CU*Answers Network Services (CNS) invoices monthly recurring charges in arrears.
What is payment in arrears?
As opposed to payment in advance, payment in arrears means paying on a date after the good or service is provided. Some examples are taxes, loans, or payroll.
How does this impact my monthly charges from Network Services?
Because CNS invoices monthly recurring charges in arrears, services rendered are billed on the following month’s invoice.
Adding Services
For example, if management of a device began in June, the change will appear on the July invoice.
Removing Services
In contrast, the final charge for a device removed from management in June will be on the July invoice, and the removal will be reflected on the August invoice.
I requested a change more than a month ago. When will I see the change reflected on my invoice?
The answer to this question depends on the product, the vendor, and sometimes 3rd party providers.
In-House Services versus Licensing Pass-throughs
CNS has two types of monthly recurring charges: in-house services and licensing pass-throughs.
In-house services are priced by and provided by CNS, such as workstation or router management, and taxes do not apply to these charges. While licensing pass-throughs are also provided by CNS as a service, pricing is determined by the original vendor and licenses are considered taxable goods.
When changes are made to pass-through licensing, the vendor’s licensing terms and invoicing cadence impact when the change will be visible in the CNS monthly charges. Microsoft, for example, also invoices their recurring licensing in arrears, so the CNS charges on an invoice reflect usage from two months prior as a result.
Another reason invoice changes may be delayed is that a service must remain active while waiting on a 3rd party provider to take over management of the licensing or device from CNS.
What if I still need help understanding my monthly charges from Network Services?
Contact the CNS billing team by sending an email to orders@cuanswers.com, including invoice number(s) where possible.