Invoicing, Clearing, and Okaying Service Calls

On the e-automate toolbar, click [Dispatch] to open the Dispatch Console window.

In the Technicians region, select the technician with the call to be marked as Ready to invoice (cleared), OK to invoice, or invoiced. E-automate displays calls assigned to this technician.

In the Service calls for - xx region, select the call to be invoiced.

If necessary to edit the service call settings prior to clearing, you must edit these settings prior to entering the Invoice Call window. To edit the service call, do the following:

Click [Edit] to open the Edit Service Work Order window.

Change the information as appropriate.

Click [OK] to save the changes.

If you edited the call settings, verify that the call you want to invoice is still selected.

Click [Invoice] to open the Invoice call – Standard entry window.
Note: Verify the name of the window. If the window is titled Invoice call – Quick entry, click [Standard Entry] in the lower left corner of the window.

If you have assigned the call to the incorrect equipment/item, replace the equipment/item to which the call was originally issued with the correct equipment/item. To replace the equipment/item with another equipment/item, do the following:
Note: When the service call was originally created, you may not have known the equipment/item to be serviced. You should now select the appropriate equipment/item.

In the Equipment/Item field, use the lookup to select the equipment/item that was serviced.
Note: If you do not have the correct equipment/item on the equipment/item list, you must first create the equipment/item record.

To edit the equipment/item profile for the selected equipment/item, do the following:

In the Equipment/Item field, use the drop-down menu to select Edit. The system displays the Edit Equipment/Item window.

Change the information as appropriate.

Click [OK] to save the information.

Complete the following fields as appropriate:

Ready to review (cleared): When checked it allows the technician to move on to another call and lets you know it’s ready for review and the invoice process. Ready to review (cleared) calls display on the list of a technician’s calls in the Dispatch Console.

Contract number: Number of the service contract associated with this equipment/item, if any.
Note: The contract number links the costs associated with this call to the service contract.

Description: Update the description or the reason for the service call, if necessary.

Caller contact: Use the lookup to select a different caller contact, if necessary.

Caller: Update the caller contact information if needed.

Call type: Use the lookup icon to select a different call type, if necessary.

Priority: Use the lookup icon to select a different priority, if necessary.

Technician: Use the lookup icon to select a different Technician, if necessary.

Call received at: Date and time the call was received, make adjustments as necessary.

Due by: Date the service invoice will be due to be paid once invoiced. This field is populated based on the customer’s terms.

Start time – est.: Estimated date and time the technician is to start working on the call, make adjustments as necessary.

Duration – est.: Estimate amount of time to complete the call, make adjustments as necessary.

PO number: Purchase order number provided for the service call, if any.

Bill code: Code designating how the call should be billed.
Note: If the equipment/item is under contract, the bill code from the contract will automatically be entered into this field. If it is not under contract, the bill code from the equipment/item profile will be entered. If the equipment/item does not have a bill code this field will be blank and you will have to add a bill code. In most cases, if the call is not covered under contract, the bill code should be some derivative of time and materials.

Job: Job associated with this service call, make adjustments as necessary.

Sales Rep: Name of the sales rep to receive credit for the revenue from this service call.

Work Order: Work order number to which this service call is assigned.

Call number: Number assigned to the service call during call creation. Service calls are automatically assigned the next sequential number in the database, but you may change it if necessary during call creation. You cannot change the call number during the invoicing process.

Date: Date you are invoicing the call.

Verify the Labor tab is forward.

If the technician listed on the Labor tab did not perform any labor for the call, remove the technician by doing the following:

Select the technician to be removed from the list.

Click [Remove] to display a message asking if you want to remove the selected technician.

Click [Yes] to remove the technician from the list.

If the technician who performed the labor for the call is displayed on the list, double-click on the technician to open the Edit Labor window. If the technician who performed the labor for the call is not displayed, click [Add] to open the Add Labor window.

If the call was interrupted, do the following:
Note: You should record any interruptions first.

In the Interruptions field, use the lookup to select the reason for the interruption.

In the Description field, enter a brief description of the interruption.

