Delay Billing Updates (K85)

Purpose: Use this screen to define whether the Billing Async defers certain updates until the Delay Billing Update Process processes them.

Yes/No field: Select this field to have the Billing Async defer certain updates until the Delay Billing Update Process processes them.

Note: Select this system control value if you have a high volume of billing and are unable to process all of your billing updates within one business day; otherwise, unselect this system control value.

When this system control value is selected, the system updates the Process Date field in the Invoice Header table to 0 for records processed by the Billing Async that require additional updates.

Set consistently in all companies: The setting of this system control value and of the Number of Billing Async Jobs to Start (F08) system control value should be consistent in all companies in your environment:

• If all companies have this system control value selected, then all companies should have the Number of Billing Async Jobs to Start (F08) system control value set to the same number, and the number should be higher than 1.

• If all companies have this system control value unselected, then all companies should have the Number of Billing Async Jobs to Start (F08) system control value set to 1.

If all companies do not have these two system control values set consistently as described above, the system starts a single billing async job and generates a System Alert Email when you start the async jobs. See Order Management System Support Notifications for background.

Delay Billing Update Process

To submit the Delay Billing Update Process:

• When active, at defined intervals, the BILL_UPD Billing Update integration layer job processes deferred billing updates for records in the Invoice Header table whose Process Date field is 0. The Outbound delay time defined for the BILL_UPD integration layer job defines how often the job processes the deferred billing updates. Example: If the Outbound delay time is 60, the system looks for deferred billing updates to process every 60 seconds. Note: The job processes records for all companies whose Delay Billing Updates (K85) system control value is selected.

• When submitted, the BILLUPD Batch Billing Update periodic function (program name PFR0100), processes deferred billing updates for records in the Invoice Header table whose Process Date field is 0. Note: The periodic function processes records only for the company specified when you submit the process.

Active procedure: When you submit the Delay Billing Update Process, the system creates the BILLUPD active procedure; you can review the active procedure record in the Purge Active Procedures Across Users (MACX) menu option.

• If you submit the Delay Billing Update process using the BILL_UPD Billing Update integration layer job and the BILLUPD active procedure exists, the system does not run the process and instead ends the BILL_UPD Billing Update integration layer job and generates an Active Procedure log with the message Billing Updates is currently active - job aborted.

• If you submit the Delay Billing Update process using the BILLUPD Batch Billing Update periodic function and the BILLUPD active procedure exists, the system does not run the process and ends the job immediately.

The system automatically removes the BILLUPD active procedure once all delay billing update records are processed. However, if the BILLUPD active procedure is stranded (for example, the system went down while the process was running), you must remove the BILLUPD active procedure before you can submit a a new Delay Billing Update Process.

Which billing updates are delayed? See Updates During Background Processing for a table that lists the billing updates that are deferred until the Delay Billing Upload Process processes them.

Consolidate invoices: If the Consolidated Invoice (B49) system control value is selected, the system consolidates invoices that are created for the same order and on the same day before the next run of the Delay Billing Update Process.

Example: If the Consolidated Invoices (B49) system control value is selected and the Invoice Consolidation Method (E29) system control value is set to ORDER, when you generate three pick slips for an order before running the Delay Billing Update Process, the system creates one invoice for all of the pick slips. However, if you run the Delay Billing Update Process after generating two pick slips and before generating the third pick slip, the system creates one invoice for the first two pick slips and creates a separate invoice for the pick slip that was generated after running the Delay Billing Update Process. See the Invoice Consolidation Method (E29) system control value for a discussion of invoice consolidation and examples.

Multiple billing asyncs: If the Number of Billing Async Jobs to Start (F08) system control value is a number greater than 1, you should also select the Delay Billing Updates (K85) system control value in order to achieve greatest system performance.

Starting and stopping the BILL_UPD integration layer job: The following periodic functions allow you to start and stop the BILL_UPD integration layer job immediately or using a defined schedule.

• STRBILL Start BILL_UPD (program name ILRSTRBILLUPD), allows you to start the BILL_UPD Billing Update integration layer job.

• ENDBILL End BILL_UPD (program name ILRENDBILLUPD), allows you to end the BILL_UPD Billing Update integration layer job.

Unselect this field to have the Billing Async complete all updates immediately. The system updates the Process Date field in the Invoice Header table with the current invoice date.

Note: If this system control value is unselected, the Number of Billing Async Jobs to Start (F08) system control value should be set to 1.

For more information: See:

• How to Schedule a Job for more information on the steps required to schedule a periodic process to run based on a defined schedule. You can define a schedule for the BILLUPD Batch Billing Update periodic function, the Start Billing Update IJCT periodic function, and End Billing Update IJCT periodic function.

• Updates During Background Processing for a table that lists the billing updates that are deferred until you run the Delay Billing Update Process.