How Costpoint Print Bills Works
The Print Bills process generally operates after billing amounts have been calculated and reviewed. The user selects the appropriate billing records or processing scope, and Costpoint generates invoice documents according to the configured billing and presentation rules.
- Identify bills: Select the billing transactions that are ready for invoice output.
- Apply presentation rules: Use the appropriate customer, contract, and invoice configuration.
- Generate output: Produce the invoice document with relevant billing details.
- Review the document: Check customer information, amounts, references, descriptions, and required supporting details.
- Deliver or retain: Use the printed or electronic output for customer submission and financial records.
The exact sequence can depend on the organization's Costpoint configuration and billing procedures. Printing should therefore be treated as one stage within the broader billing workflow rather than as the calculation of billable amounts itself.
Information Included on Printed Bills
A Costpoint bill can contain information that allows the customer and finance team to understand what is being charged. Common elements include customer identification, invoice number, billing date, contract references, project information, billing period, current charges, cumulative amounts, fees, and total amounts due.
The visual arrangement of these details is governed by the applicable Invoice Print Format. A suitable format should make important information easy to locate while meeting customer and contract-specific presentation requirements.
Finance teams should also verify that the accounting information supporting invoice output is correctly classified. A properly maintained chart of accounts provides the coding structure needed for accurate financial reporting and helps maintain consistency between billing activity and the general ledger.
Print Bills and Invoice Processing
Printing a bill is part of a larger invoice lifecycle that may include invoice capture, extraction, validation, matching, GL coding, approval, posting, and customer delivery. Consistency between the billing record and the final invoice document is important because discrepancies can affect reconciliation and customer review.
The broader invoice processing workflow can include document interpretation and validation before financial information reaches the appropriate accounting records. When printed bills are based on accurate source transactions, the final document can provide a clear representation of the amounts calculated in Costpoint.
After invoices are issued, accounts receivable teams can use the resulting records to monitor customer balances, reconcile receipts, and support collection activities. The printed bill therefore serves as both a customer-facing document and an important financial record.
Reviewing Bills Before Customer Delivery
A structured review before delivery helps confirm that the printed document reflects the intended billing transaction. Finance teams should compare the invoice against the underlying billing data and contract requirements rather than reviewing formatting alone.
- Customer details: Confirm the customer name, billing address, account information, and required references.
- Contract details: Verify contract, project, task, funding, and billing-period information.
- Financial amounts: Check current charges, cumulative values, fees, adjustments, and total amounts.
- Descriptions: Ensure labor, materials, expenses, and other charges are presented with sufficient context.
- Supporting information: Confirm that required schedules or documentation accompany the invoice when applicable.
These checks help create a reliable connection between Costpoint billing calculations, customer-facing documentation, and the accounting records used for reconciliation.
Costpoint, ERP Integration, and Financial Workflows
Costpoint functions within a broader enterprise resource planning environment, so invoice output can form part of workflows involving project accounting, receivables, contracts, procurement, and financial reporting. Organizations evaluating ERP architecture may also examine how deltek Costpoint capabilities compare with alternative ERP approaches and how finance workflows can be extended around the core system.
Maintaining consistent information across ERP processes is particularly important when billing data must connect with general ledger, accounts receivable, customer records, or other financial applications. Clear integration points can help preserve transaction traceability from source activity through invoice generation and reporting.
Understanding Bills Payable Versus Customer Bills
Costpoint Print Bills produces documents associated with amounts billed to customers, which is an accounts receivable activity. This should be distinguished from bills payable, which represent obligations an organization owes to suppliers or other parties.
The Bills Payable Guide provides educational context on bills payable workflows, entries, and account treatment. Understanding this distinction helps finance teams keep customer billing and supplier obligations organized within their respective accounting processes.
Distinguishing Printed Bills from Treasury Bills
The word “bills” can describe different financial concepts. In Costpoint, printed bills are customer invoices generated from project and contract billing information. They are not the same as short-term government securities.
T Bills and Treasury Bills are short-term government debt instruments used in investment and treasury activities. They have no role in determining or printing Costpoint customer invoices, despite the similar terminology.
Summary
Costpoint Print Bills is the process of producing customer-facing invoice documents from billing information calculated and prepared in Costpoint. It presents contract, project, customer, and financial details according to configured invoice requirements. Effective use depends on accurate billing data, appropriate print formatting, careful pre-delivery review, and consistent integration with accounting and receivables workflows. Distinguishing customer bills from bills payable and treasury instruments also helps maintain clear financial terminology and process ownership.