This Document Provides Instructions for Entering a Customer Record Into the Accounts Receivable

Customers

Objective

This document provides instructions for entering a customer record into the Accounts Receivable Customers program through Munis General Billing.

Overview

The Customers program is used to identify existing or new customers and their related addresses for billing and payments within the Munis General Billing programs.

Prerequisites

Before you can successfully complete this process, you must ensure that roles granting the necessary permissions have been assigned to your user account. If the roles have not been established, contact the system administrator to have them updated or added into the Munis system.

Confirm the following:

• You have menu access to the Customers program.
• Accounts receivable (AR) permissions are set to allow maintenance of AR customer records.
  

Procedure

Use the following steps to add a customer record:

1. Open the Customers program.
   Property Revenues > General Billing > Setup > Customers

1. Click Addto create a new customer record.
2. Complete the fields, as required, using the following table as a guide.

Field / Description / Notes
Customer
Customer ID / This box indicates the customer identification (ID) number for the customer record.
The customer ID for each record must be unique.
You can type a number in the box, click +1 to assign the next available customer ID, or leave the default value if the program has already assigned the next available number. Customer ID numbers can be up to nine digits long.
Active / If you select this check box, it indicates that the customer is active.
If this check box is cleared, it indicates that the customer is inactive.
When you click Search to search for customers, the check box is selected by default, but you can clear the check box if you want to search for inactive customers only.
Last Changed By / This box indicates the user ID of the clerk who last edited the customer record.
On/At / These boxes indicate the date and time the record was last edited.
Primary Delivery Address
Name / The first box indicates the primary name of the person or entity on the customer record.
You must type the name as it should display on screens and in reports.
The second box indicates the secondary name of the person or entity associated with the primary customer name. The program automatically includes this name on the Associated Names screen (property tax-specific).
If the Person 1 or Person 2 check boxes to are selected, it indicates that this record is a person. If they are no selected this record will be an entity.
Address / These boxes indicate the street address, including street number, suffix, street name, apartment, or building number for the customer's primary address. You can type up to 40 characters of text in each address box.
Once you have created the customer record, if the customer has more than one address, you can click the Additional Addresses button to display the Additional Addresses screen to add the additional address information for the customer.
City, State, ZIP / These boxes indicate the city and state abbreviation for the address.
This box indicates the ZIP Code™ for the address.
You can type the ZIP Code in the box or click the help button to select the ZIP Code from a list.
Country / This box indicates the country for the customer address if the address is outside of the United States.
Phone Numbers
Telephone Number / Indicates the telephone number of the associated customer. You can enter multiple phone numbers, and assign the category (Home, Work, Mobile, and so on). You also can select if the phone number allows text messages, add comments and mark the phone number as active or inactive. The phone number at the top of the list will be considered the primary phone number. Phone number can be marked as primary by clicking the up arrow button.
Email Addresses
Email Address / Indicates the email address for the associated customer. You can enter multiple email addresses, and assign the category (Home, Work, Other). You also, can add comments and mark the email address as active or inactive.
Note: At this point, click the Accept to save the customer record. Please see information below for the information stored on the additional tabs.
Other Tab
Customer Class
Required for North Carolina and Tennessee / This list indicates the customer class type: business, exempt, residential, or corporate utility.
Geo Code / This list identifies the geographic code associated with this customer. Geographic codes are created and maintained in the Miscellaneous Codes program.
Customer Type / This list indicates the customer type code associated with this customer.
Customer type codes are created and maintained in the Miscellaneous Codes program.
Employee # / This box indicates the Munis employee identification number, if applicable.
Type the ID number in the box or click the field help button to select the number from a list.
Vendor # / This box identifies the vendor number associated with this customer, if applicable.
You can type the number in the box or click the field help button to select the number from a list.
Resident / If you select this check box, it indicates that the customer is a resident of your town, city, or county.
Confidential / If you select this check box, it indicates that the record is classified as a confidential record and is not included in public records.
Web Addresses / Indicates the web address for the associated customer. You can enter multiple web addresses, and assign the category (Home, Work, Other). You also, can add comments and mark the web address as active or inactive.
General Billing Tab
Customer Information
DBA / This box provides the name under which the customer is doing business, if applicable.
General Information
Assess Late Fees / This check box, if selected, indicates that the customer is eligible to have late fees assed on their bills
Print Statements / This check box, if selected, indicates that Bill Print programs print statements for the customer.
Credit Information
Deposit Amount / This box specifies a deposit amount from the customer.
Limit / This box specifies the amount of a limit to the credit available to the customer.
Hold / This check box, if selected, indicates that credit is placed on hold for the customer.
Insurance Information
Code / This list identifies the insurance carrier.
Policy # / This box stores the insurance policy number.
Medicare # / This box stores the Medicare number.
Employee Credit Amount / This box indicates the insurance credit amount for the employee.

