Telecom Tax &
Financial Management

Telecom Tax Software

It’s all Included in CostGuard

Unlike other operations and billing systems, CostGuard includes telecom tax software as an integrated module – without the need for a third-party tax database interface or associated fees.

IDI’s staff of telecom tax experts monitor changes in tax and regulatory laws daily. We use our expertise to assist communications service providers with calculating and reporting applicable taxes and fees. Using CostGuard’s comprehensive reporting capabilities, CSPs can assemble the information they need to prepare and file tax and regulatory reports internally, or export files to a third-party for compliance purposes.

CostGuard’s comprehensive tax management module includes:

• Monthly tax database releases for the most accurate and up-to-date tax information for the telecom industry
• The ability to create user-defined taxes or customize existing taxes
• The flexibility to accurately tax a wide range of products and services
• Exportable reports for regulatory compliance
• The ability to leverage our expertise for unique tax questions
• Optional integration with Corelogic for highly precise tax jurisdiction assignment

CoreLogic Enhanced Address Validation Available

Credit Scoring

Integrate Real-Time Credit Analysis into your Order Flow

Mitigate potential risks and make informed decisions by integrating fully automated credit checks into your ordering process. CostGuard interfaces with all three major credit-reporting agencies and uses the results in your business-specific decision tree to determine the type and quantity of services that can be offered to the customer.

Mitigate risk with real-time credit checks:

• Use data from Transunion credit reporting services
• Define your own credit classification rules that govern the types, quantity and required deposits for products and services on an order
• Eliminate swivel-chair or after-the-fact credit checks
• Maintain a complete history of previous credit reports
• Control costs by defining what types of orders require credit checks

Collections & Treatment

Maximize Cash Flow by Streamlining your Collections Process

CostGuard can enhance your collections cycle by providing an ordered, automated process that reduces the work on your end and shortens the payment cycle on the customer end. Real-time insight into past-due accounts and their collections status ensures your accounts receivable team is always in the loop.

Automate and customize your treatment process:

• Tailor your business rules for moving customers in and out of collections
• Automate hotlining, suspending and restoring services
• Automate dunning processes and collection agency integration
• Set up bulk account processing that allows for manual reviews and approvals
• Track account assignments, collections history and customer Promise to Pay commitments
• Establish spending limits to reduce the liability of past-due accounts

Accounts Receivable & Payable

Manage Assets and Liabilities for Billing and Retail Operations

Accounting for telecom billing and retail operations requires ongoing management of receivables and payables. Staying in complete control of what’s owed to you, or by you, is the hallmark of an effective service provider (and a happy finance department).

CostGuard uses Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to generate configurable General Ledger Journal Entries for activity including billed and unbilled charges, payments, adjustments, calculated taxes and retail transactions.

Stay on top of your balance sheet:

• Manage electronic payments
• Leverage out-of-the-box financial forensics and auditing reports
• Define grace periods to control backdating of transactions, finance charges, adjustments and receivable aging buckets
• Utilize CostGuard’s integrated tax engine software to define provider-specific taxes
• Post one-time payments and adjustments immediately, or in a batch process from an imported file
• Perform write-off and hold adjustments, block payments, deposits and deposit allocation

Accounting & General Ledger

Keep the Bottom Line on Target with GAAP-Compliant Accounting Methodologies

New products and services, endless tax code changes and shifting market trends present quite a challenge when managing your telecom business’ finances. To make timely and informed decisions, you need ready access to data via an intuitive interface. CostGuard provides the critical reports needed to monitor and evaluate financial status, satisfy month-end journal entry reporting and feed third-party accounting packages.

CostGuard uses Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to create General Ledger Journal Entries for each supported transaction type. For added flexibility, CostGuard also lets you categorize revenue and reporting output by assigning GL sub-codes to both retail locations and markets. Our solution also includes out-of-the-box forensics and auditing reports to help ensure accuracy.

Everything you need to manage your finances intelligently:

• Define the General Ledger Chart of Accounts and fiscal calendar
• Generate journal entries for Billing, Customer Care and Retail transactions
• Post and re-post journal entries as a scheduled process or on demand
• Export General Ledger data for import into third-party accounting solutions