Managing Features

Overview

Features are where most non-usage charges live in the platform. A feature represents a billable item: line rental, voicemail, a software licence, a support contract, or any other product that generates one-off or recurring charges. Features can be attached to a customer, a number, or a service, depending on what you’re billing.

A special type of feature called a Call Plan attaches to a number and allows it to receive usage charges. Call plans can’t be converted to normal features, or vice versa.

Features are distinct from tariffs. A tariff prices individual calls based on duration, destination, and time of day. A feature charges a fixed amount on a schedule, regardless of usage. Many customers have both: a call plan with a tariff for usage, plus features for line rental, voicemail, and other extras.

This guide takes you through the full lifecycle of managing features. For field-level detail and technical reference, see Features.

Quick Start

Most Common Tasks

Add a feature → Customer/Number/Service page > Add menu > Feature (5 minutes)
Change a recurring charge → Feature page > Actions > Change Recurring Charge (2 minutes)
Drop a feature → Feature page > Actions > Drop Feature (2 minutes)
Reinstate a feature → Feature page > Actions > Reinstate Feature (2 minutes)
Check charges → Feature page > Transactions tab in enhanced mode (instant)

Understanding the Feature Page

When you open a feature record, you’ll see:

Left menu: The context menu with links to the owning customer, and where applicable the number or service. There’s also an option to add a manual transaction against this feature.

In enhanced mode, tabs across the top let you switch between views (Details, Transactions, and others). The Details tab splits into two columns:

• Left column: The feature form with type, description, status, dates, and charge amounts
• Right column: Grids showing unbilled transactions, notes, open tasks, and other related items

Feature links throughout the platform are colour-coded by status, so you can spot active, dropped, or special-status features at a glance. In enhanced mode, hover over any feature link to see a summary tooltip without opening the full record.

Finding Features

SmartSearch for Quick Access

The SmartSearch box appears in the left-hand menu on every page. Start typing the feature description and click the matching result from the suggestions. If there are many matches, press Enter or click the SmartSearch button to see the full results list.

Navigation from Other Pages

Features appear on customer, number, and service pages. Navigate to the parent record first, then find the feature in its features list. This is often the quickest route when you already know which customer or number the feature belongs to.

QuickSearch for Filtered Results

When you need to find features matching specific criteria (for example, all dropped features of a certain type), use QuickSearch through the left menu or Index option. Filter by feature type, status, or parent record to narrow down your results.

Managing Feature Records

Adding a Feature

Before you begin, gather the information you’ll need: confirm the customer or number exists, know which feature type to use, and have the charge amounts and start date ready.

Steps:

1. Navigate to the customer, number, or service the feature should be attached to
2. Check the existing features list to avoid duplicates
3. Click Add menu > Feature from the top menu bar
4. If you have suitable default values saved, load them using Default Values > Load
5. Enter the feature details:
   • Select the feature type (this controls invoice labelling, which standard features are available, pricing through fixed fee tariffs including defaults, and how the feature appears in reports)
   • Set the start date and charge interval
   • Enter charge amounts, or leave blank to inherit from a standard feature or fixed fee tariff
   • Set the feature count if billing for multiple instances
6. Click Save

The platform creates the feature and generates any initial charges straight away. Unbilled transactions appear on the right-hand side of the feature page. In enhanced mode, the Transactions tab shows the full charge history.

Standard Features

Link a feature to a Standard Feature to use predefined pricing. Any empty fields on the feature fall back to the standard feature’s values. When you update a standard feature, all linked features pick up the new values the next time a transaction is created for them (typically before the billing run completes).

Default Values

Save and manage multiple sets of default values to speed up data entry for common feature types. See Managing Default Values for full details.

Backdating and Mid-Period Features

You can set the start date to a date in the past. The platform creates charges from that date, pro-rated for any partial periods when using a calendar-aligned interval. For full details on backdating, including how to move charges onto already-issued invoices, see Backdating and Mid-Period Features in the reference page.

Editing a Feature

1. View the feature and click Edit
2. Make your changes
3. Click Save

Use editing for simple changes like updating descriptions or correcting details. For charge changes, status changes, or anything that affects billing, prefer the dedicated actions instead. While manual edits can recalculate charges if you enter everything correctly, actions make this easier and provide better auditing and logging.

