Overview

Sync 365 includes a unique Bill in Advance feature for Azure consumption billing.

Traditionally, Azure usage is billed in arrears because Microsoft only finalises the actual consumption after the month ends. This creates a delay between the customer using Azure services and the MSP recovering the cost.

With Bill in Advance enabled, Sync 365 allows you to estimate the customer’s expected Azure spend for the current month and bill that amount upfront. Once the actual Azure consumption becomes available the following month, Sync 365 automatically adjusts the billing based on the difference between the estimated and actual usage.

This helps MSPs improve cash flow while still ensuring customers are billed accurately over time.

How Bill in Advance Works

Step 1 – Set an Estimated Monthly Amount

When configuring an Azure customer, you can enable the Bill in Advance option and define an estimated monthly Azure spend amount.

Example:

• Estimated Azure spend: £1,000
• Customer is billed £1,000 upfront for the current month

Step 2 – Actual Usage Is Calculated

At the end of the month, Microsoft finalises the customer’s actual Azure consumption.

Example:

• Estimated billed amount: £1,000
• Actual Azure usage: £1,150

Step 3 – The Difference Is Automatically Adjusted

During the next billing cycle, Sync 365 calculates the variance between the estimated amount and the actual consumption.

Using the example above:

• Previous estimate billed: £1,000
• Actual usage: £1,150
• Adjustment required: +£150

The customer is then billed:

• New month estimated usage
• Plus or minus the previous month adjustment

This creates a rolling billing model where customers continue paying in advance while prior usage differences are automatically corrected.

Example Billing Flow

Over time, the billing remains aligned with actual Azure consumption while maintaining advance billing.

Configuration

Enabling Bill in Advance

When adding or editing an Azure customer:

1. Add or edit an Azure Company
2. Enable the Bill in Advance checkbox.
3. Enter the estimated monthly Azure spend amount 
   
1. 
   
4. Save the configuration

Sync 365 will then begin billing Azure consumption in advance using the configured estimate.

Agreement / Contract Billing Options

Once the estimated amount is configured, Sync 365 can:

Option A – Sync the Estimated Amount to the Agreement / Contract

Open the added company and click the option to create the addition in the PSA

Option B – Existing Arrears Billing Already Applied

If the customer has already been billed in arrears, additional consideration may be required when transitioning to advance billing.

This is because the customer may need to be billed again temporarily in order to move from:

• arrears billing
• to advance billing

The exact transition approach may vary depending on the PSA workflow and invoicing timing already in place.

Disabling Bill in Advance

If the Bill in Advance option is later disabled:

• Sync 365 will stop estimating future Azure usage
• Billing will return to the standard arrears model
• Future invoices will bill based on the previous month’s actual Azure consumption only

This allows you to switch customers back to traditional Azure billing at any time.

Recommended Use Cases

Bill in Advance is particularly useful for:

• MSPs wanting improved cash flow
• Customers with predictable Azure usage
• Managed Azure environments with relatively stable monthly spend
• Reducing the delay between Azure costs and customer recovery

Important Notes

• Large fluctuations in Azure usage may result in larger monthly adjustments
• Adjustments are automatically calculated based on actual Azure consumption data received from Microsoft
• Disabling the feature returns billing to standard arrears processing going forward