Billing Variables

Variables are used in some Billing Formulas when the rate charged (or some other item) varies from child to child. For example you may use a single formula to charge everyone based on their hours of attendance, but the hourly rate may be different from one child to the next. The rate could then be defined as a variable. This article describes how to set up variables – then a value is entered in the Billing Box of each appropriate child.

Getting There

1. From the Procare Home screen go to Configuration > System > Family Accounting > Billing Formulas.
2. Dbl-click a formula to open it (or create a New Formula).
3. Click the Billing Variable button.
   

Set Up a Variable

At the Billing Variables screen:

1. Enter a Name (required) and Description (optional) for each variable. The name should correspond to how the variable will be used such as “rate” for an hourly rate or “percent” for a percentage.
2. Select a format, known as a Mask, such as Money (#####.##), Integer (#), Percent (###.##) or True/False (Boolean). For an hourly rate you would select the “Money” format.
3. You may enter a Value used for testing purposes only. Once a Billing Formula is assigned to a child’s Billing Box any value entered here is ignored. To test an hourly rate you might enter a value of 4.75.
4. Click Save > Exit to return to the Formula Builder screen.

Using a Variable in a Formula

At the Formula Builder screen use each variable with the following syntax Var[NameOfVariable], like Var[rate].

Example: You might place the variable in an If statement so the variable would only be used if it was greater than zero, otherwise use a default value set elsewhere in the formula.

If[Var[rate] > 0, Var[rate], Line[1]]
What it means: if the variable is more than zero use the variable, otherwise use the value of line #1 in the formula.

Assign a Value to the Variable(s) for Each Child

Once the Billing Formula is set up to include a Variable, the children assigned that formula should normally have a value entered (for the variable) in their Billing Box. In some cases this may not be necessary, for example, if the formula is designed to have a default value for the variable making it optional for each child.

1. Go to the Child’s Billing Box and assign the appropriate Billing Formula(s) to them.
2. If the formula includes a variable you may enter a Value on the child’s Billing Formula Editor screen. Dbl-click the formula within the child’s billing box to display the Billing Formula Editor for that child.