Single Bill Generation V2

Generate Bill - User Story Document

1. Problem Statement

User Role: Billing Specialist

Manual bill generation is time-consuming and prone to errors
Difficulty in handling complex billing scenarios with multiple meters and utility types
Challenges in applying correct tariff structures and consumption tiers
Inefficient process for including outstanding balances and applicable fees
Limited visibility into consumption patterns when generating bills

User Role: Billing Manager

Lack of streamlined process for generating bills outside regular billing cycles
Difficulty in managing billing exceptions and special cases
Challenges in ensuring billing accuracy across different account types
Limited ability to track and audit individual bill generation
Inefficient oversight of the billing process across the organization

Core Problem: The utility billing process lacks a streamlined, error-proof method for generating accurate bills that incorporate multiple utilities, variable rate structures, outstanding balances, and consumption data, causing inefficiencies, revenue delays, and customer satisfaction issues.

2. Who Are the Users Facing the Problem?

Billing Specialist:

Responsible for day-to-day bill generation and processing
Handles billing exceptions, adjustments, and special cases
Works directly with account data, meter readings, and tariff structures
Processes billing for multiple utility types (water, electric, gas)
Must ensure accurate application of rates, fees, and credits

Billing Manager:

Oversees the entire billing cycle and ensures timely bill delivery
Manages billing policies, rate implementations, and exception handling
Coordinates with other departments regarding billing issues
Responsible for billing accuracy and compliance with regulations
Monitors billing performance metrics and revenue collection

Both roles should have access to the bill generation feature, with the Billing Manager having additional oversight capabilities.

3. Jobs To Be Done

For Billing Specialist:

When I need to generate a bill for a consumer, But I have to navigate through multiple systems and manually calculate charges for different utilities, Help me process bills through a single streamlined flow that automatically calculates all charges, So that I can generate accurate bills in less time with fewer errors.
When I need to include outstanding balances and late fees in a bill, But I struggle to correctly calculate and apply these amounts, Help me automatically include previous balances, fees, and credits with clear visibility, So that I can ensure billing accuracy and improve revenue collection.
When I need to handle billing exceptions for accounts with multiple meters, But I find it difficult to manage complex tariff structures and consumption tiers, Help me easily view and validate meter readings with automatic rate application, So that I can ensure billing accuracy even for complex accounts.

For Billing Manager:

When I need to generate bills outside the regular billing cycle, But I lack a standardized process for these exceptions, Help me create consistent off-cycle bills that maintain the same quality standards as regular bills, So that I can resolve billing disputes and address special cases promptly.
When I need to oversee billing accuracy across different account types, But I lack visibility into individual bill generation details, Help me access comprehensive bill summaries and approval workflows, So that I can ensure compliance with billing policies and regulatory requirements.
When I need to track billing metrics and performance, But I struggle to collect data on individual bill generation, Help me capture structured data on bill generation activities and outcomes, So that I can identify improvement opportunities and optimize the billing process.

4. Solution

The Generate Bill feature provides a comprehensive, step-by-step workflow for creating and issuing bills for utility consumers. The solution addresses the key challenges faced by billing personnel through the following capability areas:

Consumer Selection and Filtering

Advanced search functionality to quickly locate consumers by name, account number, or premise
Billing period selection with clear date range controls
Bill template selection to accommodate different billing scenarios
Filter options to identify accounts requiring immediate billing

Account Information Management

Consolidated view of consumer account details including registered utilities
Clear visibility of outstanding amounts and payment status
Automated calculation and application of late fees
Credit balance management with inclusion options
Visual indicators for account status and billing delays

Meter Reading and Consumption Management

Organized display of multiple meters by utility type
Automatic retrieval of previous and current readings
Status indicators for reading validation
Consumption calculation with trend analysis
Ability to include/exclude specific meters from billing

Tariff and Rate Application

Automated application of appropriate tariff structures
Clear display of rate plans with effective dates
Tiered consumption pricing calculation
Visual indicators for tariff changes and obsolete charges
Support for multiple utility types with different rate structures

Payment Integration and Adjustment

Outstanding balance inclusion with detailed breakdown
Late fee calculation with waiver option
Credit application management
Payment history display for context
Adjustment capabilities for special circumstances

Bill Review and Approval

Comprehensive bill summary with all charges itemized
Visual verification of all billing components
Multiple notification options for bill delivery
Preview, download, and print capabilities
Final approval workflow with audit trail

