---
title: "Bill Notifications Setup and Migration Guide"
slug: "bill-notifications-setup-and-migration-guide"
updated: 2026-10-26T14:08:45Z
published: 2026-10-26T14:08:45Z
canonical: "help.idibilling.com/bill-notifications-setup-and-migration-guide"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.idibilling.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Bill Notifications Setup and Migration Guide

# Overview

Electronic Bill Notifications automatically emails customers when their invoices are ready to view, and replaces the manual OnlineBill Mailer wizard in the Desktop Client. Nothing is sent until you turn the feature on in the Product Catalog, which is off by default after upgrade.

**Getting started:** IDI must enable this feature for your environment before you can configure it. To request it, see *Requesting feature enablement* under *Before you begin*. For help at any point, see *Getting help* at the end of this guide.

## How it works

1. Invoices are approved for customer viewing either via the E-Support Operations Calendar or RunCenter.
2. An email campaign is created in Communications with a notification for each opted-in recipient.
3. Emails are formatted with your Communications templates and sent on the schedule set in the Bill Notification Configuration page in the Product Catalog.

## Who gets notified

- Customer Portal subscribers who have Bill Notifications turned on in their portal profile.
- Account Billing Contacts who are opted in through the account-level *Receive Bill Notification* setting. This setting is useful if you are not using Customer Portal or if you want notifications to go to accounts who have not yet registered for it.

## Where each task happens

| **Module** | **What happens there** |
| --- | --- |
| SaaS Config (IDI only) | An authorized IDI associate enables the feature for your environment when you submit a support case (see *Requesting feature enablement*) |
| Communications | - Build Bill Notification templates - Monitor Campaigns and Failed Deliveries |
| Product Catalog | Set: - When and how notifications are sent - Defaults - Overrides |
| Customer Care | - Set account-level opt-in - Manage portal subscriber settings |
| Customer Field Configuration | Set the opt-in default for newly created accounts |
| RunCenter | Approve invoices for customer viewing, which makes them available in Customer Portal and starts the process. Providers not using RunCenter rely on the IDI billing team for this step (via the E-Support Operations Calendar). |

## Additional setup details

Refer to this [Electronic Bill Notifications article](https://help.idibilling.com/docs/electronic-bill-notifications?highlight=electronic) for additional details on setup and configuration.

# Before you begin

Four things must be in place before you configure anything:

- IDI must enable the feature
- Your users need the right permissions
- Your environment must be set up to use Communications
- You should know what the upgrade sets by default

## SaaS Config settings (enabled by IDI)

These settings are not available to IDI platform users. An authorized IDI associate enables them on request (see *Requesting feature enablement* below).

| **Setting** | **Required?** | **What it does** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Display Bill Notification | Required (must be true) | Makes the Bill Notification pages and options available |
| Disable SendGrid Transfer | Optional | For non-production testing. Campaigns are created and visible in Communications, with Campaign statistics, but emails are not sent to recipients |

### Requesting feature enablement

To request enablement, submit a support case through the IDI Support Portal. Include:

- The environment(s) that need enablement: production, non-production, or both
- Whether Communications is already configured for your environment (see *Communications Module Enabled*)
- Whether Disable SendGrid Transfer should also be enabled for non-production testing
- A contact name for any follow-up questions

An IDI representative will review and complete the request.

**Can I enable it in non-production only?** Yes. Settings are enabled per environment, so you can request enablement in a non-production environment first, test fully, and request production enablement when you are ready to go live.

## Permissions

Managing Bill Notification settings in the Product Catalog requires the Product Catalog Manage Bill Notifications permission. It is included in the Product Catalog Admin role and can be added to other roles.

Building Bill Notification templates in Communications requires the Manage Templates permission in Communications.

## Communications module enabled

Bill notification emails are sent from IDI's Communications module. If your environment is not configured to use Communications, you will need to contact your account manager to initiate this process prior to using Bill Notifications.

## Defaults after upgrade

The upgrade is designed so that nothing is sent until you choose to send.

| **Setting** | **Default after upgrade** |
| --- | --- |
| Enable Bill Notifications (Product Catalog) | Off |
| Account-level Receive Bill Notification (Customer Care) | False for existing accounts |
| Portal subscriber Bill Notification setting | Unchanged. This is the existing portal profile setting |

# Which opt-in applies to you

If you use Customer Portal, use the portal's existing notification setting and do not need the account-level setting. If you do not use Customer Portal, use the account-level setting to decide which billing contacts get notifications.

