ZoneBilling Basics, Tips, and Tricks for Efficient Billing

A lot of companies choose to implement NetSuite and ZoneBilling concurrently. And while ZoneBilling does adhere to NetSuite standards, it is also a vastly more flexible platform. In short, they’re two different beasts with different bases of knowledge. And with everything there is to learn during an implementation, sometimes the basics get lost in the shuffle. It is always good to have a refresher on core concepts. Check out the basic order of operations below for how you can be sure to trigger the appropriate process in the appropriate order. 

The Basic Order Of Operations

• Make sure ZAB Charges exist! With the optional functionality to delay charge generation when creating new Subscription Items, make sure you have generated ZAB Charges before you try to rate or bill. 

• Is ZoneRevenue enabled? Before billing a subscription for the first time, make sure you run Update Revenue Details so that all charges will be captured by the revenue module. 

• Upload your usage. If you have usage-based billing, make sure you add the relevant usage data that will need to be rated. 

• Rate your usage. For those accounts with usage-based billing, it is recommended to use the Execute Rating Suitelet or a ZAB Automation for this process. The “Rate Now” button on the Subscription does not respect Rating Priority and could time out in high volume accounts.

• Create your transaction. You can now use the Create Transactions/Subscription Selection Suitlet or a ZAB Automation to create your desired transaction – Sales Order, Invoice or Credit Memo. 

• Is ZoneRevenue enabled? Don’t forget to run Update Revenue Details before month-end! In fact, it is a good idea to schedule it to run at least once weekly to reduce performance issues at end-of-month close.

• Is ZoneRevenue enabled? Don’t forget to run Update Revenue Arrangements & Plans before recognizing revenue. You’ll want all the latest data from ZAB Revenue to sync with Advanced Revenue Management. 

Sometimes, even if you follow all the rules, you might now get the result you expect. However, there are some basic troubleshooting steps you can take to rule out the most common issues. 

Charges not rating? 

• Be sure to try regenerating forecast charges before rating again. 
  • Are your charges in a viable status? Only Partially Rated or Pending Billing charges can be rated. 

• Drill down through your Rate Plan and Rate Plan Search Map. Does the usage you expect to rate appear in the Quantity Search? If not, either your usage data or saved search needs adjustment. 

Transaction won’t create? 

• Did you already try regenerating forecast charges? 
  • Does your transaction form have the following fields exposed on the line level – Item, Price Level, Rate and Amount? ZoneBilling relies on populating those fields.
  • Can you enter the transaction manually in the UI without error? Sometimes customizations can interfere with transaction creation.

Revenue Impacts are not right or are duplicated.

• Is “Do Not Create Revenue Element” exposed as a field on Sales Order, Invoice and Credit Memo transactions lines? This is a requirement for the revenue plug-in to work. 
• Review the Revenue Recognition Rules and Create Revenue Plans On settings for your items. Are all settings in alignment?
• Create a saved search that mimics the logic of your ZAB Revenue Configuration. Are the results of that search a match to what you are seeing?

Takeaways

When implementing either NetSuite or ZoneBilling, you’ll soon realize it’s a complex process, especially when you’re also dealing with the intricacies of subscription management and revenue recognition. Given all of this, it’s understandable that some businesses struggle to keep track of the many steps (and tips & tricks) needed to make sure everything is running as smoothly as possible. It might not be a one and done, however, using some of these steps and tips, you can avoid the common issues and keep your processes on track. 

Remember, it’s completely normal and okay to seek help or revisit the basics when things are getting overwhelming – finding the right solution can make all the difference in making the most of your software investment. Happy Billing!