Preview snapshots

A preview snapshot is a saved set of data representing a group of potential invoices at a specific point in time. You can use preview snapshot data in custom reports, such as invoice forecast or pre-bill reports.

About preview snapshots

In the Generate Invoices page, you have the option to set filter criteria and then execute Preview, which allows you to review the invoice data prior to creating any of the invoices. When you execute Preview, Intacct displays all invoices that meet the given filter criteria with data that exists as of that moment in time. You can save this data set as a preview snapshot and then use the preview snapshot in a custom report.

Note the following information regarding preview snapshots:

• A preview snapshot is static and captures what the invoice data looks like at the moment the snapshot was created.
• You cannot "edit" a snapshot. If you want different data, you can edit the applicable billable transactions or set different generate invoice filters, run Preview again, and then create another preview snapshot that includes the changed data.
• As you can create as many preview snapshots as you like, you may end up with many preview snapshots. You can delete the preview snapshots as needed, as deleting these records has no affect on the actual invoice data.
• Although Intacct provides a sample custom report for you to start with, you need to build your own custom reports to use preview snapshot data.
• You cannot generate invoices from a preview snapshot. You can generate invoices using the same selected filter criteria and As of date used by a preview snapshot, but the invoice data might be different if changes were made to the billable transaction data.

Create a preview snapshot

You create a preview snapshot in the Generate Invoices page. You can create as many preview snapshots as you like. If you know you’ll be creating many preview snapshots, you might want to use a naming convention that begins with the date/time you created the preview snapshot, so that you can easily select the appropriate preview snapshot when you run a report. For example, "06/15/YY-10:30 Pre-bill run".

1. Go to Contracts > All > Billing > Generate invoices.

2. Do one of the following:

   • Set the filters as applicable.
   • Use the Invoice policy dropdown list to select a saved filter set.

   Use Exception filters to preview or report on billable transactions that could be included in project invoices but are currently excluded from invoicing due to approval status and/or price issues.

3. Select Preview.

   Intacct displays all invoices that meet the filter criteria.

4. If you do not see the desired results, adjust the filter criteria and select Preview again.
5. When you’re satisfied with the results, select More actions and select Create preview snapshot.

6. In the Create Preview Snapshot dialog box, enter a meaningful name for the preview snapshot and select OK.

   Intacct displays a checkmark and a link to the preview snapshot at the top of the page.

7. If you want to see the preview snapshot, select the View snapshot link at the top of the page.

View a preview snapshot

1. Go to Contracts > All > Billing > Preview snapshots.

2. Find the snapshot that you want to view.
3. Select the snapshot's name.
4. To view details of a particular potential invoice, select the Transaction amount link next to the desired invoice.

1. Go to Contracts > All > Billing > Preview snapshots.

2. In the Preview Snapshots list, select View next to the desired preview snapshot.
3. To view details of a particular potential invoice, select the Transaction amount link next to the desired invoice.

Use a preview snapshot in a custom report

You need a custom report that's configured for use with preview snapshots. Intacct provides a sample Invoice preview snapshot report that you can use as a starting point to build your own custom report. Learn how to install the sample Invoice preview snapshot report.

The following procedure describes how to use a preview snapshot in the sample Invoice preview snapshot custom report.

1. Go to Reports > All > Advanced > Custom reports.

2. In the Contracts section, select Invoice Preview Snapshot.
3. Use the Preview snapshot name dropdown list to select the desired preview snapshot.
4. Complete the fields in the report Filters, Format, and Titles sections as desired.
5. Select View.

Delete a preview snapshot

As you can create as many preview snapshots as you like, you may end up with many preview snapshots. You can delete the preview snapshots as needed, as deleting these records has no affect on the actual invoice data.

1. Go to Contracts > All > Billing > Preview snapshots.

2. Find the snapshot that you want to delete.

3. Select More actions > Delete at the end of the row.

4. Select Delete to confirm.

1. Go to Contracts > All > Billing > Preview snapshots.

2. Select the checkbox in the Delete column next to each desired preview snapshot.
3. Select Delete. Depending on your user preferences, to confirm the delete select OK.

Field descriptions

Preview snapshots field descriptions

Field	Description
Name	The name of the preview snapshot.
As of date	The date on or before which includes the invoice data contained in the preview snapshot.
Scheduled billing start date	If the preview snapshot contains data within a certain date range, this field displays the first (start) date for the date range. In this scenario, the As of date displays the end date of the date range.
Transaction definition	The proposed transaction definition to use when the invoices are generated.
Invoice/GL post date	The proposed Invoice and GL post dates to use when the invoices are generated. The presentation of the date fields depends on your company's Accounts Receivable Enable override of GL posting date during entry configuration option. If the option is set to false, one field named Invoice and GL post date appears. If the option is set to true, two fields named Invoice date and GL post date appear.
Invoice message	The proposed text to appear on documents printed from the invoices when the invoices are generated.
Price list for project billing	If applicable, displays the project price list used to override pricing for all billable transactions related to projects in the preview snapshot.
Invoice by	The invoices used one or more of the following Invoice by options: Bill to Contract Customer Project
Filters Transactions to include Exception filters	These sections display the Generate Invoices filter settings used to create the preview snapshot. See Generate Invoices field by field descriptions for detailed information on each filter.
Invoices summary	Displays the following information: The number of invoices included in the preview snapshot The number of customers associated with the preview invoices The total base amount of the combined preview invoices
Invoices	Displays information for the potential invoices included in the preview snapshot.
Customer	The customer associated with the corresponding invoice. Select the link in this field to display the customer in a separate browser window.
Contract	The contract associated with the corresponding invoice. Select the link in this field to display the contract in a separate browser window.
Bill to	The bill-to contact associated with the contract lines associated with the corresponding invoice. Select the link in this field to display the bill-to contact in a separate browser window. This field only appears if the selected Invoice by options include Bill to.
Ship to	The ship-to contact associated with the contract lines associated with the corresponding invoice. Select the link in this field to display the ship-to contact in a separate browser window.
Project	The project associated with the corresponding invoice. Select the link in this field to display the project in a separate browser window. This option only appears if the selected Invoice by options include Project.
Term	The net term used for the corresponding invoice. Select the link in this field to display the term in a separate browser window. If the invoice includes multiple contracts with more than one term, the invoice uses the net term identified on the customer record.
Currency	The transaction currency associated with the corresponding invoice.
Transaction amount	The amount of the corresponding invoice expressed in the contract's transaction currency. Select the link in this field to review the billable transactions included in the invoice in a separate browser window.
Base amount	The amount of the corresponding invoice expressed in the base currency.