Understanding Your Billing Workflow
In construction accounting, managing field equipment assignments requires flexibility before data hits your corporate financial system. The ToolWatch Billing Browser gives job cost administrators the ability to review, adjust, and pause transaction lines before they are permanently posted to Job Cost or Billing.
Knowing when to use a Hold versus a Bulk Edit keeps your cycles moving smoothly:
Use a Hold when an individual line item looks incorrect or requires operational review—such as verifying extra usage days with a project superintendent. This pauses that specific charge line while allowing the remaining correct charges in the batch to post on schedule.
Use a Bulk Edit when an entire group of tools was assigned to an incorrect cost code during field deployment. Instead of correcting entries line-by-line, you can systematically re-route multiple streams to the correct cost code simultaneously.
How to Place or Remove a Hold
Placing a charge on hold prevents it from being posted until you manually release it.
Expand the Job Cost & Billing section.
Select Billing Browser.
Use the Cost Center Selection panel to select the relevant Cost Centers.
Check the box next to one or more line items you want to manage.
Open the Actions menu and select Place Hold to prevent the charge from posting, or Remove Hold to release it.
Note: A held charge will be excluded from the next posting cycle until you remove the hold manually.
Caption: Billing Browser main view highlighting the Cost Center Selection panel, line item checkboxes, and the Actions dropdown menu showing the Place Hold and Remove Hold options.
How to Bulk Edit Cost Codes
You can update the cost codes for multiple billing streams at the same time.
Expand the Job Cost & Billing section.
Select Billing Browser.
Use the Cost Center Selection panel to select the relevant Cost Centers.
In the Billing Browser, select the checkboxes for the items you wish to change.
Open the Actions menu and select the Edit Cost Code button in the header.
Select the new Cost Code from the dropdown menu or click Browse to search for Cost Codes in the pop-up window.
Check the box Update transfer(s) for the X selected to reflect the change on the original transfer records if you wish to change the historical transfer records.
Click Save.
⚠️ Important Tracking System Rules
When bulk editing cost codes, look at the Type column in your grid to identify how the tool is tracked:
Unique Tools (Type T): These are tracked items like drills or trucks. Once posted, unique items permanently lock in the updated cost code across all future billing periods.
Quantity Tools (Type Q): These are bulk items like extension cords or hand tools. Quantity items treat this change as a temporary adjustment. They automatically reset back to their original transfer record cost code during the next billing cycle, meaning you must manually update them every period if changes persist.
Technical Requirement: To use multi-select for editing cost codes, all selected items must have similar charge types.
How to View Details on a Charge Line
Use the View Detail action to audit the exact operational information used to calculate a charge line.
Expand the Job Cost & Billing section.
Select Billing Browser.
Use the Cost Center Selection panel on the left to filter the view.
Click to select the charge line you want to review.
Open the Actions menu and select View Detail.
What You'll See in the View Detail Screen
Once opened, the Transaction Detail window shows five distinct summary areas:
Section | What It Displays |
Cost Center Information | Cost Center, Cost Code, Rate Sheet name and type, calculation timestamp |
Item Information | Model, category, item number, description, calculation method |
Effective Usage & Rate Information | Duration, chargeable hours, rate level used (e.g., Weekly), and effective hourly rate |
Charges | Quantity, unit charge, extended total |
Transaction Information | Start and end transfer records, including source and destination locations |
How to Add a Miscellaneous Charge or Credit
Add a manual adjustment to a Cost Center that isn't based on an automated transfer log or Rate Sheet calculation.
Expand the Job Cost & Billing section.
Select Billing Browser.
Use the Cost Center Selection panel on the left to filter the view.
Click to select the charge line you want to review.
Open the Actions menu and select Create Related Charge/Credit.
Fill in the Description, Cost Center, and Amount fields, ensuring you use a minus sign before the number for billing credits.
Click Save.
Note: This adds a new line item that behaves like any other calculated or posted billing line.
How to Lock or Unlock a Charge Line
Locking a Cost Center in the Billing Browser freezes its current state and ensures it is entirely excluded from charge calculations during your next cycle.
In the Billing Browser, click Calculate from the top menu header.
Locate the row or rows you want to manage and check the IsLock box to lock, or uncheck it to unlock.
Check the All box at the bottom left to select or deselect all visible Cost Centers at once if preferred.
Click Calculate to process only your unlocked centers.