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Recurring Billings

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Overview

A Recurring Billing is a Billing template that allows you to create billing records that should be repeated during a defined future interval. 

Important: If you are an existing user who is using your own Lightning Record Page for the Recurring Billing object, in order to see the Advanced Line Manager, a new page must be activated. For information on the one-time configuration setup, refer to the Winter '23 Configuration Changes article.

Do you want to:

Create a Recurring Billing

  1. Navigate to Accounting Home and click the Setup tab. Then, under the Automations menu, click Recurring Billings.
  2. Click New.
    Note: Setting up a Recurring Billing includes an Owner field that is populated with the login user name. 
    Note: The Opportunity field is not required for the New Recurring Billing to be saved. However, it is helpful to use this field if a specific opportunity relates to this Billing.
  3. The following fields are required before the New Recurring Billing can be saved:
    • Recurring Billing Name: Any name can be used.
    • Customer: Search for the customer name to send the Billing.
    • Status: Determines if the Recurring Billing should still be used (defaults to Active, can be set to Inactive).
    • Billing Frequency defaults to Monthly but can be reset to:
        • Weekly
        • Bi-weekly
        • Quarterly
        • Semi-Annual
        • Annual
          Note: Accounting Seed does not support the usage of custom frequencies.
    • Next Billing Date: Used to specify the creation date of the next Billing.
  4. Complete the following optional fields:
    • End Date: Used to specify the date until which Billings can be created from this Recurring Billing. If the Next Billing Date is equal to or greater than the End Date, the Status on the Recurring Billing will automatically be set to “Inactive.” If an attempt is made to create a Billing after the End Date, a message displays to indicate that “You cannot create a Billing from an inactive Recurring Billing record.”
      Note: The existing End Date can be manually changed and the Status can be reset to “Active,” if necessary.
    • Last Billing Date: Used for recording the date the last Billing was created from this Recurring Billing template. It is ignored when creating a new Billing.
  5. Exit the New Recurring Billing screen by clicking:
    • Save: Saves the New Recurring Billing. 
    • Save & New: Saves the New Recurring Billing screen and offers another (blank) New Recurring Billing screen to populate (repeat this process until all required Recurring Billings have been created).
    • Cancel: Cancels the current New Recurring Billing.

RB_End_Date_01.png

Note: The Exclude from Automation checkbox is used in conjunction with scheduled jobs. By default, this is unchecked and the Recurring Billing record will be included in a scheduled job. When checked, the Recurring Billing record will be excluded from the scheduled job.

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Create Recurring Billing Lines

The Advanced Line Manager functionality that includes the data grid with expand/collapse drawer capabilities is available when creating a Recurring Billing Line.

Important: If you are an existing user who is using your own Lightning Record Page for the Recurring Billing object, in order to see the Advanced Line Manager, a new page must be activated. For information on the one-time configuration setup, refer to the Winter '23 Configuration Changes article.

The Advanced Line Manager functionality includes the following:

  • After saving a Recurring Billing header record, an initial Recurring Billing Line row will automatically display with the drawer expanded for entering the first row of data.
  • The ability to include images and hyperlinks that are created using formula fields:
    • If you include images on your products or other objects and would like to have a formula field that displays an image in the Advanced Line Manager, you will need to create a formula field. Once the new formula field is created, you will need to add it to the Advanced Line Manager Columns or Drawer field set.

      Best Practice: Since an image typically takes up extra real estate on the screen, the new image formula field should be added to the Advanced Line Manager Drawer field set. 

    • If you want to include a hyperlink to a document, you can create formula fields. Create a text formula field and a URL formula field. The text formula field should reference the API Name of the URL field. For example, HYPERLINK(URL_field_c “my URL”). The URL field would contain the hyperlink to the file. For example, a PDF file for a Contact. Once the new formula fields are created, you will need to add them to the Advanced Line Manager Columns or Drawer field set.

      Important: In order for the clicked hyperlink from the Advanced Line Manager to actually take you to the document, both the text formula field and the URL formula field must be populated in the Advanced Line Manager Columns or Drawer field set.

      For information about using images and hyperlinks in formula fields, refer to the Use Images in Formula Fields Salesforce article. Additionally, if you need information about how to add the new formula fields to the Advanced Line Manager field sets, refer to the Edit a Field Set article.

  • If a required field is missed, when you click Save, the icon below displays, which you can hover over to view any missing required fields. In the example below, the Date required field was missing.

    REBL_05.png

  • Allows you to make changes to the header section of the Recurring Billing, which will refresh and display on the Advanced Line Manager data grid. For example, you updated the name in the Customer field of the header section. Using this example, Customer Account is a column on the Advanced Line Manager data grid. When you saved the change in the header section, the data grid will automatically update the line with the correct Customer Account name. Additionally, if you add a new line or change information on a line without saving, and then attempt to make changes to the header section, the message below will display. If you click Stay on this List, you can continue to update changes on the line in the data grid and save your changes. The changes that you made to the header will be updated and saved after the line information is saved. If you select Discard Changes, the line changes will be removed and only the header information will be saved and changed.

