Bill Template Management User Story (BX03US01)

1. Problem Statement

For Billing Manager:

• Inability to easily create and manage different bill templates for various utility services (water, electricity, gas)
• Difficulty in customizing bill layout, sections, and fields to meet specific utility requirements
• Limited visibility into template usage metrics and performance
• Challenges in maintaining consistent branding while accommodating utility-specific information
• Time-consuming process to update or modify existing templates when regulations or business needs change

Core Problem:

The current billing system lacks a flexible, user-friendly interface for billing managers to create, customize, and manage bill templates. This results in inefficient workflows, potential billing errors, and inability to quickly adapt to changing utility requirements without technical assistance.

2. Who Are the Users Facing the Problem?

Billing Manager:

• Oversees the entire billing cycle from meter data import to bill delivery
• Ensures accurate implementation of rate structures and billing rules
• Manages billing exception processes and adjustments
• Develops bill formats and customer communications
• Reports on revenue and billing performance metrics
• Ensures compliance with regulatory requirements for billing

3. Jobs To Be Done

For Billing Manager:

• When I need to create new bill templates for different utility services, But I lack intuitive design tools and must rely on technical teams for implementation, Help me access a user-friendly template builder with drag-and-drop functionality, So that I can independently create professional bill templates that meet regulatory requirements without technical assistance.
• When I need to modify existing bill templates due to regulatory changes or business needs, But I have limited visibility into which fields can be edited and how changes will affect the final bill, Help me preview real-time changes with a side-by-side editor and preview pane, So that I can confidently make updates without disrupting the billing cycle or introducing errors.
• When I need to understand which templates are being used most frequently and perform best, But I lack usage analytics and performance metrics, Help me access comprehensive template usage statistics and customer feedback data, So that I can make data-driven decisions about template optimization and retirement.
• When I need to ensure consistent branding across all utility bills while accommodating utility-specific information, But I struggle to maintain design consistency with different data requirements, Help me create master templates with customizable sections and conditional field display, So that I can maintain brand standards while adapting to the unique needs of each utility service.
• When I need to activate or deactivate templates based on seasonal or operational changes, But I don't have a centralized management system, Help me toggle template activation status and schedule template changes in advance, So that I can efficiently manage the template lifecycle without manual intervention.

4. Solution

The Bill Template Management system provides a comprehensive solution for creating, customizing, and managing utility bill templates:

Key Capability Areas:

1. Template Dashboard
   • Template overview with metrics (total, active, usage statistics)
   • Visual categorization by utility type (water, electricity, gas)
   • Status indicators showing active/inactive templates
   • Quick-access template search functionality
2. Template Creation
   • Intuitive template builder with utility-specific starting points
   • Pre-configured sections for standard billing components
   • Drag-and-drop interface for section reordering
   • Template cloning capability for efficient creation
3. Section Customization
   • Toggleable section visibility controls
   • Field-level customization options
   • Database field mapping interface
   • Custom label editing capabilities
4. Design Customization
   • Logo placement and sizing options
   • Typography and color scheme settings
   • Conditional content display rules
   • Responsive design for print and digital formats
5. Data Integration
   • Database field mapping interface
   • Field validation rules setup
   • Conditional data display options
   • Custom calculation capabilities for derived fields
6. Template Preview
   • Real-time preview with sample data
   • Multi-format preview (print, PDF, digital)
   • Responsive design testing
   • Error detection highlighting
7. Template Management
   • Version control and history tracking
   • Bulk template operations
   • Template activation/deactivation controls
   • Archiving and restoration capabilities
8. Analytics and Reporting
   • Template usage metrics dashboard
   • Error rate tracking per template
   • Customer satisfaction metrics correlation
   • Template performance benchmarking

5. Major Steps Involved

For Billing Manager using the Bill Template Management feature:

