Using the Bill of Materials for Customer Invoicing in Visp.net Service Desk

Introduction

The Bill of Materials (BoM) feature in Visp.net Service Desk allows you to add billable items to a ticket when equipment, services, fees, or other charges are provided as part of the work performed. BoM entries are typically added while completing installations, repairs, service calls, equipment replacements, or other customer-related tasks.

Items added to the Bill of Materials are initially treated as a quote. After the ticket is completed according to your organization’s workflow, the quote can be reviewed and converted into an invoice so the customer can be billed accurately.

Use the Bill of Materials to ensure that all customer charges related to ticket work are documented, approved, and invoiced consistently.

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Prerequisites

Before using the Bill of Materials feature, make sure you have:

• Access to Visp.net Service Desk.
• Permission to view and edit tickets.
• Permission to add billable items or services to a ticket.
• Permission to create quotes or convert quotes into invoices, if applicable.
• The correct customer ticket open.
• Accurate pricing information for equipment, services, fees, or other items.
• A clear understanding of your organization’s billing policies, including:
  • One-time charges
  • Recurring charges
  • Proration rules
  • Tax handling
  • Auto-suspension rules
  • Expiration dates for temporary charges

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1. Understand the Purpose of the Bill of Materials

The Bill of Materials section is used to record items, services, or charges associated with completing a ticket.

Common use cases include:

• Installation materials

  • Extra cable, mounting hardware, adapters, or connectors.

• Equipment charges

  • Routers, modems, radios, antennas, switches, or customer premises equipment.

• Service fees

  • Installation fees, truck rolls, troubleshooting fees, activation fees, or repair charges.

• Recurring services

  • Monthly service add-ons, managed Wi-Fi, static IP service, equipment rental, or support plans.

• Custom charges

  • Adjustments, special fees, or miscellaneous billable items.

Example:

• A technician performs an installation and determines that an additional adapter is required. The adapter can be added to the ticket’s Bill of Materials so the customer can be billed properly.

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2. Open the Ticket

1. Log in to Visp.net.
2. Open Service Desk.
3. Search for and open the customer ticket.
4. Confirm that you are working on the correct ticket by reviewing:
   • Ticket number
   • Subscriber name
   • Service address
   • Ticket summary
   • Assigned technician
   • Ticket status

Always verify the customer and ticket before adding billable items.

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3. Open the Bill of Materials Window

1. Scroll to the Bill of Materials section on the ticket.
2. Review the current totals, if any.
3. Click the external link icon in the Bill of Materials section.
4. The full Bill of Materials window opens.

The Bill of Materials window is where you can add, edit, and review chargeable line items before saving them to the quote.

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4. Choose the Type of Item to Add

In the Bill of Materials window, select the appropriate add option.

Available options may include:

• + Package

  • Use this for billable service packages or bundled offerings.

• + Service

  • Use this for specific services, service fees, or add-on services.

• + Equipment

  • Use this for physical equipment provided to the customer.

• + Other Item

  • Use this for miscellaneous charges, adjustments, or items that do not fit the other categories.

Choose the item category that best matches what was provided or needs to be billed.

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5. Search for and Select the Item

After selecting an add option:

1. Use the search field to enter the item name, service name, package name, or item ID.
2. Review the matching search results.
3. Select the correct item.
4. Confirm that the item appears in the Bill of Materials table.

The item table may include columns such as:

• Item
• Description
• Recurring
• Qty
• Rate
• Tax

Review the line item carefully before saving.

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6. Adjust Quantity, Rate, and Tax Details

After adding an item, review and update the billing details as needed.

Quantity

• Enter the number of units provided.
• Example:
  • Qty 1 for one router.
  • Qty 3 for three cable runs or three adapters.

Rate

• Confirm the item price or service rate.
• Adjust the rate only if your permissions and billing policy allow it.

Tax

• Confirm whether the item is taxable.
• Tax behavior may depend on your system configuration, item setup, and local tax rules.

Before saving, verify that the line item total is accurate.

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7. Save Items to the Quote

Once the required items have been added and reviewed:

1. Confirm each line item is correct.
2. Verify the quantity, rate, recurring setting, and tax status.
3. Click OK to save the items to the quote.
4. Return to the ticket and review the updated Bill of Materials total.

The items are now associated with the ticket as part of the quote.

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8. Enable Recurring Billing for a Line Item

Use Recurring when an item or service should bill repeatedly, such as monthly or according to the customer’s billing cycle.

To enable recurring billing:

1. Open the Bill of Materials window.
2. Locate the line item that should recur.
3. Find the Recurring column.
4. Check the Recurring checkbox.
5. Review the additional recurring billing options that appear.

Recurring billing may be appropriate for:

• Monthly service add-ons
• Equipment rental fees
• Managed Wi-Fi service
• Static IP service
• Support or maintenance plans
• Temporary recurring promotions

Do not enable recurring billing for one-time items such as installation materials unless they should continue billing in future cycles.

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9. Configure Proration for Recurring Items

When a recurring item begins in the middle of a billing cycle, proration determines how the customer is charged for the partial period before the next full recurring charge.

The system may display when the next full monthly recurring charge begins, such as:

• Begin the next monthly recurring charge on [Month YYYY]

Available proration options may include:

Do Not Prorate

• The customer is not charged for the partial period.
• The first full recurring charge begins on the next scheduled billing cycle.

Use this when:

• You want to waive the partial-period charge.
• The recurring item should begin billing only on the next full cycle.

