Tenant Invoices with REST Professional v14.5 and fileSMART v7.0 Enhanced Integration Setup and Use Guide
REST Tenant Water Invoices with fileSMART
REST Professional Version 14.5 and fileSMART Version 7.0.2 introduces fileSMART Tenant Invoices, an enhancement to the existing fileSMART Creditor Disbursements feature.
Some key features of this enhancement:
- Tenant water invoicing is incorporated seamlessly into the existing invoice processing workflow in fileSMART
- Bulk processing of tenant water invoices in REST using REST Owner & Tenant Water Invoicing Workflow in fileSMART Archive
- Changes in REST Professional to improve the process of creating and approving tenant water invoicing
Prerequisites
- A minimum of REST Professional Version 14.5 and fileSMART Version 7.0.2 is required to use REST Tenant Water Invoices with fileSMART. Refer to Setting Up Enhanced Integration REST Professional and fileSMART for more information on setting up integration for the first time, or contact Rockend for assistance
- The REST database must be configured to use Water Invoicing
- fileSMART Creditor Disbursements must be activated
- To utilise PrintMail Tenant Collation the REST System Option > Descriptions > Tenant Invoice Description must be configured to display the following exact text string: Tenant Tax Invoice
REST Owner & Tenant Water Invoicing data entry
When creating a new workflow, a new workflow type of REST Owner & Tenant Water Invoicing will be available.
Water invoices processed through REST Owner & Tenant Water Invoicing Workflow uses the same Workflow approval functionality as REST Barcoded invoice Processing Workflow, with the addition of a Tenant tab to record water usage details to raise tenant water invoices.
NOTE: Water invoices sent to fileSMART Workflow Assist by email will be added directly into a user’s Workflow Queue. Please refer to fileSMART for Property Management Workflow Assist Setup and Use Guide for further details on using this feature.
The steps below demonstrate the process of fileSMART Owner & Tenant invoicing Workflow for water invoices with barcodes:
- Select a water invoice from the Pending Queue select the workflow icon. Select a user and add a Workflow Comment if required
- Select the Workflow type of REST Owner & Tenant Water Invoicing and create the workflow. The water invoice will be sent to the Workflow Queue of the selected user
- Load the Workflow List to complete the approval process
- The Document data tab and Invoice tab will be automatically populated if a match is found when fileSMART extracts the Creditor/Property configured in REST Professional. If no match is found, the information may be entered manually
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Enter the required Tenant Water usage information from the water invoice on the Tenant tab. The following information will be pro-populated if available:
- The Property and Creditor Details will be automatically populated from the Document Data tab and Invoice tab
- The Original Lease Date and Vacating Date will display if applicable
- The tenant’s Previous Meter Reading will display (as entered in Tenant Details in REST Professional)
- The tenant’s Previous Reading Date will display (as entered in Tenant Details in REST Professional)
- The new Charge Tenant Water flag will display (as entered in Tenant Details in REST Professional)
- The Property’s Water Efficient Status will display (as entered in Property Details in REST Professional)
- The Tenant’s GST Exempt status will display based on their property type in REST Professional. In Australia, residential water invoices do not attract GST. If the region is set to NZ in REST Professional, all tenant water invoices will attract GST if the System Option Invoices exempt from GST is not enabled
- Water Charge 1 description will be automatically populated if configured in Company Details > Water Invoicing in REST Professional. If a date range has been specified, the date will be included in the description
- Water Charge 2 description will be automatically populated if configured in Company Details > Water Invoicing in REST Professional. If a date range has been specified, the date will be included in the description
NOTE: Descriptions for Water Charge 1 and Water Charge 2 may be edited before the workflow is approved. The edited descriptions will be sent to REST Professional for processing in fileSMART Tenant Invoices.
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A drop down list will display all Tenants linked to the property. Select the correct tenant to be invoiced
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Enter the amount for water usage for the invoicing period as stipulated on the water invoice in the Amount 1 field
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Enter the Usage kL/ Units for the invoicing period as stipulated on the water invoice
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Enter the Current Reading Date as stipulated on the water invoice
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If a second water charge is applicable (e.g. Supply Charge) enter the amount as stipulated on the water invoice in the Amount 2 field
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The Total Amount will be automatically populated based on the amounts entered in Amount 1 and Amount 2
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Review all the details to ensure the correct information is sent to REST Professional. The details entered here will be automatically populated in the Water Invoicing screen for the specified tenant in fileSMART Tenant Invoices in REST. The document will remain in the Workflow Queue of the nominated user until it is approved
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When the Owner & Tenant Water Invoicing Workflow is approved, two copies of the water invoice will be automatically archived:
- A copy will be archived against the Owner Code and the information entered on the Invoice tab will be sent to REST Professional for bulk creation of disbursements in fileSMART Creditor Disbursements
- A copy will be archived against the Tenant Code and the information entered on the Tenant tab will be sent to REST Professional for bulk creation of tenant water invoices in fileSMART Tenant Invoices
NOTE: When using fileSMART Workflow Assist a batch of water invoices can be scanned directly to a user’s workflow queue for processing the new Owner and Tenant Water Invoicing Workflow to expedite the processing time.
