Utility Payments

UTILITY PAYMENTS

When management is analyzing profitability of the company inventory, one of the factors taken into account is the cost of the Utilities on the Sites. Depending upon how many Faces have illumination on them and the duration of this illumination, these Utility Payments can be a major cost to the company. Ad Manager allows the user to track Utility Companies, Accounts, Payments and export those Payments to an Accounting Package.

Setting Up Utility Company Information

The first thing that must be done is to set up the Utility Companies in the data. These are the companies who bill for power usage and who the company will pay for this usage.

To add a new Utility Company, click File>New>Other>Utility Company in the main Explorer Window of Ad Manager. (need image)

• Name = Name of the Utility Company. - This is the Payee on the cheque for the Payment. • Phone/Fax/Email = Enter details, if known. • Address = Address to where the cheque is to be sent. - To enter address, click the ellipsis button to the right of the field. • Click the Save button, when all required information has been entered.

(need Image)

• This page displays the list of all Utility Accounts associated with the Utility Company. • The user can add/delete and edit information. • The filter checkbox is used to filter the list for a particular subset of Accounts. • Filter will remain active any time the user looks at any Utility Company’s list of Accounts until the filter has been cleared. • To add a New Account, click the New button and enter the details (see below). • Notes -= Free Form field where the user enters anything about the Payment Schedule. • Recommend that Notes be entered in the following format:- - Date…..Note…..Initials of person entering data. - Most recent always on top.

Setting Up Utility Accounts

• Utility Accounts are assigned to Utility Companies. • There are two ways to enter Utility Account details. - The user can click File>New>Other and choose Utility Account and then complete the appropriate details. - As well, the user can enter the details on the Accounts page of the Utility Company.

(need Image)

• Vendor Name = will automatically be entered if entering the data on the Accounts Tab of the Utility Company. - If entering the Account into the All Utility Accounts table, select the Vendor name from the drop down list of Utility Companies. • Number = is a required field and will match the Account Number that has been entered in the Accounting Package. - This field will be contained in the Utility Payments Export file and will be exported. • Description = can be used to enter the Site At information, if desired, or whatever information is used to identify this particular Utility Account. • Meter Number = number given to the Utility Meter on the Structure. - In most cases, will have one Utility Account with one Meter Number referencing one Structure. • Opened On = date the Account was opened with the Utility Company. • Closed On = date the Account was closed with the Utility Company.

• Last Reading = will populate automatically with the Reading and Date of the last Meter Reading from the Meter Readings page.

(need Image)

• This page displays a list of all Meter Readings for the Account. • The user can add/delete/edit the information. • The filter checkbox is used to filter the list for a particular subset of Readings. • Filter will remain active any time the user looks at any Utility Account’s list of Meter Readings until the filter has been cleared. • To enter a new Meter Reading, click the New button to the right.

(need Image)

• Account = will be automatically populated with the name of the Account currently opened. o If this is the incorrect Account, select it from the drop down list. • Date = date the reading was taken according to the Utility invoice. • Reading = Reading according to the Utility invoice.

(need Image)

• The Payments page displays all Payment information such as when the Payment was paid, the Invoice number from the Utility Company and the Amount of the Payment. • The user can add/delete/edit the information. • The filter checkbox is used to filter the list for a particular subset of Payments. • Filter will remain active any time the user looks at any Utility Account’s list of Payments until the filter has been cleared. • To add a new Payment, click the New button to the right (see below).

• The Sites page displays the Site(s) to which this Account is associated. • The user can add/delete/edit the information. • To add a new Site, click the New button to the right and set the criteria to find it. • The filter checkbox is used to filter the list for a particular subset of Sites. • Filter will remain active any time the user looks at any Utility Account’s list of Sites until the filter has been cleared.

Setting Up Utility Payments

• There are two ways to enter Utility Payment details. - The user can click File>New>Other and choose Utility Payment and then complete the appropriate details. - As well, the user can enter the details on the Payments page of the Utility Account (see above).

(need Image)

• Account = will automatically populate with the name of the Account currently open. - If this is incorrect, select the name from the drop down list. • Invoice # = Number of the Utility Company’s Invoice • Date = date the Payment was made. • Amount = Amount of the Payment.

EXPORTING UTILITY PAYMENTS

Once the Payments have been set up in Ad Manager, the users will then export the data to their Accounting Package. This can be done daily, weekly, monthly, etc. depending upon how often Payments are sent to the Utility Companies. It is recommended to always run a final export at the end of each month to ensure that all valid Payments have been exported and recorded in the Payables of the Accounting Package. • Prior to the initial export of data, the users will set up saved Finder of Payments which will be used as part of the “checking and balancing” process for all future exports. • If more than one employee will be doing this, it is recommended that this saved Finder be placed in the Public Folders of Ad Manager so all will have access to the same Finder. • Once initial saved Finder has been set up, the users will right click on it, choose Properties and enter the new date range for any future exports. • Suggested saved Finder is as follows:-

(need Image)

- Finder of all Payments for a particular date range. - Creates a list of all Payments, regardless of the Status of the Utility Account. - The user will check the list, looking for any that are not marked as Active and confirm if they should be included as part of the export. - Only Payments of Active Utility Accounts should be exported to the Accounting Package. - Recommended to Customize the View of the list and add the following columns:- • Active (Account) • Exported • Exported On

NOTE 1: There is no finalization process for Utility Payments, similar to Invoices and Lease Payments. NOTE 2: Utility Payments will show as exported once the process has been completed.

Exporting Payments

Currently, most companies using Ad Manager have customized Exporters due to specific requirements of the Accounting Package they use and the type of information that needs to be contained in the Export File. Due to this, users are assisted with their primary export to ensure that it is successful and they are aware of the steps of their particular Exporter.

• NOTE 1: If different people are creating the export file of Payments from those who are importing this file into the Accounting package, make sure that everyone has access to the destination folder for the file.

• NOTE 2: Once a Payment has been exported, it cannot be modified, without first Resetting the Export Status.

(need Image)

• To do this, go to the Tools Menu and click Reset Exported Status. Now the Payment can be modified and re-exported.