• To change the recurring charge or feature count, see Change Recurring Charge below
• To drop or reinstate, see Drop Feature and Reinstate Feature

Deleting a Feature

Only delete features that were entered by mistake and have never been billed. Deletion permanently removes all historical data.

Steps:

1. Make sure the feature has no transactions (check the Transactions tab in enhanced mode)
2. Click Actions menu > Delete
3. If successful, you’re taken to the parent customer or number page

If you can’t see the Delete option, either the feature still has linked transactions or you don’t have delete permissions.

Feature Actions

Actions automate tasks that would otherwise need many manual steps. Each action handles the details: updating charges, calculating pro-rata amounts, and keeping audit trails.

Quick Action Reference

Change Recurring Charge

Updates the recurring charge amount and/or feature count on an active feature, handling all the refunds and pro-rating automatically.

When to use: Price changes, feature count increases or decreases, mid-contract adjustments, correcting a charge amount.

Steps:

1. View the active feature
2. Click Actions menu > Change Recurring Charge
3. Fill in the form:

Optional:

• New Recurring Charge: The new charge amount. Leave blank to keep the existing charge (useful when only changing the count).
• Feature Count: The new feature count. Only shown when feature counts are enabled for your platform. If you don’t see this field, ask your system administrator to enable it. Leave blank to keep the existing count.
• Change Recurring Charge From Date: The date the new charge takes effect. Defaults to the next changeover date but can be changed to override when the new charge starts.
• Charge Change Mode: How the platform handles existing charges when the From Date falls within an already-charged period.
  • Replace Existing Charges (default): Removes old charges from the changeover date and replaces them with new ones at the updated rate.
  • Add New Charges, Leave Existing Untouched: Adds new charges from the From Date without touching existing ones. From Date is required. Use this when you’re raising a credit note outside the platform to cover the old charges.
  • Add Delta Charges/Refunds: Leaves approved charges untouched and adds adjustment rows for the difference only. Charges not yet on a finalised invoice are updated in place. This option only appears when the Recurring Charge Adjustment and Recurring Charge Adjustment Refund transaction types are configured on your platform.

4. Click Change Recurring Charge

What happens:

In the default Replace mode, the platform refunds or deletes charges made at the old rate after the changeover date, then adds new charges at the new rate from that date, pro-rated as needed. One-off charges are added if the feature count was increased.

Charges are pro-rated according to the feature’s Recurring Charge Interval. Calendar-aligned intervals pro-rate partial periods automatically.

If the From Date falls in a period that has already been invoiced, the Charge Change Mode controls what happens to the existing charges. See Correcting Charges on an Already-Invoiced Period for a decision guide and step-by-step instructions for each mode.

Tip: Check the Transactions tab after making changes to confirm the charges look correct.

Worked Example: Increasing Feature Count Mid-Month

Scenario: A customer has 7 user licences at £10/month each. The feature is set up with Feature Count = 7 and Recurring Charge = £10. Monthly billing runs on the 1st, calendar-aligned. The customer wants an 8th licence from 15 March.

Steps:

1. Open the feature
2. Click Actions menu > Change Recurring Charge
3. Leave New Recurring Charge blank (the per-unit price stays at £10)
4. Set Feature Count to 8
5. Confirm the From Date is 15 March (or adjust it if it shows a different date)
6. Click Change Recurring Charge

Result:

• The platform refunds remaining March charges at the old rate (7 × £10, pro-rated refund for 15–31 March)
• New charges are added at the new rate, pro-rated for 15–31 March (8 × £10 for roughly half the month)
• From April, the monthly charge is 8 × £10 = £80

Correcting Charges on an Already-Invoiced Period

Use this when a recurring charge has been billed at the wrong amount for a period that is already on an invoice. Common causes include a price change applied at the wrong rate, a feature count set incorrectly, or a charge entered by mistake.

All four approaches use the Change Recurring Charge action on the affected feature, with the Change Recurring Charge From Date set to the start of the period being corrected. The right choice depends on whether the invoice has been approved, whether your accounting system has already processed it, and how you want the correction to appear.

Which option should I use?

Option A: Delta mode (adjustment row on next bill)

The platform adds a single adjustment row for the pro-rated difference. The original invoice stays completely untouched.

