Invoicing overview

Invoices contain a lot of information and can be a little confusing at times, this article will help you to break down each component and get a clearer understanding of the terminology used. It explains how to read Sinch MessageMedia invoices and account statements, detailing the key invoice components, line item breakdowns, payment instructions, and the structure of the statement of account. It clarifies how to track billed amounts, payments, current balances, and outstanding invoices for effective account management. 

Reading your invoices

All invoices contain the following components at the top of the first page:

• Bill to address - your business address
• Account number - your Sinch MessageMedia account number
• Invoice number - the number used to identify each individual invoice
• Invoice date - the date the invoice was issued
• Payment terms - the number of days you have to pay your invoice 
• Purchase order - if you provided us with a purchase order number it will be displayed here
• Due date - the date by which the invoice must be paid
• Invoice balance - the balance of this particular invoice
• Account balance - the total balance of your account, including any outstanding invoices or unapplied credits
• Currency - the currency in which the invoice has been issued 

Below this you will find a breakdown of each line item you have been charged for in this billing period:

At the bottom of every page of your invoice you will find the due date and instructions on how to pay - these instructions will vary depending on the payment method you have configured:

Payment instructions | Automatic payment

Payment instructions | Manual payments

Statement of Account

A statement of account, usually found on page 2 of your invoices, provides a summary view of your Sinch MessageMedia billing activity over a specific period. It shows how your account balance has changed based on invoices issued and payments received, helping you track what has been billed, paid, and any remaining balance.

At the top of the statement, you will see 4 column headings:

• Document date - The date the invoice or payment was issued or processed. This shows when the transaction occurred.
• Document number - The unique reference number for the invoice or payment. Use this when reconciling transactions or contacting support.
• Amount - The value of the individual transaction. Invoices increase the balance, while payments or credits reduce it and may appear in brackets.
• Balance - The running account balance after each transaction is applied, showing the updated total amount owing.

The statement begins with a Starting Balance, which reflects the outstanding balance carried over from the previous statement period. If the starting balance is not zero, it means there was an amount owing at the beginning of the period covered by this statement.

Previous transactions

The Previous Transactions from last month section lists activity that occurred after the last statement was issued but relates to the prior balance. This may include:

• Payments - For example, wire transfers or other payment methods applied to your account. Payments are shown as negative amounts in brackets to indicate a credit.

• Invoices - New charges issued during that period.

• Credits - For example if we identified a discrepancy from your previous invoice we have issued a credit to address this and applied it to the balance. Credits are shown as negative amounts in brackets.

The Previous balance line reflects the total outstanding amount after all prior transactions have been applied. If this shows zero, it means all earlier invoices were fully paid before the current billing period.

Transactions applied to this invoice

This section lists payments or credits that have been applied specifically to the current invoice.

The Current Invoice Balance line shows the remaining amount due for the invoice referenced in the statement.

• If the balance is zero, the invoice has been fully paid.

• If there is a positive amount, that is the outstanding amount still due.

The Current Account Balance line reflects the total outstanding balance across your entire account at the time the statement was generated. This may include:

• Unpaid invoices

• Recently issued invoices not yet due

• Any unapplied credits

If this balance is zero, your account is fully up to date.

Invoices outstanding

The Invoices Outstanding section provides a summary of any open invoices on your account. This section gives a clear overview of what is currently due and helps you manage upcoming payments.

Detailed Usage page

The Detailed Usage page provides a breakdown of all message and feature usage for your account during the billing period. It shows which of your sub accounts sent messages, the message/ feature type used, and the total volume for each. This page helps you reconcile billed usage, track message volumes, and understand how activity is distributed across users or sub accounts.

The Account number identifies the specific Sinch MessageMedia account the usage relates to.

The User ID shows the individual user, email address, or sub account that generated the message activity. This helps you understand usage at a more granular level across teams, departments, or customers.

The Messages sent column shows the total number of messages for each user and message type during the billing period.