Bill Segment Errors

If you consider the huge number of variables involved in the creation of a bill segment, it probably won't surprise you to learn that occasionally, some bill segments are in error.

Errors tend to be caused by missing or inconsistent data. Some examples of classic errors:

• Missing meter reads. For example, if the system cannot find a relevant read (and it's not allowed to estimate) for a metered service point, it generates an error.
• Missing master data. For example, if a bill is supposed to be routed to the account's mailing address and the account doesn't have such an address, an error is generated.
• Missing rate data. For example, if a rate contains a customer specific charge and there is no value defined on the customer's service agreement, an error is generated.

The system saves bill segments that are in error just as it saves bill segments that are error-free. This is done because bill segments are nothing more than a snapshot of the data that was used to calculate the charges. By saving the snapshot, you can see the information the system used when it detected the error and therefore more effectively fix the cause of the error. The standard way to fix an error is to:

• Look at the bill segment to determine the cause of the error.
• Correct the cause of the error.
• Regenerate the bill segment. Regeneration simply deletes the offending segment and recreates a new segment using the corrected information.

For every bill segment in error, a record is written to the Bill Segment Exception table.

It's obvious but worth stressing that a bill may contain some segments that are perfect and others that are in error. Once all segments that are in error are corrected, the bill can be completed (and sent to the customer).

If the bill segment in error was created as part of the batch bill process, the system attempts to fix the offending segment(s) each night during the account's bill window by regenerating it. Therefore, if the cause of the error is fixed during the day, the system will automatically regenerate the bill segment when batch billing next runs; you don't have to manually correct each bill. And once a bill is error-free, it will be completed and sent to the customer.