When available: Only if the Recurring Charge Adjustment and Recurring Charge Adjustment Refund transaction types are set up on your platform. If Charge Change Mode does not appear on the form, use Option B instead.

1. Go to the affected feature.
2. Click Actions menu > Change Recurring Charge.
3. Enter the correct recurring charge amount.
4. Set Change Recurring Charge From Date to the start of the period covered by the incorrect charge.
5. Set Charge Change Mode to Add Delta Charges/Refunds.
6. Click Change Recurring Charge.

The platform creates an adjustment transaction for the difference. It lands on the customer’s Unsent invoice and goes out with the next bill. No further steps are needed.

Option B: Replace mode (credits on next bill or standalone credit note)

The platform refunds the old charges and creates new ones at the correct rate. If the invoice is already approved, the resulting credits land on the Unsent invoice and reduce the amount due on the next bill.

1. Go to the affected feature.
2. Click Actions menu > Change Recurring Charge.
3. Enter the correct recurring charge amount.
4. Set Change Recurring Charge From Date to the start of the period covered by the incorrect charge.
5. Leave Charge Change Mode on Replace Existing Charges (or omit it if the field is not shown).
6. Click Change Recurring Charge.

The credits appear on the customer’s Unsent invoice and reduce the next bill automatically.

To issue the correction as a standalone credit note instead:

1. Go to the customer’s Unsent invoice.
2. Tick the credit transactions created by the charge change.
3. Click Add to Invoice > New Invoice. Because the transactions are negative, the resulting invoice will have a negative total (this is the credit note).
4. Approve and send the credit note to the customer.

Option C: Add mode (new charges alongside an external credit note)

Use when a credit note for the incorrect charges is being raised outside the platform, for example directly in your accounting package. The platform adds the correct new charges without altering the original invoice.

1. Raise a credit note externally to cover the original incorrect charge.
2. Go to the affected feature.
3. Click Actions menu > Change Recurring Charge.
4. Enter the correct recurring charge amount.
5. Set Change Recurring Charge From Date to the start of the period you are correcting. This must be on or before the feature’s current due date.
6. Set Charge Change Mode to Add New Charges, Leave Existing Untouched.
7. Click Change Recurring Charge.

The original incorrect charge stays on the invoice. The new correct charge appears on the Unsent invoice. Combined with the external credit note, the customer pays the net correct amount.

Option D: Unapprove and correct (amend the original invoice)

Unapproving the invoice first lets the platform update it in place. The customer receives a corrected version of the original invoice rather than a separate credit document.

1. Go to the invoice and click Actions menu > Unapprove. If the invoice has already been emailed, Unapprove only appears in the Expert Mode menu instead.
2. If the correction spans more than one invoice period, unapprove all affected invoices before continuing.
3. Go to the affected feature and click Actions menu > Change Recurring Charge.
4. Enter the correct recurring charge amount.
5. Set Change Recurring Charge From Date to the date the change should take effect. This is not always the same as the start of the invoice period – for example, if the charge changed mid-period, use the actual change date.
6. Click Change Recurring Charge. Because the invoices are now unapproved, the platform updates their transactions directly.
7. Return to each unapproved invoice and click Actions menu > Recreate to regenerate the PDF with the corrected amounts.
8. Click Actions menu > Approve to lock each invoice again, then resend them to the customer.

Tip: After any of these options, check the Transactions tab on the feature to confirm the resulting charges and credits look correct before the next billing run.

Drop Feature

Stops billing for a feature when it’s no longer needed.

When to use: Customer no longer needs the service, contract ends, product removed.

Steps:

1. View the feature
2. Click Actions menu > Drop Feature
3. Fill in the form:

Required:

• Drop Date: The last date charges should apply

Optional:

• Cancellation Notice Given: When the customer told you they no longer need this feature (only shown if enabled)
• Bill-To Date: Override the date charges are calculated to (only shown if enabled or in expert mode)
• Status Reason: Why the feature is being dropped (only shown if enabled)

4. Click Drop Feature

What happens:

• The platform calculates end dates and bill-to dates based on the drop date, taking into account any notice periods and minimum terms
• Charges are added up to the bill-to date, or refunded if charges have already been made beyond it
• Usage charges after the end date are also refunded (for call plans)
• Any remaining charges for this feature are billed as normal, provided the customer stays active

Important: If a customer is leaving entirely, drop the customer instead. That automatically drops all their features, numbers, and services. Dropping a number or service also drops all features attached to it.

