Setup Automatic Billing Defaults - 6.5 min video
How Automatic Invoicing Works
Office staff assigns a service level & type when activating a route schedule
The correct monthly billing amount is calculated automatically for that service level and type combination including whether to charge extra for chemicals or not. This can be manually changed for any body of water at any time if needed.
An upcoming invoice for each property exists so you can track what to expect for next month's billing cycle. The system automatically updates it throughout the month if needed but you can manually edit it any time if you choose.
On a date you set (usually the 1st of each month), all upcoming invoices are converted into customer invoices and the invoice is auto-charged, the payment is auto-applied, the invoice is auto-emailed to customer, and system auto-reattempts charges once per day for up to 14 days if the card declined.
This process repeats every month automatically so you don't have to do anything for monthly billing whether you have 10 customers or 10,000 customers.
How To Choose Automatic Invoice Settings
The first thing you'll need to do is to set how customers are charged for their maintenance services. At the top of Billing Defaults section in Settings, you'll see options for "Customers Pay" and "Invoiced On". These settings will determine which line items and amounts will be automatically added to monthly upcoming invoices.
Monthly Flat Rate - Select "Monthly Flat Rate" if you charge your customer the same amount every month for maintenance services regardless of how many route stops are completed (you can set specific amounts and whether chemicals are included or extra in a different area).
If you bill in ARREARS for Flat Rate, the amount will always be the same but the service dates on the invoice will display as the previous month's date range.
For example, if the monthly upcoming invoice is created on April 1st, the service dates on the invoice would be 3/1 to 3/31.
If you bill in ADVANCE for Flat Rate, the amount will always be the same but the service dates on the invoice will display as the current month's date range.
For example, if the monthly upcoming invoice is created on April 1st, the service dates on the invoice would be 4/1 to 4/30.
Per Visit - Select "Per Visit" if you charge your customer a set price for each route stop completed. This means the total invoice amount each month will vary based on scheduling. (you set specific amount and whether chemicals are included or extra in a different area).
If you bill in ARREARS for Per Visit, the monthly upcoming invoice will update after every route stop is completed to reflect the new route stop visit total and amount for the monthly billing period.
For example, if 2 route stops have been completed so far in the billing period and you charge $50.00 per visit, the upcoming invoice would show a quantity of 2 on the service line item with a total amount of $100.00. Then when another route stop is completed in that same billing period, the upcoming invoice would be updated to show a quantity of 3 for the service line item with a total amount of $150.00.
If you charge for "No Access" stops, turn this setting on. If the technician marks that they can't access the property, the system will count it as a charged route stop and update the upcoming invoice accordingly.
If you bill in ADVANCE for Per Visit, the monthly upcoming invoice will show the service line item quantity as the total number of scheduled route stop visits for the next month. (it won't change after this initial calculation unless you manually change it)
For example, if the upcoming invoice (which customer can't see yet) is generated on March 1st, the system will add the amount of route stops to the invoice that are scheduled for the month of April. If there are 5 scheduled route stops and you charge $50.00 per visit, the invoice would show a quantity of 5 on the service line item and an amount of $250.00. On April 1st, the invoice would become a customer invoice and auto-charged if that setting is enabled.
Auto Charge - If the Auto Charge toggle is turned on, it will be turned on by default for every route schedule that gets activated. (you can always change it on any individual route schedule)
If your office staff forgets to select which payment method should be auto charged before closing the route schedule window, they will be reminded and be forced to either select a payment method or toggle the setting off. We recommend leaving it on for this reason.Reattempt Charge - If the Reattempt Charge toggle is turned on in settings, the system will automatically try again to charge the selected payment method if it is declined on an auto-charge attempt. It will reattempt the charge once per day for up to 14 days (the amount of days is determined by the number you have entered)
Auto Email Invoice - If the Auto Email Invoice toggle is turned on, it will be turned on by default for every route schedule that gets activated. (you can always change it on any individual route schedule)
The system will email an invoice to the customer when it's automatically created and charged each month. If the invoice is auto-charged successfully, customers will receive an email with their paid invoice details. If the invoice is not auto-charged or the charge is declined, customers will receive an email with their outstanding invoice balance details and customers can pay via ACH or Credit Card directly from the invoice if you allow them to.Hide Service Dates - If the Hide Service Dates toggle is turned on, it will be turned on by default for every route schedule that gets activated. (you can always change it on any individual route schedule)
If the Hide Service Dates toggle is turned on, customers will not be able to view any service dates on the automatic monthly invoices.Invoice Terms - The "Terms" setting controls which invoicing Terms are assigned to a newly created customer by default. This setting determines the default due date for every invoice created for that customer whether it's auto-created or manually created. This can always be changed directly on the invoice by any user that has permission to edit invoices.
Terms can be individually changed on each customer page under the Billing ( $ ) tab if needed.
Starting Invoice Number - This number can be anything you want. When setting up a new Pool Brain account, you may want to change this number to be 1 number higher than the current highest invoice number in Quickbooks Online. This way the numbering format will be in correct sequential order.
Invoice Notes - The invoice notes field determines which notes are added to the bottom of ALL invoices by default whether they are created automatically or manually. You can always change the invoice notes on any specific invoice as needed.
Set Automatic Invoice Pricing By Service Level & Type
In the Billing Defaults section of Settings, you'll see an area named "Set Price By Service Level & Type". This is where you'll set the default price you charge monthly for maintenance services and whether chemical charges are an extra cost or included in the price. When your office staff assigns a body of water a service level and type combination, the settings here will automatically be entered by default for how you charge for that body of water.
Please note this is ONLY used for ongoing maintenance service pricing and not one time job or any other type of pricing. The price can also be changed manually on a specific body of water at any time if you choose. This is simply default pricing.
Each tab displayed represents a "service level" and each field represents a "type" belonging to that service level. If you haven't already setup your service levels and types, you must do this first. How to Create and Edit Service Levels
Enter Price Amounts - Enter a dollar amount in each "type" field. This will be either the monthly flat rate or per visit amount you charge for that service level and type combination. The system will charge monthly or per visit for that amount based on your settings. Keep in mind that this price should represent a body of water and not all bodies of water on a property.
If you only do custom pricing with no ability to set defaults for your common cases, we recommend leaving all of these fields at $0.00 and entering the price manually for each body of water as you activate the route schedules.
For example, if there were was a separate pool and spa on a property, each body of water would be assigned a service level and a type so each body of water would have it's own workflow and pricing. This could be the same service level/type or a different combination if you choose.Charge For Chemicals Or Include Them - You can control whether or not to charge extra for chemicals used on route stops or include them in the flat rate / per visit cost. If the "Charge for Chemicals" toggle is on, Pool Brain will automatically add any chemicals used on the route stops to the monthly upcoming invoice and charge for exact usage based on your chemical settings. Chemicals with a price of $0.00 won't be added to the invoice and any chemical with a price greater than $0.00 will be added and charged accordingly. Only chemicals on a route stop for the monthly billing period will be added to the upcoming invoice. Chemicals used on one time jobs will not be added.
This is a default setting that's set on the route schedule when the service level is assigned for that body of water. You can change it at any time for any body of water.