Create zero bills/write offs

Managers Partners  Billers

Zero bills are used to write off WIP that cannot be recovered and to remove the allocation entries against an posted WIP. Zero Bills are used for writing off WIP that cannot be recovered, and in allocating. Unallocated entries against Posted WIP.

Zero Bills can be drafted from the following locations:

• Select Client > Task Pad from the menu, then click Draft Zero Bill.

• Click New from either the Draft Bills or Credit Notes dashlet on the Client dashboard. (If configured to show.)

Either of these methods display the Zero Bill page.

1. Select or enter the Entries up to date.

2. Select Group Bill if you want to group the bill.

3. Select the checkboxes next to each services/jobs to be included in the bill (use the arrow to expand the list).

4. Click Create Draft Zero Bill.

5. From the Draft Zero Bill page, enter or select the Date (defaults to today's date).

6. Enter a Reference (mandatory) and Memo (mandatory).

7. Select the Analysis tab and remove any services that are not to be written off, or allocated by clicking the red crosses.

   You can expand jobs that have an allocation type of Manual Per Bill from where you can select the individual WIP entries.

8. By default, the bill type on each line will be Final which means that the full WIP value will be written off. Adjust the Write Off amount as required, then change the Bill Type to Progress.

9. Click Submit . Any policy errors are displayed and will need to be corrected.

10. Click Confirm to post the zero bill. You will be prompted to confirm. Click OK.

    Click Abandon to cancel the bill or Close to save the zero bill as a draft.
    
    If any service has a value of zero then there is normally positive and negative entries that balance each other out.

New Draft Zero Bill

1. Select Draft Zero Bill from the client menu or the client dashboard.

   The top of the page displays information relating to the Client Details including the Client Partner, Client Manager, the group the client belongs to (if any), the Total WIP - both posted and unposted, the Available WIP that can be used on a zero bill - both posted and unposted, the DRS that is outstanding and the status of the client.

   Below the Client Details is the Bill Details section. This section comprises of a Group Bill checkbox that will allow a Group Zero Bill to be created and will list any jobs on any group client that could be included in the zero bill. There is also an Entries Up To date field that allows the WIP entries to be restricted to a certain date.

   The final section details the services and jobs that have WIP available that can be included in the zero bill. Only jobs that have a Billing Type of Manual will be included in this section.

2. Select the WIP that is to be included in the Zero Bill and click Create Draft Zero Bill. At least one job must be selected before this button will become active. When a job is selected, the bill amount will automatically be populated but can be edited.

3. The New Draft Zero Bill wizard will be opened. The Draft Zero Bill Wizard comprises of two tabs - Header and Analysis. Additional tabs may be displayed if Bill Questionnaires are in use.

   The following tabs are available when creating zero bills.

   • The Header tab: provides information and settings for the Zero Bill.

   • The Analysis tab: details the WIP available on the zero bill and allows the amounts to be written off or allocated to be edited.

4. Complete the following information on the Header tab:

   • Name: the client name as it will appear on the zero bill.

   • Date: the date that will appear on the zero bill when confirmed. It defaults to today’s date if inside the current period, but can be changed.

   • Creator: the staff member creating the zero bill.

   • Reference: an alphanumeric reference to associate with the zero bill. This is a mandatory field.

   • Partner: the Partner assigned to the zero bill. This will default to the Client Partner but can be changed to any partner associated with the client and job selected.

   • Manager: the Manager assigned to the zero bill. This will default to the Client Partner but
     can be changed to any partner associated with the client and job selected.

   • Memo: enter any general notes/ memos to be added to the zero bill. This is a mandatory
     field.

5. On the Analysis tab, each job included in the Bill will be displayed as a summary line. There are separate lines for Time and Disbursements. For jobs that have an Allocation Type of Manual per Bill it is also possible to expand the line to view the WIP entries by Staff, Analysis, Task or Role groupings.

   Each top level line displays information relating to the Client, Service, WIP Type and Job. The available WIP is displayed along with fields for the WIP amount, Write Off amount, C/F amount and Bill Type. By default, each line will have a Bill Type of Final.

   The Write Off amount can be edited but the bill type must be changed to Progress.

6. WIP Analysis

   For Jobs that have an Allocation Type of Manual per Bill and are either a Progress Bill or a Final Bill, it is possible to expand the line to display the component WIP.