A person who is both a portal subscriber and an opted-in Billing Contact receives only one email per invoice.

|  | **Providers using Customer Portal** | **Providers not using Customer Portal** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Who is notified | Portal subscribers | Account Billing Contacts |
| Where opt-in is set | Portal Settings > Notifications > Billing Notifications (subscriber), or the Customer Portal Users view in Customer Care (service representative) | Receive Bill Notification on the Account Summary and Account Details pages in Customer Care (Billing information section) |
| Default for new accounts | Subscribers receive Bill Notifications by default when the account is created | Set in Customer Field Configuration (MANAGE > Customer Field Configuration) |
| Default for existing accounts | Unchanged by the upgrade | False. No billing contact is notified until opted in |
| Action needed | None for opt-in | Opt in existing accounts (see below) |

## Opting in existing accounts

Because existing accounts default to false, no billing contacts receive notifications until you opt them in. If you are not using Customer Portal or if you are using it but want notifications also sent to unregistered accounts, do this before you enable the feature.

1. In Customer Field Configuration, set the default for the Receive Bill Notification property so that newly created accounts are opted in as you want.
2. Update settings on any existing accounts. This can be done individually using the Account Details screen or in bulk via the Customer Bulk Data import specification ([link](https://help.idibilling.com/docs/bulk-data-customer-specification?highlight=Bulk%20Data))

# Setup checklist

Work through these steps in order. The first send should be a deliberate choice, so keep Enable Bill Notifications off until the last steps.

1. Submit a support case asking IDI to enable Display Bill Notification (see *Requesting feature enablement*). In a non-production environment, also ask for Disable SendGrid Transfer so you can test safely.
2. Confirm the people who will configure the feature have the Product Catalog Manage Bill Notifications permission, and that the people who will build templates have the Manage Templates permission in Communications.
3. Create your Bill Notification templates in Communications (see *Create Bill Notification templates*).
4. Set up the Bill Notification Configuration page in the Product Catalog with: send timing, time zone, default template, PDF attachment, and any overrides. Leave notifications disabled for now.
5. Set up opt-in for your recipients (see *Which opt-in applies to you*).
6. If you are replacing the OnlineBill Mailer, complete the migration-specific steps in *Cutover steps* (see *Migrating from the OnlineBill Mailer*).
7. Test in a non-production environment (see *Testing and go-live*).
8. In production, enable Bill Notifications and set a Begin Sending Notifications After date. Make sure your billing team knows that approving invoices now triggers notifications automatically. If IDI approves invoices on your behalf, let IDI know, because that approval is what starts the send.
9. After the first invoice approval, review the Campaign and Failed Deliveries in Communications against *What success looks like*.

# Create Bill Notification templates

Build at least one template in Communications using the new Bill Notification template type. Only templates of this type can be selected in the Product Catalog.

- **Start fresh.** OnlineBill Mailer templates, managed through Manage Templates in the Desktop Client, are a different type. There is no import or conversion, so each template must be rebuilt. Recreate your branding, subject line, and message body as a Bill Notification template.
- **Use Smart Data.** The Bill Notification type includes a large set of invoice-specific Smart Data to make your notifications dynamic.
- **Use separate templates only where you need them.** You can create different templates for Autopay status, Market, and Account Type. Most providers need one default template, plus an Autopay version if the message differs.

**Note**: The following is suggested content for a first template: your branding, a clear subject line, the amount due and due date, how to view the invoice online, and your support contact. If you attach the invoice PDF, say so in the message.

# Configure Bill Notification settings in the Product Catalog

Go to MANAGE > Bill Notification Configuration (or use the link on the Product Catalog landing page) and click Edit Configuration. These settings control whether and when notifications are sent, which template is used, and whether the invoice PDF is attached.

