For additional support, please email us at costmanager@spark.co.nz. We're available 8am – 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) and will respond to your query within 2 business days.

Personalised training on Cost Manager is available on request by completing the Cost Manager training request form. Please note additional charges will apply.

Follow these easy steps to download your bill:

  1. Click on Statements from the top menu bar
  2. Select the Month
  3. Locate the statement you wish to view
  4. Click on the Bill Document link
  5. Click on the Download link from the pop up that appears on screen

You can then view or save the statement as needed.

Online bills will be available from the next bill date after it has been changed to paperless.

 

Will changes that I make in my Cost Manager subscription be updated on my bill?

No. Cost Manager is web-based bill reporting and analysis solution and will not update information to the actual bill. Adding Line or Account descriptions, or moving services or accounts to different reporting centres will not be updated on your bill.

For assistance with updating the information on your bill, please contact the appropriate service area below:

 

Will line or account descriptions from my bill display in Cost Manager?

Account descriptions will display when you register an account in cost manager. Line descriptions from your bill will not display. These can be added or changed in Cost Manager by an authorised user.

Does it matter what day of the month my account bills on?

No. Cost Manager Customers can have accounts with different bill dates.

What do I do if I have forgotten my login name or password?

Go to the Cost Manager login page and click on the 'Forgot Your Login or Password' link.

If you have forgotten your password, enter your login name in the field provided and click continue. Answer your Security Question, click Continue and create a new password by following the on screen prompts.

If you have forgotten your login, enter your email address in the field provided and click continue. An email will be sent to the email address we have on file with your login information.

For additional assistance, email costmanager@spark.co.nz.

What do I do if I have been locked out of my account?

Please email costmanager@spark.co.nz so that we can unlock your account for you.

How many incorrect attempts will I have before I am locked out of my account?

To protect the security of your data your Cost Manager Login will be locked on your 6th unsuccessful attempt. Email costmanager@spark.co.nz for assistance with unlocking your account.

To change to paperless billing (and avoid the paper fee) see the below steps:

  • Login to Cost Manager
  • Click Setup from the top menu bar
  • Click Paperless billing
  • Select the account(s) you would like to change.
  • Click 'Set to paperless billing'. The icon next to the account number will change to a tree for paperlessTree Icon

Please note: this change will take effect from your next billing cycle

Does Cost Manager replace my paper bill?

Cost Manager offers the convenience of downloading your bill online provided you have updated your bill settings to Paperless Billing. Once you have updated to paperless billing, you will no longer receive a paper bill.

Why did I receive a paper invoice although I changed to paperless bills?

Changing to paperless bills needs to be done at least 72 hours before the bill date. If you changed this within this period, your next bill will be paperless.

Which web browsers are compatible with Cost Manager?

 

  • Internet Explorer Version 7.0 or above
  • Mozilla Firefox, Version 12 or above
  • Google Chrome, Version 19 or above
  • Safari, Version 5 or above

Accessing Cost Manager from an incompatible browser may result in a loss of some functions.

Please contact your internal ITC team for assistance to upgrade your browser.

 

How can I view exported report information in Microsoft Excel?

First, export your data to .csv format and then open the created file using Microsoft Excel.

How can I export associated detail from a summary report?

Additional detail can be viewed by clicking on the hyperlink in a summary report or graph. To view detailed data, select Detail from the top menu bar, and select the appropriate report. This will produce a new report which can be exported to .pdf or .csv.

Why can't I export my report to PDF?

Check that pop ups are not being blocked by your browser. If pop ups are allowed and you continue to receive an error on page message, please contact your ICT department.

Do I need to download any software to use Cost Manager?

Cost Manager is a web-based reporting solution that can be accessed by any internet enabled computer.

For best results, we recommend using a PC or laptop as tablet and smartphone devices may limit some functions of Cost Manager.

Can I see unbilled information?

Our Cost Manager Monthly & Daily solution uses data feeds from the previous day to track usage trends and patters, and allows you to respond to abnormal usage to ensure staff are on the right plans for their needs.

If you are a Cost Manager Summary or Cost Manager Monthly subscriber, please contact us at costmanager@spark.co.nz to arrange an upgrade to your package.

Can I use Cost Manager to see unsuccessful vs. successful calls to my Toll Free number?

Cost Manager does not report on this and your Spark Client Manager or Business Representative can advise on Toll Free reporting options.

How many months data will I be able to see online?

You can see 12 months statements from the first bill,after you have chosen paperless billing, and 3 months report data from the time you have registered for Cost Manager.

All statements and reports can be exported in .pdf or .csv format to be stored indefinitely. It is your responsibility to store your paperless bills on your system for 7 years to meet your tax obligations.

How long does it take for my account information to appear online?

This will appear within 72 hours of the bill date. Allow for this when scheduling a report to be run each month.

Why can't I see my service numbers on the 'Edit Levels' page?

Service numbers follow an account number unless they have been assigned to a lower node in a hierarchy. Before you can allocate a service number, the account that they are billing to needs to be moved from the Corporate/Unallocated node.

Which accounts will be subscribed to Cost Manager?

Depending on your business requirements, you may not be able to view all accounts in Cost Manager. The Cost Manager Administrator in your company will be able to view all your Spark accounts. Please contact your Cost Manager Administrator for assistance if you are unable to view particular accounts.

Where can I see the billing period a rental has been charged for?

Go to Detail and select Service & Equipment Report.. Click View Report.

You will see the From Date and the To Date. showing the rental billing period information.

