System and method for implementing charge centric billing
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for improving the handling and interaction of charge events in a business using services of a multi-tenant computing platform, such as accounting, CRM, ERP, and the like. Embodiments are directed to implementing and using a charge record to enable efficient use of charges originating from multiple sources to generate reports and forecasts for multiple other services and/or recipients. In one embodiment, the charge record defines a single-source of data which enables maintaining critical business information in synchronization through a single repository of data. One aspect is to define a single abstraction, the charge record, which all sources can create. Thus, instead of multiple relationship between multiple sources and multiple processes, a charge record provides a single data point for a charge such that charges sources and processes that utilize data from the charge sources may interact using a single type of data record.
1. A computing system comprising:
at least one processor connected to at least one non-transitory computer readable medium;
a plurality of charge modules stored on the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium and having computer instructions executable that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing system to assemble data about a plurality of charges, wherein the plurality of charges correspond to at least one first type of charge having at least one first attribute and at least one second type of charge having at least one second attribute, the second attribute being mutually exclusive with the first attribute;
a database stored on the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium and coupled to the plurality of charge modules, wherein the database is configured to store the assembled data about the plurality of charges in one or more charge records, and each of the one or more charge records stored by the database is configured as a single version to include common attributes corresponding to a plurality of different charge record data, wherein the common attributes comprise the first attribute and the second attribute; and
a plurality of data manipulation modules stored on the least one non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the plurality of data manipulation modules comprise computer instructions executable by a processor to cause the plurality of data manipulation modules to: (i) separately retrieve different portions of the assembled data about the plurality of charges corresponding to the first attribute and the second attribute from the one or more charge records in the database, and (ii) use the separately retrieved portions of the assembled data to generate different user-defined outputs.
2. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the common attributes of a charge record further comprises at least one attribute from a group including: customer identification, subsidiary identification, item identification, charge stage, department, class, location, units of measure, service start date, and service end date.
3. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein each charge record stored in the database comprises an equivalent number of attributes.
4. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of charge modules further comprises at least one charge module from a group including: a subscription charge module, a project charge module, a sales order charge module, and an external system charge module.
5. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of data manipulation modules further comprises at least one charge module from a group including: a revenue recognition module, a billing module, a reporting module, and a forecasting module.
6. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein at least one charge record stored in the database comprises a charge record having more than one type of charge stored therein.
7. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of charge modules further comprises at least one charge module natively supported in the computing system and at least one domain-specific customized charge module created by a user of the domain.
8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the computer system to:
assemble data about a plurality of charges, wherein the plurality of charges correspond to at least one first type of charge having at least one first attribute and at least one second type of charge having at least one second attribute that is mutually exclusive with the first attribute;
store the assembled data about the plurality of charges in one or more charge records, wherein the one or more charge records are stored within a database coupled to the plurality of charge modules, and each of the one or more charge records stored in the database is configured as a single version to include common attributes corresponding to a plurality of different charge record data;
in response to receiving separate requests for different portions of the assembled data about the plurality of charges corresponding to the first attribute and the second attribute from a plurality of data manipulation modules, separately transmit the requested data about the plurality of charges from the one or more charge records in the database to the plurality of data manipulation modules.
9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further cause the computer system to:
store at least a portion of the assembled data about the plurality of charges in one or more charge records within a second database coupled to the plurality of charge modules, each charge record having a plurality of attributes corresponding to charge record data; and
transmit, to the plurality of data manipulation modules, the portion of the assembled data about the plurality of charges from the one or more charge records in the second database.
10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, when executed, isolate access to the database from access to the second database.
11. A computer implemented method, the method comprising:
assembling data about a plurality of charges, wherein the plurality of charges correspond to at least one first type of charge having at least one first attribute and at least one second type of charge having at least one second attribute, wherein the second attribute is mutually exclusive with the first attribute;
storing the assembled data in one or more charge records corresponding to the plurality of charges, the charge records being stored in a database maintained in at least one non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein each charge record is configured as a single version to include having a plurality of common attributes corresponding to charge record data; and
in response to receiving requests for different portions of the assembled data included in the one or more charge records, transmitting the requested portions of the assembled data to different data manipulation modules, wherein the transmitted portions of the assembled data are to be used by the different data manipulation modules to generate different reports.
12. The computer implemented method of claim 11 , wherein assembling the data further comprises assembling data corresponding to at least one time-billed charge and at least one equipment-rental charge.
13. The computer implemented method of claim 11 wherein assembling the data further comprises assembling data corresponding to at least one time-billed charge and at least one equipment usage charge.
14. The computer implemented method of claim 11 wherein assembling the data further comprises assembling data corresponding to at least one time-billed charge at a first rate and at least one time billed charge at second rate.
15. The computer implemented method of claim 11 wherein assembling the data further comprises assembling data corresponding to at least one charge at a first rate at a first time and at least one charge at a second rate at a second time.
16. The computer implemented method of claim 11 wherein assembling the data further comprises assembling data corresponding to at least one time-billed charge and at least fixed-cost charge.
17. The computer implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of attributes further comprise at least one attribute of the group including: customer identification, subsidiary identification, item identification, charge stage, department, class, location, units of measure, service start date, and service end date.
18. The computer implemented method of claim 11 , wherein transmitting the data comprises transmitting data corresponding to a revenue projection.
19. The computer implemented method of claim 11 , wherein transmitting the data comprises transmitting data corresponding to a billing event.
20. The computer implemented method of claim 11 , wherein transmitting the data further comprises transmitting data corresponding to a forecasting report.