Defining and assigning invoice views

15.Defining and assigninginvoiceviews

Billing personnel use queues to process large numbers of records. Theyoften are responsible for specific companies, terminals or cost centers, and/or geographic areas. By default, they set their own restrictions to limit record retrieval. If they accidentally enter the wrong restrictions, they could process invoices for which they have no authority.

To guard against this, you can define and assign views to control the records that individual users can retrieve and process. A view is a set of restrictions that is saved specifically for a user or user group. In addition to offering improved security, this feature simplifies data entry time for billing personnel because restrictions are pre-defined. When a user goes to process invoices for trips, the system automatically displays the records that match the view assigned to that user.

Views can be set up for these invoice queues:

  • Orders Ready to Invoice.
  • Invoices on Hold.
  • Invoices on Hold for Audit.

Activating the feature

BackOfficeViews

Overview of the Define Back Office View window

Restricting trips by company

Restricting trips by other order attributes

Restricting orders by invoice output

Basic steps for creating or copying a view

Using a selection window to set restrictions

Setting restrictions related to a label

Selecting restrictions related to a profile

Removing restrictions from a view

Setting a restriction based on paperwork

Using settings to determine whether paperwork is received or not

PaperWorkCheckLevel

PaperworkMarkedYes

Assigning views

Deleting views

Activating the feature

To turn on the functionality to define views for users, you must first configure the BackOfficeViews General Info Table setting.

BackOfficeViews
Applies to / TMWSuite: 2012.11_07.0291
Description / This setting enables you to set up views for invoicing queues. This allows you to set pre-defined restrictions for users who access the Orders Ready to Invoice, Invoices on Hold, and Invoices on Hold for Audit queues. This allows you to control the records that they can process.
String1 /
  • N (default)
There is no way to set up views. Users can process all trips that appear in the Orders Ready to Invoice, Invoices on Hold, and Invoices on Hold for Audit queues.
  • Y
Enable the Define Views and Assign Views commands under the Edit menu in the Invoicing application. Users can only process invoices based on views to which they have been assigned.
String2 / First available in TMWSuite: 2013.12_08.0891
  • N (default)
Allow users to retrieve records only with the restriction sets established by their assigned views.
  • Y
Allow users to retrieve records by temporarily modifying a restriction set to which they have been assigned.

Overview of the Define Back Office View window

The Define BackOffice Views window allows you to define views for these queues:

  • Orders Ready to Invoice
  • Invoices On Hold
  • Invoices On Hold for Audit

For all three queues, you can set restrictions based on:

  • Companiesrecorded on orders.
  • Users who booked the orders.
  • Selections in user-defined label fields on orders.
  • Paperwork received status.

For the Invoices On Hold and Invoices On Hold for Audit queues, you also can restrict based on carriers assigned to trips.

The Process > Define Views command allows you to access the Define BackOffice Views window. The window is used to establish, look up, and/or modify a view.The illustration below shows the restriction fields available for Orders Ready to Invoice queue. A similar view window exists for the Invoices on Hold and Invoices on Hold for Audit queues.

Restricting trips by company

Fields under the Companies heading allow you to create restrictions based on companies that are recorded on orders.

Ordered By / Company recorded in the Ordered By field of the order header.
Bill To / Company recorded in the BillTo field of the order header.
Shipper / Company that is the initial pickup location for an order.
Consignee / Company that is the final drop location for an order.
Other Type 14 / Values recorded for the Other Type 14fields in the Company profile.The name and options for this field are user-defined. Setup occurs in the Other Type 14 labels in the System Administration application.
Note:By default,Other Type 12 are displayed on the Company Profile window. You must use Screen Designer to add Other Types 34.

Restricting trips by other order attributes

Fields under the Order Settings and Assets headings allow you to create restrictions that are based on order data other than companies.

Booked By / Users who create the orders.
Branch / Value recorded in an order's Booking RevType1 field.
Notes:
  1. This field lists options recorded for the RevType1 label. Many clients use RevType1 to identify a terminal or cost center. The Booking RevType 1 value and the RevType1 valuefor an order typically are copied from the profile of the user who books it. The RevType1 value on the order subsequently may be changed to something else, but for historical purposes, the Booking RevType1 value retains the original value for the user's terminal or cost center.
  2. Although the field is named Branch, it not associated with branch profiles.

RevType1-4 / Values recorded for the RevType1–4 labels in the order header.
The name and options for these fields are user-defined in the RevType14 labels in the System Administration application.
Assigning orders to revenue classifications allows you to track the revenue collected for different types of loads.
DispStatus / This field restricts orders based on values defined in the label file.
Paperwork Rcvd? / This field applies only to the Orders Ready to Invoice queue and restricts orders based on whether or not paperwork has been checked-in in the Paperwork Tracking window.
Note: The [Invoice]RequirePaperwork settingof your TTS50 has no affect on this field.
OrderSource / Application or system in which the order was created.
Assets / Applies only to the Invoices On Hold and Invoices On Hold for Audit queues. Restricts based on carrier assigned to an order.
Note: For split trips, the system only restricts based on the carrier for the first trip segment. Carrier assignments for all other segments are ignored.