In the Hours field, enter the number of hours on the call that was interrupted.
Note: You can enter increments of hours if necessary. For example, enter .25 hours for 15 minutes.

Click [QuickAdd] to add the information to the Work interruptions region.

Complete the following fields as appropriate.

Technician: Use the lookup icon to select the technician who worked on the call.

Assist: When checked, the technician will be recognized as one who helped another technician on this service call rather than the primary technician.
Note: If your company uses DeskTech, the Technician assigned to the call on the Call info tab is your company's queue technician, and you check the Assist box to indicate the technician for whom you are entering labor assisted with the call, then the system will display this call in DeskTech. For more information, see the DeskTech Setup topic in the online DeskTech help.

Activity code: Use the lookup to select the appropriate activity performed by the technician for this labor record.
Note: You can record multiple labor records to record different types of activities performed by technicians. Be aware that on labor records where there is no travel the dispatch and arrival dates and times will be the same.

Dispatched: Date and time the call was dispatched to the technician.
Note: If this call was dispatched, e-automate shows the dispatched time in the Dispatched field. If when completing the call, the arrival and departure fields were populated, e-automate shows them here in the Arrival, and Departure fields. For equipment in other time zones, you can hover (rest your mouse over the field) your mouse over the Dispatched, Arrival, and Departure fields to see the equipment time zone information.

Arrival: Date and time the technician arrived at the service site.

Departure: Date and time the technician departed the service site.

Tax as: Tax category in which the labor you are adding belongs.

Beginning: Number displayed on the technician's vehicle odometer when the technician was dispatched to the call.

Ending: Number displayed on technician’s vehicle odometer when the technician arrived at the call.

Mileage: Total number of miles the technician traveled to and from the call. This number is calculated from the beginning and ending odometer readings, if any. You can override the mileage as necessary.

Regular: Regular rate charged for the technician’s time. Regular and Overtime rates are populated from the bill code assigned to the call. You can override the rates as necessary.

Overtime: Overtime rate charged for the technician’s time. You can override this rate as necessary.

Labor hours: Number of hours the technician worked on the service call. This number is calculated, but you can override it if necessary.

Overtime hours: Number of hours the technician worked overtime. This number is calculated, but you can override it if necessary.
Note: E-automate can deduct interruptions from overtime hours first if you administrator configured it this way.

Travel hours: Number of hours the technician spent in travel time. This number is calculated, but you can override it if necessary.

Billable Mileage: Total number of billable miles the technician traveled to and from the call. This number can come from the difference between the Beginning and Ending odometers, or can be pre-populated from the customer record based on the number or miles specified on the customer profile. You can override this field as necessary.

Click [OK] to save the labor information and return to the Invoice Call – Standard Entry window.

If you need to add an additional labor record to record other labor activity performed by the technician, click [Add] to open the Add Labor window. Complete Step 3 again for a different activity code.
Note: When adding multiple labor records to account for different activities, the activity code should be different on each record. You administrator determines how to handle labor and time conflicts with multiple labor records. They can choose to allow them, warn or prevent them. See you system administrator. Repeat adding labor records until you have record all the different kinds of labor you record on service calls.

To add materials to the call, click the Materials tab to bring it forward and do one or more of the following:
Note: No asterisk (*)  to the left of an item listed in the display indicates the item was used to complete this service call.  An asterisk (*) to the left of an item listed in the display indicates the item is needed or is pending to complete the service call.

To QuickAdd an item to the materials list, do the following:

In the Items field, use the lookup to select the item used on the call.

In the Quantity field, enter the quantity used.

Click [QuickAdd] to add the item to the Materials tab.

Repeat steps a through c to add additional items used by the technician.

To change the status of an item, do the following:

To indicate an item is still needed to complete the service call, right-click the item and select Mark as needed. An asterisk (*) appears to the left of the item in the display.

To indicate an item is still pending to complete the service call, right-click the item and select Mark as pending. An asterisk (*) appears to the left of the item in the display.

To change an item's status from needed/pending—indicated by an asterisk (*) to the left of the item in the display—to show the part was used to complete the service call, right-click the item and select Mark as used. The system removes the asterisk (*) from the left of the item in the display.

