Billing rules tell TMSS10LogStatsProcess how to convert Customer activity from a .ttstats file into invoice items.

Rules are stored in a billing definition file, normally with the .ttsdef extension. Each rule filters a set of operational records, calculates a billable quantity, and writes an XML <item> for QuickBooks.

A rule is evaluated only when its filters match the current Customer's data.

The available filters depend on the rule type, but may include:

• Billing package.
• Customer-ID.
• Media-ID.
• Repository-ID.
• Source and destination Repository-ID.
• Journal category.

The package is normally assigned in a package map supplied with the processor's -P option:

packagemap.ttmap

US01 US07_CUSTOM
US02 Tape_Daily
US03 Box_Weekly

When US01.ttstats is processed, US01_CUSTOM becomes the package value. Rules filtered to US01_CUSTOM can match, while rules for Tape_Daily or Box_Weekly do not.

The supplied definitions demonstrate these common filter patterns:

After matching operational records, the processor applies the calculation arguments in this order:

1. Round up.
2. Enforce the minimum.
3. Apply the threshold.
4. Apply the cap.

If the final quantity is zero, the processor does not create an invoice item.

A movement package includes 230 movements. During the billing period the Customer has 275 qualifying movements:

• Calculated total: 275.
• Round Up Factor: 0, so the total remains 275.
• Minimum Units: 0, so the total remains 275.
• Threshold: 230, leaving 45.
• Cap: 0, so no upper limit is applied.
• Invoice quantity: 45.

The observed storage rule structure is:

AddStorageChargeItem(
  packageFilter,
  customerFilter,
  mediaFilter,
  repositoryFilter,
  roundUpFactor,
  minimumUnits,
  threshold,
  cap,
  model,
  outputCustomer,
  outputItemCode,
  description,
  costInCents,
  continueFlag
);

The following rule bills US01 LTO storage in OFFS at 2 cents per tape-day:

AddStorageChargeItem("US01_CUSTOM", "US01", "LTO", "OFFS",
                     0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
                     "$CUSTOMER2", "US01_LTO_STORAGE",
                     "LTO tape storage at New York OFFS",
                     2, 0);

If the daily counts are 100, 105, and 110 tapes, model 0 produces 315 tape-days. At 2 cents per tape-day, the calculated charge is $6.30.

The observed movement rule structure is:

AddMovementChargeItem(
  packageFilter,
  customerFilter,
  mediaFilter,
  fromRepositoryFilter,
  toRepositoryFilter,
  roundUpFactor,
  minimumUnits,
  threshold,
  cap,
  model,
  outputCustomer,
  outputItemCode,
  description,
  costInCents,
  continueFlag
);

AddMovementChargeItem("US01_CUSTOM", "US01", "LTO", "OFFS", "CUST",
                      0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
                      "$CUSTOMER2", "US01_LTO_DELIVERY",
                      "LTO tape delivery from OFFS to CUST",
                      5, 0);

This rule counts LTO tapes moved from OFFS to CUST. Model 0 totals the matching movements and each tape is charged at 5 cents.

AddMovementChargeItem("US01_CUSTOM", "US01", "LTO", "CUST", "OFFS",
                      0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
                      "$CUSTOMER2", "US01_LTO_PICKUP",
                      "LTO tape pickup from CUST to OFFS",
                      3, 0);

This rule counts LTO tapes moved from CUST to OFFS. Each matching tape is charged at 3 cents.

No rule is defined for:

OFFS -> OFFS

Because neither the delivery nor pickup rule matches that route, an internal movement does not create an invoice item.

An inventory rule filters by package, Customer, and Media-ID. It does not include repository filters in the observed definition format.

