Working with an Account's Master and Supplemental Plan Subscriptions
Overview
Aria Billing Studio for ServiceNow provides users with viewing access to Master and Add On (Supplemental) Plan information, invoice history, payments, and coupons. Users with the appropriate permissions can also perform actions such as changing a a subscription's status, create and resolve Billing Cases, and request dispute holds, write-offs, refunds, service credits, cash credits, and contracts in support of ongoing customer care operations.
Master Plan Subscriptions
- Click on the Subscriptions menu tab from the Main Account Screen.
Note: The number in parentheses indicates the account's total number of Master Plan subscriptions.
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From the Subscriptions screen, click on the desired Master Plan's Client Master Plan Instance ID.
The selected Master Plan's Detail's screen displays as shown above.
The Master Plan Details screen provides the following information:
a. Subscription Details (Client Master Plan (MP) Instance ID, MP Instance Description, Responsibility Level, MP Instance Status Label, MP Instance Number).
b. Billing Dates (Last Arrears Bill Through Date,Last Bill Date, Last Bill Through Date, Next Bill Date).
c. Billing and Dunning Groups (Billing Group Number, Client Billing Group ID, Dunning Group Number, Client Dunning Group ID).
At the top, there are menu tabs that provide access to the following information:
d. Add Ons (Supplemental) Plans associated with the account's selected Master Plan, Invoice History, Payments, and Master Plan Coupons.
Change Subscription Status
- To change an account's Master Plan Instance's (or Supplemental Plan Instance's) subscription status, click on Change Subscription Status.
The Change Subscription Status popup screen displays as shown above.
- Use the Status Code, Days Until Status Change, and Reset Billing Dates dropdown arrows and select your desired settings. Type in Comments. Click on the OK button when finished.
Note: All *fields are required. The new Master Plan Instance status will be reflected on the Master Plan Instance's Details screen.
Add Ons (Supplemental Plans) Subscriptions
- Click on the Master Plan's Add Ons menu selection.
- Click on the desired Add Ons' Plan.
The selected Add Ons Supplemental Plan's Detail's screen displays as shown above.
The Add Ons Details screen provides the following information:
a. Ad On Detail (Subscription, Supp Plan Instance Description, Supp Plan Instance Status, Supp Plan Number, Usage Billing Interval, Usage Billing Period Type, Recurring Billing Period Type, Recurring Billing Interval).
b. Period Detail (Last Bill Date, Last Bill Thru Date, Next Bill Date, Last Arrears Bill Thru Date, Plan Date).
- Click on the Change Add On Status button to change the Add Ons Subscription status as outlined previously (see Change Subscription Status). The new Add On Plan Instance status will be reflected on the Add Ons Details screen.
- Click on the Master Plan breadcrumb to navigate back to the Master Plan's Details screen.
Invoice History
An invoice is a type of transaction and has multiple line items that make up the transaction (e.g. recurring fees, usage fees, taxes, etc.). You can dive deeper to see invoice details tied to a particular subscription by clicking on a specific invoice number.
- From an account's Master Plan Detail's screen, click on the Master Plan's Invoice History menu tab.
The Invoice History screen displays as shown above.
Invoice table detail is viewable for all invoices associated for the selected Master Plan's assigned Billing Group. Use the down and side scroll bars to see additional invoices and fields.
a. Click on any of the column headers in the invoice table to sort in ascending or descending order as desired.
b. Use the right and left arrows next to the gray page number to page forward or backward through the invoice table.
c. Use the rows per page down arrow to select your desired number of rows per page. Options are 10, 20, 50, or 100 rows per page.
- Click on an Invoice Number to view additional detail for the specific invoice.
The Invoice Details screen displays as shown above.
The Invoice Details screen provides information for a an invoice's:
d. Invoice Detail (Invoice Number, Aria Billing Account, Billing Group Number, Client Billing Group ID, Eligible for Dispute)
e. Financial Detail (Currency Code, Credit, Amount, Invoice Type Code, Is Voided Indicator)
f. Period Detail (Bill Date, Overall Bill From Date, Recurring Bill From, Paid Date, Overall Bill Thru Date, Recurring Bill Thru, and Usage Bill Thru).
- Click on Open Statement. The account's statement for the selected invoice displays in a separate window.
- Click on Request a Dispute Hold or Request a Write Off to initiate a request for either action. Screens will display respective to each if the invoice is eligible for a Dispute Hold or Write Off. An error message will appear if the invoice is not eligible for the action requested as shown below.
Note: Write Offs and Dispute Holds will be reviewed in detail later in this document.
