INTRODUCTION
Feature Summary: This feature update enhances the application of account credits in the CourtReserve platform. It allows administrators to manage and apply account credits more efficiently, providing options for automated application during transactions and improved visibility for both admins and members.
Before: Managing payments relied on a single “Balance” field, which could be confusing and limited in flexibility, automatically applying credits without much control.
After: With Account Credits, you can now effortlessly manage and apply credits with enhanced flexibility, either automatically or manually, providing clear visibility and control over payments for both admins and members.
In this Article
Background on Account Credit
Before October 2024, CourtReserve used a single "Balance" field to manage payments. A positive balance indicated money owed, while a negative balance represented available credit, automatically applied to unpaid fees.
With the new system update, this balance was split into two distinct categories: Amount Due for money owed and Account Credit for available credits. To maintain consistency upon release, the auto-application of Account Credit to unpaid fees was enabled by default. However, the admin can control this feature with a setting. Organizations existing before the update must manually disable this setting if they prefer to stop the automatic application.
Account Credit Visibility
To effectively manage Account Credit in CourtReserve, it’s important to understand how these balances are displayed to admins & members across the platform.
Amount Due: This figure represents the total outstanding fees a member owes. It reflects the sum of all unpaid fees in the member's account. When money is owed, this amount is highlighted in red. If no fees are due, it is displayed as a neutral grey "0.00."
Account Credit: This figure shows the available credit a member can apply toward unpaid fees. A positive credit balance is displayed in blue, while a neutral grey "0.00" indicates that no credit is available.
Automated Application of Credits
Admins can control whether Account Credits are automatically applied to unpaid fees through the Integrated Payments settings.
Steps to Configure:
Navigate to Settings in the main menu.
Scroll to the Billing Settings section and select Integrated Payments.
Locate the option labeled Auto Apply Account Credit to Unpaid Fees.
When Enabled: Account Credits are automatically applied to any outstanding fees on a member's account, streamlining the payment process.
When Disabled: Account Credits will not be automatically applied, allowing either the Admin or the Member to manually decide when and how credits are used against specific fees.
Applying Account Credit to a Fee or Fees
Both admins and members have the flexibility to decide when available Account Credit is applied during the checkout process.
Admin Pay Window Application:
In the Admin/Sub-Admin Pay window, if a member has available credit, the total credit balance for the member or family will be displayed in the top right corner of the payment window.
The Admin can apply the credit to a fee and also take partial payment for a fee. The Applied Amount will update automatically and the Admin will see in the UI the Remaining Due towards the fee.
When an Account Credit is sufficient to cover the entire fee, the Apply Credit switch will be toggled on by default. To complete the transaction using the credit, the Admin must click the Apply Credit button in the payment window. This action ensures the credit is applied, covering the fee in full.
Batch Billing & Invoicing
When creating invoices and processing batched payments, Admins have the option to apply a member's Account Credit during the automatic collection of invoice payments.
Steps to Apply Account Credit:
When setting up a new batch, simply check the box labeled Apply Account Credit when Auto Collecting Invoice Payments.
Processing Workflow When Account Credit is Insufficient:
If the Account Credit is not enough to cover the full invoice amount, the system will first attempt to charge the remaining balance to the member's payment profile.
Successful Payment: If the payment profile can successfully process the remaining balance, the system will apply the Account Credit to cover the rest of the invoice.
Unsuccessful Payment: If the payment profile cannot process the remaining balance, the invoice will remain outstanding and unpaid, rather than being partially paid.
Example:
A member has an invoice of $20.00 due and $5.00 in Account Credit.
The system will first attempt to charge $15.00 to the member’s payment profile.
If the $15.00 charge is successful, the remaining $5.00 will be paid using the Account Credit.
Auto Payment of Membership Dues
When an organization or member has enabled Auto Payment of Membership Dues, the workflow for applying account credit to those dues payments will work similarly to the Batch Billing process.
Processing Workflow When Account Credit is Insufficient:
If the Account Credit is not enough to cover the full membership dues amount, the system will first attempt to charge the remaining amount due to the member's payment profile.
Successful Payment: If the payment profile can successfully process the remaining amount due, the system will apply the Account Credit to cover the rest of the membership dues payment.
Unsuccessful Payment: If the payment profile cannot process the amount due on the membership dues, the membership fee will remain outstanding and unpaid, rather than being partially paid.
Example:
A member has an invoice of $200.00 due and $50.00 in Account Credit.
The system will first attempt to charge $150.00 to the member’s payment profile.
If the $150.00 charge is successful, the remaining $50.00 will be paid using the Account Credit.
Member Portal
Members who can view their transactions in the Member Portal can also easily review their Amount Due and Account Credit balances.
Accessing Transaction Details:
On the Web: Members should click their name in the top right corner, navigate to Billing, and then select Transactions.
On the Mobile App: Members should tap More in the bottom navigation, then go to Billing and select Transactions.
Applying Account Credit: When processing a payment in the Member Portal, members have the option to apply their available Account Credit. This option is checked by default if credit is available, allowing for a seamless payment experience.
Point of Sale (POS) Payments
In the POS system, applying Account Credit to unpaid fees functions similarly to the Admin Pay Window.
After selecting the member in the POS payment window, their Amount Due and Account Credit balances will be displayed. If credit is available, the Apply Credit toggle will be set to On by default.
If the Account Credit is not enough to cover the full fee, the Enter Payment Amount box will show the remaining balance after the credit has been applied. The admin can then either charge the member’s account for the difference or select an alternative payment method. Splitting the payment of the remaining payment mount is also still possible even with account credit applied.
Edge Case: Auto Apply Behavior
If an organization has enabled auto-application of Account Credit for unpaid fees, note that the POS behavior may differ when the Apply Credit toggle is turned Off in the POS payment window. If the member has credit available and the admin disables it in the POS window but later chooses to Charge to Account, the system will still auto-apply the available credit to the POS fee once the total fees are posted to the member’s account.
Admin Reporting
Members Report
Admins can use the Member Report to filter and identify members with either an Amount Due or an Account Credit balance. This helps in efficiently managing member accounts and addressing any outstanding balances or credits.
Financial Reports
Transactions
When reviewing transactions, any payments made using Account Credit are displayed as separate line items with the Payment Type "Payment (AC)". This clearly indicates that the fee was paid using the member's Account Credit. Additionally, filters are available to view transactions by Payment Type (e.g., Account Credit) and by specific Transaction Types that involve Account Credit, such as Refund - Account Credit or Preloaded Credit.
Payment Summary
The Payment Summary includes a dedicated output category for Account Credit, providing a clear breakdown of credits applied during transactions.
VIDEO TRAINING & WEBINARS
Watch this video and learn more about Account Credit in CourtReserve!