Creating Master Accounts for Consolidated Invoices

Overview

This guide explains how to set up consolidated invoicing for multiple related accounts in Cornerstone using Master and Feeder account relationships. Two methods are available depending on the number of accounts involved. Follow the method that best fits your situation.

Two Methods for Consolidated Invoicing

Cornerstone supports two approaches to consolidated invoicing. Choose the method based on the number of accounts to be combined.

Method 1: Billed Thru (5 or Fewer Accounts)

If there are a few related accounts (generally 5 or fewer) and the subscriber wants them on the same invoice, the easiest approach is to designate one account as the Master and consolidate all recurring charges into that account.

1. Move recurring charges from each individual "feeder" account into the account you want to invoice from.
2. Use the Description Override to identify each monitored location on the invoice.
3. A regular invoice will be generated as a single-page invoice.

The example below shows the Recurring Charges screen for Monks Cafe (PX1005). Four charge lines use the Description Override column to label each monitored location as Account A, Account B, Account C, and Account D. All lines share the same billing cycle and are consolidated on one invoice.

Method 2: Feeder to Master (5 or More Accounts)

If you have a number of individual sites that need recurring charges consolidated into a single master invoice (generally 5 or more), Cornerstone's Feeder to Master feature allows you to:

• Create individual records for each account.
• Have the recurring charges in those accounts generated and consolidated in one invoice in a designated Master account.
• Identify either the account name or address as the identifier on the invoice.
• Generate a multi-page invoice.

When to Use Feeder to Master

Feeder to Master accounts are typically created when:

• There are five or more accounts that need to be consolidated in a single invoice.
• The Feeder recurring charges are all on the same cycle or grouped by a few cycles (otherwise multiple invoices are generated and may best be generated individually).
• The Master account invoice is to be printed, emailed, or placed on Autopay.

Setting Up Feeder to Master Accounts

Step 1: Create the Master Account

Create the Customer record that will be used as the Master Account if it does not yet exist. The Feeder to Master relationship is created when you insert a recurring charge in a Feeder Account and point to the Master account in that recurring charge setup.

Step 2: Set Up the Feeder Accounts

For each account whose recurring charges are to be consolidated in the Master account:

1. Select the account whose recurring charges are to be consolidated in the Master account.
2. Click Recurring Charges.
3. Click Insert.

The example below shows the Recurring Charges screen for a Feeder account (McDonos #50, PX1023) with two active charge lines — MON and CELL — on Quarterly cycle, both with a Next Date of 10/01/26.

Step 3: Enter Recurring Charge Information

When the Recurring Charge detail screen opens, complete the following fields:

1. Next Date — Set to the next billing cycle that Cornerstone will run for you.
2. Bill Amount (Cycle Amount) — Must match the cycle. Enter the monthly amount if monthly, or the annual amount if annual.
3. Pro-rate First Time — Select Yes if you need to charge for service starting before the Next Bill Date.

The screenshot below illustrates the General tab of the Recurring Charge entry screen, with callouts highlighting the Next Date (1), Cycle Amount (2), and Pro Rate First Time (3) fields.

Step 4: Configure Billing Options

Scroll down to the Billing Options section of the recurring charge and complete the following:

1. Master Account Number — Use the drop-down to select the Master Account number to which this account will feed.
2. Post to Master — Choose YES.
3. Identity on Master Invoice — Choose Name or Address, depending on how you want the accounts to be identified on the consolidated invoice.

The screenshot below shows the Billing Options section of the recurring charge for PX1023 (McDonos #50), with callouts for Master Account (1), Post to Master (2), and Identity On Invoice (3).

The larger view below shows the complete Recurring Charge screen for PX1023, with all Billing Options fields visible. Note callouts for Master Account (1), Post to Master (2), Identity On Invoice (3), OK button (4), Monthly Amount (5), and Svc Starting date (6).

After configuring all settings:

1. Click OK — the Feeder account's recurring charge is saved.
2. Review the Monthly amount to confirm it is correct.
3. Confirm the Starting field — this records the date the service began.

Step 5: Verify Master Account Setup

Once a Feeder relationship is created to the Master, the Master Account should have a recurring charge code DEALER entered into it.

The example below shows the Master account (McDonos Corporate Office, PX1022) with both the RMRs and RMRs (Feeder) tabs visible. The RMRs tab shows an active MON charge and a DEALER charge with a Charge Amount of 0.00 — confirming the Feeder relationship has been established.

The updated view below reflects the Master account after additional Feeder charges have been linked. The DEALER charge (Seq 004) now appears alongside the MON charge on the RMRs tab, confirming the relationship is active.

Verifying Your Setup

After setting up your Feeder accounts, Cornerstone recommends generating a Customer Recurring Audit Report filtered for the Master account to confirm everything is configured correctly. You can review the rates and billing methods on this report as well.

The RMRs (Feeder) tab on the Master account (shown below for McDonos Corporate Office, PX1022) displays all linked Feeder account charges grouped by account number, allowing you to confirm cycle alignment across all sites at a glance.

Bill To Address

Any Customer record can have the recurring charges in the account generated for the site address and sent to a separate Bill To address.

Need Additional Help?

Our Customer Success team is here to assist you.

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

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