Creating Invoice Records

The first step in using the Member Billing System is the creation of invoice records.  Different from the actual invoice documents that are produced, each invoice record represents a term of membership for a particular member.  When created, the invoice record is marked as unpaid until a payment is applied to it.

Invoice records are created for new members (the initial invoice), or for renewing members (renewal invoices).

New Member Invoices

New Member Invoices can be created:

• Automatically (usually during the manual entry of members)
• One-at-a-time (if otherwise necessary)

Although typically, a new member invoice is created at the time a new member is entered, if for some reason that was not the case (misconfiguration, mis-entry or other reason) you can create invoices one at a time by selecting "Enter Single Invoice" on the Renewal System menu.  You can then select the member for whom you want to generate an invoice. 

The effective date of a new member invoice is typically set to be the join date of the member.  If your membership practices are different, for example if all members are effective January 1, please contact us and we can adjust your configuration.

Renewal Invoices

Renewal Invoices can be created:

• by automatic renewals at night (optional)
• via the Create Renewal Invoices by Date function

Automatic Renewals

If your organization has opted for Automatic Renewals (or 'Batch' renewals), invoice records will be created at night. The renewal invoices are automatically created for active members a predetermined number of days ahead of expiration of their current term. This lead time can be set in MMS Configuration. Automatic renewals are usually turned on after your MMS account has been set-up and all of your member records have been initially entered into the system.

NOTE: Since renewal invoices are based on the expiration date of the member's last dues invoices, renewal invoices will not be created for members if they do not have a dues invoice.  In order for the system to work, each member will need to have at least one dues invoice.

Renewal Invoices are created with an effective date equal to the expiration date of the last invoice.  Typically, during initial set-up of your organization, we will work with you to set up initial invoices/payments for all your members, to make sure that the MMS reflects the current billing status of your members.  However, for some organizations, effective/expiration dates are the same for all members. (e.g. - all are March 1 - March 1). If this applies to your organization, we can customize the renewal process to observe this rule.

Create Renewal Invoices by Date

Please see section 6.2.1 for preparations before creating invoices.

If you don't have automatic renewals enabled, you can create renewal invoice records by using the Create Renewal Invoices by Date function.  Using this feature, you can enter the effective date of the renewals you would like to create, you will then be shown the invoices that will be created and given the option to go ahead and create them, or to abort the procedure.  (If you don't see the Create Renewal Invoices by Date function, contact us.)

At the time of invoice record creation, the billing system will use the member plan on the member database record.  If the member has a $0 member plan, no invoice record is created.

NOTE:   After the invoice record is created, it will remain the same unless changed from the member billing system.  Changes to the member database are not automatically reflected in the member billing system.