save a work order, work order codes should be set-up prior to attempting to enter work orders.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Work Order>Work Order Code Maintenance.

Figure 7-1


Work Orders 7 - 1

Work Order Maintenance

View/Edit/Delete

Existing work order codes may be retrieved using the picklists in the Work Order Code or Descript fields.

Use the << and >> toolbar buttons to scroll between codes.

Edit - Click this button to modify code information. All editable fields will appear in white.

Delete - Click to delete a code. Codes assigned to work orders may not be deleted. A Delete Password is required.

Note: In Special Routines, there is a routine available to change a Work Order Code Id. Contact an E&A repre-sentative for assistance if you do not have access to Special Routines.

Add

Click Add. Enter up to 8 alphanumeric characters as a Work Order Code Id. Enter a code description.

Service Type - Select the service type associated with the type of work.

Billable - If the work is billable, this box can be checked in order to associate a valid, flat charge type Bill Code with this workorder code. When a work order is processed with a billable work order code, the system will automatically create a Billing Adjust-ment Batch.

Meter Service - If the type of work to be performed requires meter service, choose the appropriate type of service. The optionselected will determine what type of reads and/or inventory information the work order will prompt to be entered. For example, theInstall Meter option will require a Reset reading for the new meter. If the Inventory module is installed, it will also allow for anInventory Id and Serial Number to be entered for the new meter.

Select Meter - If the meter service is performed for 2nd meters, select the 2nd Meter option. Otherwise, select 1st Meter.

Update Status - When the work order is processed, the work order code can also be used to tell the system to change the status ofthe utility account. Use this field to choose whether the account’s service type should be set to Active, Inactive, or Neither.

Click Save.

Note: A list of work order codes and their settings may be printed using the Work Order Code Listing.


The Work Order Maintenance is used to enter and modify work orders. Work orders are created to track the detail of services pro-vided by an organization. They are most commonly used to track services related to Utility accounts, but can also be entered to

Work Orders 7 - 2


record the detail of miscellaneous work services. Work orders enable the user to record service call information, provide work instruction, track materials and costs, and have the ability to update meter, billing, and inventory information.

Note: Some screens and tabs may appear differently depending on whether or not the Inventory module is installed. All screens in this chapter are shown with Inventory installed.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Work Order>Work Order Maintenance.

Figure 7-2


Modify/Delete/Print/Duplicate

Existing work orders may be retrieved by typing information in or using the picklists in the following fields:

• Work Order (Work Order Number)

• Account Id (Utility)

• Owner name

Work Orders 7 - 3


• Bill To name

• Prop Loc (Property Location)

• Service Loc

• Property Identifier Number (e.g. BLQ, Map/Parcel, etc.)

The << and >> toolbar buttons can be used to scroll between work orders.

Use the toolbar buttons to edit, print or delete existing work orders.

When in edit mode, the work order status may be changed to any of the options shown in the below figure.

Figure 7-3


Status options are described below:

Open - An active, incomplete work order.

Completed - The work order service(s) have been completed. The work order is now ready for processing. A Com-pleted Date must be entered. The employee(s) who completed the work order may be referenced using the Com-pleted By User Id picklists.

Held - If the work order was completed, this status can be used to ensure it does not get processed when the Process Completed Work Orders routine is run. It can be used for any purpose, but commonly will be used when the work order has been completed, but all work order information has not been updated.

Void - The void status can be used to reflect a cancelled or incorrect work order. It will allow the history of the entered work order to remain instead of simply deleting the work order.

Processed- This status is assigned only by running the Process Competed Work Orders routine. Processing a work order will update the appropriate work order information to the Utility and/or Inventory modules.

Detail - Click on this toolbar button to view the Work Order Management Report. This report displays all work order informationin a report format.

Work Orders 7 - 4


Print - Click this button on the toolbar to print an individual Work Order.

Duplicate - Click the button (under the Service Loc) to duplicate the work order.

Add

Click Add. The next available Work Order Id will default if designated to do so in the system parameters. This number may be changed manually to any number not already used.

General

Figure 7-4


Type -

Account Id - Select this option when entering a work order for a Utility account.

Location - Select this option when the work order is not for a specific Utility account. Any location can be specified.

Work Orders 7 - 5


Fixed Asset Id (Uncommon)- This option would be used to update an aggregate fixed asset. It allows the user to add labor or materials to the fixed asset’s value.

Service call and scheduling information can be entered in the appropriate fields.

Assigned To - These picklists may be used to assign a work order to an employee(s). The employee’s name must be added in Sys-tem Utilities>User Maintenance before it can be selected.

Meter information (if applicable) will default from the Utility account.

Recurring Work Order - By flagging work orders as “recurring”, the Auto Create Recurring Work Orders Routine can be used tocontinually auto-generate new work orders on a repetitive schedule. The routine will generate a duplicate work order for anyrecurring work orders with a Next Schedule Date that falls within the user specified range. Each time a new work order is createdfrom a recurring work order, the recurring work order’s Next Schedule Date will be updated based on the Recurring Frequency.

Note: Recurring work orders cannot have meter service type work order codes or materials assigned.

Click on the Service Codes tab.

Service Codes

This screen is used to assign work order codes to a work order. The work order codes describe the services to be performed and will determine what information is updated in the Utility or Inventory modules (if any). Although recommended, work order codes are not required in order to save a work order.

Figure 7-5


Work Orders 7 - 6


Use the Add, Edit, and Delete buttons highlighted in the above figure to assign/change work order codes. If these buttons are notenabled, click Edit on the main toolbar to enable them.

