Once the spider unit at your property is emailing meter readings, Billing Maid is quick and easy to setup. Just follow these 7 steps to get you on your way!

1. 1. Configure the spider unit for your property to send the meter readings to the email address we provided along with your license (if you purchased our hosted service) or to an email address of your choosing. It is best practice to have the spider unit send the readings once every 24 hours.
2. 2. Install Billing Maid on your computer
3. 3. Start Billing Maid from the Start menu and you will be presented with the Properties dialog. Configure a new property by clicking the New button.
4. 4. Import Meter Readings into Billing Maid for the first time
5. 5. Calculate Bills for the first time
6. 6. Configure the billing details (address, owner, tenant, agent etc) for each unit. This only needs to be done once and then kept upto date as required.
7. 7. Generate your first invoices

Billing Maid is installed using a standard windows installer. You will need to have administrative permissions to install. Billing Maid can be uninstalled using the standard Programs and Features control panel applet.

1. 1. Download the latest version of Billing Maid and start the installer.
2. >> If Billing Maid is running your will be prompted to close it first
3. >> If Billing Maid is already installed you will be prompted to uninstall it first. Follow the prompts.
4. 2. Click Next at the welcome screen
5. 3. Click I Agree to accept the End User License Agreement.
6. 4. Select the Recommend type of install and click Next
7. 5. Keep the default Destination Folder and click Install
8. 6. Wait afew moments whilst Billing Maid is installed and the click Finish on the complete screen
9. >> Billing Maid will start if you have selected the Run Jaksta Billing Maid checkbox
10. 7. Proceed with configuring your first property

1. Configuring Properties

   Properties are configured in Billing Maid using the Properties dialog.

   1. This dialog is displayed:
   2. a. when Billing Maid is started; or
   3. b. by selecting the Abucus icon and then either the New or Open drop down menu item
   4. To create a new property click the New button to display the Property dialog. Fill out all tabs.
   5. 1. Address: The name and address of the property. The property name must match the name in the license.
   6. 2. Owner: The owner of the properties name and contact details.
   7. 3. Tenant: If the property is leased as a whole, the tenants name and contact details.
   8. 4. Agent: The properties managing agent.
   9. 5. Meters: Select meters which will be used in consumption calculations for each bill type. You will need to import your first meter readings for these lists to be populated.
   10. 6. License: Use the load button to import the license file for this property.
   11. To edit an existing property, select the property and click the Edit button to display the Property dialog.
   12. To delete an existing property, select the property and click the Delete button. All data for that property will be deleted.
   13. To open an existing property, double click the name or select it and click the OK button.

1. Configuring Units

   Units are configured in Billing Maid once initial meter readings are imported and a bill has been calculated. This only has to be done once and then updated as owners, agents and tenants update their details.

   1. Double click any unit row (meter or totals) to display the unit dialog. Fill out all tabs.
   2. 1. Address: The address of the unit. The unit name can not be changed but is configured at the spider. Enter the number of Occupants for use in the Occupancy Columns.
   3. 2. Owner: The owner of the unit's name and contact details. Tick Send Bill if you would like an invoice generated for the Owner.
   4. 3. Tenant: If the unit is leased, the tenants name and contact details. Tick Send Bill if you would like an invoice generated for the Tenant.
   5. 4. Agent: The unit's managing agent. Tick Send Bill if you would like an invoice generated for the agent.
   6. 5. Readings: Shows the individual readings for the selected row that was clicked to display the form.

1. Importing from our servers

   If you have purchased our hosted solution, you will have configured your spider unit to email meter readings to the email address we have provided you with your license.

   Once the spider has sent the first readings through you can now import them into Billing Maid.

   1. 1. Click the Download Readings (CSV files) toolbar button to display the Download Readings (CSV files) dialog.
   2. 2. Enter the username and password we have provided you and click the Download button to begin the download from our servers.
   3. 3. Once the download is complete, click the OK button to import the downloaded readings into Billing Maid.

1. Importing Reading files

   If you have the spider send you its meter reading files in another manner:

   1. 1. Gather the reading files (CSV files) you wish to import into a single folder on your computer. If they were emailed, you will need to save each CSV file attachment.
   2. 2. Click the Import Readings (CSV files) toolbar button to display the Import CSV Files file browser dialog.
   3. 3. Navigate it to and select all the CSV files you wish to import and then click the Open button.
   4. 3. Wait whilst the files are import into Billing Maid.

Once meter readings have been imported, a bill from your utility company for the entire property can be apportioned to each unit based on that units consumption.

1. On the Bill Generation toolbar:
2. 1. Adjust the From and To dates as required to match the bill dates from your utility company.
3. 2. Enter the total amount (including GST) for the bill in the appropriate Gas or Water feild.
4. 3. Click the Calculate Bills toolbar button. Billing Maid will then display bill information for each unit.
5. Warning:If the bill for each unit is shown as 0.00 despite usage being shown ensure you have setup your meters correctly. Green ticks will appear for each meter being used to calculate a bill as can be seen below.

Once a bill from your utility company has been apportioned across all units in the property, you can generate a Adobe PDF invoice for each unit.

1. 1. Ensure you have configured each unit appropriately.
2. 2. Click the Generate Invoice toolbar button to display the Invoice Generation form.
3. 3. Fill the form out as required and click the OK button to being the generation.
   1. a. Save to: Click the ... button to select the path that the PDF invoices will be written to.
   2. b. Invoice Prefix: Invoice PDF filenames will be prefixed with this moniker.
   3. c. Invoice Starts At: Invoice PDF filenames will contain this number. This number can also be displayed in the invoice.
   4. d. Invoice Suffix: Invoice PDF filenames will be postfixed with this moniker.
   5. e. Template: Billing Maid uses a template based system for invoice generation. If you would like us to design a template for your needs then please fill out a support request.

Billing Maid is really pretty simple, so there aren't a lot of settings. But you can do some simple changes to customize how Billing Maid operates.

1. Click the Abacus and then Settings from the drop down menu.
2. Show Occupancy Columns: Check this to display bill calculation columns based on the occupancy you configured for each unit. This allows you to see how much water or gas is being used per person.
3. Show Gas: Check this to show Gas columns. If you are not interested in Gas uncheck this and these columns will not be shown.
4. Show Water: Check this to show Water columns. If you are not interested in Water uncheck this and these columns will not be shown.