A service is the billing home for anything the customer buys that isn’t driven by usage. Where a number matches CDRs and rates calls, a service sits at the same level in the hierarchy but never touches tariffs or call data. Instead, it acts as a container: you attach features to it, and those features generate the one-off and recurring charges that appear on the customer’s invoice.
Typical uses for a service record include:
- Subscription products: hosting, cloud storage, SaaS licences, managed anti-virus.
- Contracted services: support contracts, maintenance agreements, SLAs.
- Hardware rental or finance: leased handsets, routers, payment-card terminals.
- One-off professional fees: installation, configuration, training, project work.
Because services don’t do CDR matching, they are the right place to bill anything that lives outside the call-record flow. A customer might have a handful of numbers for their telephony and one or two services for everything else. If you catch yourself trying to bill a recurring charge that has nothing to do with a specific phone line (a support fee, a hosted platform, a hardware lease): that’s a service, not a number.
Services inherit several things from the customer record, such as billing cycle and VAT rate, but they carry their own Service Type, Service Name, and optional Customer Products so you can classify them commercially for reporting. Use Site and Description to group related services on the same invoice, which is useful for cost-centre billing when one customer has multiple offices or departments.
The service lifecycle mirrors customers and numbers: active services bill normally, dropped services stop generating new charges, and the intermediate suspend and non-billable states let you pause billing without losing history.
What this page covers
- A full field reference for every field on the service record.
- How to find, add, edit, and delete services.
- Workflows for dropping, reinstating, suspending, and changing billable status.
For pricing-centric guidance, see Fixed Fee Tariffs, which drive most service charges.
Field Reference
The service detail page is split into two sections. The first shows the full details of the service. The second shows summaries of related items such as features and notes. The left context menu includes a link to the customer who owns the service. In enhanced mode, tabs show extra information such as the customer’s details and all services owned by that customer.
The tables below list every field on the service record, grouped by the section they appear in on the add/edit form.
Identification
Core identifiers for the service record.
No fields defined for this section.
Service Details
Basic information about the service, including type, name, status, and descriptive fields.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Customer | The customer who owns this service |
| Service Type | The type of this service |
| Service Name | A short name or reference for this service |
| Description | Description of this service |
| Site | Site where this service is provided or billed |
| Campaign | Marketing campaign associated with this service |
| Service Status | Current status of this service |
| Status Changed Date | Date when the status of this service was last changed |
| Dropped / Reinstated Date | Date when this service was most recently dropped or reinstated |
| Status Reason | Reason for the current status of this service |
| Cancellation Notice Given | Date when cancellation notice was given for this service |
| Annual Increase Reference Date | Reference date used for annual increases for this service. Depending on how annual increases are managed, this can be the next increase date or the previous increase date. |
| Annual Increase Profile | Annual increase profile used for CPI/RPI/fixed amount price changes |
| Customer Products | Products associated with this service |
| Internal Use | Internal notes or references for this service |
| CRM Reference | Reference for this service in the CRM system |
Sale / Provisioning Details
Information about when and how the service was sold and provisioned.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Sold By | User who sold this service |
| Date Sold | Date when this service was sold |
| Entered Date | Date when this service was entered into the system |
| Sale Type | Type of sale for this service |
| Postcode | Postcode associated with this service |
| Contract End Date | Date when the contract for this service ends |
| Provision Status | Internal provisioning status for this service |
Provider Details
Details of the provider and provider-specific references for this service.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Provider | Provider/carrier used for this service |
| Provider Reference | Reference used by the provider for this service |
| Provider Service Type | Provider-specific service type or product code |
| Provider Sub-account | Provider sub-account reference, if applicable |
Billing Details
Billing-related settings for this service, including fixed fee tariff and customer products.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Default Fixed Fee Tariff | Default fixed fee tariff to use for features attached to this service |
System Information
System-generated information about the service.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Last Modified | Timestamp of the most recent modification to this service |
Notes on key fields
Service Type
The Service Type categorises the service. Unlike numbers, there’s no auto-detection for services. You select the type manually when creating the service. The type controls which customer products are available, which transaction codes apply, and any default notice periods for charges.
Service Name, Description, and Site
The Service Name is a short reference that appears in search results, on the customer page, and on invoices. Use a clear, recognisable name that helps identify what the service covers. The Description appears alongside the service on invoices and in the portal, labelling what the service provides. The Site groups services together on invoices and in the portal, which can be used for cost-centre billing.
Service Status
The status controls whether the service is billable:
- Active: Billed as normal.
- Dropped: No new fixed charges are added, but existing charges are still billed based on their date ranges.