Note: If a minimum term, committed count term, or notice period applies, the platform may set a bill-to date later than the drop date you entered. See Minimum Terms and Notice Periods below for details.

Example: Customer calls on 10 March to cancel a feature at month end → Set Drop Date: 31/03/2026, Notice Given: 10/03/2026. The platform calculates final charges to 31 March and refunds anything already charged beyond that. If the feature has a minimum term running until June, charges continue until the minimum term date instead.

Reinstate Feature

Reactivates a dropped feature and resumes billing.

When to use: Feature was dropped in error, customer changed their mind, service reactivated.

Steps:

1. View the dropped feature
2. Click Actions menu > Reinstate Feature
3. Fill in the form:

Required:

• Reinstate Date: The date to resume billing from (pre-filled with the date the feature was last dropped)

Optional:

• Status Reason: Why the feature is being reactivated (only shown if enabled)

4. Click Reinstate Feature

What happens:

• The feature status changes to Active and its end date is cleared
• If the reinstate date is in the past, back-dated recurring charges are added
• The feature is billed as normal from the next billing run

Tip: Raise a manual invoice after reinstating if you need to bill back-dated charges straight away.

Reset and Rebill / Refund and Rebill

These actions correct billing errors on a feature’s charges.

• Reset and Rebill: Deletes incorrect unbilled charges and recalculates them using the feature’s current values. Use when charges haven’t been invoiced yet.
• Refund and Rebill: Refunds already-billed charges and recalculates them. Use when charges have already appeared on an invoice.

For full details, see Resetting and Rebilling Charges in the reference page.

Tip: Check the Transactions tab after using either action to confirm the corrections are correct.

Feature Count and Committed Count

Feature Count

The feature count multiplies all charges on a feature. If the recurring charge is £10 and the feature count is 5, the platform charges £50 per interval. One-off charges and discount bundles are also multiplied by the count.

Use feature count when a single feature represents multiple instances of the same thing: user licences, phone lines, mailboxes, or any other item billed at a flat per-unit rate.

To change the count on an active feature, use the Change Recurring Charge action. This handles the pro-rating and refunds automatically.

Committed Count

The committed count sets a minimum billing floor. If the feature count drops below the committed count, the platform charges based on the committed count instead. This is useful for minimum commitment contracts where a customer has agreed to pay for at least a certain number of units.

An end date for the commitment can be set using the Committed Count Term Date. After this date, the charged count can drop below the committed count.

Auto Committed Count

The committed count can be calculated automatically in two modes:

• Initial: Uses the feature count at the time the feature was created
• Peak: Automatically increases the committed count whenever the feature count exceeds it

When using peak mode with a commitment term, the term can optionally be extended each time the committed count increases (using the Extend Term setting).

The auto mode can also be set on the standard feature or feature type, so it applies consistently across all features of that type.

Minimum Terms and Notice Periods

When you drop a feature, the platform checks whether any contractual commitments affect the end date. Understanding these helps explain why a feature might continue billing beyond the drop date you entered.

Minimum Term

If a feature has a Minimum Term Date set, dropping the feature before that date means the platform continues billing until the minimum term expires. For example, if a feature has a 12-month minimum term starting in January and you drop it in March, charges continue until December.

The minimum term date can be set manually, or calculated automatically from the start date and a minimum term length. See Minimum Term Date in the reference page.

Notice Periods

When Cancellation Notice Given is enabled and you enter a notice date, the platform may extend the bill-to date to account for the required notice period. If a feature requires 30 days’ notice and the customer gives notice on 10 March, the earliest the feature can end is 9 April, regardless of the drop date entered.

Committed Count Term

The committed count term works separately from the minimum term. Even if the feature count drops, the customer is billed for the committed count until the Committed Count Term Date passes. See Committed Count above.

Checking Why an End Date Differs

If the bill-to date doesn’t match what you expected:

1. Check the feature’s Minimum Term Date
2. Check whether a notice period applies and when notice was given
3. Check the Committed Count Term Date
4. In expert mode, you can override the bill-to date using the Bill-To Date field in the Drop Feature action

Charge Configuration

One-Off vs Recurring Charges

A feature can have both one-off and recurring charges:

• One-off charges are applied once, on the feature’s start date
• Recurring charges repeat at the interval you set (monthly, quarterly, annually, etc.)