- Click on the Invoice Line Items menu tab.
Note: The number in parentheses indicates the total number of line items on the selected invoice.
The Invoice Line Items screen displays as shown above. Use the down and side scroll bars to see additional invoice line numbers and fields.
6. Click on an invoice Line Number.
The Invoice Line Item Details screen displays as shown above.
The Invoice Line Item Details screen provides the following sections/information:
g. Invoice Line Detail (Invoice Number, Line Number, Trans ID, Line Type, Master Plan Number, Plan Name, Plan Number, Plan Instance Number, Tax Indicator).
h. Client Detail (Client Service ID, Client Rate Schedule ID, Client Plan ID, Client Plan Instance ID).
i. Units Detail (Units, Amount, Base Plan Units, Rate Per Unit).
j. Period Detail (Date Range Start, Date Range End).
- Click on the Invoice field's icon symbol. A screen displays providing additional information for the invoice including the account's Billing Group Number, Aria Billing Account Name, Client Billing Group ID, and Eligible for Dispute status.
Note: An Eligible for Dispute blank status field indicates the invoice is not eligible for dispute.
- Click on the Invoice Number breadcrumb to return to the Invoice Line Item Details screen.
Create and Manage a Billing Case (Example)
A Customer Service Representative (CSR) or Customer Service Manager (CSM) is contacted by a customer through any relevant channel. The customer can make queries regarding their billing account, subscriptions, add-ons, payment methods, invoices, statements, or usage. The CSR or CSM can review data retrieved from Aria Billing Cloud to answer these queries. If the customer has any billing-related query or request that cannot be immediately resolved by the CSR or CSM, then the CSR or CSM can create a Billing Case linked to a customer's billing account and invoice (if needed). Billing Cases are often used to trigger billing activities such as write-offfs, dispute holds, cash credits, service credits, or refunds to the customer.
Clients will define their own workflows and procedures for creating and managing billing cases and can customize based on their business need and operations. The following steps are provided as an example of how a billing case is created and may be managed using a dispute hold or write-off as resolution tactics.
- From the Invoice Line Items screen, click on the Billing Cases menu tab.
The Billing Cases Main Screen is displayed as shown above.
- Click on the New button.
The Create New Billing Case Details screen displays as shown above.
The New Billing Case Details screen provides the following sections:
a. Billing Case Details
b. Notes
c. Resolution Information
Use the Search, Calendar, Down Arrow, and Free Form Fields to populate the various sections/fields per your business case workflow and procedures as desired.
- Click on the Save button.
The Billing Case Details screen displays as shown above.
- Use the Compose section of the screen to add any Private Work Notes and Comments specific to the case. (Click on the Post Work Notes and/or Post Comments buttons to add new notes and comments to the business case.
- Use the Assignment Group and/or Assigned to field's search options to assign a business group and/or individual to the business case.
- Click on the Save button to save any changes to the business case.
- As an example, and in support of this business case, we want to create a dispute hold on this invoice, click on Request a Dispute Hold.
Create / Settle Dispute Holds
You can create and settle a Dispute Hold to manage customer disputes systematically, maintaining financial accuracy and enhancing customer satisfaction by addressing issues promptly and professionally. Dispute Holds serve as temporary write-offs booked against an account with the same effect on a customer's account balance as a standard write-off. You can specify a number of days for Aria to permanently write off disputed charges.
The Create a Dispute Hold screen is displayed as shown above
- Click on the Dispute Reason drop down arrow, and select the desired Reason Code.
- Type in CSR Comments.
- Click on the Submit button.
The Request Status screen is displayed as shown above.
- Click on the View Details button.
The Dispute Hold Request for INVXXXXX screen is displayed as shown above.
- Click on the Create a Dispute Hold button to create the dispute hold in Aria.
The Dispute Hold Request for INVXXXXX screen is re-displayed as shown above.
A message indicates that the "Dispute Hold has been created in Aria". The image insert shows the Dispute Hold for the account in Aria's Customer Care Portal.
Note: The account's current balance is temporarily reduced by the amount of the Dispute Hold until it is settled or, the number of dispute hold expiration days are exhausted.
- To settle the dispute hold, click on the Settle Dispute Hold button.
A Settle Dispute Hold pop-up screen displays.
- Use the Settlement Action field's dropdown arrow and select a Settlement Action.
- Type in any Comments.
- Click on the OK button.
The Dispute Hold Request for INVXXXXX screen is re-displayed as shown above.
A message indicates that the "Dispute Hold has been settled in Aria". The image insert shows the "Settled" Dispute Hold for the account in Aria's Customer Care Portal.
