Consolidated Invoice Processing Sequence

When you run the processes for consolidated billing, all eligible charge lines belonging to a customer account are consolidated into an invoice, according to the definition of the consolidated billing terms assigned to the customer account.

To generate consolidated invoices from charge lines, complete these tasks in this order:

1. Run the Import Receivables Transactions Using AutoInvoice process.
2. Check for Interface Line Errors.
3. Run the Consolidate Charge Lines for Invoice Import into Receivables process.
4. Run the Import Receivables Transactions Using AutoInvoice process (auto-executed).

Note: Before you run or schedule these processes for consolidated billing, remove the child Import AutoInvoice process from your automatic schedules and replace it with the Import Receivables Transactions Using AutoInvoice master process. Scheduling or initiating child processes during consolidated billing will result in error.

1. Run the Import Receivables Transactions Using AutoInvoice Process

Run the Import Receivables Transactions Using AutoInvoice process with the transaction source Distributed Order Orchestration or ORA_Subscriptions. If your consolidated billing terms accepts both source transactions, run the process twice for each transaction source.

Note: All charge lines from all sources must use the In Advance invoicing rule. Any charge lines assigned the In Arrears invoicing rule are created as separate invoices.

A run of the Import Receivables Transactions Using AutoInvoice process:

• Generates invoices for transaction lines not enabled for consolidated billing.
• Retains in the interface tables the transaction lines enabled for consolidated billing.
• Transaction lines retained in the interface tables are assigned the ORA_Consolidated Invoice transaction source and the status Ready for Consolidation.

These transaction lines remain in the Receivables interface tables until the criteria are met to release them for invoice import. These criteria are:

• Time-based consolidation: When the billing cycle date is reached.
• Fulfillment-based consolidation: When the billing set is marked Completed or the cut-off date is reached.
  Note:

  When you run the Import Receivables Transactions Using AutoInvoice master process to generate consolidated invoices with the Transaction Source set to ORA_Consolidated Invoice, the following optional scheduled process parameters are ignored:

  • From/To Ship Date

  • From/To Sales Order Number

  • From/To Ship-to Customer Account Number

  • From/To Ship-to Customer Name

2. Check for Interface Line Errors

The Consolidate Charge Lines for Invoice Import into Receivables process will not create consolidated invoices if any charge lines in the interface tables belonging to a particular customer account contain errors. You must ensure regular tracking and resolution of interface line errors after runs of the Import Receivables Transactions Using AutoInvoice process and before consolidation.

Use the ManageAutoInvoiceLines.xlsx workbook to resolve all errors before proceeding with Consolidated Invoice creation. To download the workbook:

1. In the Billing work area, navigate to the Import Exceptions infotile.
2. In the Transaction Source and Creation Date columns, find the process run you want.
3. In the Number of Exceptions column, select the numbered link to download the ManageAutoInvoiceLines.xlsx workbook for that process run.

You can also download the workbook to review all exceptions:

1. In the Billing work area, open the Tasks panel and select Transactions > Manage AutoInvoice Lines.
2. Download the ManageAutoInvoiceLines.xlsx workbook.

3. Run the Consolidate Charge Lines for Invoice Import into Receivables Process

Run the Consolidate Charge Lines for Invoice Import into Receivables process for the applicable business unit and transaction source. You can optionally consolidate by customer and customer account range.

The process groups the Order Management and Subscriptions Management transaction lines enabled for consolidated billing into invoices according to the definition of the consolidated billing terms assigned to the customer accounts and according to the ORA_Consolidated Invoice AutoInvoice grouping rule and line ordering rule.

Different rules apply for time-based consolidation and fulfillment-based consolidation as to when charge lines are released for invoice import and the consolidated invoice created.

Time-based consolidation:

• Consolidated invoice is created when the billing cycle date is reached.
• Invoice is created in Receivables the day after the billing cycle date.

  For example, if the billing cycle date is 7-Jan, then the invoice is created on 8-Jan.

• Invoice is created with a transaction date of 7-Jan and includes all charge lines completed up until 7-Jan 11:59pm.

Fulfillment-based consolidation:

• Consolidated invoice is created either when the billing set is marked Completed or the calculated cut-off date is reached.

  The calculated cut-off date is the number of days after the transaction date of the first charge line required to create the cut-off date for generating a fulfillment-based consolidated invoice.

• If all charge lines associated with the billing set are fulfilled before the cut-off date, then the billing set is marked Completed and the consolidated invoice is created with the fulfillment date as the transaction date.
• If only some of the charge lines associated with the billing set are fulfilled by the cut-off date, then the consolidated invoice is created with the completed charge lines and with the cut-off date as the transaction date.
• Remaining charge lines are delivered as a consolidated invoice either when the billing set is marked Completed or the next cut-off date is reached, whichever comes first.

4. Run of the Import Receivables Transactions Using AutoInvoice Process (auto-executed)

After the Consolidate Charge Lines for Invoice Import into Receivables process completes, the Import Receivables Transactions Using AutoInvoice process runs again automatically to generate the consolidated invoices in Receivables.

To review a consolidated invoice after consolidation:

1. Navigate to the Billing work area.
2. Open the Tasks panel and select Transactions > Manage Transactions.
3. In the Search section of the Manage Transactions page, enter ORA_Consolidated Invoice in the Transaction Source search field.
4. Select an invoice from the search results.
5. Review the invoice in the Review Transaction page.

The resulting consolidated invoice is a standard invoice, with these additional details specific to consolidation:

• Assigned transaction source is ORA_Consolidated Invoice.
• Each invoice line references its source system through the line transaction source.
• Invoice lines may contain purchase order details, referenced from the Purchase Order, Purchase Order Revision, Purchase Order Date, Comments, and Internal Notes attributes. The user can access these details using View > Columns > Line Information.

All other activities related to managing a consolidated invoice are the same as any standard invoice:

• Creation of distributions, installments, document sequencing (if enabled), and sales credits.
• Post-invoice activities, including adjustments, credit memos, disputes, and receipt applications.

Note: Consolidated invoices do not support prepayment applications or credit card settlement.