    ALMRB_01.png

  • The top section of the data grid, which displays when a drawer is expanded and/or collapsed, includes the following fields:
    Note: Depending upon your setup, these fields may be different if the Advanced Line Manager Columns field set was edited. For more information, refer to the Edit a Field Set article.
      • Date
      • Recurring Billing Line Name - initially displays grayed out until the row is saved. After saving, this field will automatically populate with the subsequent Recurring Billing Line number, such as RBL - 00012.
      • Product
      • Quantity
      • Unit Price
      • Sub-Total - initially displays grayed out until the row is saved. After saving, this field will automatically populate with the Sub-Total amount.
      • Total - initially displays grayed out until the row is saved. After saving, this field will automatically populate with the Total amount.
      • Revenue GL Account
  • The expanded drawer section of the data grid, which only displays when the drawer is expanded, includes the fields below:
    Note: Depending upon your setup, these fields may be different if the Advanced Line Manager Drawer field set was edited. For more information, refer to the Edit a Field Set article.

    Note: Click the right-arrow to expand the drawer. Once the drawer is expanded, a down-arrow will display with the open drawer. The down-arrow can be clicked at any time to collapse the drawer, if necessary.

    REBL_01.png

      • GL Variable 1-4
      • Project
      • Project Task
      • Tax Group - related to Header Level Posting (HLP) being enabled and using AS Native Tax calculation. For information about Tax Groups, refer to the Set up AS Native Tax article.
      • Comment
  • Button options that display on the upper-right section of the data grid include the following:

    RBL_01.png
      • Add Row - the ability to add one or multi rows to the data grid can be performed by clicking Add Row. The new row(s) will display at the bottom of the last row. For example, the Recurring Billing record that currently displays has 2 pages of Recurring Billing Lines. Then, Add Row is clicked to add a new row.  The new row will display at the bottom of the last row on page 2.
      • Save - when a change is made to the information on the data grid, this button becomes enabled. Click Save to save any changes.

        Important: Click Save prior to leaving the record detail page. Otherwise, changes will be lost. For example, if you are on the Recurring Billing record detail page, and leave this page to access the Accounts page without clicking Save, any changes on the Recurring Billing Lines data grid will be lost.

      • Refresh - reloads the data grid with the latest/most recent information.
      • Import - used to import new and/or existing template file data as Billing Lines into the data grid. For more information, refer to the Import a Recurring Billing Template File section below. 
      • Export - used to export Billing Lines into a .CSV file for reviewing and/or updating. For more information, refer to the Export Recurring Billing Lines into a File section below.
      • Delete - used to delete one or multiple rows of data. Select the row(s) that you want to delete. Then, click Delete.

        Important: Clicking Delete is a soft Delete. Click Save to complete the Delete action.

        REBL_03.png

      • Undo - provides the ability to undo the last action that was performed prior to clicking Save. Additionally, you can continue to click Undo to undo any additional actions that were performed prior to saving. If you attempt to use the Undo button after saving information, the “No recent updates” message will display.
      • Redo - if the Undo button was used to undo information in a field(s), the Redo button can be used to re-add the data that was removed from a field(s). Redo can be clicked to redo the last action and any other actions that were performed prior to clicking Save.
  • Three actions can be performed from the Actions drop-down list.

    REBL_04.png

      • Clone - use this action to make a clone of the existing row. When a row is cloned, the same line number displays for the clone version of the row. The line number can be updated to the next sequential line number by clicking the Pencil icon to make the change. The order of the line numbers following the change will automatically adjust to the correct numbering sequence.
        Note: Line number order can be modified if you have one of the following permission levels:
          • AS Full Admin
          • Accounting Manager
          • Cash Out Banking

      • Edit - use this action to make changes to a line. Clicking the Edit action displays the Edit Record dialog box. Make any necessary changes. Then, click Save.
        Note: Clicking Save from the Edit dialog box is a soft Save. After saving here, click Save on the button row that displays at the top right section of the data grid.

        Note: In addition to using the Edit action to make changes, fields that are editable on the data grid display with the Pencil icon. Therefore, on any field that has this icon, click the Pencil icon to make an edit. Then, click Save to save your changes. Additionally, you can click the Pencil icon to make changes on multiple rows and then, click Save once to save all of the changes at the same time.

      • Delete - use this action to delete a single row.
        Note: Clicking the Delete action is a soft Delete. To complete the deletion, click Save on the button row that displays at the top right section of the data grid.
  • Up to 10 rows per page will display in the data grid. If you have more than 10 rows, normal pagination will be available to select the Next/Previous page and/or pages in between.

    Recurring_06.png
  • Column headings on the data grid are sortable. Click the up-arrow or down-arrow to change the sort order from ascending to descending.

    RBL_02.png
    •  
  • To prevent errors based upon Salesforce limits when creating records, Accounting Seed restricts the number of Recurring Billing Lines within a single Recurring Billing to 500 lines without a Product on any lines and 250 lines with a Product on even just 1 line.