1. Access Template Dashboard
   • Navigate to the Billing module in SMART360
   • Select "Bill Templates" from the navigation menu
   • View dashboard showing template metrics (total, active, average usage)
   • See template cards organized by utility type (water, electricity, gas)
2. Create New Template
   • Click "Create New Template" button
   • Select utility type (water, electricity, gas)
   • Choose from pre-defined starting templates or blank canvas
   • Provide template name and description
   • System creates new template and opens editor
3. Configure Template Structure
   • In the template editor, see list of available sections on left panel
   • Toggle sections on/off using switch controls
   • Drag sections to reorder them in the bill layout
   • Preview changes in real-time on the right preview panel
4. Customize Section Fields
   • Select a section (e.g., "Customer Information")
   • View list of fields available for that section
   • Toggle field visibility on/off
   • Click "Edit Properties" to access detailed field settings
5. Configure Field Properties
   • For each field, set custom label text
   • Map field to database source using dropdown selector
   • Set conditional display rules if needed
   • Configure formatting options (date format, number precision, etc.)
   • Save field configuration changes
6. Preview and Test Template
   • Review template with sample data in preview pane
   • Toggle between different preview modes (print, digital)
   • Validate that all data fields display correctly
   • Check responsive behavior for digital formats
7. Save and Activate Template
   • Save template changes
   • Set template status to "Active" using toggle switch
   • Confirm activation in confirmation dialog
   • Return to template dashboard to see new active template
8. Monitor Template Performance
   • From dashboard, review usage statistics for templates
   • Identify most/least used templates
   • Analyze error rates associated with specific templates
   • Make data-driven decisions about template optimization
9. Maintain Templates
   • Periodically review template usage metrics
   • Deactivate unused or problematic templates
   • Clone and modify templates for new requirements
   • Archive obsolete templates to maintain clean template library

6. Flow Diagram

7. Business Rules

Bill Template Management Screen - Fields and Business Rules

Summary Cards Section

1. Total Templates
   • Field Type: Metric card with icon
   • Data Source: Count of all templates in system
   • Business Rules:
     • Displays total number of bill templates available in the system
     • Document icon provides visual context for template count
     • Subtitle clarifies "Available bill templates"
     • Must match the actual count of templates in the database
2. Active Templates
   • Field Type: Metric card with icon
   • Data Source: Count of templates with "Active" status
   • Business Rules:
     • Shows count of templates currently marked as active
     • Formula: Count of templates where status = "Active"
     • User/people icon provides visual context for "in use" status
     • Subtitle clarifies "Currently in use"
     • Must be less than or equal to Total Templates
3. Average Usage
   • Field Type: Metric card with icon
   • Data Source: Calculated from usage statistics
   • Business Rules:
     • Shows average number of times templates are used
     • Formula: Sum of all template usage counts ÷ Total Templates
     • Chart/graph icon provides visual context for usage metric
     • Subtitle clarifies "Per template"
     • Rounded to nearest whole number
4. Newest Template
   • Field Type: Date card with icon
   • Data Source: Most recent template creation date
   • Business Rules:
     • Shows creation date of the most recently created template
     • Format: "DD/MM/YYYY"
     • Calendar icon provides visual context for date information
     • Subtitle clarifies "Creation date"
     • Must be a valid date not in the future

Search and Filter Controls

5. Search Field
   • Field Type: Text input
   • Data Source: User input
   • Business Rules:
     • Placeholder text: "Search by template name or type..."
     • Filters the template cards below based on input
     • Performs partial matching on template names and types
     • Search is not case-sensitive
     • Dynamically updates results as user types
6. Filter Dropdown
   • Field Type: Dropdown selector
   • Data Source: Predefined filter options
   • Business Rules:
     • Current selection: "All"
     • Likely options include: All, Active, Inactive, By Utility Type
     • Controls which templates are displayed in the list
     • Changes applied immediately when selection changes
7. View Toggle
   • Field Type: Button group
   • Data Source: System-defined view options
   • Business Rules:
     • Two options: List view (selected) and Grid view
     • Controls the display format of the templates
     • User preference may be saved for future sessions