To add an item to the list and edit the item details, do the following:

Click [Add] to open the Add Report Material window.

In the Item Number field, use the lookup to select the item you want added to the Materials tab.

Complete the following fields as appropriate:

Description: Description of the item being added to the service call.
Note: This description can be modified if necessary, but only for this service call invoice.

Serial number: If the item is serialized, e-automate activates this field and allow you to select from the serial numbers available in the identified warehouse.

Quantity: Quantity of the item to be used on the service call.

Note: You can only add a quantity of one when adding serialized items.

Price: Amount you charge for the item based on the unit of measure quantity.

Discount: Percentage of price discount.

Canceled:The quantity of the item canceled.

Amount: Total amount of the items, discounts, and other charges.

Unit of measure: Classification of the possible quantities that can be ordered such as each, box, or case.

Department:The department associated with the revenue or cost of this item.

Tax Flag: Tax category to which the item you are adding belongs.

Bill:The billing status of this item. This checkbox is set based on the bill code assigned to the service call.

Status: Use the lookup icon to set the status of the item on the call.  Select Used if the part was used to complete the call. Select Needed if the part is still needed to complete the service call.  Select  Pending if the parts may be needed to complete the service call but you are not sure. Flagging an item as Needed activates the Req. Date and the Delivery Method fields.
Note: You can also change the status of the item in the Invoice Call – Standard Entry window by right-clicking on the item and selecting the appropriate status.

Req. Date: The date the item is required. Check the checkbox and select the appropriate date.

Delivery Method: The method used to get the part to the equipment. Select Pick-up if the technician will pick up the item at the main office. Select Ship to Customer if the item will be shipped directly to the customer.  Select Ship to Technician if the item will be shipped to the technician’s address on file.

To view the location information for the item you are adding, click the View Item Locations button (button that looks like a bin) next to the Availability region label.

To change the warehouse and bin from which e-automate will pull the inventory item, do the following:

In the Bins region, select the warehouse and bin identified by e-automate.

Click [Edit] to open the Edit Report Material Item Bin window.

In the Warehouse field, use the lookup to select a different warehouse.

In the Bin field, use the lookup to select a different bin.

In the Quantity field, enter the correct quantity.

Click [OK] to update the warehouse and bin settings.
Note: If you have removed the warehouse and bin, you can select the warehouse, bin, and quantity using the Warehouse, Bin, and Quantity fields and then click [Add] to add a new warehouse and bin.

Click [OK] to add the item to the Materials tab.
Note: Items with an asterisk (*) is for needed or pending material on calls.

To edit the settings of an item that is already on the list, do the following:

Select the item to edit and click [Edit] to open the Edit Report Material window.

Make the appropriate changes.

Click [OK] to save the changes.

To remove an item from the list, do the following:

Select the item from the list.

Click [Remove].

Acknowledge you want to remove the item by clicking [Yes] to remove or [No] to cancel the removal.

Click the Problems/Repairs tab to bring it forward.

In the Problem codes field, use the lookup icon to select the problem the technician found on the service call.

Click [QuickAdd] to add the problem to the Problems region.
Note: You can add multiple problem code fields as necessary.

In the Repair codes field, use the lookup to select the repair used to correct the problem.

Click [QuickAdd] to add the repair to the Repairs region.

Click the Meters tab to bring it forward.
Note: Complete this section only if the equipment you are servicing is metered equipment. If the meters are not required, you do not have to enter meters. If meters are required, you will be required to enter meters. If an asterisk (*) displays on the Meters tab, this information is required.

In the Date field, use the drop-down calendar to select the date the meter was taken.

To identify the meter readings, do the following:

In the Meter type field, use the lookup to select the meter type.
Note: You can also select the meter.

In the Meter display field, enter the number displayed on the equipment's meter for the selected meter.

In the Copy Credits field, enter the number of copies credited to the customer due to copies made by the service technician during the call, if any.

Click [Quick Update] to add the meter to the list.
Note: When you click [Quick Update] if the equipment is multiple metered, e-automate automatically move to the next meter.

Repeat steps a through d to record additional meters.