Note: The account's current balance is permanently reduced by the amount of the "Settled" Dispute Hold if a Permanent Write-Off is used as a settlement action. In the cases of a Remove and Re-Age or Remove and Do Not Re-Age settlement actions, the disputed amount is added back on to the account's current balance.
Create a Write-Off
A write-off is the elimination of uncollectible debt from one of your accounts. Write-offs are performed when collection efforts have been exhausted and no further attempts will be made to settle the outstanding receivable. If a customer fails to make a payment on an invoice for whatever reason, and you believe that the payment will not be received, you can create a write-off, which reduces the previously recorded amount of the asset. Write-offs are often performed in conjunction with, or after, dunning as part of the collections process, and only the full unpaid balance may be written off.
- From the Invoice or Billing Case screen, click on the Request a Write-off button.
The Create a Write-off screen displays as shown above.
- Select a Write-off Reason from the dropdown.
- Type in CSR Comments.
- Click on the Submit button.
The Request Status screen is displayed as shown above.
- Click on the View Details button.
The Write-off Request for INVXXXX screen is displayed as shown above.
- Click on the Create a Write-off button.
The Write-off Request for INVXXXX screen is re-displayed as shown above.
A message indicates that the "Write-off has been created in Aria". The image insert shows the Write-off for the account in Aria's Customer Care Portal.
Close a Billing Case (Example)
Before Closing a Billing Case, you must first assign a Resolution Code, and add Resolution Notes.
From a specific Billing Case screen as displayed above.
- Select the desired Resolution code from the dropdown.
- Type in Resolution notes.
- Click on the Save button to save any changes to the billing case.
- Click on the Close Case button.
The Billing Case is now in a Closed state.
Viewing Master Plan Payments
Master Plan Payments are payments tied to a specific subscription.
- From an account's Master Plan Details screen, click on the Payments menu tab.
The Master Plan's Payments screen is displayed as shown above.
- Click on a Payment's Transaction ID. Ensure the payment is refundable by confirming it's Refundable Payment column value is true.
The Transaction Details screen is displayed as shown above.
The Transaction Details screen provides the following sections/information:
a. Payment Details (Aria Billing Account, Transaction ID, Payment Source, Payment Amount, Payment Status, Payment Timestamp, Pay Method Type, Payment Amount Left to Apply, Payment Currency, Payment Date, Payment Method Number, Payment Received Date, and Refundable Payment.)
b. New Section (Proc Name, Proc Status Code, Proc Payment ID, Proc Status Test).
Create a Refund
A refund is the return of money that was previously paid by an account holder.
3. To create a refund for the account for this payment, click on the Request a Refund button.
The Create a Refund screen is displayed as shown above.
Note: In order to Create a Refund, the payment must be checked as a "Refundable Payment" (see section a above). See Refunds for more information on Types of Refunds, Refund Prerequisites, and Refund Best Practices.
- Click on any of the Related Records' Information icon fields to retrieve additional information records specific to the field.
- Click on the Refundable Payment field's down arrow to view and select a different "Refundable Payment" to refund.
- Click on the Refund Reason dropdown arrow and select a Reason Code from the choices displayed.
- Type in any CSR Comments.
- Click on the Include Invoice Line Item Reversal down arrow and select your desired setting from the list below:
- No, create a new open charge
- No, keep the original charge
- Yes, forgive original charges The original charges are invalid. The refund will return the money to customer and reverse the original charges
A. If "No, create a new open charge" is selected, a new charge transaction is opened while the account holder is refunded either their "Full Refundable Amount" or some "Other Amount" as configured. For example, the account paid the charge by mistake with a corporate credit card, and would like to pay it later by a different payment method.
B. If "No, keep the original charge" is selected, this refund type will unapply a payment and open the balance of a previously paid invoice line, allowing you to adjust it by the refund amount. This increases the account's balance. For example, the account wants to dispute a specific charge on an invoice and you want to investigate the disputed charge. The disputed charge will be open, and a new payment will need to be collected if the charge is valid. when this option is selected, a table is opened as shown below allowing the user to input the Amount to Open, with either the Full Refundable Amount or some Other Amount as configured. The user can also select to "Continue to age per the invoice date" or "Re-age of today's" date.
C. If Yes, forgive original charges" is selected, the original charges are invalid. The refund will return the money to the account and reverse the original charges. A table is opened as shown below allowing the user to input the reversible amount(s), either the Full Refundable Amount or some Other Amount as configured.