1. Click Accept.
   The following tabs are available once the record has been accepted.

Field / Description / Notes
Names and Addresses Tab
Delivery Address
Indicates the delivery address. Multiple delivery addresses can be added; the first record in the list is considered to be the primary delivery address.
Names
Indicates the Names associated with the customer. Multiple names can be added; the first record in the list is considered to be the primary name. Each name can be assigned a specific department.
Addresses
Indicates the address. Multiple addresses can be added, the first record in the list is considered to be the primary address. Each address can be assigned a specific department.
Personal/Business
Personal Data
Provides the Social Security number, date of birth, driver’s license number, employee ID, and employer ID for any names associated with the current customer.
Business Data
Provides the business information (business name and federal identification number [FID]) for the current customer.
Customer Relationships Tab
Links to Munis Customers
Indicates any Munis customer numbers which are linked to the current customer. Customer links can be set to be bidirectional, which means that both customers can see each other’s associated bills. Examples would include:Spouses, or Dependents.
Links to External Customers
Indicates an external customer number which is linked to the current Munis customer number.
History Tab
Bills / The Bills tab lists the history records of all bills or invoices associated with the customer.
Bill information can include any of the following: the bill year, type, and number; the property location (reference); the unpaid principal amount on the bill; the real estate parcel and alternate parcel numbers; the accounts receivable (AR) code; the property code; the billing, due, and interest dates for each installment; and block information if it pertains to a motor vehicle property bill.
You can double-click a bill to view its details in the Bill Inquiry program. / .
Payments / The Payments tab lists the history records of all payments to bills and invoices associated with the customer.
Payment information can include any of the following: the year of payment activity; the bill or invoice number, AR category, and receipt number for the payment; the payment type, such as P for payment, R for refund, C for credit, and so on; the number for the department that entered the payment batch; the journal year, period, and number; the total payment amount; the effective and payment entry dates; the clerk who entered the payment; and the batch number for the payment.
You can double-click a payment to view its details in the Receipt Inquiry program.
Statistics / The Statistics tab contains any information on customer activity, such as how long the customer has been active, the categories for which the customer has been billed, the credit score if the Customer Credit Score system is enabled, the year-to-date payments, and the account aging information for the customer. Aging information includes the customer’s unpaid balances broken down by the number of days since they were due.
Associations / The Associations tab displays records from other Munis modules that are associated with the customer
Delivery Methods Tab
Delivery Method Overrides / This table contains the exceptions to the default delivery method for the customer.
You can double-click an existing delivery method override instance to display the Delivery Method Override screen to manage the instance.
User Defined Tab
Field Label / This box indicates the name or label on the user-defined field.
Req'd / If you select this check box, it indicates that the field requires a value during data entry.
Field Value / This box is specific for user-defined codes and indicates the value associated with the application ID/field value combination as defined in the User Defined Codes program.
Desc / This box indicates the description of the field value for the user-defined code.
Similar Customers Tab
Primary Delivery Address
Name 1 / Indicates the primary name of the person or entity on the customer record.
Name 2 / Indicates the secondary name of the person or entity associated with the primary customer name.
Address / Indicates the street address, including street number, suffix, street name, apartment, or building number for the customer's primary address.
City, State, ZIP / Indicates the city, state abbreviation, and ZIP Code for the address.
County / Indicates the country for the customer address if the address is outside of the United States.
Similar Customers
Indicates customers which are viewed as similar to the currently selected customer. Use the Show More and Show Less buttons to view more or less matches. The matching when clicking on Show More will become less restrictive causing more customers to be a possible match.