Click the Service Report tab to bring it forward.

Complete the following fields as appropriate:

Report Number:  Leave (Next) in this field to have the system automatically assign the next number, or enter a number to identify this report.

Opened: Date and time the service call was received, change as necessary.

Closed: Date and time the service call was completed, change as necessary.

Response hours: Amount of time from when the call was received to when the technician began servicing the equipment. This is calculated in e-automate from call received time until the arrival time.
Note: This could change based on the on hold codes you use. Some on hold codes can calculate response time from when a call is released from hold instead of call received time. While e-automate calculates response time for all calls, the Service Activity Report by Technician and Service Activity Report by Model reports only list response time for corrective maintenance calls.

Repair hours: Amount of time from when the technician arrived at the service call until departure.

Down hours: Amount of time that has elapsed since the service call was received and the technician departed. E-automate calculates this from the call received time until the closed time (departure).
Note: This is a measure of how many hours the equipment has been down or not working. E-automate only calculates down hours for corrective maintenance calls. The system does not calculate down hours for other call types categories.

Net resolution hours: Amount of Down Hours minus Holds for which the On hold code is defined with the Exclude from resolution time box checked.

Preventive maintenance: When checked, e-automate updates the equipment record to reflect the last time preventive maintenance was performed based on this call date and meters enters on this call date.

To assign the status to Cleared do the following:

Check the Ready to review (Cleared) checkbox.

Click [Apply] to save the work order with the call flagged as Cleared.
Note: E-automate saves the call and leaves it in the dispatch console with a Cleared status.

To assign the status OK to Invoice without invoicing, do the following:
Note: You may record additional information at this time, but it is not required to assign the status.

In the equipment list region, check the box to the left of the Cleared column that corresponds to the piece of equipment.
Note: The status displays OK to Invoice and the Ready to review (cleared) box is automatically checked and grayed out.

Click [Apply] to save the work order with the call flagged as OK to Invoice.

Click the Miscellaneous tab to bring it forward.

In the Miscellaneous charge region, complete the following fields as appropriate:

Use standard customer adjustment: When checked, if this customer has an associated standard invoice adjustment on their customer profile, it is listed here.

Charge: If there is a standard invoice charge, it is listed here. If there is not a standard invoice adjustment, you can enter a miscellaneous charge.

Description: Brief description of the miscellaneous charge.

In the Travel region, complete the following fields as appropriate:

Base rate: Base travel rate from the bill code. You can change if necessary.

Hourly rate: Hourly travel rate entered from the bill code. You can change if necessary.

Mileage rate: Per mile rate entered from the bill code. You can change if necessary.

In the Reason for incomplete region, complete the following fields as appropriate:

Code: Code used to identify this call as incomplete. For more information on recording an incomplete service call, see the Recording Incomplete Service Calls topic.

Remarks: Available when a call is marked incomplete.

In the Other region, complete the following fields as appropriate:

Delay code: Code used to explain why the technician was delayed in getting to the service call. Your administrator can choose whether or not to require this code.

Job: Job associated with this service call. Used for job costing when you have created a job. Contract profitability is calculated as well.

Click the Remarks tab to bring it forward.

Enter any remarks, if any, that you want to print on the invoice for this service call.

Click the vertical Billing/Accounting tab to bring it forward.

In the Bill to field, use the lookup to select the address to which the invoice will be sent.
Note: Invoices for service calls on this work order are sent to the address on the work order. If you add equipment that does not have the same bill-to address as the work order, e-automate adds the equipment but leaves the bill-to address on the work order the same. E-automate warns you when the bill-to address on the equipment is different. You can also configure e-automate to draw the bill to customer from the contract associated with the equipment. See your system administrator to change this option.

To view an expanded list of ship-to addresses, check Show all customers.

To make the ship-to address the same as the bill-to address, check Same as bill to.

To select a different ship-to address, in the Ship to field use the lookup icon to select the address where the work was performed.

In the Terms field us the lookup icon to select the established customer payment terms.

In the Terms discount field enter the percentage discount received if paid by the discount date, according to the terms.

