Difference between revisions of "Utility accounts"

Latest revision as of 19:36, 4 August 2013

The UTILITY ACCOUNTS database allows you to track your utilities for each Site, including meter readings. You can also track and export your utility payments.

Entering a New Utility Account

To add a new Utility Account, click on the arrow beside the New icon () for a list of items you can add. Select OTHER, and then select Utility Account. The Utility Account Details Window will appear, and information for a new Utility Account can be entered.

Ad Manager allows you to enter the Vendor, the Account Number and Description of the account, the meter number, the last reading taken, and the dates for when the account was opened and closed on the Details page. The Meter Readings page can be used to enter all the meter readings and the dates they were taken for this Utility Account. Ad Manager also allows you to track the Sites associated with this Utility Account (Sites page) and the payments made on this Utility Account (Payments page).

Modifying a Utility Account

To modify a Utility Account, simply click the database from the OTHER folder, then double click the desired item and make the change(s) necessary. Once you have finished, click the Save () button.

Deleting a Utility Accounts

To delete a Utility Account, there must be no Sites or Payments associated with it. Select the database from the OTHER folder, then double click the desired item. Select the Delete button () for the record. Ad Manager will ask you for confirmation to delete the Utility Account.

Details

The Details Page is where information about the Utility Account is displayed. Information about what the Utility Account is for, who the vendor is, when the account was opened, and closed, what the meter number is and what the current meter reading is can be found on this page.

For information on the buttons that appear at the top of the window, click here. For information on the menu items that appear under the Tools menu, click here.

Fill in the appropriate information for each field. Select the appropriate item from any of the drop down lists (in the boxes) or type in the information if it is not present.

Fields

Closed on: The date when this particular Account is closed.

Description: This is a quick description of what this Utility Account pertains to. This description allows the users to be able to recognize the Utility Account among a long list of Utility Accounts.

Last reading: This field will populate automatically with the reading and date of the last meter reading entered on the Meter Readings page.

Meter Number: This is the number given to the Utility Meter on the structure. In most cases, you will have one Utility Account with one Meter number referencing one structure.

Number: This is the Account number on your Utility Bill. This is a required field and must match the account number that you have entered in your Accounting Package. This field will be contained in the Utility Payments Export file and will be exported.

Opened on: This is the date the Account was opened with the Utility Company.

Vendor: This is the Utility Company that you pay this Account to.

Meter Readings

The Meter Readings Page displays information such as the date of the reading and the actual reading. It displays a history of all meter readings done for this Utility Account.

Tool buttons specific to the Meter Readings Page:

- Customize Current View allows you to select the columns to display and the order to display them in.

- Order allows you to sort the list of Meter Readings on the Utility Account in the desired order.

- The Refresh button will reload the list of Meter Readings, in the event changes to the number of Meter Readings has occurred since you visited this page.

The pane in the window shows a listing of all Meter Readings that have been taken for this Utility Account. The functions available through the buttons immediately above the pane are:

- Add a new Meter Reading to the Utility Account.

- Delete the highlighted Meter Reading from the Utility Account.

- Edit the information for the highlighted Meter Reading.

For additional information on buttons that appear at the top of the window, click here. For information on the menu items that appear under the Tools menu, click here.

The Filter check box allows you to filter the listing of Meter Readings to show only those that meet a certain criteria. When selected, a filter screen will appear, allowing you to choose to see Meter Readings for a certain Account, date, etc. When a filter is active, a check mark will appear in the filter box. To clear the filter and see all records, click on Filter, then the Clear button on the Filter screen, followed by the OK button.

To enter a new Meter Reading, click the New () button. The following Utility Meter Reading - Details screen would open.

The Account information will be automatically populated with the name of the Account you currently have open. If this is the incorrect Account, select it from the drop down list. Enter the date the reading was taken and the Reading. Click the Save button.

Payments

The Payments Page provides a listing of all payment information such as when the Payment was made, the Invoice Number from the Utility Company and the Amount of the Payment.

Tool buttons found at the top of the Utility Account - Details screen when you are on the Payments Page:

- Customize Current View allows you to select the columns to display and the order to display them in.

