My Oracle Billing FAQs

Frequently asked questions for Oracle invoicing.

Billing Process

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    • Why does my invoice look different?

      Oracle has made some changes to invoices to reflect our recent branding changes.

    • Why does the email with the invoice look different?

      Oracle has made some changes to the email format used to deliver invoices. Both now reflect our recent branding changes.

    • Why are additional people copied on the invoice delivery email?

      The invoice delivers to the Bill To contact email address provided on the order. In addition, the email recipients can also include established account-level contacts. Contact Billing Support for account-level contact setup.

    • Can I see my invoice and payment history online?

      The Bill To contact can make a payment, view and download invoices and payment history, and share information from the Account Dashboard. If you don’t have an Oracle account, click here to create one. Explore Billing Help to access resources such as user guides and system navigation.

    • What is the invoice process for Oracle Cloud subscriptions?

      To understand, watch this helpful Billing Basics video (1:52).

    • When will I receive my invoice?

      Once services activate, an invoice is generated and goes to the Bill To contact email address provided on the order.

      Service activation (also called provisioning) puts the invoicing process in motion. Provisioning times vary by product:

      • PaaS and IaaS are provisioned within a few hours.
      • SaaS may take longer.

      Invoices are delivered after:

      • All products on the order have been provisioned or 15 days, whichever comes first. If service activation takes longer than 15 days, multiple invoices may be generated for a single order.
    • What are Oracle’s standard payment terms?

      Net 30 days from invoice date.

    • How will my invoice be delivered?

      Invoices are delivered via email. Once services activate, an invoice is generated and goes to the Bill To contact email address provided on the order.

      The Bill To contact may also retrieve the invoice by logging into their account on the Account Dashboard.

    • What is Oracle’s default invoice delivery method?

      Oracle has established email as the invoice delivery standard. Once the product delivers or services activate, an invoice generates and goes to the Bill To contact email address provided on the order. If the account has a Dunning or Account Contact on file, they are copied as well.

    • Can I change the frequency of my billing?

      A contract amendment is required to change the frequency of your billing. Please contact your Sales representative.

    • How do I update my billing information?

      To update billing information, please contact Billing Support for assistance.

    • The tax ID number on my invoice is incorrect. How can I correct it?

      To request a new tax ID number on your invoice, please contact Billing Support. Be sure to include the corrected tax ID number and VAT certificate (if applicable) as an attachment in your request.

    • Can I place my billing on hold?

      No. Oracle issues invoices based on the terms of your contract.

    • What are the billing frequency options offered by Oracle?

      Oracle offers four different billing frequency options:

      • Annual in advance: the total amount for the year is billed at the beginning of the billing term
      • Quarterly in advance: a quarter of the total yearly amount is billed in four intervals at the beginning of each quarter
      • Quarterly in arrears: a quarter of the total yearly amount is billed in four intervals at the end of each quarter. Available for public sector customers only.
      • Monthly in arrears: Pay As You Go and overage are billed at the end of the month based on your actual usage
    • Can I receive my cloud services invoice in advance?

      Yes. Oracle’s invoicing policy allows for future-dated transactions to be invoiced once provisioning of the cloud service is complete. The date of the invoice will be the date the invoice is issued (not the future date). Invoices may not be generated for services that are not yet provisioned.

    • Does Oracle provide pro forma invoices?

      Oracle does not issue pro forma invoices, or produce invoices prior to an order being received, booking criteria verified, and the order fully processed.

    • How do I dispute an invoice?

      Contact Billing Support with your concern. Please provide your invoice number so that we may identify your account. Watch this Dispute Process video (:57) to learn more.

    • Why are invoices issued prior to the complete implementation?

      Service activation (provisioning) begins the invoicing process. The timeline for provisioning varies for different cloud products, even when booked in the same order. So you may receive multiple invoices prior to the completion of your implementation.

    • Why does the invoice amount not match the ordering document or purchase order?

      There are several reasons why invoice values may not match the order document or customer-issued purchase order.

      Multiple Invoices for a Single Order
      Activation of service (provisioning) is the trigger for generating invoices. Provisioning times vary by product. For this reason, multiple invoices may be generated for a single order, resulting in a difference between the invoice amount and the ordering document.