Additional Addresses

To enter an additional address for a customer:

1. If there is an additional address for that customer, click theNames and Addresses tab.

1. Click Update.
2. Complete the fields, as required, using the following table as a guide.

Field / Description / Notes
Delivery Address
Indicates the delivery address. Multiple delivery addresses can be added; the first record in the list is considered to be the primary delivery address.
Names
Indicates the Names associated with the customer. Multiple names can be added; the first record in the list is considered to be the primary name. Each name can be assigned a specific department.
Addresses
Indicates the address. Multiple addresses can be added, the first record in the list is considered to be the primary address.Each address can be assigned a specific department.

1. Click Accept.

Additional Tasks

In the Menu group of the ribbon, several program options allow you to search, view, and manage customer information.

Statement

Statement provides statement details for the selected customer:

1. When you click Statement, enter the effective date for the statement, and then click OK.
   The program displays the Customer Statement screen, with the Customer Number and Effective Date fields completed.
2. Select an AR Category.
3. Select the Include Paid Bills check box, if applicable, to include paid bills in the statement.
4. Select the Restrict by Minimum Balance check box to identify a minimum bill amount where bills with balances under that amount are not included. If you select this check box, enter the minimum amount in the Minimum Balance box.
5. Click Accept, and then click Select from the Menu group on the ribbon.
6. Select the output buttons on the ribbon to view, print, or save the statement.

Credit Score

Credit Score provides a customer’s credit score and history. Use the Change Dates and Adjust Score options to update details.

EFT

EFT maintains electronic fund transfer (EFT) data for the customer.

To add an EFT record for a customer:

1. Select the EFT code to specify the type of bank account: C-Checking or S-Savings.Codes A & B are used for processing prenotes: A is for prenotechecking and B for pre-note savings.
2. Enter the bank code in the Bank box.
3. Enter the customer’s bank account information.
4. Indicate a specific day of the month for the electronic transfer, if applicable.
5. Click Acceptto save the data.

Text

Text maintains comments for the selected customer record. When you select the Text option, the program displays the Customer Text screen.

Enter or update notes, as applicable, click Save on the File menu to save the details, and then click Exit on the File menu to return to the Customers screen.

Mass Activate/Inactivate Records/

Mass Activate and Mass Inactivate change the status for a selected group of customer records at one time:

1. Click Search and complete the fields, as required, to define the active set of records for which to change the status.
2. Select Mass Activate or Mass Inactivate from the Menu group of the ribbon.
   The program displays a confirmation message.
3. Click Yes to complete the process.

Interdepartmental Billing

Interdepartmental Billing is an available Menu option when the General Billing tab is active. Use this screen to associate a charge code and allocation code with a customer number and address number. When a General Billing bill is created for the customer and address number using the charge code indicated, the charge is automatically paid using funds for the general ledger accounts associated with the allocation code. This process allows interdepartmental bills to be paid automatically. Use the Add, Update, and Delete ribbon buttons to add a new interdepartmental billing association record for the current customer, or to update or delete an existing record.

Results

A customer has been entered into the system and can now be used within General Billing and payment entry.

GL Impact

There will be no general ledger impact as a result of this process.

What’s Next?

The customer can be used within General Billing programs and payment entry.