In the Discount date field use the drop-down menu to select the date by which payment must be received in order to receive the discount.

In the Description field enter a brief description of work performed to appear on the service invoice. Anything entered in this field always prints on the service invoice.

In the Branch field, use the lookup to select the branch associated with this service invoice.

If the Charge method is On Account, proceed to Step 12; you will enter account information later when saving this transaction. If you want to change the Charge method to Credit Card/ACH on this transaction, do the following:

In the Charge method field, use the lookup to select Credit Card/ACH.

Check the Auth on OK checkbox to pre-authorize the amount to be charged to the credit card or ACH account.
Note: It is recommended to always check the Auth on OK checkbox for every transaction. Doing so allows e-automate to populate the charge account information when you process the payment. If you do not check Auth on OK, you will not be prompted for the charge account information until you process the transaction.

If you want to process this order using a one-time payment, select Single use account.
Note: If your system is using the NET1 Payment Solutions credit card vault, a warning icon displays to the right of the Single use account field. The warning indicates, "Single use account transactions do not qualify for Level 3 processing." To maintain PCI compliance, it is not possible to process the detail necessary to qualify for the Level 3 discount using a business or government purchase card that is not stored in the NET1 Payment Solutions credit card vault. For more information regarding Level 3 processing, see the Configuring Credit Card Processing Settings topic.
Note: If you checked the Auth on OK checkbox in Step 11.b., the system will display the Single Use Charge Account window when all the information on each tab is complete and you click [OK] on the New Service Work Order window.  You will enter the credit card or ACH account information at that time. If you did not checked the Auth on OK checkbox in Step 11.b., the system will not prompt for the credit card or ACH account information until you invoice the order.

To select an existing account or enter a new account, click the Use existing account radio button to make the Charge account field available.

To select a saved charge account, use the lookup icon in the Charge account field to select an account on file.

To enter a new account, do the following:

Click the drop-down menu and select New to open the Add Charge Account window.

In the Name on account field, enter the name of the person imprinted on the credit card.

In the Address, field, enter the billing address for the credit card.

In the City field, enter the billing city for the credit card.

In the State field, enter the billing state or province for the credit card.

In the Zip field, enter the billing zip or postal code for the credit card.

In the Phone field, enter the phone number for the credit card.

In the Remarks field, enter any notes for this credit card.

To add a charge account, do ONE of the following:

To add a new credit card account, do the following:

Select the Credit Card button.

Click [Add account to vault] to open the NET1 Payment Solutions window.
Note: While in the NET1 Payment Solutions window, you can click the [Click For Support] button at any time for help with NET1 Payment Solutions payment questions.

In the Card Number field, enter the new credit card number to be charged.

In the Expiration field, enter the new expiration date of the credit card to be charged.

Click [Submit] to save the new account, or [Cancel Transaction] to close and not save the new credit card information.

To add a new ACH account, do the following:

Select the ACH button.

Click [Add account to vault] to open the Add Account window.

In the Account Number field, enter the bank’s account number to add to this invoice.

In the Routing Number field, enter bank’s routing number to add to this invoice.

Checking/Savings: Select which account type, either checking or savings.

Click [OK] on the Add Account window to return to the Add Charge Account window.

Click [OK] on the Add Charge Account window to save the new account information.

Complete the following fields as appropriate:

Tax code: Code designating the sales tax rates for the customer where the service was performed.

Quick tax button: Tax code for the chosen customer; selected bill-to address, or the selected ship-to address.

Taxable: When checked, e-automate assesses tax based on the tax code definition. When unchecked, the Exempt code field becomes active.

Exempt code: Use the Lookup to select the appropriate exempt code, if applicable.

To enter remarks on the work order, click the vertical tab Work Order Remarks to bring it forward and enter any remarks.

To create the invoice for the service call, check Invoice now.

Once Invoice now is checked, e-automate displays the customer’s invoice delivery method as an icon in the lower left corner. Hovering your mouse over the icon will display the customer’s selected method and the associated accounts receivable contact. Your system administrator determines which invoices/memos can be queued for printing, fax or email. Only invoices allowed to be queued can be changed. To change the delivery method for this invoice, click the icon and do one of the following:

To cancel sending the invoice, check Do not send invoice and click [Hide] to close the window.