      Co-Terming
      The service periods for all products on a subscription are set to expire on the same day. This is referred to as co-terming. Provisioning times vary by product, and, as a result, the period of service for products that provision later will have a shorter term than that stated on the ordering document. Costs are prorated to reflect the reduced service period. As an example:

      PaaS January 1st—December 31 12 Months $24,000
      SaaS February 1–December 31 11 Months $22,000

      Overage
      Customers may use more PaaS and IaaS services than originally purchased under the Universal Credits Model. Usage above the committed amount of the subscription is billed monthly in arrears.

    • Why did I receive a single invoice for multiple orders?

      All services that are part of a subscription are billed together. Total contract value, subscription term, and billing frequency determine the schedule of billing. For example, a subscription with a contract value of $120,000 across a three-year term with annual in-advance billing results in 3 invoices of $40,000 each. If additional services are purchased, an invoice will be issued for the remainder of the current billing period. Billing for all orders placed for a subscription will be consolidated on future invoices.

    • Why is my invoice amount less than the total value of my order?

      Delays in service activation (provisioning) result in an invoice amount that is less than the amount of the entire order. Oracle does not charge for the period the service was not active.

    • What is bursting, and what is its invoice process?

      Bursting is the use of additional capacity above the subscription rate for some nonmetered services. Oracle permits this. Total capacity (subscription quantity plus bursting) cannot exceed two times (2x) your subscription. For example, if you purchased a subscription for 4 OCPUs per month, your bursting would be capped at a total of 8 OCPUs for that service. You’d be charged per hour and billed monthly in arrears for this increased capacity, using the Pay As You Go model. Pricing for this increased capacity will be based on the current per-hour list price available at cloud.oracle.com.

      Watch this overage and bursting topics video (1:52) to learn more.

    • What is the POEF-1 reference on my invoice?

      The POEF-1 confirms that the issuance of a purchase order is not a standard process for your company.

    • Provisioning of my pooled capacity services were delayed. Why is Oracle charging for the full subscription amount?

      Pooled capacity products are not prorated based on the duration of the contract. All of the services purchased may be used at any time during the service period.

    • Why does the quantity on my invoice display as 1?

      To obtain a complete explanation of your invoice based on your contract and ordering document, contact us using the email address on your invoice.

    • Why did I receive an invoice after the end of the initial subscription period?

      Oracle’s PaaS and IaaS cloud service subscriptions do not expire. Just continue to use the service at the end of the initial subscription period. Original pricing and discounts apply. When billed, your usage will be:

      • Tracked per hour
      • Billed monthly in arrears using the Pay As You Go model
    • I purchased a custom commit UCM plan with a non-standard term. Will my invoice match the schedule of service credit breakdown on my ordering document?

      No, it will not. The phased service breakdown mentioned on your ordering document is a summary of the universal credits available for your consumption per period and/or month.

      Since your chose a non-standard term, your invoice will consider your entire contract value equally divided by the total contract term in months multiplied by your billing frequency.

      For Example:
      You purchased a custom commit UCM:
      1st year - $250;
      2nd year - $ 750;
      3rd year - $1,000;
      4.5 year - $1,250;
      Total Contract value = $3,250.

      Your contract term is nonstandard = 55 months
      Billing frequency = Annual in advance

      You would expect your first invoice to be $250 but that is not the case.

      Your first invoice will be:
      $3,250 / 55 months * 12 months = $709

      If you still have questions, please contact your sales representative.

Cloud Subscriptions

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    • What is overage?

      Overage is usage that exceeds the amount of Oracle Cloud credits purchased. When this happens, additional charges are incurred.

      Watch this overage and bursting topics video (1:52) to learn more.

    • Why did I receive an invoice for overage when I have already signed the expansion?

      Overage charges can occur if an expansion order is placed but services are not activated until after the end date of the original subscription.

    • My subscription expired. Why did I receive an invoice?

      Oracle’s PaaS and IaaS cloud service subscriptions do not expire. You may continue to use the service after the end of the initial subscription period. Usage will be:

      • Tracked per hour
      • Billed monthly in arrears using the Pay As You Go model
      • Original pricing and discounts will apply
    • How do I update my credit card on file for payment?