- Active - Do Not Bill: Not billed during billing runs, but charges still build up. These can be carried forward or billed manually.
The exact behaviour of each status is customisable. Set the Dropped / Reinstated Date when dropping or reinstating a service to control when recurring charges start or stop. See dropping and reinstating services for details.
Annual Increase Profile and Reference Date
The Annual Increase Profile records which CPI, RPI, or fixed-amount price increase schedule applies to this service, and the Reference Date records when the next increase is due. These fields are for reference and reporting. They don’t trigger price changes automatically. See Price Increases for full details on applying increases to tariffs and standard features.
Customer Products and Contract End Date
Customer Products associated with the service provide a commercial classification for reporting and analysis. The available products depend on the service type. Contract End Date tracks when the service contract expires, useful for renewal management and reporting. It doesn’t trigger any automatic actions.
Date Sold
The Date Sold shows when the service was sold to the customer. Unless you specify otherwise, the platform begins charging one-off and recurring fees from this date.
Provider Details
The provider fields are optional for services (unlike numbers, where a provider is typically required). Use them if the service relies on a third-party provider. Provider Reference, Provider Service Type, and Provider Sub-account link the service record to the provider’s own records.
Default Fixed Fee Tariff
The default fixed fee tariff to use for features attached to this service. When you add a feature to this service, this tariff applies unless you override it on the feature itself.
New Service Details
When adding a new service, extra fields appear. These aren’t shown when you later view the service. Instead, they set up features which you can view separately.
Finding a Service
Viewing a Service’s Details
Click any service link to view its details. Service links appear throughout the platform when viewing features and other related items. Links are colour-coded to show the service’s status.
In enhanced mode, hover over any service link to see a summary tooltip. This lets you confirm you have the right service without opening the full record.
Search Methods
To find a specific service, use either SmartSearch or QuickSearch.
SmartSearch
The SmartSearch box appears in the left-hand menu on every page.
- Enter the service name or ID
- Press Enter or click the SmartSearch button
Results:
- Single match: Takes you directly to that service
- Multiple matches: Shows a list. Click the service you want.
QuickSearch
QuickSearch lets you search using both service and customer criteria. Access it from the left-hand menu, the Index option, or the main menu.
- Enter your search criteria. You can filter by service type, status, or customer.
- Click Search
- Browse the results and click a service link to view its details
If the service you need isn’t listed, click Modify Search or the New Search link in the context menu.
Adding a Service
- To avoid duplicates, check the service hasn’t already been entered using SmartSearch or QuickSearch
- View the customer who owns the service
- Click Add > Service in the menu bar
- If you have suitable default values saved, load them using Default Values > Load in the menu bar
- Select the Service Type. Unlike numbers, there’s no auto-detection. Choose the type that matches the product or service you’re billing for.
- Enter the service details
- See the Field Reference section for details of the fields available
- Set the feature start dates and charge interval. These are used straight away to create features.
- Click Save. The service details page appears so you can confirm everything is correct.
- If you added one-off or recurring charges, features are created using those details. If no feature start date is given, the platform uses the sold date.
- If the service needs extra features you didn’t include during entry, add them now
Note: There’s no bulk addition mode for services. Each service is added individually.
Inline Feature Creation
When adding a service, you can create features at the same time. The quick-add section lets you set up features with charge intervals and amounts as part of the service creation. You can enable full feature entry for up to ten features.
This saves time when a new service needs several standard charges. For example, a hosting service might need a monthly hosting fee, an annual support charge, and a one-off setup fee, all created in one step.
Default Values
Some fields are pre-filled when you add a new service. You can save and manage multiple sets of default values to speed up data entry. See Managing Default Values for full details.
Editing a Service
- View the service and click Edit
- Make the changes you need
- See the Field Reference section for details of the fields available
- Click Save
What happens:
- If you changed the status, the platform may update features linked to this service
Dropping, Reinstating, and Changing Service Status
Use the Actions menu on the service view:
- Actions menu > Drop Service: Stops billing for this service and drops all its features.
- Actions menu > Reinstate Service: Reactivates a dropped service and restores its features.
- Actions menu > Add Features: Adds new features to this service.
- Actions menu > Suspend Service: Moves the service to a suspended status. Recurring charges are suppressed while suspended.
- Actions menu > Unsuspend Service: Removes the suspended status and back-fills any missed recurring charges.
- Actions menu > Make Service Non-Billable: Moves the service to a non-billable status. Automated billing runs skip the service while non-billable.
- Actions menu > Make Service Billable: Restores billing and back-fills any missed recurring charges.
See the sections below for step-by-step instructions for each action.
Note: These instructions use the default service statuses. If your statuses have been customised, adjust accordingly.