- Order allows you to sort the Payments in the desired order.

- The Refresh button will reload the list of Payments, in the event changes to the Payments have occurred since you visited this page.

The functions available through the buttons immediately above the Payments pane are:

- Add a new Payment for the Utility Account.

- Delete the highlighted Payment from this Lessor. Highlight the item and click the Delete button.

- Opens the Payment - Details window to allow you to review or change any information related to the payment.

Right Click

- Right clicking on the list of Payments will display this menu. From here you can create a new payment, delete a payment, and reset the exported status of a payment or group of highlighted payments.

To change the information being viewed in the list, simply right click in the list, and choose Customize Current View. To change the sort order, simply right click in the list, and choose Order.

Reset Exported Status - If a Payment has been Exported incorrectly, this tool allows you to mark it as un-exported, so that you may Export it again at a later date.

Go To - The Go To feature allows you to open a window for the appropriate item for the highlighted record.

For additional information on the buttons that appear at the top of the window, click here. For information on the menu items that appear under the Tools menu, click here.

The Filter check box allows you to filter the listing of Payments to show only those that meet a certain criteria. When selected, a filter screen will appear, allowing you to choose to see Payments that are due on a certain date, that are on a certain invoice, etc. When a filter is active, a check mark will appear in the Filter box. To clear the filter and see all records, click on Filter, then the Clear button the Filter screen, followed by the OK button.

To add a new Payment to the Utility Account, click on the New () button and the following Utilty Payment - Details screen will open.

The Account will automatically populate with the name of the Account you currently have open. If this is incorrect, select the name from the drop down list.

Enter the Invoice # from the Utility Company bill, the date of the Payment, and the Amount. When you have entered all the required information, click the Save and Close button.

Sites

The Sites Page displays the Site(s) to which this Account is associated.

Tool buttons specific to the Sites Page:

- Customize Current View allows you to select the columns to display and the order to display them in.

- Order allows you to sort the list of Sites on the Account in the desired order.

- The Refresh button will reload the list of Sites, in the event changes to the number of Sites has occurred since you visited this page.

- The Update button allows you to highlight multiple Sites and apply the same properties to them.

- The Duplicate button allows you highlight a Site from the list and create a new Site with the same Face configuration as the highlighted one.

The pane in the window shows a listing of all Sites that are assigned to this Utility Account. The functions available through the buttons immediately above the pane are:

- Add a new Site to the Account.

- Delete the highlighted Site from the Account.

- Edit the information for the highlighted Site.

In addition, while you are in the pane, you can double click on a Site to see details about the Site. You can also right click in the pane and select "New", "Customize Current View" , "Order" or "Refresh" (see above).

For additional information on buttons that appear at the top of the window, click here. For information on the menu items that appear under the Tools menu, click here.

The Filter check box allows you to filter the listing of Sites to show only those that meet a certain criteria. When selected, a filter screen will appear, allowing you to choose to see Sites in a certain city, state, zip code, on a certain street, etc. When a filter is active, a check mark will appear in the filter box. To clear the filter and see all records, click on Filter, then the Clear button on the Filter screen, followed by the OK button.

Right Click

- Right clicking on the list of Sites will display this menu. From here you can create a new Site and add it to the Utility Account, duplicate a Site, Generate Line-of-Site conflicts between Sites, or Update a property (or properties) for one or more highlighted Site(s).

To change the information being viewed in the list, simply right click in the list, and choose Customize Current View. To change the sort order, simply right click in the list, and choose Order.

Duplicate - The Duplicate menu item allows you to create a new Site with the same Face configuration as the current Site.

Generate Line-Of-Sight - the Generate Line-Of-Sight menu item allows you to create line of sight conflicts between Faces on a Site, based on their direction facing or virtual Face configuration.

Go To - The Go To feature allows you to open a window for the appropriate item for the highlighted record.

Site Conflicts - The Site Conflicts menu item allows you to view all conflicts that exist on any Face for this Site. You can specify what conditions are considered to be a Conflict prior to clicking OK. The subsequent list is all scheduling that has generated a conflict.

Update - The Update menu item allows you to to modify a property (or properties) for one or more highlighted Sites.