      Please contact Billing Support for assistance. Given the sensitivity of payment data, do not include that information in email communications.

    • How do I cancel my cloud services?

      To cancel your cloud services, contact Billing Support or your Sales representative.

    • How are expansion and add-on orders invoiced?

      There are two ways to add services to a base subscription:

      • Expansion: increasing the quantity of services
      • Add-On: adding additional products

      The invoicing process begins at service activation (provisioning) for each product. Invoices are delivered after all products on the order have been provisioned, or 15 days, whichever comes first.

      Multiple invoices may be generated for a single order if activation takes longer than 15 days.

    • Who should I contact if I feel I am due a cloud services credit?

      Check to see if you have a contractual clause stating that you can request service credits. If you do, please contact Billing Support or your sales representative.

Orders

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    • Why did I receive multiple invoices for my order?

      Multiple invoices may be generated for a single order in the following instances:

      • The service activation takes longer than 15 days
      • The payment method for the expansion or add-on is different from the original order
      • The purchase order number for the expansion or add-on is different from the original order

      Subsequent invoices will be billed according to the terms of the base subscription.

    • Where do I find the order number on my cloud services invoice?

      The order number is in the line-item description on the invoice. There may be multiple orders for a single subscription.

    • How are Pay As You Go cloud services orders invoiced?

      Pay As You Go invoicing occurs in arrears monthly. Watch this subscription invoicing video (1:47) to learn more.

Payments and Credits

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    • How do I update my credit card or PayPal information?

      Please contact Billing Support in order to update credit card or PayPal information.

    • Is there a threshold for credit card payments?

      Yes. You can pay invoices with a credit card if:

      • The invoice value (inclusive of line and tax) does not exceed US$99,999.99.
      • Credit card is an acceptable form of payment in the country in which the order is booked.

      Credit card is the only acceptable form of payment for transactions that are less than US$2,000.00 in countries where a credit card is an acceptable form of payment. Multiple orders cannot be combined to exceed the $2,000.00 threshold.

      Paying in full for an expansion or add-on order at the time of purchase is an option. Even if the billing frequency for the cloud services subscription is annual or quarterly in advance.

    • How can I pay my invoice if I receive a Credit Card payment failure notification on my email?

      You have two options:

      • Contact Billing Support and ask for a new charge attempt on your Credit Card. Make sure you/your bank has authorized Oracle to perform auto-charges, your Credit Card is valid, and the invoice total amount is available.
      • Proceed with making the payment via bank transfer at the bank account indicated on the invoice, and by mentioning the invoice number in the payment details.
    • How can I make sure my payment has reached Oracle and my invoice will be closed?

      Credit Card payments reach us immediately. A bank transfer payment can take around two business days to reach Oracle, and one more business day for the invoice to be closed. If more than three business days passed since you have released the payment and the invoice is not closed, please contact Billing Support by indicating the invoice number and the date and total amount of the payment.

    • What happens if I overpaid by mistake?

      In case of overpayment, please contact Billing Support. You can use the exceeding amount to close/partially close your other unpaid invoices. If you do not have other unpaid invoices, Billing Support will start a refund process.

    • What happens if I paid an invoice before I realized I need some changes on that specific invoice?

      In case you need to dispute a paid invoice, please contact Billing Support. If the dispute is valid, the invoice will be credited and rebilled. The rebill will be closed with the amount paid for the initial invoice. If the disputed invoice will only be cancelled and not rebilled, the paid amount will be used to close/partially close your other unpaid invoices. If you do not have other unpaid invoices, Billing Support will start a refund process.

Promotions

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    • How do I turn off an Oracle Cloud Universal Credit resource?

      Upon depletion of the free cloud services promotion, your Oracle Cloud Services account will be paused. Then, you’ll have the option to continue under Pay As You Go, or to discontinue use of the cloud services. If you decide not to upgrade Pay As You Go, your account will be decommissioned, and your data will be deleted after seven days.

    • What can I expect after my promotion expires?

      If you decide not to upgrade to a paid subscription, your data will be decommissioned after 30 days. If you decide to upgrade, you ’ll be charged for the actual usage of cloud services consumed within your cloud account, based on Oracle’s current price list. (see Pay As You Go rate). Charges for all Pay As You Go usage are billed in arrears monthly, subject to payment terms in the agreement. Please see page 139 of Oracle PaaS and IaaS Universal Credits Service Descriptions (PDF).