Template Cards

8. Template Icon and Letter
   • Field Type: Visual identifier
   • Data Source: First letter of utility type
   • Business Rules:
     • Displays first letter of the utility type in large format
     • Utility type displayed in smaller text below
     • Visual identification for quick scanning
     • Consistent styling across templates
9. Template Name
   • Field Type: Text heading
   • Data Source: Template name field
   • Business Rules:
     • Primary identifier for each template
     • Format typically includes utility type and purpose
     • Must be unique within the system
     • Displayed prominently for easy identification
10. Created By
    • Field Type: Text field with label
    • Data Source: User database
    • Business Rules:
      • Format: "Created by: [Username]"
      • Shows the user who created the template
      • Must reference a valid user in the system
      • Displays full name of user rather than username
11. Created On
    • Field Type: Date field with label
    • Data Source: Template creation timestamp
    • Business Rules:
      • Format: "Created on: DD/MM/YYYY"
      • Shows when the template was created
      • Must be a valid past date
      • Stored internally with timestamp but displayed as date only
12. Usage Count
    • Field Type: Numeric field with label
    • Data Source: Usage statistics
    • Business Rules:
      • Format: "Usage count: [Number]"
      • Tracks how many times the template has been used
      • Incremented each time the template is used to generate a bill
      • Used to calculate the average usage metric
13. Status Toggle
    • Field Type: Toggle switch with label
    • Data Source: Template status
    • Business Rules:
      • Two states: "Active" (on) or "Inactive" (off)
      • Visual indication of current state (blue when active)
      • Controls whether template is available for bill generation
      • Only active templates can be used for billing
      • Changing status may require appropriate permissions
14. Actions Menu
    • Field Type: Icon button with dropdown
    • Data Source: System-defined actions
    • Business Rules:
      • Three dots/kebab menu icon
      • Opens dropdown with available actions
      • Likely options include: Edit, Duplicate, Delete, Preview
      • Available actions may vary based on user permissions
      • Some actions may be disabled based on template status

Table Features and Controls

Template Search Functionality

• The template list should be searchable by:
  • Template name
  • Utility type
  • Creator name
  • Creation date range

Template Sorting Functionality

• The template list should be sortable by:
  • Name (A-Z, Z-A)
  • Creation date (newest/oldest)
  • Usage count (high/low)
  • Status (active/inactive)

Template Filtering Functionality

• The template list should support filtering by:
  • Status (All, Active, Inactive)
  • Creator (dropdown of users)
  • Creation date range

Template Management Actions

• The system should support these actions:
  • Creating new templates
  • Editing existing templates
  • Duplicating templates
  • Previewing templates
  • Activating/deactivating templates
  • Deleting templates (with appropriate safeguards)
  • Exporting template data

Bill Template Editor - Fields and Business Rules

Template Configuration Header

1. Template Name
   • Field Type: Text input
   • Data Source: User input
   • Business Rules:
     • Primary identifier for the template
     • Must be unique within the system
     • Default value shown: "Standard Water Bill"
     • Required field - cannot be empty
     • Used for searching and referencing the template
2. Bill Format
   • Field Type: Dropdown selector
   • Data Source: System-defined format options
   • Business Rules:
     • Controls the overall layout and styling of the bill
     • Current selection: "Standard"
     • Affects available sections and layout options