## When to send

| **Setting** | **What it does** |
| --- | --- |
| Enable Bill Notifications | Turns notifications on or off at any time. Off by default after upgrade |
| Begin Sending Notifications After | The date notifications start. After you save, a banner confirms that notifications are enabled and when they begin |
| Send notifications immediately | Sends as soon as invoices for a Bill Period are approved |
| Send notifications at a specific time | Sends at the time of day you choose, in the Time Zone you select next to it. If invoices are approved after that time, notifications go out the next day at that time. Daylight saving time is handled automatically |
| Send on weekdays only | Holds notifications until Monday when approval or the send time falls on a weekend, such as a Friday approval after the send time, using the time zone you selected |
| Exclude invoices totaling zero | Skips accounts whose total amount due is $0.00 |

## Defaults

| **Setting** | **What it does** |
| --- | --- |
| Attach PDF | Whether the invoice PDF is attached to the email (yes or no) |
| Notification Template | The default Bill Notification template |
| Autopay Notification Template | Optional separate template for accounts enrolled in Autopay |

## Overrides

Use Add Override to change the defaults for a specific Market, Account Type, or both. For each override, choose whether to attach the invoice PDF, which template to use, and whether Autopay accounts use a different template.

Each override has a rank. When an account matches more than one override, the first match in rank order is the one used. Review the ranking so the rule you intend is matched first.

In Communications, each Campaign is later broken into segments by template (default, override, or Autopay), so you can confirm that each group received the expected template.

# Migrating from the OnlineBill Mailer

If you currently send bill notices with the OnlineBill Mailer wizard, plan the switch before you enable the new feature. The biggest change is that sending moves from a manual step to an automatic one that starts at invoice approval. To retire the mailer, simply stop using the wizard; there is nothing to turn off.

**Warning: avoid duplicate notices.** The OnlineBill Mailer and Electronic Bill Notifications run independently, and nothing prevents both from running. If anyone runs the mailer wizard for a Bill Period that Electronic Bill Notifications also covers, customers receive two notices for the same invoice. Before go-live, make sure everyone who runs the wizard knows your cutover Bill Period.

## What changes

| **Area** | **OnlineBill Mailer (legacy)** | **Electronic Bill Notifications** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| How it is sent | A person runs the wizard in the Desktop Client (BackOffice Management > Customer Notifications > OnlineBill Mailer) | Automatic when invoices are approved for customer viewing |
| Who chooses what is sent | You select a Market and Invoice Group(s) each run | Rules in the Product Catalog by Market and Account Type. There is no Invoice Group setting, and notifications cannot be sent one Invoice Group at a time |
| Timing | Whenever someone runs the wizard | Immediately, or at a set time and time zone, with an optional weekdays-only hold |
| Templates | OnlineBill Mailer template, managed in Manage Templates in the Desktop Client | Bill Notification template type, managed in Communications |
| Who receives it | Portal subscribers with Send Bill Notifications checked | Portal subscribers (same setting) and opted-in Billing Contacts |
| Duplicate protection | Invoices already notified with the selected template for the Bill Period are hidden from the list. The wizard warns if you select multiple Invoice Groups | One Campaign per Bill Period. Regenerate resends the entire Campaign |
| Monitoring | Notification Search in the Desktop Client | Campaign and Failed Deliveries search in Communications |
| Zero-balance invoices | Not addressed in the wizard | Optional Exclude invoices totaling zero setting |

## What stays the same

Portal subscribers keep the notification setting they already have, whether they set it in Portal Settings > Notifications > Billing Notifications or a service representative sets it in Customer Care. You do not need to re-opt-in portal subscribers.

## Cutover steps

1. **Take inventory.** Note which mailer templates you use, which Markets and Invoice Groups you send to, who runs the wizard, and when.
2. **Rebuild templates.** Recreate each template as a Bill Notification template in Communications. Replace any data look-ups with Smart Data.
3. **Pick a cutover Bill Period.** Choose the first Bill Period that will use the new feature. Do not run the OnlineBill Mailer for that Bill Period or any later one, and tell everyone who runs the wizard.
4. **Enable in production.** Turn on Enable Bill Notifications and set Begin Sending Notifications After to a date that falls after your last mailer-based send.
5. **Verify the first Campaign.** After the first approval, confirm the Campaign in Communications, then retire the manual mailer process.

# Testing and go-live

Test in a non-production environment first. With Disable SendGrid Transfer enabled by IDI, you can run complete Campaigns and see the emails in Communications and the Campaign statistics, but nothing is sent to recipients.