Restricting orders by invoice output

Check boxes under the Invoice Output section allow you to create restrictions that are based on the invoice type of the Bill To company. You can select any or all of the restrictions options. If no check boxes are selected, all invoice types are retrieved.

Freight Bill / Retrieve records for Bill To’s that are set up to receive freight bills. The check box applies to Bill To’s with either of the following selections in the Invoice field on their company profiles:
  • Freight Bill (invoices only)
  • Both (both invoices and master bills)

Master Bill / Retrieve records for Bill To’s that are set up to receive maser bills. The check box applies to Bill To’s with either of the following selections in the Invoice field on their company profiles:
  • Master Bill (master bills only)
  • Both (both invoices and master bills)

No Output / Retrieve records for Bill To’s that do not receive hardcopy bills. The No Output check box applies to Bill To’s with No Output selected in the Invoice field on their company profiles.
Dedicated Bill / Retrieve records for Bill To’s that are set up to receive dedicated bills. The Dedicated Bill check box is functional only for clients who have purchased the Dedicated Billing add-on module. To use the Dedicated Bill check box, all of the following conditions must be true:
  • You must have Bill To companies that are set up to receive dedicated bills.
  • The Invoice field on company profiles for the dedicated Bill To’s must be set to either Master Bill or Both.
  • On the invoice restriction window, the Freight Bill and No Output check boxes must be cleared.

Basic steps for creating or copying a view

There are two ways to set up new views:

  • Create a view
  • Copy and modify an existing view

To set up a new view, follow these steps:

  1. Select Process > Define Views.
    The Define BackOffice Views window opens.
  2. In the Queue field, select the queue for which you want to set up a view:
  • Orders Ready to Invoice
  • Invoices on Hold
  • Invoices on Hold for Audit
  1. In the Restriction field, do one of the following:
  • If you are creating a view from scratch, leave the field blank. ClickNew.
  • If you are copying an existing view, click in the Restriction field, select the view's name from the drop-down list, then click Copy. To distinguish the copy from the original, you must enter a unique ID and name in the Restriction ID and Name fields. Once you have done that, you can add, edit, and/or remove restrictions as needed for the new view.
  1. Set your restrictions.
    Note: For details, see the following subsections:
  • For a list of field definitions, see Overview of the Define Back Office View window.
  • For an explanation of how to make selections, see Using a selection window to set restrictions.
  1. Click Save.

Using a selection window to set restrictions

To set restrictions, you must use a selection window. The window opens when you click on a field for which you want to set restrictions. Its appearance is determined by the type of field that you selected.

Setting restrictions related to a label

On the Define Views window, if you choose a field that is a label, the selection window looks similar to this when it opens:

The window is divided into two parts:

  • Available

The left half is labeled Available. This area lists options that can be used as restrictions,but are not yet selected for the view.

  • Assigned

The right half is labeled Assigned. When values are chosen as restrictions, they are listed here.

Follow these steps to select restriction(s) related to a label:

  1. On the Define Views window, select the field for which you want to set restrictions.
  2. When the selection window opens, do one of the following:
  • To add a single value, you can:
  • Select the value and clickAdd.
  • Double-click the value.
  • To select multiple options that are listed one after the other, click the first value in the series, then press the SHIFT key and click the last value in the series. Click Add.
  • To select multiple options that are NOT listed one after the other, press the CTRL key as you click each value, then click Add.

The system moves the selected value(s) from the Available column to the Assignedcolumn.

  1. When you have specified all restrictions, clickOK.
  2. In the Define BackOffice Views window, the system displays the abbreviation(s) that corresponds to the value(s) you chose. If multiple options have been assigned, they are separated by commas.
  1. ClickSave to save your restriction(s) for the view.
Selecting restrictions related to a profile

On the Define Views window, if you choose a field that is for a profile, such as Bill To, the selection window looks like this when it opens:

As is true for fields that are labels, theAssigned area of the window lists restrictions that have been selected for the view. However, because of the likelihood of many profiles, the Availablesectiondoes not list all profile IDs that are possible restrictions. Instead, it displays a data entry field. You can use the instant best match feature to specify the ID for a profile.

