Generate Pro-Forma Transactions

The Pro-Forma Transactions feature lets you preview exactly what a billing transaction will look like before creating the real transaction. It doesn't create an actual invoice, sales order, or credit memo, and it doesn't advance any charge statuses. Pro-Forma output runs through the full Zone Advanced Billing engine and uses your existing PDF templates so the preview matches what gets created when you generate real transactions.

What Is a Pro-Forma Transaction?

A Pro-Forma transaction is a non-posting custom transaction record, generated using a transaction type named ZAB Pro-Forma. It behaves like a preview copy of a real transaction:

• It runs the same Billing Profile and Consolidated Billing logic as a real Create Transactions run, and supports both positive (invoice / sales order equivalent) and negative (credit memo equivalent) output.
• It does not create a real posting transaction and it does not advance the status of the underlying Charges.
• It can be regenerated at any time: re-running Pro-Forma for the same Charges overwrites the existing Pro-Forma record rather than creating a duplicate.
• When a real transaction is generated, if there were previous Pro-Forma transactions made from those charges the Pro-Forma is purged.
• A "PRO FORMA" watermark is displayed on the PDF so it's never mistaken for a real transaction.
• It is subject to a configurable retention period so old Pro-Forma records don't accumulate indefinitely.

Admin Setup

Note: You will need to have Setup> Company> Enable Features> SuiteCloud> SuiteGL> "Custom Transactions" enabled to use the Pro-Forma feature. 

Complete these steps once in each account after the bundle is installed before you start using Pro-Forma. They need to be done by an account administrator, and they're required because of a NetSuite platform limitation: transaction forms for custom transaction types can't be shipped through the deployment, so the form that tells Print which template to use has to be wired up manually.

There are two custom transaction forms that ship with the bundle named Standard ZAB Pro-Forma Form and Standard ZAB Pro-Forma Credit Form. The Custom ZAB Pro-Forma PDF/HTML Template needs to be enabled so the "PRO FORMA" watermark is displayed on the PDF. The steps below need to be done for both custom transaction forms.

1. Go to Customization > Forms > Transaction Forms.
2. Find Standard ZAB Pro-Forma Form and click Customize.
   
3. Set Print Template to Custom ZAB Pro-Forma PDF/HTML Template.
4. Check Form is Preferred.
   
5. Click Save. A new custom ZAB Pro-Forma form copy is created with the updated settings.
6. Repeat Steps 1-5 for Standard ZAB Pro-Forma Credit Form.

No other fields or configuration are needed on the form.

Note: Don't use Customize Form from an individual Pro-Forma record, as that creates an extra form copy. Make the change from the Transaction Forms list instead.

How To Generate a Pro-Forma Transaction from the Create Transactions Suitelet

Use this method to generate a one-off Pro-Forma Transaction.

1. Go to Transactions > ZoneBilling > Create Transactions (or click Create Transaction from a specific Subscription record).
   
2. Select the subscriptions or charges you want to preview, the same way you would for a normal billing run.
3. Set the Pro-Forma toggle at the top of the suitelet to True to Generate Pro-Forma.
   
4. Click Create Transactions.
5. Click the hyperlink under "Currently Processing" to drill down into the ZAB Process.
   
6. After the ZAB Process completes successfully, click the Transactions subtab and then click into the Pro-Forma Transaction.
   
   

Additionally, you can browse directly to the list of created Pro-Forma Transactions by going to Transactions > ZoneBilling > Pro-Forma Transactions and click View on the Pro-Forma Transaction you want to view.

7. To view the created Pro-Forma Transaction as a PDF, click the Printer Icon on the transaction and then click Print.

8. The PDF will then display and allow you to download or print the Pro-Forma Transaction.

The suitelet generates a non-posting Pro-Forma record for your selection instead of a real transaction. Your access to this toggle follows the same role-based permissions as the Create Transactions suitelet itself, so if you don't have access to Create Transactions, you won't see the Pro-Forma option.

How To Generate Pro-Forma Automatically with a ZAB Automation

Pro-Forma generation can also run on its own schedule as a dedicated ZAB Automation separate from your regular Create Transactions automations.

1. Go to Setup > Zone Billing Setup > Automated Processes > New.
2. Enter a Name for the automation (and an optional Description).
3. In the Processes to Run dropdown, select Create Pro-Forma.

4. Select the Saved Search you want the automation to run against.
5. Optionally, set the Frequency, Interval, Start Date, and, if needed, an End Date for when the automation should run.
6. Click Save.

Once saved, this automation runs on its own schedule and generates Pro-Forma records for the same subscriptions and charges that a regular Create Transactions automation run would pick up, independently of your existing Create Transactions Automations. To view Pro-Forma Transactions created by ZAB Automations go to Transactions > ZoneBilling > Pro-Forma Transactions.

Set a Pro-Forma Retention Period

Because Pro-Forma records are meant to be temporary previews you can configure how long they're kept before they're automatically cleaned up.

1. Go to Setup > ZoneBilling Setup > Preferences.
2. Enter a number of days in the Pro-Forma Retention (Days) field. (Leave this field blank to keep Pro-Forma records indefinitely.)
   
3. Save your changes.

A scheduled cleanup process runs on a regular cadence and purges any Pro-Forma record older than the number of days you configured (based on its creation date). When a Pro-Forma record is purged, the Pro-Forma Transaction and Pro-Forma Line ID references on its associated Charges are cleared automatically and the cleanup run is logged for auditability.

Things to Know

• You will need to have Setup> Company> Enable Features> SuiteCloud> SuiteGL> "Custom Transactions" enabled to use the Pro-Forma feature. 
• Two fields are written on each Charge processed during Pro-Forma generation: Pro-Forma Transaction and Pro-Forma Line ID. The Charge's Status, Transaction, Transaction Line, and Bill Date - Actual fields are not changed.
  
• Re-running Create Transactions (or a Create Pro-Forma automation) in Pro-Forma mode for the same set of Charges overwrites the existing Pro-Forma record; it does not create a duplicate.