Setting Up Recurring Bill Schedules
If you have vendor bills that repeat on a regular basis, such as monthly rent, weekly supply deliveries, or utility payments, you can use recurring bill schedules to automate their creation. Instead of manually entering the same bill every period, AccuArk will generate it for you based on the schedule you define.
Opening the Bill Schedule Form
There are two ways to access the frmBillsSchedule form:
- From the Bills form, click the Recurring Payments button in the toolbar
- Navigate to Business > Bills, then click Recurring Payments
This form requires the FIN_MANAGE_BILL_SCHEDULE permission.
Purpose
Recurring bill schedules eliminate the repetitive task of creating the same vendor bill over and over. Once you set up a schedule, AccuArk automatically creates a new bill at the specified frequency. This ensures bills are never missed and reduces manual data entry errors.
Selecting a Vendor
At the top of the form, select the Vendor from the dropdown. This determines which vendor the recurring bills will be created for. Only active vendors appear in the list.
Selecting a Location
Choose the Location from the dropdown to associate the recurring bills with a specific business location. Each generated bill will be tagged with this location.
Schedule Options
The schedule section is the core of the form. It defines how often bills are generated. Select a frequency type from the dropdown, and then configure the specific interval:
Monthly (Specific Day)
Generates a bill on a specific day of each month. Enter a day number between 1 and 31. If the selected day does not exist in a given month (for example, day 31 in February), the bill is created on the last day of that month instead.
Every N Days
Generates a bill at a fixed interval of days. Enter a number between 1 and 100. For example, entering 14 creates a bill every two weeks regardless of which day of the week it falls on.
Weekly (Specific Day)
Generates a bill on a specific day of the week. Select the day from a dropdown listing Monday through Sunday. The bill is created every week on the chosen day.
Every N Weeks
Generates a bill at a fixed interval of weeks. Enter a number between 1 and 52. For example, entering 2 creates a bill every two weeks, while entering 4 creates a bill approximately once per month.
Every N Months
Generates a bill at a fixed interval of months. Enter a number between 1 and 12. For example, entering 3 creates a quarterly bill, while entering 6 creates a semi-annual bill. The bill date within the month is based on the First Bill Date you select.
First Bill Date
The First Bill Date picker sets when the first bill should be generated. All subsequent bills are scheduled relative to this date based on the frequency you selected. Choose this date carefully, as it anchors the entire schedule.
For example, if you select Monthly (Specific Day) with day 15 and a first bill date of March 15, 2026, the next bills will be generated on April 15, May 15, June 15, and so on.
Due After N Days
The Due After N Days field sets how many days after the bill date the bill becomes due. Enter a number of days (for example, 30 for Net 30 terms). Each generated bill will have its due date calculated as the bill date plus this number of days.
For example, if a bill is generated on March 15 with Due After N Days set to 30, the due date will be April 14.
Description
The Description field lets you add a note that will be included on every generated bill. Use this to describe the purpose of the recurring charge (for example, “Monthly office rent” or “Weekly janitorial service”). This description appears on each bill so you can easily identify it.
Saving the Schedule
Click Save to create the recurring bill schedule. The schedule becomes active immediately and will begin generating bills based on the first bill date and frequency you configured.
Updating an Existing Schedule
To modify a schedule, select it from the list of existing schedules, make your changes, and click Update. Changes take effect starting from the next scheduled bill. Bills that have already been generated are not affected.
Tips
- Match your vendor terms — Set the Due After N Days to match the payment terms your vendor has given you. Common values are 15 (Net 15), 30 (Net 30), and 60 (Net 60).
- Use Monthly (Specific Day) for rent and subscriptions — Most fixed monthly charges like rent, insurance, and software subscriptions are due on the same day each month.
- Use Every N Days for irregular intervals — If a vendor delivers supplies every 10 days, use this option instead of trying to fit it into a weekly or monthly pattern.
- Set descriptive names — Fill in the Description field with a clear label so that generated bills are easy to identify in the Bills list.
- Review schedules periodically — Vendor terms and prices change over time. Review your recurring schedules at least quarterly to ensure they still reflect current agreements.