Working with WorkFlows: Applying a New Rate to Existing Costs

February 2017    Tags: Costs, PracticeMaster, Rates, WorkFlows

We have a client who is supposed to be billed $0.12 for copies rather than our usual $0.15. However, there are many costs that have been entered with the wrong rate. Is there a way we can easily change all of them at once?

Although Tabs3 Billing has the option to change fee rates via the Change WIP Transactions program, cost rates cannot be changed using this program. As a work-around, you can accomplish the cost rate change by creating a user activated WorkFlow in PracticeMaster. This type of WorkFlow runs only when initiated by a user, which means you can choose to run it for only the costs you want to change. The WorkFlow will change the Rate of the selected costs, recalculate the amount, and then automatically save the costs.

Tip: Once the WorkFlow has been created, it can easily be changed for future scenarios. For example, if you need to adjust cost records to a different rate, simply edit the existing WorkFlow for the new scenario.

To create a WorkFlow in PracticeMaster to change the rate of existing costs

1. From the Maintenance menu, select WorkFlows.
2. Expand the Common Client Related section, select Cost, and then click the New button.
3. Enter a Name for the WorkFlow (e.g., “$0.12 Costs”).
4. In the Event section, select the User Activated check box.
5. In the Actions section, click New.
   1. Select Change Record, and then click Next.
   2. Select Source Record, and then click Define Template.
   3. Click on the set button next to the Rate field.
      1. In the Template Expression Editor window, click the Value button, and then enter the desired rate. For our example, enter “0.120”.
      2. Click OK on the Value window, and then click OK in the Template Expression Editor window.
   4. Click on the set button next to the Amount field.
      1. Click the Value button and enter the desired rate, and then click OK. For our example, enter “0.12”.
      2. Click the Operator button, select Multiplication, and then click Insert.
      3. Click the Field button, select Units from the Field ID column, and then click Insert.
      4. The following will now be displayed: “0.12 * @SrcRec:Units”. Click OK on the Template Expression Editor window.
      5. Press Ctrl+S.
   5. Click Finish.
6. Click Save, and then close the WorkFlows window.

To run the WorkFlow, simply open the Cost file, select the desired cost records, and then select the WorkFlow from the WorkFlows group of the Quick Clicks pane. All of the selected costs will be updated with the new rate and recalculated amount.

This was the first month of Working with WorkFlows! Did you find this article helpful? Have any article suggestions? Leave us a comment below!