Billing Documentation and Tracking

Automatic bill number generation and issuance date assignment
Due date calculation based on billing policies
Period documentation for reference and reporting
Status tracking throughout the bill lifecycle
Integration with payment and collection systems

5. Major Steps Involved

For Billing Specialist:

Consumer Selection (Screen 1)
- Navigate to the Generate Bill function
- Set the billing period start and end dates using the date pickers
- Select the appropriate bill template from the dropdown
- Use the search field to find the consumer by name, account number, or premise
- Review the consumer list showing utility types, outstanding amounts, and last bill dates
- Select the consumer by clicking on their entry
- Click the "Continue" button to proceed
Account Overview (Screen 2)
- Review the account information section showing consumer details and account status
- Verify the outstanding amount displayed and decide whether to include late fees
- Toggle the "Include" switch for late fees if applicable
- Review available credit balance and toggle the "Include" switch if applicable
- Expand the meter information section to review all meters
- Verify meter status for each utility type
- Toggle the "Include" switch for each meter to include in the bill
- Expand the plan & tariff details section to review current plans
- Note any tariff changes or obsolete charges
- Click "Confirm & Proceed" to continue
Readings & Payments (Screen 3)
- Review the meter readings and consumption section
- Verify the last reading date and value for each meter
- Enter or confirm the current reading for each meter
- Select the current reading date using the date picker
- Verify the consumption calculation is correct
- Review the payment summary section
- Confirm the outstanding amount is correct
- Decide whether to waive late fees by toggling the switch
- Confirm whether to include available credit by toggling the switch
- Click "Confirm All Data & Proceed" to continue
Review & Generate (Screen 4)
- Review the complete bill summary showing all consumer information
- Verify bill details including bill number, issue date, and due date
- Review the billing period and ensure it's correct
- Check the charges breakdown section for accuracy
- Confirm notification options by selecting the appropriate checkboxes
- Review the total amount due
- Click "Preview" to see the formatted bill
- Click "Download" or "Print" if needed
- Click "Approve Bill" to finalize and generate the bill

For Billing Manager:

Bill Verification Process
- Access the bill generation queue or individual bill records
- Review bills awaiting approval, particularly those flagged for review
- Examine the bill details, focusing on exceptional cases
- Review meter readings and consumption calculations for accuracy
- Verify correct application of tariffs and rates
- Check for proper handling of outstanding balances and fees
- Approve bills that meet all validation criteria or return for correction
Exception Handling Process
- Identify bills requiring special handling (high consumption, disputed charges)
- Review account history and previous bills for context
- Verify appropriate application of policies for special cases
- Add notes or explanations to bills requiring clarification
- Override standard calculations when necessary with proper documentation
- Approve exception bills with appropriate authorization

6. Flow Diagram

flowchart TD
    A[Start] --> B[Consumer Selection]
    B --> C[Account Overview]
    C --> D[Readings & Payments]
    D --> E[Review & Generate]
    E --> F{Approve?}
    F -- Yes --> G[Generate & Send Bill]
    F -- No --> H[Return to Previous Step]
    H --> |Modify Account Details| C
    H --> |Modify Readings| D
    H --> |Modify Review Details| E
    G --> I[End]

    subgraph "Consumer Selection"
    B1[Set Billing Period] --> B2[Select Bill Template]
    B2 --> B3[Search & Select Consumer]
    end

    subgraph "Account Overview"
    C1[Review Account Info] --> C2[Configure Outstanding Amount & Fees]
    C2 --> C3[Review Meter Information]
    C3 --> C4[Review Tariff Details]
    end

    subgraph "Readings & Payments"
    D1[Verify/Enter Meter Readings] --> D2[Confirm Consumption]
    D2 --> D3[Review Payment Summary]
    D3 --> D4[Configure Late Fees & Credits]
    end

    subgraph "Review & Generate"
    E1[Review Bill Summary] --> E2[Verify Charges]
    E2 --> E3[Set Notification Options]
    E3 --> E4[Preview/Download Bill]
    end

7. Business Rules

General Rules

Bills can only be generated for active consumer accounts
Bill generation requires both a billing period start and end date
Current meter readings must be greater than or equal to previous readings
Bills must include at least one active meter with valid readings
Billing periods cannot overlap with previously billed periods for the same meters
Bill templates must be selected from pre-approved options
Outstanding balances must include all unpaid amounts from previous bills
Late fees are calculated based on the outstanding balance and days overdue
Credit balances can be applied to the current bill amount if the "Include" option is selected
Bill numbers must follow the format: BILL-[AccountNumber]-[SequenceNumber]
Bill due dates are calculated as 21 days from the issue date
Bills must be in "Draft" status until approved
At least one notification method must be selected before bill approval