To identify a different contact to receive the invoice, in the Contact field, use the lookup to select a different contact. If you are not making other changes, click [Hide].
Note: By default, once you choose a customer, the system filters this list for contacts associated with the Customer and/or Location specified for this call. If you want to view contacts not displayed in this list, do any of the following:

To view all contacts, use the drop-down menu to select No filter.

To view contacts for the Customer and/or Location specified for this call (the default setting), use the drop-down menu to select Filter > Customer or location contacts.

To view contacts for the Customer and/or Location specified for this call as well as contacts who are not currently associated with a customer or location, use the drop-down menu to select Filter > Customer, location, or unassociated contacts.

To add a new contact, use the drop-down menu to select New. The system displays the New Contact window.  For more information on creating a new contact, see the Creating Contacts topic.

To change the delivery method, select Print, Email, or Fax. If you are not making other changes, click [Hide].
Note: When Email or Fax is selected you can modify the email address or the fax number.

If printing the invoice, you may enter the number of copies you want printed in the Print XX additional copies of this invoice field. If you are not making other changes, click [Hide].

Click [OK] to invoice the service call.
Note: To prevent a call from being invoiced in error, you can enable a message box to open asking if you are sure you want to invoice the call. To enable this option, go to Tools>Options>Service Calls and check Prompt before saving invoiced service call.

If you checked Auth on OK and Use existing account on the vertical Billing/Accounting tab, the Pre-authorize Charge window displays. Do the following:

In the Pre-authorization amount field, verify the amount to pre-authorize or override the amount if necessary.

Click [OK].

If the authorization is successful, the system displays the message, "Authorization was successful." Click [OK] to acknowledge the message.

If you checked Auth on OK and Single use account on the vertical Billing/Accounting tab, the system displays the Single Use Charge Account window.
Note: Credit card information entered for a single use is used for this transaction only and is not stored.
Note: If your system is using the NET1 Payment Solutions credit card vault, a warning icon displays to the right of the Single use account field. The warning indicates, "Single use account transactions do not qualify for Level 3 processing." To maintain PCI compliance, it is not possible to process the detail necessary to qualify for the Level 3 discount using a business or government purchase card that is not stored in the NET1 Payment Solutions credit card vault. For more information regarding Level 3 processing, see the Configuring Credit Card Processing Settings topic.

Complete the following fields as appropriate:

Name on account: Enter the name of the person imprinted on the credit card.

Address: Enter the billing address for the credit card.

City: Enter the billing city for the credit card.

State: Enter the billing state or province for the credit card.

Zip: Enter the billing zip or postal code for the credit card.

Phone: Enter the phone number for the credit card.

Pre-authorization amount: Confirm the amount to be credited, or edit if needed.

To authorize a charge, do ONE of the following:

To authorize a credit card charge, do the following:

Select the Credit Card button.

Click [Authorize] to open the NET1 Payment Solutions window.
Note: While in the NET1 Payment Solutions window, you can click the [Click For Support] button at any time for help with NET1 Payment Solutions payment questions.

Card Number: Enter the new credit card number to be charged.

Expiration: Use the drop-down menu to select the expiration date of the credit card to be charged.

CVV: Enter the three digit security code found on the back of the credit card.

Click [Swipe Card] to charge the card, or [Cancel] to close the window and not charge the credit card.
Note: While the Swipe Card process is taking place, do not press any keys on your keyboard.

Once the Swipe Card process has completed, click [Next] to view the billing information.

Click [Submit]. The system displays the transaction detail.

Click the [Close] button in the bottom right corner of the window to return to e-automate.

To authorize an ACH charge, do the following:

Select the ACH button.

Click [Authorize] to open the Add Account window.

Account number: The bank’s account number to add to this invoice.

Routing number: The bank’s routing number to add to this invoice

Checking/Savings: Select which account type, either checking or savings.

Click [OK] to save the ACH account information.

If you selected the Print ticket checkbox, the Print window displays. Click [Yes] to print the service invoice to the default printer.