  1. On the Define Views window, select the field for which you want to set restrictions.
  2. When the selection window opens, use the field shown in the Available area to enter the ID of the profile that you want to use as a restriction.
  3. ClickAdd.
    The system moves the ID from the Available column to the Assignedcolumn.
  4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 to add restrictions for additional IDs.
  5. When you have specified all restrictions, clickOK.
    The selection window closes.
  6. In the Define BackOffice Views window, the system displays the ID(s) for the profiles you chose. If multiple IDs have been assigned, they are separated by commas.
  1. ClickSave to save your restriction(s) for the view.
Removing restrictions from a view

You remove restrictions by using the same selection window you used to define the restrictions. Follow these steps:

  1. On the Define Views window, click the field name for which you want to remove restrictions.
  2. In the Assigned area of the window, do any of the following:
  • To remove a single value, double-click on it.
  • To select multiple options that are listed one after the other, click the first value in the series, then press the SHIFT key and click the last value in the series. ClickRemove.
  • To select multiple options that are NOT listed one after the other, press the CTRL key as you click each value, then clickRemove.

Note: The system handles removals for label entries differently than it does for profiles.

  • For restrictions that are label entries, the system moves the selected value(s) from the Assigned column to the Available column.
  • For restrictions for profiles, the ID(s) are no longer visible on the window.
  1. When you have finished removing restrictions, clickOK.

When the selection window closes, note that the Define BackOffice Views window no longer displays the code(s) for the restriction(s) that were removed.

  1. ClickSave.

Setting a restriction based on paperwork

You can restrict orders for the Orders Ready to Prepare queue based on the status of the paperwork. If you set the Paperwork Rcvd? field to Yes, and check-in the paperwork for an order, then that order will appear in the Orders Ready to Prepare queue. Paperwork Tracking is accessed by selecting Edit > Paperwork Tracking from the Edit Invoice Folder.

Conversely, if you set the Paperwork Rcvd? field to No, then only orders that have not had paperwork checked in will appear in the Orders Ready to Prepare queue.

Note: The RequirePaperwork INI setting, located in the [Invoice] section of the TTS50.ini file, has no affect on this field.

Using settings to determine whether paperwork is received or not

There are two primary General Info Table settings that determine the status of paperwork received: PaperworkCheckLevel and PaperworkMarkedYes.

PaperWorkCheckLevel
Applies to / TMWSuite
Description / This setting is operational only if [Invoice]RequirePaperwork=Yes and/or [Settlement]RequirePaperworktosettle=Yes in your TTS50. Itdetermines whether required paperwork needs to be checked in for an order, or for every trip segment associated with the order.
Options /
  • Order (default)
  • When [Invoice]RequirePaperwork=Yes, the system will not allow the saving of an invoice with a Ready to Print status unless all required paperwork has been checked in for the order.
Note: If the order is associated with multiple trip segments, the invoice status change is allowed only if paperwork has been checked in for all trip segments.
  • When [Settlement]RequirePaperworktosettle=Yes, the system will not allow calculation of pay for a trip unless all required paperwork has been checked in for the entire order.
Note: If the order is associated with multiple trip segments, pay calculation will not occur for any trip segment unless paperwork has been checked in for the order.
  • Leg
  • When [Invoice]RequirePaperwork=Yes, the system will not allow the saving of an invoice with a Ready to Print status unless all required paperwork has been checked in for all trip segments associated with the order.
  • When [Settlement]RequirePaperworktosettle=Yes, the system will not allow calculation of pay for a trip segment unless all required paperwork has been checked in for that trip segment. Lack of paperwork for one trip segment will not affect calculation of pay for a different trip segment on the same trip.
Note: When the Leg option is used, the Required Supporting Paperwork window accessed from a Bill To company's profile, displays the fields needed to link the paperwork requirement to the pickup, the drop, or both.

If the PaperworkCheckLevel General Info Table setting is set to NONE, the system will not check for paperwork and all paperwork fields for each orderdisplay as "Yes."

Therefore, if this setting is set to NONE and you create a view with the Paperwork Rcvd? field set to Yes, then every order would appear in the queue, since every order would be set to "Yes" for paperwork received.

Similarly, if the PaperworkCheckLevel General Info Table setting is set to either LEG or ORDER, the system will check for paperwork. When checking for paperwork, the PaperworkMarkedYes General Info Table setting determines when the paperwork fields display "Yes" or "No."

PaperworkMarkedYes
Applies to / TMWSuite: 2010.09_08.1208
Description / This setting determines whether a user must check-in all required paperwork, or only one.
String1 /
  • ALL (default)
All required paperwork must be checked-in before the Paperwork field displays "Yes." Until all required paperwork has been checked in, the field displays "No."
Note: You will still be able to save an order if all required paperwork is not checked in.
  • ONE
At least one required paperwork must be checked-in before the Paperwork field displays "Yes." Until at least one required paperwork is checked in, the field displays "No."
Additional Notes / To configure the system to prevent a user from saving an order if required paperwork is not checked in, see the [Invoice]RequirePaperwork setting in your TTS50.

Assigning views

After you have finished defining your views, you must assign them to usersor user group. By assigning views to users, you are able to control the invoices that each user processes.