Owner & Tenant Water Invoicing Workflow Glossary of Terms
The table below lists the fields available in the Tenant tab of Owner & Tenant Water Invoicing Workflow, with a brief description of each field:
|
Field Name |
Description |
|
Prop Code |
The Property Code is a Read-Only field and displays on the Tenant Tab to allow an operator to confirm that the correct property has selected for Tenant Water usage invoicing. The property address is also displayed to the right hand side of the Prop Code to ensure confirmation of the correct property. |
|
Creditor Code |
The Creditor Code is a Read-Only field and displays on the Tenant Tab to allow an operator to confirm that the correct creditor is selected for disbursement processing. The creditor name and ABN number is also displayed to the right hand side on the Creditor Code to ensure confirmation of the correct Creditors details. |
|
Tenant |
When the property has one active tenant, the Tenant name will display. When two or more Tenants are linked to the property, all active tenants and tenants who vacated within a 60 day period will also be available for selection. |
|
Original Lease Date |
Original Lease Date is a Read-Only field and displays the information as entered in REST Professional. When calculating a portion of water usage for a new tenant, the Original Lease Date can be readily used to make an informed decision on the calculation of that Tenant’s water usage. |
|
Vacating Date |
Vacating Date is a Read-Only field and displays the information as entered REST Professional. When calculating a portion of water usage for a vacating tenant, the Vacating Date can be readily used to make an informed decision on the calculation of that tenant’s water usage values. |
|
GST Exempt |
GST Exempt is a Read-Only field provided by REST Professional to indicate whether the tenant water invoice attracts GST. (NZ) This Read-Only field will display based on the Invoices exempt from GST setting in System Options >Transactions. When Invoices exempt from GST is selected, the Read-only option will display as selected for tenants of Residential and Holiday properties. For tenants of Commercial or Industrial properties the option will be deselected and the Workflow operator may decide whether the Amount should be entered inclusive of GST. When Invoices exempt from GST is deselected, the Read-only field will be deselected for tenants of all property types. The Workflow operator may decide whether the Amount should be entered inclusive of GST. |
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Charge Tenant Water |
Charge Tenant Water is a Read-Only field available from the Tenant Details in version 14.5 of REST Professional. |
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Water Efficient Status |
Water Efficient Status is a Read-Only field and displays the information as entered in REST Professional. The Water Efficient Status will display if property is Water Efficient so that the operator may make an informed decision on charging water usage for that property. |
|
Water Charge 1 |
The Water Charge 1 description field will automatically populate the details configured in Company Details > Water Invoicing in REST Professional. The description can be entered manually or edited. The Water Charge 1 description will be passed to REST Professional which will then be printed on the Tenant Water Invoice. |
|
Amount 1 |
Enter the amount of the Water Charge 1 to be charged to the Tenant. Amount 1 will be passed to REST Professional and display in the Tenant Water Invoice. Note that if the GST Exempt flag is not selected, a Read-Only description of (incl. GST) will display beside the amount field. Please enter a GST inclusive amount if the Tenant is to be charged a GST inclusive amount; otherwise enter a GST exclusive amount. |
|
Previous Meter Reading |
Previous Meter Reading is a Read-Only field and displays the information as entered in REST Professional in Tenant Details. |
|
Previous Reading Date |
Previous Reading Date is a Read-Only field and displays the information as entered in REST Professional in Tenant Details. |
|
Usage kL/ Units |
Enter the kL/Units to enter the kilolitres used to be passed to REST Professional which will be used to create the Tenant Water Invoice. |
|
Current Meter Reading |
Enter the Current Meter Reading for the Property as shown on the water invoice. The Current Meter Reading value will be provided to REST Professional to be shown on the Tenant Water Invoice. |
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Current Reading Date |
Enter the Current Reading Date for the Property as shown on the water invoice. The Meter Reading Date will be passed to REST Professional to be shown on the Tenant water invoice. |
|
Water Charge 2 |
The Water Charge 2 description field will automatically populate the details configured in Company Details > Water Invoicing in REST Professional. The description can be entered manually, removed or edited. The Water Charge 2 description will be passed to REST Professional which will then be printed on the Tenant Water Invoice. |
|
Amount 2 |
Enter the amount of Water Charge 2 to be charged to the tenant. Note that Amount 2 is optional. If one usage amount is sufficient enter the usage amount into Amount 1 only. If Amount 2 is required (for example a Supply Charge) and the amount needs to display as a separate value on the invoice, enter that value into Amount 2. This value will be passed to REST Professional and display in the Tenant Water Invoice. Note that if the GST Exempt flag is not selected, a Read-Only description of (incl. GST) will display beside the Amount 2 field. Please enter a GST inclusive amount if the Tenant is to be charged a GST inclusive amount. Invoices approved in fileSMART Workflow with a description in Water Charge 2 but no Amount 2 will be sent to REST with a single water charge. Water Charge 2 may be added later in REST. |
|
Total Amount |
Total Amount is a display only field which displays an accumulated total invoice amount for Amount 1 and Amount 2. |
Barcoded Invoicing Workflow Troubleshooting
If the barcoded water invoice has no Document or Invoice data, check the following:
- Did you select the correct workflow type? You must use the REST Barcoded Invoice Processing Workflow.
