3 rd Party Billing Software Integration Overview

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1 3rd_{Party Billing Integration Overview | AND Technologies}

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rd

Party Billing Software

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0.0 Introduction

Pcounter can integrate with 3rd Party Billing Software using an import and export process.

Here is a brief list of 3rd Party Billing Software Pcounter has integrated with; ESI Law, PC Law, Orion, Tabs 3, Xero, and others.

Pcounter’s 3rd Party Billing Integration is essentially split into two parts:

1) The Import of codes into Pcounter using the PIMPORT.exe utility.

The process can be automated using the Windows Task Scheduler.

2) The Export of usage data from Pcounter using the customized Log2xxxxx.exe utility.

(xxxxx = program name)

The process can be automated using the Windows Task Scheduler.

1.0 Import of Codes into Pcounter with PIMPORT.exe

- PIMPORT can be downloaded here.

- PIMPORT.exe is a free Pcounter utility that can be used to import client codes into Pcounter from a text file.

- For 3rd_{Party Billing Integration, the text file containing the client codes should come from the 3rd Party}

Billing Software. The text file should contain a list of all clients that will be imported to Pcounter’s client code database.

- PIMPORT can be run manually via command line, manually via .BAT file, or can run automatically using the Windows Task Scheduler.

- Typically this operation is performed by an AND Installation technician but can be done by anyone.

1.1 Preparing Text File

The text file that will be used by PIMPORT to import codes into Pcounter must be a specific format. The following formats are allowed:

T1 - Client code, Subcode, Subcode Description T2 - Client code, Client Code Description, Subcode T3 - Client code, Client Code Description

T4 - Client code, Client Code Description, Subcode, Subcode Description Below is an example screenshot of a T4 formatted text file that will create: A Client Code named 123, with a description of test,

A Subcode of 123 named abc, with a description of test2. A Client Code named 456, with a description of test, A Subcode of 456 named def, with a description of test2.

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1.2 PIMPORT Manually Executed via Command Line

1) Prepare the text file that contains a list of clients from the 3rd Party Billing Software.

2) Download PIMPORT.exe and copy to the Pcounter server at “Program Files/Pcounter for NT/NT”

http://www.pcounter.com/download/pimport.exe

3) Open a command prompt and change directory to the directory that PIMPORT is located, e.g.

4) The full command syntax is: (note, file and dbf paths can be local or remote)

PIMPORT ImportType PathToImportFile PathToExport.DB

5) Here is an example that will import client code and subcode with descriptions from a text file

located at c:\clients.txt:

PIMPORT T4 c:\clients.txt c:\pcounter\ppopup.dbf

1.3 Automating PIMPORT

Typically this operation is performed by an AND Installation technician but can be done by anyone. The PIMPORT process can be automated. First we create the .bat, then test it, then finally create a new task in Windows Task Scheduler to have it execute automatically.

The end result is that PIMPORT runs at a scheduled interval and updates the Pcounter client code database automatically. At that point, all the users have to do is update the text file with a complete listing of codes whenever they change.

1.3.1 Create .BAT

Note, The .bat must both reside and run on the Pcounter server. 1) Create a new .bat on the server using notepad.

2) The first two lines of the .bat will delete the existing code database, so if codes have been

removed from the text file, they will not be in the database after PIMPORT completes.

3) The next line will change directory to where PIMPORT.exe is located.

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4) The next line will run the import using PIMPORT.exe.

In this instance, the path to the text file will be on a remote data server. The text file can be located locally or remote, but in most instances is remote.

5) Test the .bat by executing it manually on the Pcounter server.

- Make sure the text file is in the right location and is formatted correctly.

- To test that the del commands are working, manually populate a bogus code in Pcounter Administrator’s Client Code database manually, then run the .bat. The code should be removed if the del commands were successful.

- New codes should be immediately visible in Pcounter Administrator after running the .bat if the PIMPORT command was successful.

1.3.2 Create Automated Task

Typically this operation is performed by an AND Installation technician but can be done by anyone. To add the newly created .BAT to the Windows Task Scheduler as a scheduled task:

1) Open the Windows Task Scheduler and choose ‘Create Task’

2) In the new window that opens, in the ‘General’ tab, click ‘run whether user is logged on or not’

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3) Now, in the ‘Actions’ tab, click ‘new’, the browse to the .BAT file and click OK.

4) Finally, to set a schedule for the task, choose the ‘Triggers’ tab and click ‘New’.

To have the task run daily at 2am:

a. Set ‘Begin the task’ to ‘on a schedule’. b. Set frequency to ‘Daily’

c. Set ‘Time’ to 2:00:00 AM

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2.0 Export of Usage Data from Pcounter with Log2xxxxx.exe

The Log2xxxxx.exe is a custom utility created by AND Technologies that exports usage data from the Pcounter log file to a specially formatted file that can be easily imported by a 3rd Party Billing Solution. The format of the that file is unique per site based on the 3rd Party Billing Software’s configuration. It is 100% customized based on the fields and values needed by the site.

As a result, before the Log2xxxxx.exe can be created, AND Technologies must work hand in hand with the a site representative to determine what fields and values the exported text file should contain.

2.1 Common Questions for Log2xxxxx.exe Creation

Every 3rd Party Billing Solution is unique in its implementation and thus every Log2xxxxx utility is unique as well.

During the installation phase, the AND Technician will ask a site representative several questions about how the 3rd Party Billing Solution is implemented in their environment. The questions vary greatly based on which 3rd Party Billing Solution is being used.

Below are common questions that must be answered by a site representative before AND Technologies can create the Log2xxxxx.exe utility.

1) Which of the following should be included in the text file:

Print usage, Copy usage, Scan Usage, and/or Fax Usage?

2) For each job type desired, what are the codes that define them in the 3rd Party Billing Software?

(e.g. transaction codes, explanation codes, etc.) Example explanation codes from PCLaw: [Explanation Code]

Print=4517 Scan=4518 Copy=4519 Fax=4520

Example Posting References from PCLaw: [Posting Reference]

Print=D17 Scan=D18 Copy=D19 Fax=D20

2.2 Automating the Log2xxxxx Utility

Automation of the Log2xxxxx utility is done using the Windows Task Scheduler, using a process similar to the automation of PIMPORT in section 1.3 of this document.