Dropping a Service
Drop a service when a customer no longer needs it but remains an active customer. If the customer is leaving entirely, drop the customer instead, which automatically drops all their services and numbers.
Steps:
- View the service
- Click Actions menu > Drop Service
- Fill in the action form:
Required:
- Drop Date: The last date charges should apply (including any notice period or minimum contract term)
Optional:
- Cancellation Notice Given: The date the customer told you they no longer need this service
- Status Reason: Why the service is being dropped
- Click Drop Service
What happens:
- All active features on the service are dropped
- The platform adds charges up to the drop date, or refunds if you’ve already billed beyond it
- Any remaining charges for this service are billed as normal, provided the customer stays active
Reinstating a Service
If a dropped service is reconnected, you can reactivate it and its features.
Steps:
- View the dropped service
- Click Actions menu > Reinstate Service
- Fill in the action form:
Required:
- Reinstate Date: The date you want to reinstate from
Optional:
- Status Reason: Why the service is being reactivated
- Click Reinstate Service
What happens:
- The service status changes to Active
- Features that were dropped automatically when the service was dropped are reinstated automatically. Their end dates are removed.
- If the reinstate date is in the past, the platform adds back-dated recurring charges
- The service is billed as normal from the next billing run
Tip: To bill any back-dated charges straight away, raise a manual invoice after reinstating.
Suspending and Unsuspending a Service
Suspension lets you temporarily pause a service without dropping it. The service stays active, but recurring charges on its features are suppressed while the service is suspended. Usage charges still apply during suspension.
When you unsuspend the service, the platform back-fills any recurring charges that were missed during the suspension period.
Suspend Service
Moves a service to a suspended status.
When to use: Temporary service holds, contract renegotiations, seasonal pauses.
Steps:
- View the service
- Click Actions menu > Suspend Service
- Fill in the action form:
Required:
- Status: The suspended status to apply
Optional:
- Status Reason: Why the service is being suspended
- Click Suspend Service
What happens:
- The service’s status changes to the selected suspended status
- Recurring charges stop being generated for features on this service
- Usage charges continue to apply
- The service remains active (it is not dropped)
Unsuspend Service
Removes the suspended status and resumes normal billing.
When to use: End of a temporary suspension, service ready to resume.
Steps:
- View the suspended service
- Click Actions menu > Unsuspend Service
- Fill in the action form:
Required:
- Status: The active status to restore
Optional:
- Status Reason: Why the suspension is being lifted
- Click Unsuspend Service
What happens:
- The service’s status changes to the selected non-suspended status
- The platform back-fills recurring charges for the period the service was suspended
- Normal billing resumes from the next billing run
Tip: To bill any back-dated charges straight away, raise a manual invoice after unsuspending.
Changing a Service’s Billable Status
You can move a service between billable and non-billable statuses without changing whether it is active or suspended. Automated billing runs skip non-billable services, but you can still raise manual invoices.
When you make a non-billable service billable again, the platform back-fills any recurring charges that were missed while the service was non-billable.
Make Service Non-Billable
Moves a service to a non-billable status.
When to use: Internal services, complimentary service periods, billing holds on specific services.
Steps:
- View the service
- Click Actions menu > Make Service Non-Billable
- Fill in the action form:
Required:
- Status: The non-billable status to apply
Optional:
- Status Reason: Why the service is being made non-billable
- Click Make Service Non-Billable
What happens:
- The service’s status changes to the selected non-billable status
- Automated billing runs skip this service while non-billable, but you can still raise manual invoices
- The service remains active (it is not dropped)
Make Service Billable
Restores a non-billable service to a billable status.
When to use: End of a complimentary period, internal service converted to a chargeable service.
Steps:
- View the non-billable service
- Click Actions menu > Make Service Billable
- Fill in the action form:
Required:
- Status: The billable status to apply
Optional:
- Status Reason: Why the service is being made billable
- Click Make Service Billable
What happens:
- The service’s status changes to the selected billable status
- The platform back-fills recurring charges for the period the service was non-billable
- Normal billing resumes from the next billing run
Tip: To bill any back-dated charges straight away, raise a manual invoice after making the service billable.
Deleting a Service
You can permanently delete a service and all its historical data. This should only be done if the service was entered by mistake (for example, an accidental duplicate). Deleting a service also means you need to recreate any invoices that reference it.
Important: Deletion removes all historical data and prevents simple reactivation.
Steps:
- Make sure the service has nothing attached to it (no features or notes)
- Click Actions menu > Delete. If you can’t see this option, either the service still has linked items or you don’t have delete permissions.
- If successful, you’re taken to the customer details page for the customer who owned the service.