## Test in non-production

- Approve invoices for customer viewing in RunCenter for a test Bill Period.
- In Communications, open SEARCH > Campaigns and find the Campaign for that Bill Period.
- Check the Recipients count against the number of accounts and subscribers you expect to be opted in.
- Use View Segments to confirm each group used the expected template: default, a Market or Account Type override, or Autopay.
- Review a sample email from each template for branding, subject line, and Smart Data values.
- Confirm the PDF is attached or omitted as configured, and that zero-balance invoices are excluded if you set that option.
- Confirm the send time and time zone, and the weekday-only behavior, match what you configured.
- If you use an Autopay template, confirm at least one Autopay account in the test received it.
- Providers without Customer Portal: confirm a sample of opted-in Billing Contacts appear as recipients, and contacts that are not opted in do not.
- Review any entries in Failed Deliveries and make sure each one is understood and resolved.

You are ready for production when every check above passes. One test Bill Period is usually enough if it exercises every template and override you configured. If an override or template did not appear in the test, test it with additional accounts before going live. Then continue with steps 8 and 9 of the Setup checklist.

# Monitoring and troubleshooting

Communications has two searches for Bill Notifications. Use SEARCH > Campaigns to see each Bill Period's batch, and SEARCH > Failed Deliveries to see notifications that did not arrive, for example bounces. Failed Deliveries can be refined by recipient, error message, or linked object.

## Campaign results

Each Campaign shows its Name, Type, Status, Recipients, Delivered, Failed, Created date, and Send Date. Statuses are Created, Processing, Canceled, Errored, Pending Mail Send, and Completed. The menu at the end of each row offers:

- **Cancel:** For Campaigns that have not yet processed. It cancels the whole Campaign and no emails are sent.
- **Regenerate:** For Campaigns that have processed. It creates a new Campaign with the same emails so the entire Campaign can be resent.
- **View Segments:** Shows the Campaign broken down by template. You can export the segment details to a spreadsheet.

**Use Regenerate with care.** Regenerate resends every email in the Campaign, so recipients who already received their notification will receive it again. Check the Delivered and Failed counts before you regenerate, and use it only when a full resend is what you want.

## What success looks like

A healthy Campaign for a Bill Period shows:

- A Status of Completed
- A Recipients count that matches the number of opted-in recipients you expect
- A Delivered count close to Recipients
- A small Failed count, with each failure explained in Failed Deliveries (for example, an outdated email address)
- In View Segments, the expected template for each group

## Common situations

| **What you see** | **What to check** |
| --- | --- |
| Bill Notification pages or options are not available | Display Bill Notification is enabled in SaaS Config for this environment. If it is not, submit a support case (see *Requesting feature enablement*) |
| You can open Bill Notification Configuration but cannot edit it | The user has the Product Catalog Manage Bill Notifications permission |
| No Campaign appears after invoices are approved | Enable Bill Notifications is checked; the Begin Sending Notifications After date has passed; Display Bill Notification is enabled in SaaS Config; the invoices were approved for customer viewing |
| A Campaign exists but fewer emails went out than expected | Opt-in settings (portal profile, or Receive Bill Notification for non-portal providers); Exclude invoices totaling zero |
| Notifications went out later than expected | The send time, time zone, and weekday-only settings; whether approval happened after the send time |
| Emails appear in Communications but nobody received them | Whether the environment has Disable SendGrid Transfer enabled |
| An account got the wrong template | Market and Account Type overrides, and the Autopay template setting |
| Emails bounced | Failed Deliveries search, then the page for managing bounced notifications |

# Getting help

## Need assistance?

Questions about configuration, permissions, or feature behavior can be submitted as a support case through the IDI Support Portal.

If you would like help with notification strategy, template design, migration planning, bulk account updates, testing, or a full implementation, IDI Professional Services can assist.

## Implementation options

**Self-service setup (no additional charge)**

- Follow this guide to configure and test Electronic Bill Notifications.
- Submit a support case for feature enablement or product questions.

**Professional Services assistance (billable engagement)**

- Migration planning from the OnlineBill Mailer
- Template design and build
- Bulk opt-in strategy
- Override design
- End-to-end testing support
- Production cutover assistance