Link Billing Contacts to a Direct Debit Plan

Once your direct debit plans are in place they can be allocated to billing contacts in pupil accounts. When split billing applies to a pupil account and multiple billing contacts want to pay by direct debit, you need to link each billing contact to a direct debit plan.

To link billing contacts to a direct debit plan, follow the steps below:

1. Select the Cycle View tab in Fees Billing and open the Navigation tab displayed on the right of the screen.
2. Select Single Pupil Views from the Navigation tab to display the Single Pupil View screen.
3. Use the filters available to refine your search and select the pupil record that you want to edit.
4. Select the Billing Contacts tab. All billing contacts for the pupil are listed here:
   
5. Scroll to the billing contact you want to link and click  on the right hand side of the screen.
   A popup window is displayed:
   
6. If an Account Code and Account Details are already listed for the billing contact, select the Direct Debits tab. See Manage Billing Contact Account Details if you need to add these details.
   An example of the Direct Debits tab is shown below:
   
7. Select a Payment Preference from the drop down list. Select either:
   
   • 'Separate arrangements per pupil'. This is only displayed when other pupils (usually siblings) are linked to the billing contact. It is recommended that you select this option so that an individual invoice is generated for each pupil account linked to the billing contact.
     or
   • 'Single arrangement'. This option produces a single invoice to cover all pupil accounts linked to the billing contact. It is not recommended that you select this option. Problems can occur when a new sibling joins the school.
   The summary section of the window changes depending on your selection in Payment Preferences. In both versions a summary is provided showing fee, disbursement and deposit values.
8. Check the Options box to split fees and disbursements into different payment plans. This is useful if billing contacts prefer fees to be spread throughout the year but disbursements to be paid termly.
   When the Options box is checked, separate direct debit sections are displayed for each of the payment plans you want to apply.
9. In the Direct Debit section/s use the drop down lists to select:
   
   1. A direct debit payment plan. Only variable plans are listed if you have chosen not to split fees and disbursements.
   2. The billing account the payment is be collected from.
   3. The mandate reference which will identify the direct debit on billing contact accounts. You may find it useful to use the pupil account code or a custom account code if you have chosen to have separate direct debits for each child.
   4. A date for the direct debit to start from. All future collections are based on this date. This field is not available for variable payment plans.
10. Click Save Details.
    The plan is now displayed in Generate Schedules in the Direct Debits tab. You are now ready to generate a direct debit payment schedule.