Module Area: Billing & Invoicing Procedures
Audience: Visp.net End-Users / Administrators
Applies To: Subscriber Profile → Billing Options → Bill all to another Subscriber
Purpose
This guide explains how to configure and manage the Bill all to another Subscriber feature in Visp.net. This feature enables consolidated billing by redirecting all charges and invoices from one subscriber (the child account) to another designated subscriber (the parent account). Proper configuration is critical for family plans, multi-location businesses, managed service providers, and any scenario where a single payer is responsible for multiple accounts.
Prerequisites
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Visp.net Login | Logged in with Admin-level permissions to modify billing options |
| Both Subscribers Exist | Both the child (the account being redirected) and the parent (the account receiving the charges) must already be created in Visp.net |
| Subscriber Access | The child subscriber’s profile is open with the Billing Options section visible |
| Parent Account Reviewed | The parent account’s Billing Options, Auto Actions, and communication preferences have been reviewed — the parent becomes the single enforcement point for all linked accounts |
| Understanding of Distinction | You understand the difference between account-level Bill all to another Subscriber (covered here) and the line-item-level Bill to Another Subscriber available on individual invoice items |
Section 1: What "Bill All to Another Subscriber" Does
When enabled on a child account, this feature produces the following behaviors:
| Aspect | Effect |
|---|---|
| Invoice Generation | The child account no longer generates its own invoices. All recurring charges, one-time fees, and usage charges are redirected to the parent account. |
| Financial Responsibility | The parent account becomes fully responsible for payment of all linked child services. |
| Child Account Balance | The child account’s balance is managed through the parent’s billing activity. The child account does not carry an independent payable balance. |
| Child Service Continuity | Child services remain active only as long as the parent account stays in good standing. Non-payment by the parent cascades to all linked children. |
Common Use Cases
| Scenario | Example |
|---|---|
| Family / Household Plans | A head-of-household pays for internet and phone services for multiple family members. |
| Multi-Location Businesses | A main corporate office pays for services at several branch locations. |
| Managed Service Providers | A managing entity pays for services delivered to multiple end-user accounts. |
| Parent/Child Account Structures | Any master/sub-account billing hierarchy where one payer consolidates multiple service accounts. |
Section 2: Important Distinction — Account-Level vs. Line-Item-Level
Visp.net offers two separate billing redirection mechanisms. Do not confuse them:
| Feature | Scope | Where Configured |
|---|---|---|
| Bill all to another Subscriber | Account-level: redirects all charges from the child to the parent | Billing Options section of child’s subscriber profile |
| Bill to Another Subscriber | Line-item-level: redirects a single charge on an invoice to a different subscriber | Individual invoice item in Packages & Invoices |
💡 Pro-Tip: Use line-item-level redirection when only some charges should route to another account (partial consolidated billing). Use account-level Bill all when every charge from the child should go to the parent.
Section 3: Configuration Options
When you enable Bill all to another Subscriber, two additional checkboxes control how invoices are generated and delivered:
3.1 "Add the item to a new invoice"
| Setting | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Checked | Child account charges appear on a separate, dedicated invoice generated on the parent account. The parent may receive multiple invoices — one for their own services and additional invoices for each linked child. |
| Unchecked | Child account charges are merged into the parent’s existing invoice. The parent receives a single consolidated invoice containing their own charges plus all linked child charges. |
When to use separate invoices: Businesses that need invoice separation by location, cost center, or department. The separate invoice makes it clear which charges belong to which child account.
When to merge: Family plans or simple parent-child relationships where a single bill is preferred.
3.2 "Email parent account and skip child account during monthly invoice generation"
| Setting | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Checked | Only the parent account receives invoice emails and billing communications. The child account receives no invoice notifications. |
| Unchecked | Both the parent and child accounts may receive billing communications (depending on their individual notification settings). |
💡 Pro-Tip: In nearly all consolidated billing scenarios, this checkbox should be checked. Sending invoices to a child account that isn’t expected to pay creates confusion and unnecessary support inquiries.
Section 4: Step-by-Step — Enabling "Bill All to Another Subscriber"
- From the left sidebar navigation, select Subscribers.
- Locate and open the child account — the subscriber whose billing you want to redirect — by clicking their Name or Subscriber ID.
- Scroll to the Billing Options section within the subscriber profile.
- Locate the Bill all to another Subscriber checkbox and check it.
- Click the associated subscriber link — displayed as, for example, "Bill all to Paul Vincent Selibio (alert4notice, 1152414)" — to open the parent selection dialog.
- In the Bill all to Subscriber search field, search for and select the parent subscriber by name or ID.
- Configure the two additional options:
- Add the item to a new invoice: Check if you want child charges on a separate invoice; leave unchecked to merge into the parent’s invoice.
- Email parent account and skip child account: Check to suppress billing emails to the child; leave unchecked if the child should also receive notifications.
- Click the checkmark icon (✓) to confirm your selection and close the dialog.
