Contents
Credit Control Diary
Updated
by Caroline Buckland
Credit Control Diary
The credit control diary allows the user to create and maintain diary ‘events’.
Diary events can be used to record some action that needs to be taken in the future, or has taken place.
The diary is held at account level, i.e. a diary event is entered against the whole account and not against individual transactions.
From the diary the user can link to Credit Limit Maintenance, Query Management, Account Details and Aged Debt Analysis.
Access the following menus:
Accounts Receivable>AR Processes>Credit Controls>Maintain Diary notes
Using The Selection Window
Two types of search criteria are available to the user.
- Prime Search
- Short Name
Prime Search
Where the user can search for a diary event using standard search criteria.
For example, Action Date From and To, Action User, Query/Dispute codes.
Short Name
Used to retrieve a list of diary events for customers with a specific Short Name. The ‘wildcard’ characters may be used.
Using the Diary
Selecting Search from the selection window will list the diary events.
When the selection window parameters have been entered, the system will display selected diary events in a summary format for the entered parameters. From here the user can insert a new diary event or view, amend or copy an existing diary event.
A parameter set at Company Controls defines the sequence that retrieved diary events will be displayed, either in date sequence with the oldest event first, or in reverse date sequence with the most recent event first.
Amending Existing Diary Events
The Amend action can be used against a diary event, by selecting the Edit>Amend icon, where the details that can be amended are highlighted. These fields are:
- Date
- User
- Type
- Diary Code
- Status (Active to Inactive)
All amendments must be updated to save the new details.
Inserting Diary Events
When inserting new diary events the user can either build a list of customer accounts first and then select the Edit>Insert action next to the account, or select the Insert action at the selection window. On the Diary Insert screen the user can enter:
- Ledger and Account
- Diary Type to classify the diary event. E.g. Letter, Site Visit, Telephone Call, Credit Change, etc. Prompt can be used.
- Diary Code to further classify the Diary Event. For example, this code may be used to indicate the priority or originator. This field is optional and Prompt can be used.
- Diary User and Diary Date for the event.
- Action User and Action Date for the event.
- Text describing the diary event.
- Contact Name, telephone number and e-mail address.
- Value and currency.
Select Save once complete.
BEM Events in Diary
An attribute attached to Diary Types enables any type to be flagged to trigger a Business Event Manager (BEM) message. If the BEM trigger is set on, a BEM message will be invoked when the action date on the diary event is reached.
This facility enables flexibility in the generation of messages from the diary and can allow users to be proactive in the use of BEM for credit management.
To check diary types, access the following menus:
Systems Admin>Module Controls>Accounts Receivable Controls>AR Credit Management Controls>Diary Types
Click on Search to retrieve a list. Then use the Edit>View action against the code.
A further facility allows a user to specify a Diary Type with the Diary Usage indicator flagged as ‘Promise to Pay’. This diary type can be used to indicate that a customer has promised to pay a certain sum of money by a specified date. The diary event is monitored by BEM such that, if no payment is made (i.e. the cash has not been processed onto the customers account) between the date of the diary event and the Action Date, a Failure to Pay BEM message will be generated to prompt the action user or credit controller.
If only part of the payment is made against the value indicated on the diary event then a Payment Variance BEM message will be generated.
Automatic Diary Entries
Certain types of amendments made to the customer database may be automatically tracked and recorded in the Diary.
A specific Diary Type must be set up with the Diary Usage indicator flagged as Customer Credit Change. A diary event of this Dairy Type will be created automatically when one of the following amendments is made:
- Change to Credit Limit
- Change to Temporary Credit Limit
- Account placed in/removed from Stop Credit
- Account placed in/removed from Legal Hands
- Change to Credit Status
- Account is disabled or enabled
Content of the generated diary event will vary according to the change made to the customer account.