Template Structure Section

3. Sections Panel
   • Field Type: Navigation/control panel
   • Data Source: System-defined bill sections
   • Business Rules:
     • Lists all available sections for the bill template
     • Expandable/collapsible sections indicated with "▾" symbol
     • Each section can be enabled/disabled via toggle switch
     • Blue toggle indicates enabled section
     • Sections are displayed in the order they will appear on the bill
     • Bottom instruction indicates "Drag sections to reorder. Toggle to show/hide."
4. Section Toggle Switches
   • Field Type: Toggle controls
   • Data Source: Section visibility settings
   • Business Rules:
     • Controls whether section appears in the bill
     • Blue = Enabled, Gray = Disabled
     • Available sections include:
       • Header (enabled)
       • Customer Information (enabled)
       • Billing Details (enabled)
       • Usage Summary (enabled)
       • Payment Information (enabled)
       • Footer (enabled)
     • At least one section must remain enabled
     • Changing toggle immediately updates preview
5. Edit Properties Button
   • Field Type: Action button
   • Data Source: System functionality
   • Business Rules:
     • Located under section
     • Opens detailed property editor for the selected section
     • Allows customization of fields within the section
     • Each section has its own configurable properties

Field Properties Panel

6. Properties Header
   • Field Type: Section title
   • Data Source: Selected section name
   • Business Rules:
     • Format: "Properties: [Section Name]"
     • Shows which section's fields are being configured
     • Currently showing "Properties: Customer Information"
     • Updates when different section is selected
7. Field Settings Header
   • Field Type: Subsection title
   • Data Source: System-defined
   • Business Rules:
     • Labels the field configuration area
     • Groups field-level settings
     • Consistent styling for visual organization
8. Field Toggle Switches
   • Field Type: Toggle controls
   • Data Source: Field visibility settings
   • Business Rules:
     • Controls whether field appears in the bill
     • Blue = Enabled, Gray = Disabled
     • Each field can be individually enabled/disabled
     • Changing toggle immediately updates preview
     • Fields shown in Image 1:
       • billTo (enabled)
       • address (enabled)
       • accountNo (enabled)
       • billDate (enabled)
       • dueDate (enabled)
9. Field Labels
   • Field Type: Text inputs with label
   • Data Source: User input
   • Business Rules:
     • Format: "Label: [Display Label]"
     • Defines how field is labeled on the bill
     • Examples shown:
       • "Bill To"
       • "Address"
       • "Account Number"
       • "Bill Date"
       • "Due Date"
     • Must be concise and descriptive
     • Changes immediately update preview
10. Field Configuration Dropdown
    • Field Type: Dropdown menu
    • Data Source: Field configuration options
    • Business Rules:
      • Accessed via "▾" icon next to each field
      • Opens database field mapping

Database Field Mapping (Image 2)

12. Database Field Selector
    • Field Type: Dropdown selector
    • Data Source: Database schema
    • Business Rules:
      • Label: "Database Field"
      • Instruction: "Select database field"
      • Maps template fields to actual database fields
      • Ensures correct data is pulled when generating bills
      • Available options include:
        • Customer Name
        • Customer Address
        • Customer City
        • Customer State
        • Customer ZIP
        • Customer Email
        • Customer Phone
        • Account Number
        • Issue Date
        • Due Date
        • Bill Number
        • Bill Period Start
        • Bill Period End
      • Selection determines which data populates the field
      • Must select valid database field for each enabled template field

Preview Panel

13. Bill Template Preview Header
    • Field Type: Section title
    • Data Source: System-defined
    • Business Rules:
      • Labels the preview area
      • Preview shows real-time rendering of the template
      • Updates as configurations change
      • Represents what the generated bill will look like
14. Preview Sections
    • Field Type: Visual representation
    • Data Source: Template configuration + sample data
    • Business Rules:
      • Shows all enabled sections with sample data
      • Reflects current configuration settings
      • Sections include:
        • Header (with logo placeholder and "Utility Bill" title)
        • Customer Information (with sample customer data)
        • Billing Details (with sample meter and reading data)
        • Usage Summary (with sample consumption data)
      • Layout and formatting match the final bill output
      • Sample data is representative but not real customer data
15. Customer Information Preview
    • Field Type: Preview section
    • Data Source: Template configuration + sample data
    • Business Rules:
      • Shows enabled customer fields with sample data
      • Layout reflects current configuration
      • Sample data includes:
        • Customer name: "John Smith"
        • Address: "123 Main Street, Anytown, ST 12345"
        • Account number: "1234578"
        • Bill date: "15/5/2025"
        • Due date: "30/5/2025"
      • Visual styling matches selected bill format
16. Billing Details Preview
    • Field Type: Preview section
    • Data Source: Template configuration + sample data
    • Business Rules:
      • Shows enabled billing fields with sample data
      • Layout reflects current configuration
      • Sample data includes:
        • Meter number: "WM-98765"
        • Meter type: "Smart Water"
        • Location: "Front yard"
        • Previous reading: "27849 (01/15/2025)"
        • Current reading: "28123 (02/15/2025)"
        • Meter image placeholder
17. Usage Summary Preview
    • Field Type: Preview section
    • Data Source: Template configuration + sample data
    • Business Rules:
      • Shows enabled usage fields with sample data
      • Layout reflects current configuration
      • Sample data includes:
        • Total consumption: "274 Units"
      • Would typically include more usage metrics in a real bill

