Amortize Revenue for a Billing

Overview

Revenue Amortization typically aims to amortize the revenue so that it is correctly reflected in the period for which it was received. Amortization Entries can be created directly from a Billing with the selected period of time spread over up to 60 Accounting Periods.

In Accounting Seed, one of three Amortization methods can be selected from the Create Amortization Entries wizard, which displays when you click Amortize Revenue from a Billing Record. These include the following:

Straight Line - Prorated Monthly - this is the default Amortization method, which is a hybrid of the Full Month and Daily Amortizations. The first and last months will be prorated based upon the remaining days in the first month and the amount still remaining during the last month. The amount for each month between the first and last months will be the same (straight line). The Accounting Periods must already be set up and are open for the number of selected periods. When this method is selected, you can include the number of Accounting Periods and a Start Date.
Note: If more than 12 Accounting Periods are entered for creating the Amortization Entries, this will be completed as a system background process (an asynchronous job).
Straight Line - Full Month - the amount will be divided equally among the number of selected Accounting Periods. The Accounting Periods must already be set up and are open for the number of selected periods. When this method is selected, you can include the number of Accounting Periods and a Start Date.
Note: If more than 12 Accounting Periods are entered for creating the Amortization Entries, this will be completed as a system background process (an asynchronous job).
Straight Line - Daily - the amount for each period is based upon the number of days in each month. When “Daily” is the selected Amortization method, you can include both a Start Date and an End Date.

Multi-currency

For foreign currency Billings (where the currency on the Billing is different from the Ledger currency), the Amount field in the Create Amortization Entries wizard will display the Ledger Amount from the Billing that is being amortized. As a result, when you click Preview Calculations, the Ledger Amount will display divided across the Accounting Periods. To support pre-existing functionality, the Amortization Entries are created in the Ledger currency.

Create Amortization Entries wizard

The Create Amortization Entries wizard includes hyperlinks to the Billing number, Customer name, and Ledger, as well as a Help link to this Knowledge Base article.

In each of the sample screens below, the total amount was $4,000.00 with the number of Accounting Periods as 12.

The wizard also includes the ability to preview calculations of the Amortization based upon the periods and amounts. Below is an example of the preview calculations for each Amortization method. Each of the three sample screens below are based upon the total amount of $4,000.00.

Straight Line - Prorated Monthly

With this Amortization method, notice that the first month is prorated based upon the remaining days in that first month. Using this example, for the next four months, the amount is exactly the same. And, the final (last) month is prorated based upon the remaining amount.

Straight Line - Full Month

With this Amortization method, the amounts will be equally divided among the number of periods.

Note: In some instances, the final period may be slightly different depending upon the initial total amount.

Straight Line - Daily

With this Amortization method, the amount for each period is based upon the number of days in each month. Using this example, the Start Date (Billing Date) is April 15 and the End Date will be August 31. Therefore, each period is based upon the number of days for each month between the Start Date and End Date. The month of April is based upon 15 remaining days and the other four months are based upon the total number of days in each month.

Return to top

Navigate to Accounting Home and click the Create Entries tab. Then, under the Revenues menu, click Billings (Customer Invoices).
Select a list view (other than the Recently Viewed list view).
Select the Billing for which you want to Amortize Revenue.
Click Amortize Revenue. The Create Amortization Entries wizard displays.
Select one of the following Amortization methods:
1. Straight Line - Prorated Monthly
2. Straight Line - Full Month
3. Straight Line - Daily
Click Next to add the Term Information. Then, update the following based upon the selected Amortization method:
1. Straight Line - Prorated Monthly or Straight Line - Full Month: The Amount and Start Date will automatically pre-populate from the Billing. This information can be modified, if necessary. Additionally, the Number of Periods will need to be added.
2. Straight Line - Daily: The Amount and Start Date will automatically pre-populate from the Billing. This information can be modified, if necessary. Additionally, an End Date can be entered.
(Optional) Enter a Description.
To review the calculations, click Preview Calculations.
Note: In the example, Straight Line - Full Month was the selected method. Therefore, the Preview Calculations are based upon monthly amounts for the selected number of Accounting Periods.
From the Preview Calculations, click Back to return to the Term Information.
Click Next to access Accounting Information & Create.
Note: The required Debit GL Account and Credit GL Account defaults from the Default GL Accounts settings in the Revenue & Expense Amortization Defaults section. Click X to remove the defaults and select another GL Account number, if necessary.
(Optional) Enter any or all of the remaining fields, such as Project and Project Task.
Click Create Entries to create the Amortization Entries.
To view the entries from the Billing, click the Amortization tab.

Note: The entries are also available from the Amortization Entries hyperlink on the Accounting Home page by selecting Create Entries | Ledger | Amortization Entries.

Note: Once the Amortization Entries have been created, the entries will automatically be posted based upon the Post Settings.

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

The naming convention for each Amortization Entry Name is the Billing Number, followed by the first to last Accounting Period. For example, in the sample screen above the Amortization Entry Name for the first entry is00000071 (Billing Number), followed by the first Accounting Period (2022-04).

Note: If a Proprietary Billing Number was added to the Billing, when the Amortization Entries are created, the actual Billing Number will still display as part of the naming convention for the Amortization Entry Name.
From here, you can click an Amortization Entry Name hyperlink to access each record to review or make edits, if necessary.

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