The rules that make account balances right: how payments are allocated, how charges are prorated, and how refunds, credits and memos work.
Typical rules for applying a payment to open items.
| Rule | How it works |
|---|---|
| Oldest first | Pay the oldest open invoice first |
| By priority | Pay taxes or fees before service charges |
| By instalment | Pay device instalments before other items |
| Customer choice | Apply to a chosen invoice |
| Unapplied | Hold as credit when nothing is open |
Starting, changing or stopping a plan mid-cycle charges only for the days used.
Included minutes and data are prorated the same way as fees.
Moving to a new cycle creates a one-time prorated period.
Money returned to the customer, with approvals by amount.
Corrections to charges at line or account level.
Notes on the account, with types and visibility rules, for care and audit.
This page describes generic industry practice and public standards. It is not based on, and does not describe, any particular vendor's product or operator's systems.