Table Features and Controls

Template Field Search Functionality

• The system should support:
  • Searching through available database fields
  • Filtering fields by category
  • Quick access to commonly used fields

Field Configuration Options

• Each field should support:
  • Custom labeling
  • Formatting options
  • Conditional display rules
  • Required/optional status
  • Default values

Section Management

• The system should support:
  • Drag-and-drop reordering of sections
  • Enabling/disabling sections
  • Adding custom sections
  • Configuring section-specific properties

Template Actions

• The system should provide:
  • Save template changes
  • Test bill generation
  • Export template configuration
  • Preview with different sample data sets
  • Print template documentation

Overall System Business Rules

1. Template Structure Rules
   • Templates must include at least basic customer and billing information
   • Sections can be reordered to customize bill layout
   • Sections can be enabled/disabled based on billing requirements
   • Section order in template corresponds to display order on bill
2. Field Configuration Rules
   • Each field must be mapped to a valid database field
   • Field labels can be customized to meet business requirements
   • Fields can be individually enabled/disabled
   • Required fields (e.g., account number, bill amount) cannot be disabled
   • Field display is controlled by toggle switches
3. Data Mapping Rules
   • Template fields must map to actual database fields
   • Mapping ensures correct data is pulled during bill generation
   • Database field options are limited to relevant fields for each section
   • System validates mappings to prevent invalid configurations
4. Preview Functionality Rules
   • Preview must accurately represent the final bill output
   • Preview uses representative sample data
   • Preview updates in real-time as configuration changes
   • Preview includes all enabled sections and fields
   • Preview reflects the selected bill format
5. Template Management Rules
   • Templates are identified by unique names
   • Bill format determines overall layout and styling
   • Changes are not applied until explicitly saved
   • Templates can be tested before being used in production
   • Templates maintain an audit trail of changes
6. UI Design Rules
   • Three-panel layout (Sections, Properties, Preview)
   • Toggle switches provide visual indication of enabled/disabled status
   • Expandable/collapsible sections for organizational clarity
   • Real-time preview for immediate visual feedback
   • Consistent styling and interaction patterns
7. Field Types and Formatting Rules
   • Different field types (text, date, numeric, currency) have appropriate formatting options
   • Dates must follow consistent format across the bill
   • Currency values must include appropriate currency symbols
   • Numeric values must use appropriate decimal places based on field type
   • Field length and overflow handling must be configured appropriately
8. Template Versioning Rules
   • Changes to templates should be versioned for tracking
   • Previous versions should be maintained for reference
   • Template changes may require approval workflow
   • Templates can be duplicated to create variations
   • Changes may need to be coordinated with billing cycle timing
9. Template Management Rules
   • Each template must be associated with a specific utility type (Water, Electricity, Gas)
   • Templates can be active or inactive, with only active templates available for bill generation
   • Templates must have unique names within the system
   • Template creation and modification is tracked with user and timestamp information
   • Usage statistics are maintained to track which templates are most frequently used
10. Template Status Rules
    • Active templates are available for bill generation
    • Inactive templates are stored in the system but not available for use
    • Status can be toggled by users with appropriate permissions
    • System must have at least one active template to enable bill generation
    • Recent usage may require confirmation before deactivating a template
11. Template Usage Tracking
    • System tracks each time a template is used for bill generation
    • Usage count is incremented for reporting and analytics
    • Average usage is calculated across all templates
    • Usage data influences template recommendations and optimization
12. User Interface Rules
    • Templates are visually differentiated by utility type
    • Quick-access cards show key metrics for at-a-glance understanding
    • Search and filtering tools enable efficient template management
    • Toggle switches provide clear visual indication of template status
    • Card layout presents key information in an easily scannable format
13. Permission and Access Rules
    • Template creation may be restricted to specific user roles
    • Editing templates may require additional permissions
    • Deactivating widely-used templates may require confirmation
    • Template usage may be restricted by department or user role
    • System should log all template status changes for audit purposes