Work Order Code - Use the picklist <F3> to select a code. Depending on the type of code selected (e.g. billable or meter type),the appropriate fields will enable for completion.

Bill Code/Amount - Enabled for billable work order codes only. Use the picklist <F3> to select a bill code and enter a billingamount. This information will be updated to the Bill Adjustment Batch when the work order is processed.

Interim/Final Reading - If enabled, this field is used to enter an Interim or Final reading taken when the work order service wasperformed. Check the Rollover box if the meter has rolled since the previous reading. Interim readings will be added to a MeterReading Batch when the work order is processed. Final readings will NOT be included in auto-created Meter Reading Batches.Work order Final reads can only be updated to an account by referencing the work order in the Calculate Utility Final Bill Adjust-ment routine.

Installed Meter Info - If a new meter was installed, enter the meter information. If the Inventory module is installed, the user mustselect the Inventory Id or Serial Num of the meter and the appropriate information will default. Meter information will beupdated to the account when the work order is processed.

Reset Reading - If enabled, this field is used to enter a Reset read. Reset reads will be added to a Meter Reading Batch when thework order is processed.

Click on the Notes tab.

Notes

Any miscellaneous information that needs to be recorded for the work order can be entered on the Notes tab.

Click Save when finished.

Labor/Equipment

Figure 7-6

Work Orders 7 - 7



Use the Add, Edit, and Delete buttons highlighted in the above figure to add/remove any additional billable labor or equipment.work order codes. If these buttons are not enabled, click Edit on the main toolbar to enable them.

Each charge listed on this screen requires a bill code and will be automatically added to a Utility Bill Adjustment Batch when thework order is processed.

Cost Type - Use the combo box to select whether the billable charge is Labor or Equipment related.

Description - Enter a description for the charge.

Units - Units x flat bill amount = Total

Bill Code - Use <F3> to select a Flat type Bill Code.

Click Save when finished adding charges.

Materials (Inventory Users)

This screen is used to issue inventory items for a work order.

Figure 7-7


Use the Add, Edit, and Delete buttons highlighted in the above figure to assist with identifying any inventory items that wereissued for this work order. If these buttons are not enabled, click Edit on the main toolbar to enable them.

Inventory Id - Use <F3> to access the Inventory Id picklist. Complete the remaining fields to identify the inventory item(s)issued.

Budget Account (optional) - Use <F3> to select a budget account from which to expense the issued inventory item. Specify theUnit Price of the inventory item if an account has been selected. If this information is completed, an expenditure entry will be cre-ated for the amount issued (qty * unit price) when the material is saved.

Work Orders 7 - 8

Print Range of Open Work Orders

Note: Use <F3> to access serial number, location, and budget account picklists.

Click Save when finished entering inventory items.

Print Range of Open Work Orders

This menu option enables the user to specify various ranges of criteria to selectively print Open status work orders. The Work Order system can print to blank 8 1/2 x 11 paper or can print a PDF form.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Work Order>Print Range of Open Work Orders.

Figure 7-8


Process Completed Work Orders Routine

This routine will change the status of Completed work orders to Processed. The routine will update the meter information and Active/Inactive status on Utility accounts, create flat Billing Adjustment Batch entries, and create Interim and Reset Meter Reading Batch entries.

Work Orders 7 - 9

Work Order Management Report

Note: This routine will not create Meter Reading or Billing Adjustment batches for work orders with the follow-ing Final Read work order codes: Final Read, Replace Meter with Final Read, Remove Meter with Final Read, Final Read with Reset. The Calculate Final Bill Adjustment routine must be used to update these accounts with meter readings and billing information. A Work Order Id may be specified when running this routine. See the instructions on the Calculate Final Bill Adjustment routine in the Billing chapter of this manual.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Work Order>Process Completed Work Orders Routine.

Figure 7-9


Billing Adj / Reading Batch Id - Unique Batch Id’s must be specified for any Bill Adjustment or Meter Reading batches createdby the routine. Enter an Adjustment Date for any billing adjustment transactions created by the routine.

Range of Work Order Id’s - All (leave range blank) or a selected range of work order(s) can be processed.

Completed Date Range - The routine will only process work orders with a completed date falling within the range.

Click Next to run the routine. A summary report will appear on the screen and may be printed. Any Bill Adjustment or MeterReading batches created by the routine will need to be verified and updated in order to post to accounts.

Work Order Management Report

This report produces a list of selected work order information based on user specified criteria ranges.

Work Orders 7 - 10

Purge Work Orders

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Work Order>Work Order Management Report.

Figure 7-10


Use the various criteria ranges to determine the work orders to appear on the report.

Select Status to Include - Select each work order status to appear on the report.

Select Options to Include - Information from the selected work order screens will appear for each work order shown on the report.

Purge Work Orders

This routine will purge or remove old work orders.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Work Order>Purge Work Orders.

Work Orders 7 - 11

Auto Create Recurring Work Orders

Figure 7-11


Starting/Ending Date - The routine will only purge work orders with a completed date falling within the range.

Note: The Ending Completed Date to purge work orders must be at least one year prior to the current year’s start date.

Status to Purge - The routine will only purge work orders with the status option selected.

Click Purge to run the routine.


This routine will generate new work orders for any recurring work orders with a Next Schedule Date that falls in the user specified Range of Schedule Dates.

The Work Order Prefix entered will be used when creating the Work Orders.

Select Billing/Collections>Utility Billing>Work Order>Auto Create Recurring Work Orders.

Work Orders 7 - 12


Work Orders 7 - 13

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