Understanding Billing Frequency Information

Set up billing frequency information, or cycles, for recurring and irregular billings such as rent, expense participation, escalations, and sales overage in the Billing Frequency Information program (P15019). The billing cycle determines how often and when an account is billed. You can set up weekly billing cycles or periodic billing cycles for monthly, quarterly, semiannual, annual, and irregular billing cycles.

Regardless of the type of billing cycle, you must assign it a fiscal date pattern code so that the system can correlate the period with a calendar. For example, if you specify that annual billing should occur in period 12, you must indicate whether period 12 is December or May. The fiscal date pattern code defines the beginning and ending of the fiscal year, as well as the number and length of each period for that year.

Note: You can use a regular fiscal pattern for all billings. Each billing process posts transactions to the correct period in the general ledger based on the fiscal pattern that is associated with the company on the lease. Billing frequencies that are attached to sales overage information must always be assigned a calendar fiscal pattern as sales are processed by calendar year.

Use the following guidelines when setting up a fiscal date pattern code:

For periodic billings, assign a fiscal date pattern code that is set up in the F0008 table.
You can add or revise fiscal date pattern codes by accessing the Date Patterns form from the Form menu in the Company Names & Numbers program (P0010).
For weekly billings, assign a fiscal date pattern code that is set up in the F0008B table.
Verify whether the 52-period date pattern exists by selecting the corresponding option when you set up the weekly billing frequency. If a date pattern does not exist, set up the 52-period date pattern in the Set 52 Period Dates program (P0008B).

If you enter a fiscal date pattern code that is not set up in the correct table, the system displays an error message when you post billings.

The system stores billing frequency information in the Billing Frequency Master table (F15019).