After several months, and four fresh installations, I finally have ModernBill 100% configured, and working smoothly.

In this time while we were configuring ModernBill, we were taking on new hosting customers, whether they be from recent Web development projects or 100% hosting clients. We also have a number of customers who have come from our own previous, freelancing companies before we merged.

So, now ModernBill is working, we need to start charging these customers. It made sense to give a number of our customers a free ride until we had ModernBill configured.

I'm looking for advice on how to get these customers in to the billing system.

The problem we face, is that these customers may well owe over 1 months worth of payment. So we could setup a custom package, and give them a custom and private order URL to this package, which charges them $200 (4 months payment, $50 per month). That's fine, but the problems will start next month, when they owe just $50. ModernBill will obviously try charging them $200 again. I guess I need to know what other options we have.

Is it possible to change the payment amounts on the package, once the first payment has been received? This could get a little tedious, so is there a better way?

The next issue we have, is we have some customers who are all up to speed with payments, but are not in the billing system. How do we get an account setup for them and assign it to a package, without actually charging them when they sign up, but charge them next month on their due date? Would a coupon, of 100% discount for the first month work here?

A lot of the recent ModernBill topics here have been going unanswered. I totally understand that, as it can be quite a difficult task to give somebody an answer, as the problems are quite often much more complicated than your average forum post. However, hopefully somebody will be able to give us a little direction with this, as I'm stumped. :)

Thanks in advance.

hmm.. in the past ive been snookerd by this questions.. i would also really like to know the answer to this quest..

Thanks

In ModernBill bring up the client, let’s say client #33.

Look under Packages towards the bottom on the client info and you will see a column that says price over ride. Click on edit under action and you can then enter a price over ride. Be mindful that the price over ride works on cycles, so even if a client gets billed every three months the price in the over ride should reflect a monthly price.

It probably would be easier to send them a one-time invoice for past billing then just start the billing cycle when needed.

In ModernBill bring up the client, let’s say client #33.

Look under Packages towards the bottom on the client info and you will see a column that says price over ride. Click on edit under action and you can then enter a price over ride. Be mindful that the price over ride works on cycles, so even if a client gets billed every three months the price in the over ride should reflect a monthly price.

So what you are saying, WebzPro, is we would need to setup a package for $200 ($50/month), have the client register and purchase this package, then use the price over ride function to change the cost of the package per month? Is this correct?

It probably would be easier to send them a one-time invoice for past billing then just start the billing cycle when needed.

Hummm, do you mean a one time invoice outside of ModernBill, WebzPro? If so, how would we then get them in to the billing system, ready for next month, and have them pay on the same date that they pay the one time invoice? Would they have to order via MB on the same date next month, as they paid this month? If there is a way to send out a one-time invoice using MB, then have them pay monthly on that same date, that would be great, but I'm not aware MB has that function.

Could you not do it by editing the database? I haven't seen the MB db, but with whoiscart, you could just go into the db and chage the price and cycle, might be the best way.

Could you not do it by editing the database? I haven't seen the MB db, but with whoiscart, you could just go into the db and chage the price and cycle, might be the best way.

I'm sure if we can do that, Philip, we can simply change it in the MB admin area. I wouldn't have thought that would be a problem, as in most cases, only one customer will be assigned to each package, as they are customer packages. I guess what I am looking for is a more time friendly method.

I sent in a ticket to MB earlier today, hopefully I'll have a response with their thoughts later tomorrow.

You COULD have a one time fee out of MordernBill but customers might think its a scam :P But Can't you change the package price in the Admin Area?

Really the easiest way to do it is to send a one-time invoice stating the charges. Then you can manually add the package and the normal billing rate to their account.

What makes this hard for you is that all this info was not entered at sign up so you have to do all this manually.

1. Set up all client info.
2. Send client a one-time invoice for past services.
3. Under Stats/Action click on add domain and add the domain for the client.
4. Assuming all your packages are set up, you may now assign the client a package. Click on package wizard and fill info needed, click submit, now this package is sent to the API Queue, if you have already have this account installed on your server then just go back to the client page, or install the package if needed.
5. Next steps are assuming that the account was already set up on the server. Look again under packages. Under status it will say new, click on that and change new to active. Back to the client page. Under Action, 2nd line click on edit. Enter the IP the domain is on username and password that the account uses for cPanel. Enter the server group number and Module such as mod_cpanel3 or Helm or whatever server mod you are using. Click submit.

Adjust any billing dates you need to. If you follow the above steps you will now be able to control all account functions form Modern bill including suspending account or terminating the account from the server.

Thanks WebzPro, that was most helpful. I'll give it the rest of the day to hear from ModernBill themselves, to see if they come up with the same or similar solution, then I guess it will be a rather long week of adding customers and getting payments up to speed.