SOP: Build and Review a Billing Query in BlackDiamond
Objective
This SOP explains how to build a billing query in BlackDiamond, run the query, and review the output to confirm which accounts have fee schedules applied. The goal is to help identify billing setup status at the account level so future billing cycles can be adjusted accurately.
Key Steps
1. Open the Data Mining Build Query section 0:14
- From the BlackDiamond home landing page, navigate to Data Mining Build Query.
- This is where you will build the billing query used to pull the account-level reporting data.
- Confirm you are starting from the correct module before adding fields.
2. Add the required billing query fields 0:27
- Search for and add the fields needed for the billing report.
- Include the following fields:
- Team
- Account Number
- Account Display Number
- Account Display Name
- Account Billable
- Custodian
- Account Fee Schedule
- Fee Schedule Description
- Fee Schedule Type
- Fee Schedule Rate Type
- Flat Rate
- Use these fields to capture both account identification details and billing setup information.
3. Apply fee schedule fields at the account level 1:27
- When working with fee schedule and flat fee options, make sure the data is added at the account level.
- Do not apply billing logic at the portfolio level, since billing is handled at the account level.
- Verify the query structure reflects account-based billing setup before running it.
4. Run the query and generate the snapshot 2:07
- Run the completed query.
- BlackDiamond will open a snap record and download the snapshot to your computer.
- Save or locate the downloaded file so you can review the results.
5. Review the snapshot for fee schedule assignment 2:14
- Open the downloaded snapshot file.
- Review the account rows to confirm whether a fee schedule has been applied.
- Check the Account Fee Schedule column to identify assigned schedules such as Sample 3 or Sample 5.
6. Confirm fee schedule type and billing status 2:25
- Review the Fee Schedule Type and related rate type fields.
- Identify whether each account is set to:
- Tiered rate
- Flat fee
- No rate type / no fee schedule assigned
- Use this information to determine which clients have billing applied and which do not.
7. Use the results to support future billing changes 2:34
- Compare accounts with billing applied against those without billing applied.
- Document any accounts that need billing setup changes.
- Use the findings to make adjustments before the next billing cycle.
Cautionary Notes
- Always add fee schedule and flat fee fields at the account level, not the portfolio level.
- Confirm the query includes all required fields before running it to avoid incomplete reporting.
- Review the downloaded snapshot carefully to ensure the billing status is interpreted correctly.
- If an account shows No Fee Schedule Assigned, verify whether that is expected before making changes.
Tips for Efficiency
- Save a standard field list for future billing queries so the same columns are added each time.
- Use the snapshot output to quickly spot accounts missing billing setup.
- Review billing status in batches to make future billing cycle updates faster.
- Keep a consistent naming convention for downloaded snapshots so they are easy to find later.