Prepayments are entered by clicking the Pre-pay button in the control panel on the Repair Order tab. They can be updated or returned to the customer from here as well. When the repair order is invoiced, the prepayments are applied to the final invoice total before additional payments are accepted. Prepayments in excess of the final invoice total remain as a credit balance on the invoice, and can be paid back to the customer using the [Payout Credit Balance] button found in the A/R window on the Final Invoices tab when the Unpaid Only checkbox in the upper lefthand corner is checked.
Authorization for both the original estimate and any changes thereafter, must be recorded in some States... California, for example. In AllsystemsMax that is what the authorization button is all about. It will be RED when additional authorization is required. So click it, get authorization from the customer and let the system log it. The date and time will be included automatically and the authorization history will be included in the invoice. This keeps you in compliance with State agencies. Even if this is not required in your State, it may help you avoid disputes down the road. If not already activated, authorization can be turned on for you by contacting Tech Support.
Preview the repair order, before you start the invoicing process, to make sure that it is complete and accurate. Remember, invoices are final. An invoice is a legal contract between you and your customer. To keep it legal, and insure a valid audit trail, invoices cannot be edited after they are created, though refunds and credits can be issued against finalized invoices.
The Invoice button at the bottom of the control panel, brings up the following window for putting the finishing touches on the repair order, such as editing discounts and additional fees, and also correcting any last minute errors the software finds, such as missing odometer reading, and line items that have not been assigned to a technician, or parts that have not been updated with vendor reference (i.e., invoice) numbers. You can set service writer options and inventory control setting that will guarantee this information is updated before an invoice can be finalized.
If you have any hesitation to finalize, then press Cancel.
Otherwise, click the appropriate button to either finish by accepting a payment, or charging the entire invoice on account.
Below a payment is being accepted.
This is the last step before an invoice is finalized and printed.