Add Prorated Amount Only

• The customer is charged only for the portion of the current billing cycle during which the item is active.
• The full recurring charge begins on the next billing cycle.

Use this when:

• The customer should pay only for the actual partial service period.

Add Full Amount Plus Prorate

• The customer is charged the prorated amount for the current partial period plus the full recurring amount for the next billing period.
• This may result in a larger initial invoice.

Use this when:

• Your billing policy requires collection of both the partial-period charge and the upcoming full-period charge.

Add Full Amount to Both Invoices, Prorate and Full

• The customer may see separate billing treatment for the current prorated amount and the full recurring charge.
• The exact invoice presentation depends on your billing configuration.

Use this only when it aligns with your invoicing policy and customer expectations.

Prorate in Full

• If available, this option typically charges the calculated prorated amount for the initial partial period according to the system’s proration rules.
• Review the calculated amount before finalizing the quote.

Before saving, confirm that the selected proration option matches your organization’s billing standards.

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10. Configure Auto-Suspend for Recurring Items

Auto-suspend controls whether a recurring line item should stop billing automatically based on the subscriber’s account or package status.

To enable auto-suspend:

1. Open the recurring line item options.
2. Check Auto-suspend.
3. Select the appropriate auto-suspend condition from the dropdown.

Available options may include:

When the Subscriber Is Suspended or Inactive

• The recurring charge stops when the subscriber account is either suspended or inactive.

Use this for most recurring charges that should not continue when service is interrupted or the account is inactive.

Only When the Subscriber Is Suspended

• The recurring charge stops only if the subscriber account is suspended.

Use this when the charge should continue unless the account is specifically suspended.

Only When the Subscriber Is Inactive

• The recurring charge stops only if the subscriber account becomes inactive.

Use this when the charge should continue through suspension but stop after account deactivation.

When the Specified Package Is Not Billed

• The recurring charge stops when a selected package is no longer being billed.
• This is useful for add-ons that depend on another service package.

Use this for dependent services such as:

• Add-on features tied to a primary internet package.
• Equipment fees tied to an active service package.
• Premium support tied to a specific subscription.

Auto-suspend helps prevent customers from being billed incorrectly when the related service is no longer active.

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11. Set an Expiration Date for a Recurring Item

Use Expires when a recurring charge should automatically stop after a specific month or date.

This is useful for:

• Promotional rates
• Temporary add-ons
• Limited-term services
• Short-term equipment rentals
• Contract-based recurring fees
• Trial services

To set an expiration date:

1. Open the recurring line item options.
2. Check the Expires checkbox.
3. Click the date field that appears.
4. Select the desired expiration month and year.
5. Confirm the expiration setting before saving.

After the expiration point, the recurring charge should stop according to the configured billing rules.

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12. Review the Quote Before Finalizing the Ticket

Before resolving or closing the ticket, review the Bill of Materials carefully.

Confirm the following:

• The correct items were added.
• Quantities are accurate.
• Rates are correct.
• Tax settings are appropriate.
• One-time and recurring charges are configured correctly.
• Proration settings match the customer’s billing situation.
• Auto-suspend rules are appropriate.
• Expiration dates are set for temporary recurring charges.
• The total amount matches expectations.

If the customer was quoted a price verbally or in writing, confirm that the BoM matches the approved amount.

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13. Convert the Quote to an Invoice

Items added to the Bill of Materials are typically saved as a quote first. After the ticket work is completed, the quote can be converted into an invoice according to your organization’s billing workflow.

The conversion process may depend on:

• Ticket status
• User permissions
• Billing configuration
• Approval requirements
• Whether the ticket has been resolved or closed

Before converting the quote:

• Confirm the ticket work is complete.
• Verify all billable items are included.
• Confirm recurring charges are intentional.
• Review customer approval requirements.
• Check whether any discounts, credits, or adjustments are needed.

Once converted, the invoice can be used to bill the customer.

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14. Follow Best Practices for Bill of Materials Entries

Use these best practices to keep billing accurate and transparent.

Add Items as Work Is Performed

• Add materials, equipment, and fees while details are fresh.
• Avoid waiting until long after the work is completed.

Use Clear Descriptions

• Ensure each line item clearly explains what the customer is being charged for.
• Avoid vague descriptions such as miscellaneous item unless additional details are provided.

Separate One-Time and Recurring Charges

• Confirm whether each item should bill once or repeat.
• Recurring charges should be reviewed carefully before saving.

Verify Pricing Before Invoicing

• Confirm that rates match your price list or approved quote.
• Check for discounts, promotions, or special agreements.

Document Customer Approval

• Add a ticket note if the customer approved additional charges.
• Attach signed documents when required.

Use Expiration Dates for Temporary Charges

• Always set an expiration for promotions or temporary fees.
• This prevents customers from being billed beyond the intended period.

Use Auto-Suspend for Dependent Services

• Enable auto-suspend when charges should stop if the subscriber or related package is no longer active.

Review Before Ticket Closure

• Check the Bill of Materials before resolving or closing the ticket.
• Make sure the quote is ready for billing review or invoice conversion.

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Conclusion

The Bill of Materials feature in Visp.net Service Desk helps ensure that equipment, services, fees, and recurring charges associated with ticket work are captured accurately. By adding items to the BoM, configuring quantities and rates, enabling recurring billing when needed, applying proration rules, setting auto-suspend behavior, and defining expiration dates, your team can create reliable quotes that support accurate customer invoicing.

A well-maintained Bill of Materials improves billing accuracy, reduces missed charges, supports transparent customer communication, and creates a clear record of billable work performed during ticket resolution.