8. Sample Data

Template Dashboard:

• Total Templates: 3 (Water, Electricity, Gas)
• Active Templates: 2 (Water, Gas)
• Average Usage: 38 per template
• Newest Template: Commercial Gas Bill (10/3/2025)

Template Details:

1. Standard Water Bill
   • Created by: Admin User
   • Created on: 15/1/2025
   • Usage count: 13
   • Status: Active
2. Electricity Bill Template
   • Created by: John Smith
   • Created on: 20/2/2025
   • Usage count: 56
   • Status: Inactive
3. Commercial Gas Bill
   • Created by: Sarah Johnson
   • Created on: 10/3/2025
   • Usage count: 46
   • Status: Active

Section Configuration:

• Header (enabled)
• Customer Information (enabled)
  • Bill To: Customer Name
  • Address: Customer Address
  • Account Number: Account Number
  • Bill Date: Issue Date
  • Due Date: Due Date
• Billing Details (enabled)
  • Meter Number: WM-98765
  • Meter Type: Smart Water
  • Location: Front yard
  • Previous Reading: 27849 (01/15/2025)
  • Current Reading: 28123 (02/15/2025)
• Usage Summary (enabled)
  • Total Consumption: 274 Units
• Payment Information (enabled)
• Footer (enabled)

9. Acceptance Criteria

1. The system must display a dashboard with accurate template counts, status, and usage metrics
2. The system must allow searching templates by name, type, or creator
3. The system must support creating new templates with pre-configured utility-specific sections
4. The system must provide visual categorization of templates by utility type (water, electricity, gas)
5. The system must allow toggling template status between active and inactive
6. The system must prevent deletion of active templates without prior deactivation
7. The system must provide drag-and-drop functionality for reordering bill sections
8. The system must allow toggling visibility of individual bill sections
9. The system must provide field-level customization options for each section
10. The system must display a real-time preview of the template with sample data
11. The system must validate database field mappings to prevent errors
12. The system must track template creation date, creator, and modification history
13. The system must prevent activating templates with missing mandatory fields
14. The system must support template cloning for efficient creation of similar templates
15. The system must maintain at least one active template per utility type
16. The system must provide usage metrics for each template
17. The system must allow customization of field labels and formatting options
18. The system must support conditional display rules for template sections and fields
19. The system must provide bulk operations for managing multiple templates
20. The system must log all template changes with user identification and timestamp

10. Process Changes

11. Impact from Solving This Problem

12. User Behavior Tracking

Questions answered by tracking:

1. What is the average lifecycle of a bill template from creation to retirement?
2. Which template components are most frequently reused across different utility types?
3. What is the correlation between template customization and customer satisfaction?
4. How does template complexity affect error rates in the billing process?
5. Which users are creating the most successful templates based on usage metrics?
6. What is the impact of template changes on billing cycle efficiency?
7. How quickly are regulatory changes implemented through template updates?
8. Which templates serve as the foundation for new template development?

Wireframe

Wireframe: Link

Reference: Link