Master Feeders vs Related Accounts

Modified on Mon, 13 Apr at 4:54 PM

Overview

Cornerstone Billing Solutions offers two distinct ways to group accounts: a Master/Feeder relationship and a Related Account grouping. While both link accounts together, they serve very different purposes. This article explains the key difference between the two so you can choose the right setup for your needs.

Master/Feeder Relationship

A master/feeder relationship consolidates multiple accounts that have recurring charges into a single invoice. Each individual account is identified on that invoice by name or address.

This is a billing function — its primary purpose is to combine recurring charges from several accounts so they appear together on one consolidated bill.

Related Account

A related account groups accounts together for reporting and searching purposes, independent of their recurring charges.

For example, you can search for a related account to apply a single payment across multiple accounts. This grouping is an organizational tool — it does not affect how charges are billed.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Master/Feeder Relationship	Related Account
Primary Purpose	Billing function	Organizational / reporting function
What It Does	Consolidates multiple accounts with recurring charges onto a single invoice	Groups accounts together for searching and reporting, independent of recurring charges
Account Identification	Individual accounts listed by name or address on the invoice	Accounts linked for lookup and payment application
Example Use Case	A property manager receives one bill covering all monitored locations	Applying a single payment across multiple linked accounts

⚠️ IMPORTANT

The key distinction: a master/feeder relationship is a billing function that affects how invoices are generated, while a related account is strictly for organizational purposes such as reporting and payment application. Choosing the wrong setup may result in accounts being billed incorrectly or payments not being applied as expected.

Video Tutorial

Watch the video below for a guided walkthrough of master/feeder and related account concepts in Cornerstone Billing Solutions.

▶ Watch on YouTube: Master/Feeder vs. Related Accounts

Need Additional Help?

Our Customer Success team is here to assist you.

Phone: 847-405-9517 x1
Email: customer.success@alarmbills.com