Warehouse Billing: Setting Up Billing Types and Creating Invoices

Warehouse billing generally consists of two areas:

• Storage: Billing for articles or load carriers stored in the warehouse over a defined period.
• Handling: Billing for warehouse activities such as inbound handling, outbound handling, movements, or other warehouse processes.

Depending on your process, storage and handling can be configured together in one billing type or separately.

Opening Billing Types

Go to Settings > Article | Scan > Billing Type.

The upper table shows the existing billing types.

You can select an existing billing type or create a new one by clicking New.

Basic Structure of a Billing Type

A billing type defines how storage and handling are calculated.

The record consists of several areas:

• General Info
• Period
• Storage
• Handling

General Info

In the General Info area, enter the name of the billing type.

Example:

Standard

This name is later used when the billing type is assigned, for example to a service, customer, article group, or article.

Period

In the Period area, define the period for which the warehouse billing should be calculated.

Possible periods are for example:

• No Billing
• Day
• Week
• Half Month
• Month
• Quarter
• Half Year
• Year

Example:

If Month is selected, warehouse billing is calculated for a monthly period.

The selected period defines how warehouse data is grouped and calculated.

Storage

In the Storage area, define how the actual storage should be billed.

Storage refers to articles or load carriers that remain in the warehouse over a certain period.

Billing Type for Storage

Here you define the basis for the storage calculation.

Typical options are:

• No Billing: No billing is created for storage.
• Number of loading devices: Billing is based on the number of loading devices.
• Number of storage spaces: Billing is based on the number of occupied storage spaces.
• Number Per Stack: Billing is based on stacks.
• Number of Load Carriers (LLC): Billing is based on large load carriers.
• Number of Load Carriers (SLC): Billing is based on small load carriers.

Which option is correct depends on your warehouse process and the pricing agreement with the customer.

Quantity Calculation for Storage

In addition to the billing type, you define how the quantity is calculated for the selected period.

Typical options are:

• No Billing: No quantity calculation is performed for storage.
• Average Per Period: The quantity is calculated based on the stock balance within the defined period.
• Average per Second Half of Period: The quantity is calculated based on the stock balance in the second half of the period.
• Total the storage balance per day for all days in the defined period: Daily stock balances are summed for all days in the selected period.
• Period total divided by number of days per period: The period total is divided by the number of days in the period.

Example:

If you bill monthly and use Total the storage balance per day for all days in the defined period, the storage balances of all days within the month are included in the calculation.

Handling

In the Handling area, define how warehouse movements or warehouse processes should be billed.

Handling can be used for inbound processes, outbound processes, relocation, or other warehouse activities.

Billing Type for Handling

Typical options are:

• No Billing: No billing is created for handling.
• Transaction: Billing is based on the number of transactions or movements.
• Number of loading devices: Billing is based on the number of loading devices.
• Number of storage spaces: Billing is based on the number of storage spaces.
• Number Per Stack: Billing is based on stacks.
• Stack quantity x Stacks per storage location: Billing is calculated based on stack quantity and storage locations.

Example:

If a handling fee should be charged for each inbound warehouse process, a transaction-based or quantity-based handling billing type can be used.

Saving the Billing Type

After defining the period, storage settings, and handling settings, click Save.

The billing type can then be used in further settings.

Assigning a Billing Type to a Service

For handling processes, the billing type must be assigned to a service.

Go to Master Data > Service.

Select an existing service or create a new one by clicking New.

Examples of warehouse services:

• Warehouse Handling IN
• Warehouse Handling OUT
• Inbound Handling
• Outbound Handling
• Warehouse Handling

Calculation Type of the Service

In the service, select the correct Calculation Type.

For warehouse billing, use the calculation type STORE - Storage.

After this calculation type is selected, the table Storage Billing Type appears in the lower area.

Adding the Storage Billing Type to the Service

In the Storage Billing Type table, you can add the required billing type to the service.

Proceed as follows:

1. Open the required service under Master Data > Service.
2. Select STORE - Storage in the Calculation Type field.
3. In the Storage Billing Type table, click the plus icon.
4. Select the required billing type, for example Standard.
5. Save the service.

When this service is later used in a warehouse process or shipment, the assigned storage billing type can be used for billing.

Prices and Assignment

Billing types can be assigned and priced depending on your setup, for example at customer level, article group level, or article level.

In general:

• If a price is stored for the customer, it can be used for the customer’s articles.
• If a separate price is stored for an individual article, it can override the general price.
• Article groups can be used to manage billing types and prices for several articles together.

The exact setup depends on your warehouse structure and pricing agreement.

Invoicing Handling

Handling is usually invoiced through shipments or warehouse processes where the corresponding service was used.

Go to Accounting > Debtors > Invoice Registry.

Select the relevant table or view, for example Shipments, if handling should be invoiced through shipments.

Proceed as follows:

1. Filter the shipments or processes that should be invoiced.
2. Select the required records.
3. Click New to create an invoice.
4. Check the generated invoice positions.
5. Save the invoice.

Invoicing Storage

Storage is invoiced through the warehouse billing process.

Go to Accounting > Debtors > Invoice Registry.

Select the relevant table or view for warehouse billing.

Proceed as follows:

1. Filter by customer, period, article, or other relevant criteria.
2. Select the warehouse billing positions that should be invoiced.
3. Click New to create an invoice.
4. Check the generated invoice positions.
5. Save the invoice.

Difference Between Storage and Handling

Storage

Storage refers to stock over a period of time.

Example:

An article is stored in the warehouse for the entire month. Billing is calculated monthly based on loading devices or storage spaces.

Handling

Handling refers to an activity or movement.

Example:

An article is received into the warehouse or shipped out of the warehouse. A handling service is charged for this process.

Common Issues

If warehouse billing does not work as expected, check the following points first:

• Is the correct billing type created under Settings > Article | Scan > Billing Type?
• Is the correct period selected?
• Is a suitable billing type selected under Storage?
• Is a suitable billing type selected under Handling?
• Is the billing type assigned to the service in the Storage Billing Type table?
• Does the service use the correct Calculation Type, for example STORE - Storage?
• Was the service saved after the changes?
• Is a price stored for the customer, article group, or article?
• Are you invoicing the correct shipment, warehouse process, or warehouse billing record?

Important Notes

Warehouse billing strongly depends on the individual setup.

Before creating the first productive invoice, check especially:

• period
• billing type for storage
• quantity calculation for storage
• billing type for handling
• assigned services
• prices at customer, article group, or article level
• generated invoice positions

It is recommended to test new warehouse billing types first with a test customer or a small period before creating larger invoices.

Summary

Warehouse billing is set up in several steps:

1. Create the billing type under Settings > Article | Scan > Billing Type.
2. Define period, storage, and handling.
3. If required, create a suitable service under Master Data > Service.
4. Select STORE - Storage as the service calculation type.
5. Add the required billing type in the Storage Billing Type table.
6. Store prices at customer, article group, or article level.
7. Invoice storage or handling through Accounting > Debtors > Invoice Registry.