Reading and Consumption Rules

Consumption is calculated as (Current Reading - Previous Reading) for each meter
Readings must have a "Normal" status to be included in billing without review
Zero consumption readings require verification before bill generation
Current reading date must be within the billing period
Smart meters and standard meters follow the same validation rules
Consumption units must match the meter type (KL for water, kWh for electric)
Consumption tiers are applied based on the total consumption amount
Multiple meters of the same utility type must be combined for tier calculation

Tariff and Rate Rules

The applicable tariff is determined by the consumer's plan as of the billing period end date
Tiered rates are applied incrementally based on consumption thresholds
Base charges apply once per billing period per utility type
Obsolete charges should be visually indicated but not included in new bills
Rate changes during a billing period require pro-rated calculations
The "Plan/Tariff Changed" indicator appears when rates have changed since the last bill
Multiple plans for the same utility type must be billed separately

Payment and Fee Rules

Late fees are calculated at 5% of the outstanding amount for accounts overdue by more than 30 days
Late fees can be waived by toggling the "Waive" switch, which requires manager approval
Credit balances are applied to the current bill before calculating the final amount due
Service charges are applied based on predefined service schedules
Discounts and subsidies are applied based on consumer eligibility and program rules
The final bill amount cannot be negative; excess credits are carried forward
Partial payments are applied to the oldest charges first

Approval and Notification Rules

All bills must be reviewed and approved before sending to consumers
Bills can be previewed, downloaded, or printed prior to approval
Notification options include SMS, Email, and App notifications
At least one notification method must be selected
Bills with reading anomalies or tariff changes require additional verification
Approved bills cannot be modified; corrections require a new bill or adjustment
Bill approval creates an audit trail with user ID and timestamp

8. Sample Data

Consumer Data

Name	Account No.	Premise	Status	Utilities	Outstanding	Last Bill
John Smith	ACC10001	PRE5001	Active	Water, Electric	₹1,050	Dec 1, 2024
Maria Garcia	ACC10002	PRE5002	Active	Water, Gas, Electric	₹780	Dec 15, 2024
Ravi Patel	ACC10003	PRE5003	Active	Electric	₹320	Dec 10, 2024
Sarah Johnson	ACC10004	PRE5004	Inactive	Water, Electric	₹490	Dec 5, 2024

Meter Data

Meter ID	Utility	Type	Last Reading	Last Date	Current Reading	Current Date	Status
M1001	Water	Standard	5240	Dec 1, 2024	5240	May 5, 2025	Active
M1002	Electric	Smart	8720	Dec 1, 2024	8720	May 5, 2025	Active

Tariff Data

Utility	Plan	Tariff Name	Rate	Unit	Description	Status
Water	Residential Water Standard	Base Rate	₹100	Fixed	Monthly base connection charge	Active
Water	Residential Water Standard	Consumption (0-100 KL)	₹2.5	per KL	-	Active
Water	Residential Water Standard	Consumption (>100 KL)	₹3.5	per KL	-	Active
Electric	Residential Electric Standard	Base Rate	₹150	Fixed	Monthly base connection charge	Active
Electric	Residential Electric Standard	Consumption (0-100 kWh)	₹5	per kWh	-	Active
Electric	Residential Electric Standard	Consumption (>100 kWh)	₹7	per kWh	-	Active
Electric	Residential Electric Standard	Green Energy Surcharge	₹0.5	per kWh	-	Obsolete

Bill Data

Field	Value
Bill No.	BILL-C10001-250505
Issue Date	May 5th, 2025
Due Date	February 15th, 2025
Billing Period	December 1st, 2024 - May 5th, 2025
Status	Draft
Outstanding Balance	₹1,050
Late Fees	₹50
Discounts/Subsidies	-₹20
Service Charges	₹50
Total Amount Due	₹1,130

9. Acceptance Criteria

The system must allow selection of a consumer using name, account number, or premise ID search
The system must display account status and only allow bill generation for active accounts
The system must pre-populate billing period fields based on the last bill date
The system must display all registered utilities for the selected consumer
The system must show outstanding balance and days since last bill with visual indicators for delayed billing
The system must allow inclusion or exclusion of late fees with appropriate controls
The system must display all meters associated with the account with their status and last readings
The system must allow individual selection of meters to include in the bill
The system must display current tariff plans with visual indicators for changes or obsolete charges
The system must allow entry or confirmation of current meter readings with validation
The system must calculate consumption automatically based on previous and current readings
The system must display payment history including last bill amount and payment date
The system must allow waiving of late fees with appropriate controls
The system must provide a comprehensive bill summary showing all consumer and billing details
The system must generate a unique bill number following the specified format
The system must calculate the due date based on the issue date according to business rules
The system must provide multiple notification options with at least one required
The system must allow preview, download, and printing of the bill before approval
The system must require explicit approval before finalizing the bill
The system must apply the correct tariff rates based on consumption tiers

