Learn how to process a batch of recurring payments for families set up to have funds deducted from a bank account or charged to a credit card.
What to expect:
- Payments submitted before 45 minutes past the hour will be picked up in the next hourly batch.
- Payments submitted at or after 45 minutes past the hour will be picked up in the following hour’s batch.
- Batches submitted without a date or time selected will process on the next hour.
Examples:
- Submit at 1:40 pm PST → batch runs at 2:00 pm PST. Modifications or cancellation can be made before 1:45 pm
- Submit at 1:45 pm PST → batch runs at 3:00 pm PST. Modifications or cancellation can be made before 2:45 pm
- Schedule for 3:00 pm PST → batch runs at 3:00 pm PST. Modifications or cancellation can be made before 2:45 pm
Before You Begin
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Be sure to run Automated Contract Billing (or Formula Billing) so each family has a balance due.
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If you wish to process just certain families (such as weekly versus monthly payers) you’ll need to Set Up Account Tracking and Assign Tracking to Families ahead of time.
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Your computer must be connected to the internet.
Getting There
From the main screen of Family Data & Accounting go to Tuition Express > Process Tuition Express.
Process Recurring Payments
Online Payments Come First
If you accept online payments from families and there are any online batches waiting, you’ll be alerted to post online batches first. Otherwise, continue with the steps below.
Recurring Payments
- At the Ready screen there are several optional things you may do before proceeding:
a. You may make a one time change, if needed, to the ACH Batch and Credit Card Batch descriptions. These descriptions will default to the items selected when you first Set Up Tuition Express.
b. You may click the Client List button (lower left) to get a quick summary of each payer’s Start Date, Max Amount and whether Batch Payments or Online Payments are allowed.
c. Optional: To process accounts in a specific category (such as parents who pay daily vs. monthly) use the Filter Accounts button. For details see: Filter Accounts. Skip this step if you want to process everyone that has a balance due.
c1. Click Filter Accounts (bottom center).
c2. Choose the tracking item(s) to include. For example, you may wish to include only families that are billed on a certain schedule.
Note: Although all accounts will appear on the processing screen, you’ll only be able to process payments for those in the selected group(s).
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Once you have made any optional selections, click Next.
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Select accounts to process:
If no families are shown it may mean they have not yet been approved, no family has a balance due, or that today is BEFORE their Tuition Express Start Date
a. Select the families you wish to process for ACH payments (if any) and edit the amount if needed (amount may be lowered, not raised). Place a check in the column header to select all accounts or click just to the right of the check box to sort according to which families are selected and which are not.
b. Click Next.
c. Select persons paying by credit card (if any) and click Next again.
Note: If you have only credit cards or only ACH, you’ll have just one screen on which to select families.
Click a heading, like Type, to sort that column. This can be useful if you want to process some types of credit cards separately.
- Review and Submit Batch:
a. Review the Batch Summary (top of screen). If changes are needed click the Back button.
b. Choose a Requested Processing Date up to 14 days in the future (may be helpful if you will be away on vacation). This feature is enabled when you first Configure Tuition Express.
Payments can be submitted at any time throughout the day. Batches run at the start of every hour, and any payment submitted before 7:00 pm local time will be included in that day’s deposit report.
Batches submitted without a selected date or time will automatically run at the next hour.
c. Click Submit.
d. A message will appear on screen when the batches have been successfully transmitted. Click Exit.
Note 1: At this point, payments have been posted to each account Ledger Card with the “Batch Confirmation Number” in the Comment box. ACH transactions (from checking & savings) will have a separate batch number from payments made by credit card.
Change, Cancel or Refund
You may Change or Cancel a Batch or issue a Credit Card Refund, if needed.