Billing Options

Interactive tracking

If you are using Argos for cost recovery, you will most likely set most user groups to track interactively. This means that users will be prompted to allocate their expenses via the Argos Desktop Client (DTC).

To set a group to track interactively:

1. Navigate to the Users tab of Argos Manager
2. Find the User Group you wish to work with and double-click on it
3. Click the Interactive radio button

Setting interactive limits

• When users are tracked interactively, you can determine how often the DTC requires billing by setting a quantity limit. The default limit is one (1), meaning that users are prompted every time they produce an expense. You can raise the limit to a higher value, which allows users to accumulate pending items. Once a user reaches the limit, then the DTC becomes mandatory.
• You can also apply a time limit. When a time limit is set and a user has at least one pending expense item, the DTC becomes mandatory after the time limit is reached, regardless of whether a user is below the quantity limit.

Other interactive options

• Require comment - when checked, the user must supply a comment in order to dismiss the DTC.
• Restrict to standard comments - when checked, limits comments to only those you have predefined.
• Allow Snooze - determines whether users in the current group are entitled to the DTC snooze feature. If the feature is enabled, use the dropdown list to specify the snooze duration.
• Remember last project - if checked, the DTC will default to the last-used billing code. If unchecked, the DTC will appear with the job code section blank, thus forcing the user to explicitly choose a job code each time the DTC appears.
• Remeber last status code - If checked, the DTC will default to the last-used status code, instead of the the default status code.

Automatic tracking

Sometimes you may not want users to see the DTC. This may because you are tracking everyone silently, or it may be because you have identified a group of users in your organization -- such as accounting, marketing, or other overhead staff -- who do not need to allocate their expenses. In these cases you can set a user group to automatic tracking. When you choose automatic tracking, you have two choices:

• Silent tracking - This option still tracks expenses even though the DTC didn't appear. When you choose the silent tracking option you specify a project using the same techniques used in the DTC. Tracking users silently requires an Argos User License as if they had been tracked interactively. Contact us if you are unsure about Argos licensing.
• Send to Deleted - selecting this option sends jobs directly to Deleted. Jobs in Deleted are not associated with any projects, and do not show up on reports by default.

Configuring settings by function

When Argos tracks an expense, it distinguishes between functions, such as print, copy, scan, fax and phone. All of the settings described above can be set differently per function. For example, you can specify that print and copy jobs are tracked interactively while scan to file jobs are not tracked. Or you may wish for all functions to be tracked interactively, but you may want to set a lower billing or time limit (described above) for copy jobs than for print.

1. Click "Advanced options"
2. Click the ellipsis (…) next to the function you'd like to change
3. Change the settings for this function
4. Click "OK"
5. Repeat for any other functions to be configured separately

Notes

• Specific function settings can be defined at the device group and/or user group settings. Printer group settings take precedence. If you set the Scan function to "Deleted" in the device group properties, but set it to interactively bill in the user group properties, the activity will be sent to Deleted.
• Depending on your specific environment, it may make more sense to define function settings at the device group level rather than user group level, or vice versa. If you have questions about this, contact Sepialine Support for more assistance.