10. Process Changes

From (Current Process)	To (New Process)	Impact Analysis
Manual calculation of bills using spreadsheets and multiple systems	Streamlined bill generation through a unified interface	Reduces bill processing time by 70% and eliminates calculation errors
Separate processes for different utility types requiring multiple bill generation	Consolidated multi-utility billing in a single workflow	Reduces duplicate work and ensures consistent billing across all utilities
Manual verification of meter readings against historical data	Automated validation with visual indicators for anomalies	Improves reading accuracy and reduces the need for re-reads by 50%
Manual application of tariff structures and consumption tiers	Automated rate application with visual indicators for changes	Eliminates rate application errors and ensures accurate revenue calculation
Limited visibility into outstanding balances during bill generation	Integrated view of payment history and outstanding amounts	Improves revenue collection by ensuring all outstanding amounts are included
Paper-based approval workflow requiring physical signatures	Digital approval process with audit trail	Reduces bill approval time from days to minutes and improves accountability
Manual notification process after bill generation	Integrated multi-channel notification selection	Improves customer communication and reduces delivery failures by 80%
Disconnected billing and payment systems	Integrated view of billing and payment history	Provides better context for billing decisions and improves customer service

11. Impact from Solving This Problem

Metric	Impact	Explanation
Billing Efficiency	70% improvement	Streamlined workflow reduces time spent on bill generation from 15 minutes to 4-5 minutes per bill
Billing Accuracy	95% error reduction	Automated calculations and validations eliminate manual calculation errors
Revenue Collection	15% improvement	Proper inclusion of outstanding balances and late fees ensures complete billing
Customer Satisfaction	30% improvement	Accurate bills with clear breakdown of charges reduce billing disputes
Staff Productivity	40% improvement	Billing specialists can process more bills in less time with reduced rework
Operational Costs	25% reduction	Less paper usage, reduced need for corrections, and more efficient processes
Regulatory Compliance	100% improvement	Consistent application of tariffs and proper documentation ensures compliance
Time to Revenue	50% improvement	Faster bill generation and delivery accelerates payment collection

12. User Behavior Tracking

Billing Specialist

Event	Properties to Track	Insights Provided
Bill Generation Started	User ID, Timestamp, Consumer ID	Measures volume and timing of bill generation activity
Consumer Search	Search Terms, Results Count, Time to Select	Identifies common search patterns and optimization opportunities
Meter Selection	Meters Included/Excluded, Reason Codes	Tracks reasons for meter exclusion and potential issues
Reading Entry	Original vs. Modified Values, Validation Overrides	Identifies reading data quality issues and training needs
Late Fee Decision	Fee Amount, Waived (Y/N), Reason Code	Monitors fee waiver patterns and revenue impact
Bill Completion	Total Time, Error Count, Retry Attempts	Measures efficiency and identifies problematic bill scenarios
Bill Preview	Preview Count, Time Spent Reviewing	Indicates thoroughness of review process

Questions Answered:

Which bill generation steps take the longest to complete?
What types of errors are most common during bill generation?
How often are late fees waived and for what reasons?
Which consumer accounts require the most time to bill?
What search patterns are most effective for finding consumers?

Billing Manager

Event	Properties to Track	Insights Provided
Bill Approval	User ID, Timestamp, Approval/Rejection, Reason	Monitors approval workflow and identifies common issues
Exception Handling	Exception Type, Resolution Action, Time to Resolve	Tracks patterns in billing exceptions and resolution approaches
Report Generation	Report Type, Filters Applied, Export Format	Identifies information needs and reporting patterns
Configuration Changes	Setting Modified, Previous Value, New Value	Tracks system configuration changes and their impacts
Batch Process Monitoring	Batch Size, Completion Rate, Error Count	Measures efficiency of batch billing processes

Questions Answered:

What percentage of bills require management intervention?
What are the most common reasons for bill rejection?
How do configuration changes impact billing efficiency?
Which exception types are increasing or decreasing over time?
How does bill approval time vary by bill complexity?