Before starting this section, be sure to complete How do I generate monthly utility totals?
The filters in the Monthly Utility Totals Report can be leveraged to get information outside of the normal billing run. In this case, it will be used to get all manual billing entries documented into one report.
Go to Utility Billing > Reports > Monthly Utility Totals
- Select Billing Month and Year. The date range will adjust itself to isolate the billing date within the month.
- Select Bill Type to blank. The date range will revert to the entire month.
- Uncheck Totals Only
- Click Bill Type
- Uncheck Billing
- Click Apply
- Click Preview to review and print the report.
Running the report with these filters selected captures all bill types other than routing monthly billing. Typically, this is all of the activity on accounts other than the monthly bills. Ex: Adjustments, Late Fees, Shutoff Notices, NSF Charges, and Final Bills.
The Utility Receipts Report can be used to produce customer payment details and totals for a given date range. For month end, payments will be compiled into one report as part of a monthly utility package.
Go to Utilities > Reports > Utility Receipts
- Select Month and Year
- Check Summary Page Only customer detail is not needed.
- Click Preview to review and print the report.
4. The payment type shows (Ave, Check, CC/EFT, and Cash).
This report categorizes receipts twice. First by utility service on the left and charge type along the top. The sub total for each utility are on the right with the total for all at the bottom of the section. Second, receipts are presented by method on the left and tender along the top. The subtotal for each method are on the right with the total for all at the bottom of each section. The total for each categorization will match.
The Trial Balance Report is the linchpin of a monthly reporting package. It provides a complete summary for the month including a month-end receivable balance. The Monthly Utility Totals Report provides a receivable balance as of the bill date but not for the month end. Use the other Monthly Reports to tie out each section of the Trial Balance.
Go to Utility Billing > Reports > Trial Balance
If the report has not been run before, click Build History. Depending on how long the history goes back in BIAS, this may take 5-20 minutes. Make sure to run this report every month after the history is built.
- Select the Month and Year
- Click Preview to review and print the report.
- How to Tie The Trial Balance
- The Previous column will match the last months Ending Balance
- Compare Receipts column to Utility Receipts Report total.
- Compare Billing column to Monthly Utility Totals Report for Billing only and Monthly Utility Totals Report for all other billing types added together.
Monthly Utility Totals for Billing only captures the total charges added to customer accounts on the monthly billing. Monthly Utility Totals Report for all other bill types captures all other charges added to customer accounts outside of the routine bills. Added together, these two reports encompass all of the changes added to accounts during the month.
If the Beginning Balance, Receipts and Billing columns tie out, then the Ending Balance is reliable.