Do a bulk billing run

A bulk billing run lets you generate invoices for multiple customers at once—helping you save time and reduce manual work. This creates invoices for all customers at the same time.

The process of taking meter reads and turning them into invoice PDF's is done in three steps:

1. Loading meter reads into Utilmate
2. Generating and review transactions and billing exceptions
3. Printing, emailing and posting invoices

Step 1: Loading meter reads

• Basic meter reads can be loaded one-by-one using the Add meter read button or in bulk using the basic meter read import interface.
• All basic meter reads end up in the import meter reads dashboard for validation and review.
• All advanced or interval meter reads can only be loaded in bulk using the advanced meter data import interface.  

Step 2: Transaction Generation

Transactions can be run from the run scheduled tasks dashboard screen.  Select the transaction generation row and click the Details button to confirm the End Date is correct. Then select the Run button.

Tip:  You can keep an eye on progress by refreshing your screen and waiting for the task to say "Successfully Completed"

Utilmate is able to generate transactions for all customers, or for customers in selected buildings only.  Once Run is selected, if your environment is set up to bill by building, you will see a prompt box that allows you to select the buildings to generate transactions for.

This will take anywhere from 1 to 15 minutes to complete depending on the size of the transaction run.  Running this process will:

1. Generate transaction for each customer in on the billing cycle.
2. Produce billing exceptions in the billing exceptions dashboard screen.
3. Produce a transaction summary report in the Unbilled Transactions dashboard screen showing the totals for each account.

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2. Produce a transaction detail report in the Unbilled Transactions dashboard screen showing the individual transaction lines for each account.

Transactions can be run and re-run as many times as you want.  It is important to get a transaction right before progressing to the invoicing stage.  To do this, you should:

• Review and approve all billing exceptions.
• Review the above reports to ensure you are comfortable with the dates, usage and totals.

Step 3: Invoicing

Invoices can be generated from the run scheduled tasks dashboard screen.  Select the invoice generation row and click the Run button.

Tip: You can keep an eye on progress by refreshing your screen and waiting for the task to say "Finished."

Like with transactions, Utilmate is able to generate invoices for all customers (without unapproved exceptions), or for customers in selected buildings only.  Once Run is selected, if your environment is set up to bill by building, you will see a prompt box that allows you to select the buildings to generate invoices for.

This will take anywhere from 1 to 60 minutes to complete, depending on the size of the invoice run. Each PDF typically takes 1 to 10 seconds to be produced. 

Running this process will:

1. Generate invoice PDF's for each customer in on the billing cycle.  These appear in your invoices\<invoice_run> folder.
   
   
   Within the invoice run folder, two sub-folders will be displayed:
   EMAIL are the invoices that will be emailed automatically.
   POSTAL are the invoices that will need printing and posting.
   
   
2. Import the invoices into the accounts receivable and update the customer's balance.
   
   
    
3. Queue email to be sent in the new and undelivered email messages dashboard screen for approval to be sent.