Invoice Process for Private Hydrant Maintenance

Invoice Process for Private Hydrant Maintenance

Purpose Statement

The Invoice Process for Private Hydrant Maintenance automates billing for hydrant service and inspection activities performed on privately-owned fire hydrants. This feature streamlines the invoicing workflow by automatically generating invoices when hydrant services are completed, reducing manual administrative tasks and ensuring accurate billing for fire protection services provided to private property owners.

Background Information

Private hydrant maintenance invoicing addresses the need for fire departments to efficiently bill property owners for mandatory hydrant inspections and services. This automated process eliminates manual invoice creation, reduces billing errors, and ensures consistent fee collection. The system tracks hydrant services completed within specified date ranges and automatically generates invoices based on predefined criteria. This feature is particularly valuable for departments managing large numbers of private hydrants across multiple occupancies, as it maintains compliance with service agreements while minimizing administrative overhead.

Required Permissions

Users must have the following permissions to complete this process:

  • Hydrant Module Access: Permission to view and edit hydrant records
  • Admin Field Management: Permission to configure Hydrant Billing Contact roles
  • Invoice Management: Permission to create and manage fee schedules and line items
  • Occupancy Management: Permission to edit occupancy records and contacts
  • Hydrant Service Checklist: Permission to create and manage service checklists

Video


Step-by-Step Guide

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Step 1: Link Hydrants to an Occupancy

1. Navigate to the Hydrants Module > Hydrants List.

2. Edit the hydrant(s) to link to an Occupancy
  1. Enter the Occupancy address to link in the Responsible Occupancy field.
  2. Mark the Hydrant as Private.
  3. The number of linked hydrants will display in the Occupancy > Access > Number of Private Hydrants field









Step 2: Create a Hydrant Inspection Type

1. Navigate to the Hydrant Module.

2. Select Hydrant Service Checklist.

3. Select Add Checklist or clone an existing Checklist.

4. Create and save a checklist for servicing/inspecting private fir hydrants.

5. Refer to the Related Article for details.


Step 3: Mark an Occupancy Contact as the Fire Hydrant Billing Contact

1.  Navigate to Admin > Field Management (#1) to manage changes to the the Hydrant Billing Contact Roles Permission:
  1. Filter the list for Hydrant Billing Contact.  (#2).
  2. Select Edit Roles Permission (#3).
  3. Select update for the Role(s) you desire to allow the hydrant billing contact to be selected (#4).  This should be restricted to admin level role(s) only.
  4. Save when done (#5).





2. Mark a contact as Fire Hydrant Billing Contact in the Occupancy Record.
  1. Only 1 contact can be marked as such.





Step 4: Navigate to Invoices > Fee Schedule






Step 5: Select Create Line Item:





Step 6: On the General Tab:
  1. Create or set to the proper Billable Category (#1).
  2. Create or set tot he proper Type (#2).
  3. Name the Line Item (#3).
  4. Select "Each" for Unit (#4).
  5. Toggle on "Automate" (#5).
  6. Select "Complete a Hydrant Service" for the Associated Action (#6).
  7. Select "Formula" for the Fee Type (#7).
  8. Add "HYDRANT_OCCUPANY_COUNT" for the Placeholder (#8).
  9. Enter the fee in the formula (#9).
    1. In this example, the fee is $100 per hydrant serviced.





Step 7: On the Criteria Tab:
  1. Criteria 1 is Service Date/Private Hydrant Occupancy Service
  2. NOTE: All hydrants associated with the Occupancy have to be completed within the date range entered for the Invoice to be automatically created.
  3. Criteria 2 Is Private Service Completed/Private Hydrant Occupancy Service is equal to "Yes."
  4. NOTE: The operator between Criteria 1 and Criteria 2 must be "AND."
  5. Select "Save" when done (#3).




Step 8: Creating and managing the Invoice:
  1. The Invoice will be automatically created based upon the criteria set in the Invoice Line Item when all hydrant services are completed within the date range.
  2. The invoice will be saved in the Invoice List for final review and printed or sent by an Admin.
  3. NOTE: The invoice will not be automatically sent.






Best Practices

  • Maintain accurate occupancy linking: Ensure all private hydrants are properly linked to their respective occupancies before beginning service work
  • Restrict billing contact permissions: Limit Hydrant Billing Contact role assignment to administrator-level users only to maintain data integrity
  • Review invoices before sending: Always verify automatically generated invoices for accuracy before distribution to property owners
  • Complete all hydrants within date range: Ensure all hydrants associated with an occupancy are serviced within the specified criteria date range to trigger automatic invoice generation
  • Use consistent fee formulas: Standardize pricing formulas across similar service types to ensure consistent billing practices
  • Document service completion: Verify all hydrant services are properly marked as complete in the system before expecting invoice generation

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: Why wasn't an invoice automatically created after completing hydrant services? A: Verify that all hydrants linked to the occupancy were completed within the specified date range and that the service completion criteria are properly configured.

Q: Can multiple contacts be designated as Fire Hydrant Billing Contacts? A: No, only one contact per occupancy can be marked as the Fire Hydrant Billing Contact.

Q: What happens if hydrant services are completed outside the criteria date range? A: The automatic invoice generation will not trigger. Services must be completed within the specified date range for the automation to function.

Q: Can I modify the fee amount after the line item is created? A: Yes, fee amounts can be updated in the formula field, but changes will only apply to future invoices generated after the modification.

Q: Why can't I assign the Hydrant Billing Contact role to a user? A: Check that the role permissions have been properly configured in Admin > Field Management and that you have administrator-level access.

Related Articles

  • Creating a Hydrant Service Checklist: Detailed instructions for setting up service checklists used in Step 2 of this process

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