Enter a zero to create a zero-rated charge on invoices (showing the customer the service is explicitly free). Leave the field blank to skip the charge entirely.

How Charge Values Are Determined

When the platform creates a transaction, it looks for the charge amount in this order:

1. Feature: A value entered directly on this feature
2. Standard feature: A value from the linked standard feature, if the feature’s field is empty
3. Fixed fee tariff: A value calculated by a fixed fee tariff, if both the feature and standard feature fields are empty

Use explicit charges for bespoke pricing. Use a standard feature when many customers share the same rates. Use a fixed fee tariff for centralised pricing that varies by number type or feature type. See Non-Usage Charges for the full picture.

Charge Intervals and Calendar Alignment

The recurring charge interval controls how often charges are applied and whether they align to calendar periods. Calendar-aligned intervals (for example, calendar months) pro-rate the first and last charges automatically when a feature starts or ends mid-period.

Non-calendar-aligned intervals always charge the full amount from the start date, regardless of when in the period the feature begins.

See Recurring Charge Interval in the reference page for full details.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Feature Count Field Not Visible

The Feature Count field must be enabled platform-wide before it appears on feature forms and in the Change Recurring Charge action. If you don’t see it, ask your system administrator to enable feature counts for your platform.

Charges Not Appearing

Check these three things:

1. Feature status: Is it Active? Features set to “Active - Do Not Bill” accumulate charges but don’t invoice them. Dropped features don’t accrue new charges.
2. Feature dates: Do the start and end dates cover the billing period? A feature starting next month won’t appear on this month’s invoice.
3. Charge interval: Is a recurring charge interval set? Without one, no recurring charges are generated even if a charge amount is entered.

Wrong Charge Amounts

When charges don’t match expectations:

• Check the charge amount on the feature itself, not just the standard feature or tariff
• Remember the charge resolution chain: feature overrides standard feature, which overrides fixed fee tariff
• Check the feature count (charges are multiplied by the count)
• Look at pro-rating calculations for partial periods

Pro-Rata Not as Expected

If partial-period charges seem wrong:

• Check whether the charge interval is calendar-aligned. Non-calendar-aligned intervals don’t pro-rate.
• Check the from date on any recent Change Recurring Charge actions
• Review the Transactions tab for the actual charge calculations

Best Practices

Use Standard Features or Default Values for Consistent Pricing

When many customers share the same rates, you have two options:

• Standard features are best when prices are likely to change together, for example during annual price increases. Update the standard feature once and all linked features pick up the new values the next time their transactions are created.
• Default values are best when the initial setup is the same but prices will stay fixed or diverge over time. Defaults pre-fill the form when adding a feature, but each feature is independent afterwards.

See Standard Features and Managing Default Values for setup details.

Use Actions, Not Manual Edits

When changing charges, dropping, or reinstating features, prefer the Actions menu. While manual edits can achieve the same result, actions make it easier to get the details right and provide better auditing and logging.

Check the Transactions Tab

After any change, verify the results on the Transactions tab (in enhanced mode). Confirm that refunds, new charges, and pro-rated amounts look correct before the next billing run. Catching errors early is much easier than correcting invoiced charges later.

Drop vs Delete

Drop features that are no longer needed. Only delete features that were entered by mistake and have never been billed. Dropping preserves the full audit trail and billing history. Deletion removes everything permanently.

Record Your Reasons

Use the Update Reason dropdown and Update Details field when making changes. These fields create an audit trail that helps when reviewing changes later or answering customer queries about their charges.

Related Guides

• Features Reference:Full field reference and technical details
• Standard Features:Template setup and field inheritance
• Managing Services:Service lifecycle management
• Managing Numbers:Usage billing and call management
• Managing Customers:Customer account setup
• Non-Usage Charges:How charges flow through the platform
• Fixed Fee Tariffs:Centralised pricing rules

Need Help?

Common questions: Check the troubleshooting section above Field details: See the Features reference page API integration: See the Features Endpoint Support: Use the in-platform support tools