How to Make Sure Purchases Get Invoiced Using the Reimbursables System
Each Customer:Job has a Reimbursables List which tracks various items and expenses incurred while performing the job. Then, as a sales form is created, the reimbursable list for the customer can be opened and its contents easily transferred to the sales form. Thus, making sure the customer gets charged for them.
For example, suppose a crane was rented to perform a job. When the bill for the crane expense arrives, that expense can be earmarked to appear on the appropriate customer’s reimbursables list for later invoicing. Likewise, suppose a special bracket was required for the same job. As the bracket is received from a vendor, it too can be earmarked to appear on the appropriate customer’s reimbursables list for later invoicing. Eventually, a sales form will be created to the customer for the job. Your sales personnel, who may know nothing about the crane or special bracket, will easily make sure the customer is charged for these items by checking the customer’s reimbursables list.
How then, do those items and expenses get onto a reimbursables list? They are simply earmarked to be added it when preparing purchase orders, receiving items, enter bills, or writing checks (and in certain other forms). To add a line item to a reimbursables list, just pick a customer and tick the “Reimb” checkbox. Note that while the Customer and Reimb fields exist on purchase orders, those items will not actually appear in a reimbursables list until they are received into inventory (Vendors | Receive Items). See FAQ section below for more information.
Reimbursables Form Access
- From a sales form, click Menu | Reimbursables.
Field Definitions
- Select All – This button makes it easy to select all of the expenses in the grid.
- Hide All – Use this button to check all “Hide” boxes.
- Expenses Tab – This grid shows all expenses that you have entered into Total Office Manager and selected the customer.
- Items Tab – This grid shows all items that you have entered into Total Office Manager and selected the customer.
- Columns – These columns include basic information about each item or expenses. These are the same columns included elsewhere in Total Office Manager so we will not define each one here.
- Use – Check this box to have the item or expense added to the sale. The next time this form is opened, this item will not be available for selection.
- Hide – Check this box to remove it from the list forever.
- Save – This button will close the form and add any selected items or expenses to the sale.
- Cancel – Closes the form. No expenses or items are added to the sale.
- Total – The total value of all expenses or items marked to be added to the sale.
Step-By-Step
- Open the form as outlined above. A list of eligible expenses or items will be listed. To be eligible, you must have entered the expense or item elsewhere (like a bill or check) and selected the same customer that you are using on the sale.
- Click the Expense tab and check the Use box for any expense you wish to add to the sale.
- Check the Hide box for any item that you do not want to be reimbursed for at any time.
- Click the Item tab and check the Use box for any item you wish to add to the sale.
- Check the Hide box for any expense that you do not want to be reimbursed for at any time.
- Double check your work and click the OK button when you are ready to return to the sale and have your selections added to the sale.
Tips
- If you select an expense or item and enter an amount that is less that the entire amount, that expense or item will not be available next time this form is opened.
- Once you check the Use checkbox and save your work, that item will no longer be shown on this list. The item is not removed from inventory. The item cannot be added back to the list. You must select the item using the item selection as you would normally do.
- You can double click on any line item in the Reimbursables form to open that record (like a check or bill).
FAQ
Question: What is the Reimbursables feature and how does it work?
Answer: The Reimbursables feature was designed to create list of job-related expenses and time sheet entries and remind you of those entries when creating Invoices and Sales. When invoicing (billing customer), a Reimbursables list can be opened and examined. This helps prevent the user from forgetting to invoice the customer for items or labor purchased for a job. You may then move items from that list to the Invoice or Sale. There is also a Reimbursables report that includes drill down capability — just double click to view the original record.
Question: How do we add reimbursable expenses to this form?
Answer: When you save an Item Receipt, Receive Item and Enter Bill, Bill, or CC Charge, the expenses may be added to a reimbursables list specific for that customer:job. Don’t forget: You must select the Customer:Job on each expense line item for that expense to appear on this list.
Question: How can I access the Reimbursables form?
Answer: This form is opened from the Customer:Job Invoice or Sale. With an Invoice or Sale opened, click Menu button and select the Reimbursables option. Remember that only reimbursable items for that specific Customer:Job will be shown. The menu option is disabled until you select a Customer:Job from the selection list.
Question: Does the Reimbursables feature work with payroll?
Answer: Yes. When using the Time Sheet feature, select the appropriate Customer:Job to have that labor entry appear on the Reimbursables form. When using the Time Sheet, you may also select a Service Item from the selection list. That item will be listed in the Items tab of the Reimbursables form. If you don’t select an item on the Time Sheet, the labor entry will be added to the Expense tab of the Reimbursables form.
Question: Can I use Timesheet notes as the description for Service Items when Invoicing them?
Answer: Yes. On the Reimbursables form, click the “Use Timesheet Notes on Service Items” box at the bottom of the form to toggle between the Item’s actual description and the Timesheet notes for its description.
Question: The Reimbursables form has a column called “Hours”. What is this and why might it be zero?
Answer: This is used for Time Sheets only. If you have entered Time Sheets, the hours field is the total hours for that entry (single line item).
Question: The Reimbursables from has a column called “Number”. What is this?
Answer: This will be the Reference Number of an Item Receipt, Receive Item and Enter Bill, Bill, or CC Charge. If a check was entered, this is the check number.
Question: How can I access the Reimbursables report?
Answer: From the main menu, click Reports | Contacts & Jobs | Jobs | Reimbursables. You have several format options including transaction details or a summary.
Question: What is included on this report?
Answer: Any Item Receipt, Receive Item and Enter a Bill, Bill, CC Charge, or Check that was created where the Customer:Job was selected from the Customer:Job selection box.
Question: On this report, where does the “Amount” come from?
Answer: This field is the retail price as entered into the Retail Price field. This means that if your item has no retail price, the amount field will say $0.00. If you have entered Expenses (from the Expenses tab), the Amount field is the direct cost (the price you paid) for that expense.
Question: I have reimbursable expenses that we will never wish to include on an invoice. How can we permanently get them off the Reimbursables list?
Answer: Simply open any invoice for the specific Customer:Job. Click Menu | Reimbursables. Check the Hide box on any line item you wish to remove and click the Save button. This removes the reimbursable items from all invoices and reports for that particular Customer:Job. This action will not affect your financials. This is just a reminder system. Please be careful to assure that you have actually invoiced for those items.
Tips
- When you invoice a reimbursable item, the “Reimb” check boxes thru out the software will be unchecked. This box gets unchecked once the item is invoiced. This is also true is you “Hide” the Reimbursable item (use the Hide check box).
- If you void or delete an invoice that contains items that were Reimbursed, the items will no longer be marked as Reimbursed. In others words, the Reimbursable items will re-appear on the Reimbursables list.