AddInventoryChargeItem(
  packageFilter,
  customerFilter,
  mediaFilter,
  roundUpFactor,
  minimumUnits,
  threshold,
  cap,
  model,
  outputCustomer,
  outputItemCode,
  description,
  costInCents,
  continueFlag
);

Example:

AddInventoryChargeItem("No_Package", "*", "B1",
                       0, 0, 0, 0, 1,
                       "$CUSTOMER", "A - Storage:QBSTORAGE_B1",
                       " ", 0, 1);

This example selects high-water inventory for Media-ID B1. A zero cost means that QuickBooks Item pricing is expected to supply the rate.

Journal rules convert a journal category and recorded quantity into an invoice item.

AddJournalChargeItem(
  packageFilter,
  customerFilter,
  journalCategoryFilter,
  roundUpFactor,
  minimumUnits,
  threshold,
  cap,
  model,
  outputCustomer,
  outputItemCode,
  description,
  costInCents,
  continueFlag
);

Example:

AddJournalChargeItem("Tape_Daily*", "*", "00001",
                     0, 0, 23, 0, 0,
                     "$CUSTOMER",
                     "B - General Services:QBPICKUP_SCHEDULED_NOT_INCLUDED",
                     " ", 0, 1);

This rule applies to daily tape packages and journal category 00001. The first 23 qualifying units are included; only the quantity above 23 is invoiced.

The free-text note stored in a journal record is not used by the documented billing calculation. Rules select the category and quantity.

AddAppendFile loads an external file and adds its content to the invoice output after variable substitution.

AddAppendFile("No_Package", "US01", "..\etc\billing\US01_Monthly.txt");

Append files may be used for fixed fees, recurring charges, credits, or Customer-specific contract items.

Customer map example:

customer.ttmap

US01 New York Data Center

For this Customer, $CUSTOMER becomes US01 and $CUSTOMER2 becomes New York Data Center.

The cost argument is expressed in cents:

The processor multiplies the final quantity by the cost override when producing its XML values.

When cost is zero, the QuickBooks Interface omits the Rate element. QuickBooks may then use the default rate configured for the referenced Item.

A calculated XML cost of 99999.99 is treated by the documented QuickBooks Interface as a signal to skip the line. This should not be used as a normal price or as the standard method for excluding activity.

The Continue flag controls whether matched aggregate data remains available to later rules of the same type:

Rule order therefore matters. Place Customer exceptions before broader package or wildcard rules when the exception must consume the data.

Example of an unsafe sequence:

# Specific free rule, but Continue is enabled
AddMovementChargeItem("*", "US01", "LTO", "OFFS", "OFFS",
                      0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
                      "$CUSTOMER2", "INTERNAL_MOVE", " ", 0, 1);

# Broad rule can still match the same movement
AddMovementChargeItem("*", "*", "LTO", "!(HOLD)", "*",
                      0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
                      "$CUSTOMER", "QBMOVEMENT_TAPE", " ", 0, 1);

The first rule does not reliably make the movement free. It produces a zero-rate item and leaves the movement available to the broad rule.

The safer design is to omit the internal-movement rule and ensure that the broad rule excludes the Customer or route.

The processor calculates rule classes in this order:

1. Storage.
2. Inventory.
3. Movement.
4. Journal.
5. Append files.

Within each class, rules are applied in definition order.

Before approving a definition:

• Confirm the package map assigns the Customer to the expected package.
• Confirm Customer, Media-ID, and Repository-ID values match TapeTrack exactly.
• Check source and destination direction on every movement rule.
• Search for wildcard movement rules that could match internal activity.
• Confirm calculation order for rounding, minimum, threshold, and cap.
• Confirm the selected model represents the contract.
• Confirm whether pricing comes from the rule or from QuickBooks.
• Review Continue values and rule order for duplicate billing.
• Generate a test XML file from a known .ttstats sample.
• Confirm every Customer and Item reference exists in QuickBooks.
• Recalculate representative invoice quantities independently.
• Confirm free activities produce no XML item.
• Import into a QuickBooks test company before production use.

• Implementing Customer Billing
• Adding and Maintaining Customers
• Customer Object