# Perform a Gather

Before the system can bill mailboxes, it must gather data from all mailbox counters. Gather is a three-step process that performs the following tasks:

1. The current billing data file (created during the last Gather), becomes the new previous billing data file. This step overwrites (and thus destroys) the old previous billing data file, also created during the last Gather; the system issues a warning.

2. The system scans the counters and accumulators in all mailboxes. The data collected becomes the new current billing data file.

3. The data gathered in Step 2 is subtracted from the mailbox counters. This update zeros the counters in all mailboxes to prepare them for the next billing cycle (unless mailbox activity occurs between Steps 2 and 3).

While the billing report is running,

- The value obtained during the Gather for each counter in a mailbox is multiplied by the billing resource rate you assigned to that counter.

- The system adds charges for all resources with billing rates greater than zero, plus any base rate you may have specified.

- A total charge for each mailbox is provided.

You can perform a Gather manually, or you can configure the system to perform a Gather automatically.

## To Run a Single Gather (Manually)

1. From the Main menu, select select (R) Report Generation, and then (B) Billing.

2. Select (G) Gather Data. The system displays the date of the last Gather, and responds: Warning!! This will destroy previous billing data. Type "gather" if you really want to do this.

3. Type gather; OR press Enter to cancel. The system displays status messages: Please wait...gathering data... gathering complete... starting update... <number> mailboxes updated.

When the system displays the number of mailboxes updated:

- Gather is complete

- Counts of all statistics are set to zero (0)

- Any billing report you obtain is current, as of this Gather

Note: If you did not receive both gathering complete and <number> mailboxes updated prompts, see "If Gather Fails", below.

## If Gather Fails

It is possible for a Gather to be unsuccessful. The most likely cause is a power loss during the process because Gather can take several minutes to complete. If your Gather fails, use the following procedure to determine your billing:

1. Perform a backup. (See the NuPoint UM Technician's Handbook for instructions.)

2. Perform another Gather. The information needed for the current billing is now divided between the current and previous billing data files on the hard disk.

3. Run a Previous Billing Report. This report shows what was billed during the last billing cycle and gives a starting point for determining current charges.

4. Run a Billing Report and a Previous Billing Report from the hard disk. Manually determine which report has the correct bill for each mailbox.