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Recap Business Account Management

Recap Business Account Management

Business Accounts are a central concept in the Municipal Manager system that links customers and vendors to organized business entities. This allows municipalities to manage complex business relationships efficiently.

Accessing Business Accounts

Navigate to Municipality Systems > Business Accounts from the Municipal Manager Role Center.

INSERT SCREENSHOT of: Business Accounts list page showing account codes and descriptions

Creating a New Business Account

  1. Click New in the Business Accounts list

  2. Enter a unique Code (e.g., "CONST001" for construction companies)

  3. Enter a Description (e.g., "Construction Company Services")

  4. Select the appropriate Type:

    • Customer: For revenue-generating accounts

    • Vendor: For expense accounts

    • Both: For accounts that serve both functions

INSERT SCREENSHOT of: Business Account Card with Code, Description, and Type fields highlighted

Business Account Configuration

Basic Information

  • Code: Unique identifier for the business account

  • Description: Descriptive name for the account

  • Posting Group: Links to GL account setup for automatic posting

  • Type: Determines whether used for customers, vendors, or both

Web Integration

  • Visible on Web: Controls visibility in customer portal

  • Skip Payment Bill: Excludes from automatic payment processing

  • Payment Bill: Configures automatic billing preferences

INSERT SCREENSHOT of: Business Account Card showing Web Integration section with checkboxes

Company Information

Configure company details for official documentation:

  • Company Name: Official business name for documents

  • Registration Number: Business registration or VAT number

  • Address Information: Complete address details

  • Banking Details: Account information for payments

  • Logo: Company logo for branded documents

INSERT SCREENSHOT of: Business Account Card Company Information tab with fields filled

Customer Business Accounts

Linking Customers to Business Accounts

  1. Open the Customer Card for the relevant customer

  2. Navigate to the Business Accounts section

  3. Click New to create a new link

  4. Select the Business Account Code from the lookup

  5. Configure specific settings for this customer-business account relationship

INSERT SCREENSHOT of: Customer Card with Business Accounts section expanded showing linked accounts

Customer-Specific Settings

  • Primary Contact: Designated contact person

  • Billing Preferences: How invoices should be sent

  • Credit Limits: Specific limits for this business account

  • Terms: Payment terms specific to this relationship

Vendor Business Accounts

Linking Vendors to Business Accounts

Similar to customers, vendors can be linked to business accounts:

  1. Open the Vendor Card

  2. Navigate to Business Accounts section

  3. Link the vendor to appropriate business accounts

  4. Configure vendor-specific terms and conditions

INSERT SCREENSHOT of: Vendor Card Business Accounts section with linked accounts

Business Account Processing

Monthly Processing Workflow

  1. Review Account Status: Check all business accounts are properly configured

  2. Validate Links: Ensure customer/vendor links are current

  3. Process Invoices: Generate invoices for active business accounts

  4. Review Exceptions: Handle any processing errors

Automated Features

  • Periodic Invoice Generation: Automatic monthly billing

  • Payment Processing: Integration with municipal payment systems

  • Reporting: Automated reporting by business account

  • Web Portal Access: Customer self-service capabilities

INSERT SCREENSHOT of: Business Account processing workflow diagram or status screen

Reporting and Analysis

Available Reports

  • Business Account Summary: Overview of all accounts and their status

  • Customer by Business Account: Customer analysis grouped by business account

  • Revenue by Business Account: Financial performance analysis

  • Web Portal Usage: Analytics on customer portal access

Common Analysis Tasks

  1. Monthly Revenue Analysis: Track income by business account category

  2. Customer Segmentation: Group customers by business account type

  3. Payment Performance: Analyze payment patterns by business account

  4. Service Utilization: Track which municipal services are most used

Common Issues and Solutions

Error: "Business Account Code already exists"

Solution: Use a different, unique code. Consider adding suffixes like -01, -02 for related accounts.

Error: "Cannot delete Business Account - records exist"

Solution: Remove all customer and vendor links before attempting to delete the business account.

Issue: Customer not receiving web portal access

Solution:

  1. Verify Visible on Web is checked on the Business Account

  2. Ensure customer is properly linked to the business account

  3. Check web portal user permissions

Issue: Invoices not generating automatically

Solution:

  1. Confirm business account has correct Posting Group assigned

  2. Verify periodic invoice setup is complete

  3. Check that customer business account link is active

Best Practices

Naming Conventions

  • Use consistent prefixes (e.g., UTIL- for utilities, CONST- for construction)

  • Include service type in description

  • Keep codes short but meaningful

Account Structure

  • Group similar services under one business account

  • Use separate accounts for different billing cycles

  • Consider creating master accounts for large customer groups

Maintenance Schedule

  • Monthly review of inactive accounts

  • Quarterly validation of customer/vendor links

  • Annual cleanup of obsolete business accounts

Business Account Management is fundamental to efficient municipal service delivery and billing. Proper setup ensures accurate invoicing, effective customer service, and comprehensive reporting capabilities.