Note: The Amount to Refund cannot exceed the Payment Amount, and the Amount to Open OR Current Reversal amount's cannot exceed the Eligible Reversal amounts.
- Click on the Full Refundable Amount (default) or Other Amount radio button. If Other Amount is selected, a field opens to type in the desired refund amount.
- Add any Attachments.
- Click on the Submit button.
"Your Request has been submitted" popup screen is displayed as shown above. A Task record is also created for the refund.
Note: An error message will appear if any issues were discovered while executing the refund request. For example, the refund amount exceeds the payment amount, or the reversal amounts exceed the eligible reversal amounts.
- Click on View Details.
The Refund Request for Billing Account screen is displayed as shown above.
Make any edits to the various editable fields as desired.
- Click on the Save button to save your changes.
- Click on the Create a Refund button to finalize the request.
If successful, the Refund Request for Billing Account screen is displayed with a message indicating the "Refund has been created in Aria". The image insert shows the Refund for the account in Aria's Customer Care Portal.
Viewing Refund Details
- From the Account Detail's screen's More drop down menu, click on Refund Details.
The account's Refund Details screen displays as shown above.
- Click on the desired Refund Transaction ID.
The Refund's Details screen displays as shown above.
View the relevant details of the refund transaction.
- Click on the Invoice Reversals menu tab.
The Refund's Invoice Reversals screen displays as shown above.
- Click on an Invoice Number.
The Invoice Reversal Details screen for the invoice line number selected displays as shown above.
- Click on the REFXXXXXX bread crumb to return to the Refund's Invoice Reversals screen.
Viewing / Canceling "Master Plan" Coupons
A coupon provides a credit on a customer’s invoice as a flat amount or percentage-based amount. You can configure coupons to apply to accounts, master plan instance stacks, or individual plan instances. You can apply coupons at any time during the account’s active lifecycle.
- From the Master Plan Details screen, click on Master Plan Coupons.
- Click on the desired Coupon Code.
The Master Plan Coupon screen displays as shown above.
Note: Aria Billing Studio allows you to assign a Master Plan coupon to a Master Plan subscription via the > Aria Billing Account > Account Coupons screen. See Account Coupons, section "Add "Account" Level Coupons to an Account" for information on assigning a Master Plan Coupon to an account.
- To cancel this coupon assignment, click on the Cancel Coupon button.
Note: The Coupon cannot have been previously cancelled as denoted by a check mark in the Cancelled field.
The Master Plan Coupon Details screen re-displays indicating whether the coupon was successfully cancelled.
Note: See Discounts and Coupons for more information on Discounting and Coupons.
Working with Contracts
A contract is an optional overlay on a plan assignment. You can apply a contract to a Master Plan Instance or to a Supplemental Plan. By default, Plans are assigned to an account in perpetuity unless a change in account status or Plan assignment removes the Plan from the account. By creating a contract, you can specify a duration for which a Plan should be assigned to an account and what action occurs after the contract has expired.
Create a Contract
- From the Account Details screen More drop down menu, click on Contracts.
The account's Contract screen displays as shown above.
- Click on the New Contract button.
3. Click on the desired Contract Scope's radio button (Multi-Plan or Universal)
Note: Multi-Plan contracts cover one or more service plans to which the account is subscribed. Universal contracts cover the account as a whole, and any service plans to which the account is subscribed during the contract lifespan.
- Click on the Contract End Action field's drop down arrow and select a desired end action.
- Click on the Date Range / Duration field's drop down arrow and select the desired contract dates / duration.
If Date Range or Duration is selected:
- Click on the Contract Start Date's calendar icon and select a desired start date.
Note: If Duration is selected, two additional field's display, "Duration Length", and "Duration Type". Type in a Duration Length, then use the Duration Type field's drop down arrow and select the desired type (Days, Weeks, Months)
If Date Range is selected:
- Click on the Contract End Date's calendar icon and select a desired end date.
Note: If a Multi-Plan contract scope is selected (see step 3), an additional field, Select Master Plans displays. Click on the check box or boxes of the desired Master and Supplemental Plans to include in the contract.
- Click on the Submit button.
The Request Details screen displays as shown above.
- Click on the View Details button.
- Refresh the screen, and from the Account Details screen More drop down menu, click on Contracts.
The account's Contract screen displays as shown above.
- Click on the Client Contract ID.
The Created Contract Details screen displays as shown above.
Cancel a Contract
- To cancel a contract, click on the Cancel Contract button.
The Created Contract Details screen re-displays with a message indicating the "Contract Successfully Cancelled" as shown above.