Set up collections

This article explains how to set up the collections functionality. You must complete some setup steps when using the collections capability. Some optional capabilities include customer pools and collections teams.

• Aging period definitions
• Aging snapshots
• Journal names
• Reason code for writeoff transactions
• Collections agents
• Writeoff account
• NSF (not sufficient funds) information
• Outlook settings for those who use the Collections page
• Email addresses

The rest of this article discusses these points in more detail.

Set up aging period definitions

Set up an aging period definition. An aging period definition defines the columns that appear on the Aged balances, Collections activities, and Collections cases list pages. It also defines the periods that appear on the Collections page. If you set up a customer pool, the aging period definition for the pool is used. If you don't set up pools, the default aging period definition that you specify on the Accounts receivable parameters page is used. If you don't specify a default aging period definition, the first aging period definition on the Aging period definitions page is used.

Create an aging snapshot

Create aging snapshot records for all customers or for the customers in a customer pool. Aging snapshot information appears on the Aged balances list page and on the Collections page. You must create an aging snapshot before you can use the list page. The list page shows information only for customers that an aging snapshot is created for.

Optional: Set up customer pools

Set up customer pools to represent groups of customers. Use customer pools as filters for the customer information that appears on Collections list pages, on the Collections page, or when you create aging snapshots.

Optional: Create a collections team

If multiple people in your organization handle collections work, set up a collections team. Select the team on the Accounts receivable parameters page. If you don't create a collections team, the system automatically creates a team when you set up collections agents on the Collections agent page.

Set up a collections case category

To use cases to organize your collections work, set up a case category that has the Collections category type. Set up this category only if you want to use the case functionality on the Collections page.

Set up journal names (settlement, writeoff, and NSF)

Set up the journal names that the system uses when it processes transactions on the Collections page. This processing includes settling a transaction, writing off a transaction, and processing a not sufficient funds (NSF) payment.

Set up a reason code for writeoff transactions

Set up the default reason code that the system uses when it writes off transactions on the Collections page. You can change the code during the write-off process.

Set up a folder for email attachments and create email templates

If you send email messages from the Collections page that have Microsoft Excel attachments, you can create optional email templates for those messages.

Set up accounts receivable parameters for collections

Set up the accounts receivable parameters that appear on the Collections tab.

Optional: Set up collections agents

If multiple people in your organization handle collections work, set up collections agents. A collections agent is a worker who you set up as a user on the User relations page. Assign customer pools (customer queries) to collections agents to help them organize their work. Add the collections agents to the team that you select on the Accounts receivable parameters page. If you don't select a team on that page, the system automatically creates a new team named Collections and adds the collections agents to that team.

Set up a write-off account

Set up the write-off account that the system uses for the general ledger write-off entry when you write off a transaction. Store this account on the customer posting profile.

Set up NSF information for bank accounts

Update bank accounts so that they have the correct journal when the system identifies NSF payments on the Collections page. On the Currency management tab, in the NSF payment journal field, select a payment journal.

Set up Outlook settings for users of the Collections page

Before workers can create activities or send email messages by using the Collections page, verify that the Microsoft Outlook synchronization configuration key is selected, and that Outlook synchronization is set up for those workers.

Set up email and addresses

Use email to communicate with both customers and salespeople about collections issues. Send email messages from the Collections page.

Set up email and address settings for collections customer contacts

Set up email addresses for customer contacts so you can send email messages to those contacts from the Collections page. The collections contact is the default contact on the Collections page. Set up a statement address for a customer if statements should use an address other than the primary address.

On the Credit and Collections FastTab for a customer, in the Collections contact field, select the person in the customer organization who works with your collections agent. This person is the default contact on the Collections page, and email messages are sent to them.

Set up email settings for salespeople

Set up email addresses for salespeople so they can send email messages to salespeople from the Collections page. Set up an email address for each sales representative in each commission sales group. The sales representative who has the Contact option selected is the default salesperson that email messages are sent to.

If you don't specify a sales representative, the primary salesperson for the customer organization is used. If you don't specify a primary salesperson, email messages go to the first salesperson listed on the page.

For more information, see the following articles:

• Create a collection letter sequence

• Process collection letters

• Review collections information