    • How can I confirm the expiration date of my promotion?

      The expiration date of the promotion period is viewable in your cloud services account. Please contact your Oracle Cloud Services Advisor for more details.

Purchase Orders

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    • The purchase order number is not shown on the invoice. What should I do?

      If a purchase order was provided when the order was placed, the purchase order number is shown on the invoice.

      If a purchase order was not provided when the order was placed, the purchase order number will not be included on the invoice. Contact Billing Support to request that a purchase order number be provided on future invoices. You will need to provide the following information:

      • An invoice number
      • A copy of the correct purchase order
    • Can I add a purchase order number to my invoice?

      Contact Billing Support to request that a purchase order number be provided on future invoices. You will need to provide the following information:

      • An invoice number
      • A copy of the correct purchase order
    • How do I change the purchase order number on my invoice?

      Contact Billing Support to request a purchase order number be provided on future invoices. You will need to provide the following information:

      • An invoice number
      • A copy of the correct purchase order
    • Can I obtain an invoice with a different line description that matches my purchase order?

      The line-item description matches the information provided on the ordering document. This is Oracle's contract of record.

    • How do I determine the value my PO should have?

      The PO value should match the value of your Oracle ordering document. In case you need to issue a PO only for the NET value, please make sure the value matches the NET value of the Oracle ordering document.

    • I received invoices for a total value that exceeds my PO. What should I do?

      The invoices are released based on the Oracle ordering document. Please contact Billing Support to receive the details and the explanation of the invoices that were issued on a specific order.

Support Rewards

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    • What is the Oracle Support Rewards program?

      With Oracle Support Rewards, the more you use Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), the more you save.

      Enrolled customers earn $0.25 to $0.33 in rewards for every $1 of eligible spend on OCI.

      You then apply those rewards as a payment method to reduce your tech software license support bill, even down to zero.

      Only the pretax support amount can be paid using rewards.

      For additional information, go to https://www.oracle.com/cloud/rewards/.

    • Who is eligible for this program?

      Customers using Oracle’s on-premise software become eligible for Oracle Support Rewards when they enter a new Universal Credits order and begin consuming Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) services. OCI Pay As You Go customers are not eligible at this time.

    • Is this program available globally?

      Yes. This is available in all regions except for China and the US federal Public Sector.

      US Government and similarly situated US public sector customers that may not be able to participate in the Oracle Support Rewards program may instead qualify for a discount off applicable support renewal invoices based on cloud usage.

    • How do I enroll in Oracle Support Rewards?

      Upon request, your cloud sales rep will provide you with an eligible Cloud Universal Credits Ordering Document, including the terms of your enrollment in Oracle Support Rewards. These terms will be included in all future orders for that subscription tenancy for the intended duration of your participation in the program until you choose to opt out.

    • Who do I contact if I have general questions about the Support Rewards Program?

      If you are not already enrolled in the program, please reach out to your sales representative or contact Sales (https://www.oracle.com/corporate/contact/)

      If you are enrolled in the program and have questions about using your rewards, please contact Billing Support (https://www.oracle.com/corporate/invoicing/contacts/).

    • How are rewards accrued?

      As Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) services are consumed, customers accrue Support Rewards to apply as a form of payment to any eligible open invoice for on-premises support of Oracle technology programs.

    • What are the accrual rates?

      Rates vary based on the customer scenario. For customers who have a current Unlimited License Agreement (ULA), rewards will accrue at 33% (e.g., US$0.33 for each US$1.00 of consumption). For all others, rewards accrue at 25% (e.g., US$0.25 for each US$1.00 of consumption).

    • When are the earned Oracle Support Rewards calculated?

      Oracle Support Rewards are earned and calculated at the end of each month, based on the total monthly consumption of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) resources and the customer’s Oracle Support Rewards accrual rate.

    • When do Oracle Support Rewards start accruing?

      Oracle Support Rewards start accruing only when the services period for the new order is active.

    • Do I accrue rewards using every Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) service?

      Almost every Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) service is eligible. Consumption services and offerings that include third parties such as VMware, Microsoft, and Oracle Cloud Marketplace are not eligible.