Why can't I see all nodes or branches that I have access to when I click on the 'Edit Level' dropdown menu?

The dropdown list displays up to only 100 nodes or branches.

Additional nodes can be viewed by adding these to your Favourites.

Go to Setup, then Edit Levels. Click View. Select the Node. Click Add to Favourites. This node can be viewed from the Level drop down box.

What account information can I see using Cost Manager?

Cost Manager shows all charges billed to your Spark bill.

Are local calls itemised?

Local calling is summarised as it appears on your paper bill.

Does Cost Manager itemise text messages?

Yes.

If I have a threshold set up on my account can I still view the detail online?

Yes. Cost Manager analyses call details even though a toll threshold is in place. Some calls will not be detailed due the system thresholds set up by spark (eg, Local Calls).

Please contact us if you would like a Threshold set up on your paper bill.

Why doesn't Cost Manager show an invoice number?

Cost Manager displays the Account number that is recorded on your bill.

Can I get a report back after I have deleted it?

Once a report has been deleted, it cannot be recovered. The report will need to be set up again.

How do GST and other charges and credits at an account level appear on the 'Cost Allocation' page?

These charges and credits show similarly to how line level charges (e.g. rentals and calls) show against a service number. The account number will show on the Edit Levels page only when Services is selected and can be allocated to the level of the hierarchy that you want these charges to appear. This offers flexibility in how you allocate your costs.

I have upgraded to a different Cost Manager package, but I can’t see anything has changed. Why?

Upgrading to a different package will take place over night. Please contact us at costmanager@spark.co.nz if you do not see any changes to your package after 24 hours.

Are there any restrictions on where a service number can be placed in a hierarchy?

Yes. A service number must appear at the same or lower level in a hierarchy than the Spark account it bills to. An account number can be moved anywhere in the same branch without affecting where the service number sits if this rule is maintained.

If a user tries to allocate an account to a lower level in a hierarchy than a service number then the rule must still apply and the line number will be moved to satisfy this rule.

This rule also applies for 'Split' service numbers. A service number cannot be split between two accounts at different levels of a hierarchy.

How do I upgrade my Cost Manager Subscription?

The Cost Manager Administrator can upgrade the subscription by going to Setup from the main menu bar, and selecting Packages found in the Account Information area. Simply select the package that your business needs.

Alternatively they can email costmanager@spark.co.nz. to let us know which package your organisation needs. For more information on the packages available take a look at this comparison table.

How do I cancel my Cost Manager Subscription?

The Cost Manager administrator for your organisation can cancel the subscription by emailing us at costmanager@spark.co.nz.

Please note that all hierarchies and customised reports that you and others in your organisation have set up will be deleted and cannot be recovered once deleted. An early disconnection penalty may apply as per the terms of use agreed to at time of subscription.

What will happen to my hierarchies and customised reports if I downgrade from Cost Manager Monthly to Cost Manager Summary?

All hierarchies and customised reports that you and others in your organisation has previously set up will be deleted and cannot be recovered.

Who can subscribe to Cost Manager?

Cost Manager is available to medium and large sized Spark customers.

When I register for Cost Manager, who in my organisation will be contacted?

A senior member of your organisation will need to request the Cost Manager subscription. This will be checked against the Authorised parties on the Spark account, and we may need to contact your business if a request is made by an unauthorised person. This helps to ensure that information about the Spark account is delivered in the right hands.

For most businesses, an authorised person would be the:

  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • General Manager
  • Managing Director
  • Director

 

The Cost Manager Administrator for your organisation will be provided with full access rights to view all of the Spark account information in Cost Manager, so it is important that an appropriate authorised person is selected as your Administrator.

Can more than one person in my company use Cost Manager?

Yes. Our Cost Manager Monthly subscription provides access for 10 users. This can be increased in bundles of 15 additional users for an additional monthly fee. Please refer to our pricing for additional information.

What happens when a Cost Manager administrator leaves the company?

The Cost Manager Administrator will need to change the login details to another user before he or she leaves. They can do this by going to Setup then selecting Personal Information and updating their details to the new user. Once this happens, the old login details will no longer be applicable.

If they have already left, please email costmanager@spark.co.nz to have the user name and password changed.

How can I find out who the Cost Manager account administrator is in my company?

In most cases, the Administrator will be the person who provided you with a Login name and password. If this person has left, or you have forgotten who this was, please email costmanager@spark.co.nz for assistance.

What is a Service Number?

A Service Number is usually a telephone number and is the level that charges appear.

What is a Node?

A Node is a level of a hierarchy. This is also known as a Branch. Cost Manager Monthly users can create multiple hierarchies and can assign user access, accounts and service numbers to different nodes.

What is the difference between a public and private hierarchy?

Public Hierarchies can be viewed by all users in your company.

A Private Hierarchy can be created by Cost Manager Monthly subscribers and can only be viewed by the person who created the hierarchy. Creating a private hierarchy allows a user to experiment with different scenarios for reporting and analysis purposes.

What is the difference between an 'Active' and a 'Master' hierarchy?

An Active hierarchy is used to view Summary and Detail reports and the Cost Allocation page. A Master hierarchy is used to allocate access to other users in your business. By default, the Master hierarchy is set as the Active hierarchy.

Why is there more than one data option for each month?

Cost Manager provides reports using data selection from bill periods, or from calendar months. By selecting a calendar month, you can see all calls that were made in that month, regardless of the date of the bill that they were billed on.