---
sourceDocument: Yokohama Customer Service Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/yokohama/customer-service-management

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    - yokohama

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Yokohama Customer Service Management

ft:clusterId :

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bundleId :

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workflow :

    - Customer and Industry


---

# Configuring billing accounts

# Configuring billing accounts {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Yokohama
* 
* Updated August 11, 2026
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

Billing Account Core provides a foundational data model for managing billing accounts across organizations and users. It enables businesses to define, organize, and maintain billing relationships, supporting accurate billing,
payments, and scalable financial operations.

## Billing account overview {#configuring-billing-accounts__section_jv4_3wd_b3c}

A billing account is a centralized record that manages payment and invoicing for services. Use billing accounts to organize billing schedules, payment terms, addresses, currency settings, and links to customers---including
individuals, organizations, or sub-accounts.

Unlike a customer account, which represents the organizational relationship, a billing account is a financial entity specifically for managing billing and payments. A single customer can have multiple billing accounts for
different billing arrangements, while multiple customers can share a consolidated billing account.

Billing accounts support both B2B and B2C scenarios and provide flexibility for complex billing structures through parent-child hierarchies.

## Key capabilities {#configuring-billing-accounts__section_ntv_mwd_b3c}

* Billing schedule: Define billing frequency (monthly, quarterly, annual) and billing cycles
* Payment terms: Configure payment terms (net 30, net 60) and accepted payment methods
* Bill-to address and currency: Specify invoice delivery address and billing currency
* Customer associations: Link billing accounts to customers, contacts, and households
* Hierarchy support: Create parent-child structures for consolidated billing
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## When to use billing account {#configuring-billing-accounts__section_l1w_4wd_b3c}

Use billing accounts when your organization needs to:

* Separate billing from customer relationship management
* Support multiple billing arrangements for a single customer
* Consolidate charges from multiple business units, geographies, or product lines
* Manage payment responsibility separately from service consumption
* Track billing-related cases and interactions distinct from general customer cases
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## Billing account versus cost centers {#configuring-billing-accounts__section_qzn_kxd_b3c}

{#configuring-billing-accounts__table_skz_nxd_b3c__entry__3}

| Aspect | Billing Account | Cost Center |
|-|-|-|
| Purpose | Manages external payment and invoicing for services | Tracks and allocates internal costs within the organization |
| Focus | Customer-facing financial transactions | Internal budget management and expense allocation |
| Typical users | Finance, billing, customer service teams | Finance, department managers, internal operations |
| Examples | Customer invoice account, corporate billing account | Marketing department budget, IT operations budget |
[ ]

{#configuring-billing-accounts__table_skz_nxd_b3c}

