Understanding Invoice Batches

When you generate invoices, the system creates a batch of invoice transactions. It also updates the transactions in the Billing Detail Workfile table (F4812) with this information:

• Batch number

• Invoice number

• Pay item number

• Invoice date

A batch is a group of transactions that the system processes and balances as a unit. The Service Billing Batch Control table (F48011) stores batch information.

You use the Batch Review program (P48221) to select a batch of transactions to prepare for further processing. For example, if you print invoices for review by project managers, you can use the Batch Review program to correct the invoices.

The system uses the Current Activity field in the F48011 table to control the processes for a particular batch. The system updates the Current Activity field while the batch is actively being processed. For example, you select a batch and run the Journal Edit Register program (R48300). The system updates the Current Activity field to 3 (Journal generation in process), indicating that the batch is actively being processed. The current activity status prevents others from accessing this batch until the Journal Edit Register program has finished, at which time the system resets the Current Activity field to 0 (Available to process). The batch is then available for subsequent processing.

In some cases, you might need to revise the current activity of a batch. For example, you might need to do this when the Invoice Generation program (R48121) does not finish normally due to a power failure. In this case, the current activity status prevents you from accessing the batch for further processing. Contact the database administrator to reset the currency activity of the batch in the Batch Header table (F48011).