Shipping Carrier Billing Methods

1. Shipping Carrier Billing Methods Introduction

The Shipping Carrier Billing Methods module is used to define and manage how freight charges are assigned during the shipment process. It allows businesses to specify who is responsible for paying the shipping costs—whether it is the sender (prepaid), the recipient (collect from consignee), or a third party (third party billing). By configuring these billing methods, companies can ensure that the correct billing instructions are communicated to carriers and reflected accurately in order processing, shipping documents, and financial records.

This section of the system is essential for ensuring accurate invoicing, seamless integration with shipping carriers, and compliance with business or customer requirements. It supports operational efficiency by enabling the reuse of predefined billing configurations across multiple orders or shipping transactions. Whether you are setting up new billing options or reviewing existing ones, the Shipping Carrier Billing Methods page provides the tools necessary to maintain clarity, control, and consistency in shipping cost management.

• Go to Administration
• Click on Admin Settings
• Click on Shipping Carrier Billing Methods under Admin Settings Action

2. Key features of the Shipping Carrier Billing Methods tab

• Active Toggle Indicator: The "Active" field indicates the current activation status of the listed billing methods. If this field is set to "Yes," the interface will only display entries that are currently enabled in the system. This feature helps streamline the view by excluding inactive or outdated configurations that are no longer in use.
• Search Bar: The search bar enables users to find billing methods by entering either the code or the name. This feature streamlines the lookup process, removing the need to scroll through the entire list. 
• Refresh Button: The refresh button reloads the current view and shows the latest data. This includes new billing methods, updates to existing entries, or status changes made by other users. 
• Add New Button: The “Add New” button opens a form that allows users to create a new shipping carrier billing method. It is used when administrators or authorized users need to expand the available billing configurations. Upon clicking, users are prompted to enter details such as the code, name, payment type, and status. 
• Filter Dropdown: The filter dropdown enables users to narrow down the list of billing methods by selecting a specific attribute. The available options include Code, Name, and Active. When Code is selected, users can filter billing methods based on the predefined reference code. Choosing Name allows filtering by the full descriptive title of the billing method, while selecting Active lets users filter based on the status of whether a billing method is currently enabled or not. 

3. Shipping Carrier Billing Methods Overview:

• Code: This field shows a short alphanumeric code for each billing method. It acts as a quick reference to identify specific billing setups.
• Name: The name field clearly names the billing method, making it easy to identify. It adds context to the code, helping users understand the billing type better. This title appears next to the code to differentiate similar billing methods, and it may include details like the carrier or payment information. 
• Payment Type: This field indicates who is financially responsible for the shipment charges. 
• Created on (CDT): This timestamp field records the date and time when the billing method was entered into the system. It is formatted to include both the calendar date and the exact time, ensuring traceability for administrative and audit purposes. The time zone (CDT, in this case) provides clarity for operations across multiple regions, aligning records with different time references. This information is crucial during reviews, data imports, or troubleshooting, as it helps track when entries were first created. 

• Click on View Details

• Code: This field shows a short alphanumeric code for each billing method. It acts as a quick reference to identify specific billing setups. The code follows a standard format defined by the organization, using abbreviations or grouped names. You can find the code in the top-left corner of each billing method entry, making it easy to scan and locate records. 
• Payment Type: This field indicates who is financially responsible for the shipment charges. There are three defined values: Sender, Recipient, and Third Party. When the payment type is Sender, it implies the shipping charges will be paid upfront by the sender, typically categorized as a prepaid arrangement. If the value is Recipient, the cost will be collected from the consignee at the time of delivery, reflecting a collect-on-delivery setup. For Third Party, the charges are billed to a separate party not directly involved in the shipment’s dispatch or receipt. This classification ensures that each shipment is correctly aligned with the intended financial handling.

• Billing Method (Name): This field provides the billing method label, which aligns directly with the selected payment type. When the payment type is Sender, the billing method is labeled as Prepaid, indicating advance payment by the sender. If the payment type is Recipient, the billing method is displayed as Collect from Consignee, meaning the carrier will collect charges upon delivery. When the payment type is Third Party, the billing method becomes Third Party Billing, signifying that charges are assigned to a designated third party. This naming convention ensures clarity in both system operations and communications with customers or logistics partners. It simplifies configuration and helps ensure accurate financial tracking for each shipment.