   The WIP can be grouped by Staff, Analysis, Task or Role. Clicking on a grouping level will display the WIP. Each line can be expanded to display the individual WIP entries including any timesheet narrative and internal notes. The W/O can be edited on jobs with a bill type of Progress.

   Jobs that have a bill type of Final will be closed when the Zero Bill is confirmed. Any job that has unposted expenses cannot have a bill type of Final.

7. Removing WIP

   WIP lines at any level can be removed using the cross against each line. If removed by accident it can be reinstated to the bill using the option Add Removed WIP from the Options drop-down. It is also possible to remove lines in bulk using the checkboxes against the lines and clicking Remove Selected.

8. Add another Client or Job

   The Add Another Client or Job option can be used to bring in WIP from another client or another job on the same client.

9. Select Add Another Client or Job from the drop-down at the top of the Analysis screen and then click Go. The Client Search will be displayed. Search for and select the required client.

10. The dialog will display the available WIP for the selected client. Select the WIP to be added to the zero bill and click Add Client or Job. The WIP for the selected Client/Job will be added to the Analysis screen.

11. Add a Group Client

    The Add a Group Client option allows WIP from other clients within the same group to be added to the zero bill.

12. Select Add a Group Client from the drop-down at the top of the Analysis screen and click Go. A list of clients within the same group will be displayed. Expand and select the WIP that is to be added and then click Add.

13. Auto Allocate progress WIP can be used to Auto Allocate the WIP across the zero bill.

14. Select Auto-Allocate Progress WIP from the drop-down at the top of the Analysis screen and click Go.

    The Selected Progress WIP tab allows the WIP that is included in the zero bill to be auto allocated. Time and Disbursements need to be dealt with separately. Enter the P/L that is required for the Time and Disbursement lines.

15. Clicking Add will apply all allocation.

16. Add Removed WIP allows any WIP that has been removed from the zero bill or any WIP that was excluded from the zero bill when first drafting, to be added to the zero bill.

17. Select Add Removed WIP from the drop-down at the top of the Analysis screen and click Go.

18. The Add Selected WIP dialog will be displayed, listing the clients included in the zero bill with the ability to drill-down to see the jobs and WIP attached. Select the WIP that is to be added and click Add.

19. Add Unposted WIP: The Add Unposted WIP option allows any WIP that is available but unposted to be included in the zero bill.

20. Select Add Unposted WIP from the drop-down at the top of the Analysis screen and click Go.

    The Add Unposted WIP dialog will be displayed listing any unposted WIP for the client. An option to include any group clients in the display is also available. Select the WIP to be added and click Add.

    It is important to note that any Unposted WIP that is added to the zero bill is posted as part of the process. Abandoning the zero bill or removing the WIP from the zero bill will not reset the WIP back to Active.

    Unposted Expenses will only be shown for selection if the Allow Expense Posting option is enabled in the billing settings.

21. Edit WIP

    The Edit WIP option allows for the Analysis Code and Narrative to be edited on WIP entries included in the zero bill.

22. Select Edit WIP from the drop-down at the top of the Analysis screen and click Go.

    The Edit WIP dialog is displayed listing any clients that are included in the zero bill. Expand the lines to display the entries that need to be edited. Make any changes that are required and click Save.

23. Click OK to confirm the zero bill.

Buttons

The Draft Zero Bill Wizard displays various buttons across the top.

These buttons provide various actions within the zero bill:

• Close: the Close button will save the draft zero bill and Close the wizard. The draft zero bill can be reopened from the Client Drafts page and the Billing Portfolio.

• View: the View button will preview the draft zero bill. The View button is only available
  if narrative has been added to the Narrative tab.

• Guide: the Guide button will open the Billing Guide for the client.

• Submit: the Submit button will check any bill policies and submit the zero bill for confirmation. Although the button will always be available, if there are any issues with the zero bill a dialog will be displayed detailing the policy errors.

• Activate: the Activate button will activate a submitted zero bill and allow further editing.

• Confirm: the Confirm button will only become available if the zero bill has been submitted and all policy checks have passed. If there are any questionnaires that require approval it will not become active.

• Abandon: this will delete the draft zero bill and release all WIP back to the WIP ledger.

Zero Bill Reversal

Any Zero Bill can be reversed. This process will reinstate all WIP that was written off with its original information. Zero Bills can be reversed either from the Client Dashboard or from the Client menu.

1. To reverse the Zero Bill, click Reverse next to the selected zero bill.

2. Click OK to confirm the reversal and click Cancel to cancel.