Payment Method Determination

Definition

Payment Method Determination is a logic sequence executed within Invoicing that dictates exactly how money functionally flows into or out of a utility, classifying whether a specific formatted invoice dictates cash payment, automatic direct debit, or physical check generation.

Business Purpose and Architecture

The system needs to know mechanically how to collect. Architecturally, the Invoicing engine scans the Contract Account to see if the customer requested automatic debit. If so, and the final combined gross is greater than zero, it sets the incoming payment method parameter natively inside the Print Document. Conversely, if the invoice results in a refund (a Credit Memo), the Outgoing Payment Determination evaluates priority tables (e.g. Postal Transfer > Bank Transfer > Check) to correctly route the customer’s return.