- Click Save at the top or bottom of the Billing Options section to commit the change.
System Response: Billing redirection is applied immediately for all future invoices. The child account will no longer generate its own invoices. Existing invoices already generated on the child account are not retroactively moved — they remain on the child account for payment or credit resolution.
Section 5: How This Affects Each Account
5.1 Impact on the Child Account
| Aspect | After Redirection |
|---|---|
| Invoice Generation | Stops. No new invoices are created for the child account. |
| Recurring Charges | Redirected to the parent account’s invoice(s). |
| One-Time Charges | Redirected to the parent account’s invoice(s). |
| Account Balance | Managed through the parent’s billing activity; the child does not carry an independent payable balance. |
| Service Continuity | Depends entirely on the parent account’s payment status. |
| Email Notifications | Suppressed (if "skip child" is checked) or unchanged. |
5.2 Impact on the Parent Account
| Aspect | After Redirection |
|---|---|
| Invoice Content | Invoices now include charges from all linked child accounts in addition to the parent’s own charges. |
| Invoice Total | Increases to reflect combined services across all linked accounts. |
| Late Fees | Calculated against the combined balance. |
| Taxes | Applied to the combined invoice total according to the parent’s tax settings. |
| Auto Actions | Apply to the parent based on the combined payment status. Auto-Suspend on the parent cascades to all linked children. |
| Invoice Count | May increase if "Add the item to a new invoice" is checked for one or more children. |
Section 6: Non-Payment Cascades — What Happens When the Parent Doesn’t Pay
The parent account is the single enforcement point. If the parent fails to pay the consolidated bill, the consequences cascade as follows:
Parent invoice becomes past due
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▼
Parent Grace Period begins (if configured)
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Parent Grace Period expires + balance exceeds Grace Amount
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Late Fee assessed on parent account (if configured)
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Parent Auto-Suspend triggers (if configured)
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ALL linked child services are suspended
⚠️ Warning: One parent’s delinquency can suspend services for an entire family, business, or managed account hierarchy. Before enabling this feature, ensure the parent account has:
- Reliable payment methods on file
- Auto-pay enabled (where appropriate)
- Adequate credit limits or balance tolerance
- Clear communication expectations set with the account holder
Section 7: One Parent, Many Children
A single parent account can be designated as the billing target for multiple child accounts. Each child is configured independently:
| Configuration | Result |
|---|---|
| Child A → Parent X | Child A’s charges appear on Parent X’s invoice |
| Child B → Parent X | Child B’s charges appear on Parent X’s invoice |
| Child C → Parent X | Child C’s charges appear on Parent X’s invoice |
This allows:
- One consolidated payer for any number of service locations or users
- Flexible grouping — children can be added or removed from the parent independently
- Mixed configurations — some children can use separate invoices while others merge
Section 8: Removing or Changing the Redirection
To disable the feature or change the designated parent:
- Open the child account’s profile.
- Scroll to Billing Options.
- Either:
- Uncheck the Bill all to another Subscriber checkbox to disable redirection entirely, or
- Click the subscriber link and select a different parent to reroute billing.
- Click Save.
After disabling: The child account resumes generating its own invoices from the next billing cycle. Existing unpaid consolidated invoices on the former parent account remain the parent’s responsibility. Transition any open balances manually if needed.
Conclusion
The Bill all to another Subscriber feature is a powerful consolidation tool that redirects all billing responsibility from a child account to a designated parent account. When configured correctly — with deliberate choices about invoice separation and email routing — it streamlines billing for families, multi-location businesses, and managed service providers. However, this feature also creates a hard dependency: the child account’s services are only as secure as the parent account’s payment status. Always review the parent’s billing options, auto actions, and payment methods before enabling this feature.
Pro-Tips & Warnings (Consolidated)
- Parent delinquency cascades to all children. A single missed payment can suspend an entire family or business hierarchy. Mitigate this with auto-pay, payment reminders, and adequate grace settings on the parent account.
- Separate invoice option aids accounting. When multiple children bill to one parent, checking "Add the item to a new invoice" keeps charges traceable to their source — essential for departmental chargebacks or cost-center tracking.
- Always skip child email. In nearly all cases, check "Email parent account and skip child account." Sending invoices to non-paying accounts creates confusion.
- Don’t confuse with line-item billing. The account-level Bill all to another Subscriber redirects everything. For partial redirection, use the line-item Bill to Another Subscriber option on individual invoice items instead.
- Existing invoices are not moved. Enabling this feature only affects future invoices. Any invoices already generated on the child account remain there and must be resolved before redirection takes full effect.
- Review parent Auto Actions before linking. If the parent has an Auto-Suspend configured for past-due accounts, that suspension will hit every linked child. Adjust the parent’s auto actions if the risk is unacceptable.
- Verify after saving. After enabling, confirm the child’s Packages & Invoices section shows no new invoices being generated and that the parent’s next invoice preview reflects the combined charges.