- Does the Creditor exist in REST Professional?
- Does the Creditor have a Biller ID in REST?
- Does the creditor have a default account code and item description setup in REST?
- Does the CRN of the invoice exist in REST (first time bills will not work until added to REST)
- Is the scanned barcode clear enough? Standard fileSMART Archive system requirements stipulate that scanners should be set to 300dpi. Earlier versions of fileSMART Archive only required 200dpi. The workflow may not be able to read a low quality scan or a scan of a photocopy. Try scanning again form the original in 300dpi. If the original is not available you will need to process as a standard (non-barcoded) invoice.
Useful Tips: Selecting the document type (= Owner Invoice) and date in the pending queue archiving screen before creating the workflow will speed up multiple invoice processing.
If the Creditor has a default expense account code and transactions description configured in REST Professional there should be no further data entry required before approving the water invoice.
Workflow could fail to read a barcode because the Creditor Biller ID does not exist in REST Professional or because the quality of the scanned document is not clear enough to extract the barcode. If a barcode cannot be extracted automatically, the invoicing data can be entered into fileSMART manually. When water invoice workflow data has been manually entered the workflow will function in the same way as a barcoded invoice workflow item.
Redaction of collated documents in PrintMail (New feature)
fileSMART Version 7.0.02 introduces the ability to redact documents in PrintMail. Please refer to fileSMART PrintMail Tenant Collations & Redaction Setup and Use for more information on using this feature with Owner & Tenant Water Invoicing Workflow.
Changes in REST Professional
- The Water Usage tab in Company Details has been renamed Water Invoicing and the layout has been improved to allow more default settings for water invoicing.
- Property Details and Tenant Details screens now include an option to record whether a property's tenants are liable for water charges. This value will display when approving tenant water invoices in REST Owner & Tenant Water Invoicing Workflow in fileSMART Archive.
- The menu option fileSMART Creditor Disbursements previously accessed from the Transactions menu in REST has been relocated to fall under the new menu item Transactions > fileSMART Integration
- A new menu item fileSMART Tenant Invoices under the menu item Transactions > fileSMART Integration will launch the new bulk tenant water invoicing screen. fileSMART Creditor Disbursement training is required to access this new feature.
Company Water Invoicing Defaults
The Water Usage tab in Company Details has been renamed Water Invoicing and the layout has been improved to include the following new features:
- The ability to save a description and date range for tenant water charges that will automatically populate when tenant water invoices are created. The description and date range for will also display when approving tenant water invoices in REST Owner & Tenant Water Invoicing Workflow in fileSMART Archive
- The ability to save a second water charge with a description and a date range. If configured, the details will automatically populate when tenant water invoices are created. The option to add a second water charge can also be managed at invoice level
- Improved layout of the Water Rate Defaults
Charge Tenant Water flag for Property and Tenant
- A new option to record whether a property's tenants are liable for water charges is now available in Property Details > Information > Water Usage.
- The Charge Tenant Water flag is also available in Tenant Details > Invoices and will display when creating a new tenant water invoice.
- The setting can be managed on property or tenant level to correspond with existing water usage functionality.
- The Charge Tenant Water flag will display when approving tenant water invoices in REST Owner & Tenant Water Invoicing Workflow in fileSMART Archive and also on the Property Water Efficiency Report.
Enhanced Tenant Water Invoicing screen
The layout of the existing tenant water invoicing screen has been improved and now includes the following new features:
- The ability to raise a second water charge per invoice
- An option to automatically populate the date range for all water invoices based on new settings in Company Details > Water Invoicing
- An option to view the Rates Calculation for the invoice being created
- All the functionality of the new tenant water invoicing screen will be available when reviewing invoices for bulk processing in fileSMART Tenant Invoices
- All existing tenant water invoicing functionality has been retained
fileSMART Tenant Invoices
Water invoices approved in fileSMART using REST Owner & Tenant Water Invoicing Workflow will be available to review and process in bulk in REST Professional by selecting Transactions > fileSMART Integration > fileSMART Tenant Invoices
For more information on processing bulk tenant invoices in REST please refer to REST Professional Help accessed from REST Professional.