Time Group Maintenance

Time groups are used to determine how the agency wants to group timesheets for processing. This in turn allows invoice generation to be aligned with customers’ billing cycles.

The relevant time groups are assigned to a client on the corresponding debtor record. A different time group can apply to a debtor depending on the billing company that issues invoices to the debtor. Therefore, the relevant time groups must be created before you attempt to create debtor records.

Each time group has a validity period that defines the date range for which it is valid, thereby allowing different time groups to apply to a client over time. The end date of the validity period can be unspecified, thereby allowing the time group to remain valid indefinitely if necessary.

Each time group has a Never Invoice flag that, when enabled, prevents timesheets that fall within the time group from being invoiced. This flag is disabled by default.

Different types of time groups can be created. The available time group types are as follows:

• non-date driven

• weekly

• fortnightly

• calendar month

• custom dates.

These time group types are described in detail below.

Non-date Driven Time Groups

Non-date driven time groups allow timesheets to be invoiced on an ad-hoc basis. When an invoice batch is generated, all timesheets that are released and yet to be invoiced on the date that is specified when generating the invoice batch are included in the batch regardless of the week ending date of the timesheets.

Weekly Time Groups

Weekly time groups allow timesheets to be invoiced on a weekly basis. The time group defines a week ending day that, in conjunction with the time group date you select when creating an invoice batch, defines the cut-off date for including timesheets or timesheet items within the invoice batch.

For example, where the week ending day for the time group is Sunday and the time group date for the invoice batch is 09/09/2010, which falls on a Thursday, the cut-off date for including timesheets or timesheet items in the invoice batch is 05/09/2010. That is, the cut-off is the last Sunday preceding the time group date.

A weekly time group groups timesheets according to one of the following:

• Timesheet end date

• Timesheet item date

Where the grouping is by timesheet end date, timesheet items on a timesheet can be invoiced only if the end date of the timesheet is on or prior to the cut-off date for the invoice batch. Where the grouping is by timesheet item date, all timesheet items that fall on or prior to the cut-off date can be invoiced, regardless of whether the timesheet end date falls after the cut-off date. That is, where the timesheet end date of a timesheet is after the cut-off date, the timesheet can be partially invoiced and the timesheet items that are dated after the cut-off date can be invoiced in a later invoice batch.

When you configure a weekly time group, you must also choose the late timesheet grouping type that applies to the time group. The late grouping type can be one of the following:

• Inclusive

• Separated

Where the late timesheet grouping type is inclusive, late timesheets that are ready for invoicing are grouped into the same invoice batch group as timesheets that are ready for invoicing within the expected period. Therefore, late timesheets that are ready to be invoiced will always be invoiced at the same time as timesheets that are ready for invoicing within the expected period.

Where the late timesheet grouping type is separated, late timesheets that are ready for invoicing are grouped into a separate invoice batch group to those timesheets that are ready to be invoiced within the expected period. Because it is possible to select which invoice batch groups are included when an invoice batch is created, this allows late timesheets to be invoiced separately if necessary.

Fortnightly Time Groups

Fortnightly time groups allow timesheets to be invoiced on a fortnightly basis. The time group defines a fortnight start date which marks the start of the fortnightly invoicing cycle, with each subsequent fortnight beginning two calendar weeks after the start of the previous fortnight. Therefore, if the fortnight start date is set to 06/09/2010, the second fortnight would start on 20/09/2010, the third fortnight would start on 04/10/2010 and so on.

As with weekly time groups, fortnightly time groups also require you to specify whether timesheets are grouped by timesheet end date or timesheet item date and whether late timesheets are grouped inclusively or separately (for more information, see Weekly Time Groups above).

Depending on whether the time group is configured to group timesheets according to timesheet end date or timesheet item date, the system includes all reviewed timesheets that have an end date that falls within the last full fortnight relative to the invoice batch run date or all timesheets that have any items that are dated within the last full fortnight relative to the time group date respectively. However, where the timesheet grouping is by timesheet item date, only those timesheet items with a date that falls within the previous full fortnight can be invoiced.

For example, if the time group is set to group timesheets by timesheet end date, the fortnight start date is set to 06/09/2010 and the time group date is 30/09/2010, all reviewed timesheets that have an end date that falls within the two week period 06/09/2010 – 20/10/2010 will be available for inclusion in an invoice batch.

Calendar Month Time Groups

Calendar month time groups allow timesheets to be invoiced on a monthly basis. As with weekly time groups, calendar month time groups also require you to specify whether timesheets are grouped by timesheet end date or timesheet item date and whether late timesheets are grouped inclusively or separately (for more information, see Weekly Time Groups above).

Depending on whether the time group is configured to group timesheets according to timesheet end date or timesheet item date, the system includes all reviewed timesheets that have a week ending date that falls within the previous calendar month relative to the time group date or all reviewed timesheets that have any items that have dates that fall within the previous calendar month relative to the time group date respectively. However, where the timesheet grouping is by timesheet item date, only those timesheet items with a date that falls within the previous calendar month can be invoiced.

For example, if the time group is set to group timesheets by timesheet end date and the time group date is set to 01/10/2010, all reviewed timesheets with an end date falling within the date range 01/09/2010 – 30/09/2010 will be available for inclusion in an invoice batch.

Custom Dates Time Groups

Time groups can be configured to be based on custom-defined date ranges instead of regular weekly, fortnightly or monthly intervals. A time group based on custom dates can define one or more custom date ranges, whereby each date range can have a different duration.

As with weekly time groups, custom dates time groups also require you to specify how timesheets are to be grouped on invoices and how late timesheets are to be handled (for more information, see Weekly Time Groups above).

Depending on whether the time group is configured to group timesheets according to timesheet end date or timesheet item date, the system includes all reviewed timesheets that have a week ending date that falls within the last full custom date range relative to the time group date or all reviewed timesheets that have any items that have dates that fall within the last full custom date range relative to the time group date respectively. However, where the timesheet grouping is by timesheet item date, only those timesheet items with a date that falls within the last full custom date range can be invoiced.

For example, a time group may define custom date ranges of 01/09/2010 – 28/09/2010 and 29/09/2010 – 26/10/2010. If the time group is configured to group timesheets by timesheet end date and the time group date is 03/10/2010, all reviewed timesheets with a week ending date that falls within the date range 01/09/2010 – 28/09/2010 will be available for inclusion in an invoice batch.

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