Knowledgebase:
Billing Engine Overview
Posted by Albert Diaz, Last modified by Albert Diaz on 06 September 2018 12:03 AM

The RingLogix App includes a powerful telecom billing engine that offers real-time call authorization, subscription management, flexible minute packaging, monthly invoicing (with optional telecom taxation powered by Avalara), collections automation and credit card merchant integrations.


The billing engine is powered by 5 core components.

  1. Tariffs: Sometimes referred to as A-Z list, they contain all calling destinations and their per minute rates.
  2. Subscriptions: These are the recurring monthly amounts you bill your customers for the services they purchase from you.
  3. Minute Packages: Control how many free or discounted minutes are included to certain calling destinations. For example: "Unlimited Calling to US48 & Canada"
  4. Billing Profiles: A group of settings that manage invoice delivery, taxation, collection notifications, invoice auto pay and automatic suspension.
  5. Credit Card Integrations: Allow partners to accept credit card payments from their customer directly in the RingLogix app without the use of a virtual terminal or 3rd party software.


**Please take a moment to review the billing process overview detailed below. It will explain how all the components work together and what a typical billing cycle will be for your customer. Once you are finished we recommend reading the detail pages for each of the components listed above.**


Billing Process Overview

The billing engine tracks all customer charges, like billable call usage and monthly subscriptions, that occur during a given billing period. By default, billing periods run from the first to the last day of the month. After a billing period closes, the system then generates a PDF invoice containing all the transactions that occurred during that period. If enabled, taxes are also calculated, added to the transaction list and included on the invoice. After the PDF is created it is then emailed to the email address on the customer record.

Payments from Customers for invoices can be accepted by Check, Credit Card or any other method. To process a credit card payment directly in the RingLogix App a Credit Card Integration must be enabled. This allows customers to pay online, have a card on file to auto pay invoices or let you process card payments manually as needed.

Customers with a card on file and invoice auto pay enabled will have the card processed at the time the invoice is generated. If the payment succeeds it will be included on the invoice and emailed to the Customer with a status of “Paid”. If the payment fails, the invoice will remain in “Unpaid” status until the auto pay re-attempt succeeds or another method of payment is received.

Customers without a card on file or that don’t have auto pay enabled can always pay an invoice through any other payment method you support. Once you receive the payment simply post it to their account using the Accept Payment button.

After an invoice is generated, the collection and notification timers start. Customers with Unpaid invoices will begin to receive unpaid invoice reminders, past due notices and suspension warning as configured in your Billing Profile. Invoice template, auto pay, auto pay re-attempt and tax settings are configured here as well.

Customers with an Unpaid invoice will receive collection notices and a suspension notice as per the Billing Profile settings and timers. Customers with invoices that remain unpaid for an extended period will eventually get suspended. To unsuspend a customer, you must accept a payment that is at least equal to or greater than the "Open Amount" of an invoice. You can also manually change their status in the Billing Details section of their Billing Info tab to unsuspend their service or vice versa.

 

Sample Bill Cycles

Scenario #1

  • Billing period of 01/01/2018 – 01/31/2018.
  • Subscriptions that are billed in advanced (the default in retail telecom).
  • Taxation enabled.
  • Auto pay enabled.

On 1/31 at midnight the billing process begins. All usage charges for the current period (1/1 - 1/31) are summed up and active subscriptions are applied. The subscriptions, which are billed in advance, are for next months service (2/1 - 2/28). Taxes for the subscriptions and billable usage are calculated and added to the transaction history. A total amount due is calculated and charged to the card on file. The payment succeeds, is added to the transaction history and included on the invoice. The invoice is then emailed to the customer in Paid status with an Amount Due of $0.00. The invoice will detail the transactions charged minus the payment processed. The invoice delivery and credit card payment occur on  2/1 in the morning.