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Use the steps below to create a Recurring Billing Line(s)

  1. If you already have a Recurring Billing displayed based upon the information above, continue with step 2. Otherwise, navigate to Accounting Home and click the Setup tab. Then, under the Automations menu, click Recurring Billings. Do the following:
    1. Select a list view (other than the Recently Viewed list view).
    2. Select a desired Recurring Billing. Then, continue with step 2.
  2. The initial row displays in the expand/collapse data grid. Complete the required fields.

    RecurBL_01.png
    Note: Click here to view the above image in full screen.   

    1. Date - click the Calendar icon to select the Recurring Billing Line Date.
    2. Quantity
    3. Unit Price
  3. (Optional) Complete the following fields, as necessary.
    1. Product
    2. Revenue GL Account
    3. Comment
    4. GL Variable 1-4
    5. Project/Project Task
      Note: If a Project is selected, a Project Task must also be selected.
    6. Tax Group - click the Lookup icon to search for and select the Tax Group.
      Note: If Header Level Posting (HLP) is enabled and using AS Native Tax calculation, the Tax Group field is available. For information about Tax Groups, refer to the       Set up AS Native Tax article.
  4. Click Save.
  5. (Optional) Click Add Row to include an additional row(s).

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Clone a Recurring Billing

  1. Navigate to Accounting Home and click the Setup tab. Then, under the Automations menu, click Recurring Billings.
  2. Select a list view (other than the Recently Viewed list view).
  3. Click the Recurring Billing that you want to clone.
  4. Click Clone w/Lines. The Clone with Lines dialog box displays.

    RBClone_01.png

  5. (Optional) Update the Next Billing Date.
    Note: The Next Billing Date defaults to today’s date.
  6. (Optional) Select the appropriate Currency from the drop-down list.
    Note: The Currency drop-down list only displays if Multi-currency is enabled.
  7. Click Clone.
  8. On the Edit dialog box, update the Recurring Billing information, as needed. 
  9. Click Save.

Import a Recurring Billing Template File

The Import button in the Advanced Line Manager is similar to and built on the Import Templates tool.  The Import process in the Advanced Line Manager offers a quick and easy way to add additional lines into an existing Recurring record. The name of the Recurring record or the Salesforce ID number must be used to import the new lines directly into an existing Recurring record. 

The main steps for importing include performing a one-time creation and mapping process. Once a file has been imported and mapped to the related fields on the record, the file can be selected and reused, as needed, without having to re-map fields. 

Only .CSV files can be imported using the Import button in the Advanced Line Manager. 

Best Practice: To avoid issues with special characters creating error messages when importing files, we recommend that you save import files using .CSV UTF-8 as the extension instead of only saving as a .CSV file extension. 

Import files with up to 200 lines of data can be imported using the Import button in the Advanced Line Manager. 

  1. Navigate to Accounting Home and click the Setup tab. Then, under the Automations menu, click Recurring Billings.
  2. Select a list view (other than the Recently Viewed list view).
  3. Select the Recurring Billing for which you want to import new lines. Then, scroll to the Recurring Billing Lines related list.
  4. Click Import. 
  5. Refer to the Upload File and Select/Create Template article to complete the Import process. 

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Export Recurring Billing Lines into a File  

The Advanced Line Manager includes an Export button, which provides the ability to export all of the Recurring Billing Lines into a .CSV file for reviewing the data. For example, you might have a large number of lines on a Recurring Billing, exporting the data would make it easier to review all lines in one file, at the same time. For Recurring Billings, up to 250 lines can be exported into a .CSV file. Additionally, since the exported file includes a Salesforce Record ID for each line, you can make changes to the exported file and then, import the file to include the changes. 

Important: Since the Import process handles low volume imports that are up to 200 lines, if you export more than 200 lines and want to re-import, you may need to split up the file so that only 200 lines are imported at a time.

The naming convention for the .CSV file that automatically downloads once Export is clicked includes the following:

<header_record_name>_Export_<Date-Time Stamp>.csv

RB - 00012_Export_20220610_12_05.csv

  1. Navigate to Accounting Home and click the Setup tab. Then, under the Automations menu, click Recurring Billings.
  2. Select a list view (other than the Recently Viewed list view).
  3. Select the Recurring Billing for which you want to export the lines. Then, scroll to the Recurring Billing Lines related list.
  4. Click Export. 

    RBL_02.png
    Note: Click here to view the above image in full screen. 

    A .CSV file automatically downloads.
    Note: When you export a file, it will automatically be saved in your Downloads folder. However, you can navigate to save the file in a preferred location.

  5. Open the .CSV file. Then, review or make changes to the data, as necessary.  For more information, refer to the Update Existing Recurring Lines (Recurring Objects - Import Templates) article.

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____________________

Summer_23.png

Summer '23 Release

Release Notes and Schedule

  • Images and hyperlinks can be included in the Advanced Line Manager using formula fields. 

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