    • Do I accrue rewards for my Oracle SaaS usage?

      No. Though Oracle Cloud Applications run on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Oracle Cloud Applications, such as Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP, are not eligible.

    • Do I only accrue rewards for Oracle software or workloads?

      No. Any workload on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) can accrue rewards. Paid consumption of any eligible OCI service running Oracle software, custom applications, ISV applications, and so on can earn rewards.

    • How is the total monthly consumption of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) resources calculated?

      Total monthly consumption is calculated by multiplying the (unit net price) x (actual usage) of eligible Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) services. Unit net price is specified in the rate card of the order or seen in the Oracle Cloud Console.

    • How long are Oracle Support Rewards valid?

      Oracle Support Rewards are valid for 12 months following the date they are accrued and deposited in your Rewards account. If unused at the end of the period, these rewards will expire. For example, rewards accrued and deposited in your Rewards account at the end of December 2021 will expire at the end of December 2022.

    • Can the rewards expiration period be extended past 12 months?

      No, the rewards are issued monthly in arrears and will be valid for 12 months from the date of issuance. We are unable to reactivate expired rewards.

    • How do consumption overages count toward Oracle Support Rewards accrual?

      Consumption overages during the services period count no differently than normal consumption.

    • Is there a limit to the amount a customer can accrue?

      No, there is no limit to the amount of Oracle Support Rewards a customer can accrue.

    • Where does the customer see their accrued rewards?

      Customers can see their Support Rewards in the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) console under “Billing & Cost Management” and “Support Rewards.”

    • Who is eligible to redeem support rewards?

      If you are both the Bill To contact and have been authorized to redeem rewards by your Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Cloud Administrator you can redeem Oracle Support Rewards on eligible invoices from your Account Dashboard (https://accountdashboard.oracle.com/).

    • Can the Bill to Contact share access to the dashboard to other employees in the organization?

      Yes, the Bill To contact has a Share feature which allows them to provide access to others within their organization. If that is not possible because the Bill To has left the company, for example, then the User can reach out to Billing Support (Collections) and they can Share on their behalf.

      Billing support contact information is here: https://www.oracle.com/corporate/invoicing/contacts/

    • Can Oracle Support Rewards be used to pay the tax on a support invoice?

      Taxes cannot be paid with rewards. Only the pretax invoice amount can be paid with rewards.

    • Can Oracle Support Rewards be redeemed for cash or any other type of currency?

      No. Oracle Support Rewards can only be applied to Oracle Technology Programs invoices and cannot be exchanged for cash or any other form of currency.

    • How do I know I have been authorized to redeem rewards?

      The Bill to Contact will receive an email with the reward amount and a redemption code. They will need to keep the redemption code handy to use it to redeem the rewards on the account dashboard (https://accountdashboard.oracle.com/).

    • Will I receive a confirmation once rewards have been redeemed?

      The Bill to Contact will receive an email notification confirming the details of the redemption. The email will reflect the cumulative amount redeemed to date and provide the remaining balance due on the invoice (if any).

    • Will I receive a new invoice with an updated balance after I apply rewards to an invoice?

      No, you will not receive a new invoice with an updated balance. The Bill To contact will receive an email notification confirming the details of the redemption, The notification will provide the balance due of the invoice.

    • Where can I review my rewards redemption activity?

      The Bill To contact may access the Rewards Activity page in Billing Center from the Account Dashboard. (https://accountdashboard.oracle.com/).

    • In what order are rewards redeemed?

      Rewards are redeemed in order of earliest expiry date.

    • Can rewards be used for Oracle technology products available on a subscription basis?

      No, Support Rewards redemption is limited to support renewals with Software Update License & Support for Oracle Technology Programs; products such as Java and some MySQL offerings available on a subscription basis are excluded as these include both license and support. Oracle Linux products also are not eligible.

    • Can rewards earned across multiple subscriptions be applied to the same Support Invoice?

      Yes, the rewards earned on any number of Cloud subscriptions can be redeemed against the same invoice, provided the user is authorized to redeem rewards.

    • After redeeming support rewards against an invoice, will I receive a credit note for the invoice?

      No. Oracle Support Rewards are considered a form of payment/ partial payment for an invoice, and a credit note will not be released.