Summary

The Fee Maintenance window is used to create and maintain fee codes. Fees are user-defined codes used to generate an associated transaction on an assessment.

Step by Step

1     View the existing fees.

• The Fee Selection window (SA> Maintenance> Fees) displays all of the fees created in the SA Module.
• Highlight a fee and click the Delete icon or press DELETE to delete the selected fee.
  • You cannot delete a fee that is associated with an assessment, an assessment type or another fee.
• Highlight a fee and click the Modify icon to edit the selected fee.
• Click the Create icon to open the Fee Maintenance window.

2     Create a new fee.

• Enter a unique Code for the new fee. The fee code can be up to eight alphanumeric characters.
  • Once a fee is created, the Code field cannot be changed.
• Enter a fee code Description. This optional field can be up to 60 alphanumeric characters.
• Select a Fee Type from the drop-down menu.
  • The available fee types are CreditCash, Interest, Penalty and Principal. The fee type selected will determine which of the remaining fields are enabled.
• Enter an amount in the Fixed Amount field if this fee code will be used for a transaction that is usually the same dollar amount.
  • The Fixed Amount field will only be active when creating a Penalty fee.
• By default the Active toggle will be checked. If you do not want users to have access to this fee, un-check this toggle. This is usually done when a fee is no longer in use.
• Check the Accumulate rates for each tier toggle to accumulate rate amounts that fall across individual rate tiers. This toggle will only be active when creating a Penalty fee.
  • For example, you might set up a late payment penalty fee tier system that looks like this:
    • 0 - 15 days late = $1 per day
    • 15 - 30 days late = $2 per day
    • 30 - 45 days late = $3 per day
  • If the Accumulate rates for each tier toggle is not checked, a penalty fee for a bill that is 40 days overdue would be $120 as it falls into the 30 - 45 days late tier (40 days x $3 per day).
  • If the Accumulate rates for each tier toggle is checked, a penalty fee for a bill that is 40 days overdue would be $75 as it is spread over all three tiers (15 days x $1 per day + 15 days x $2 per day + 10 days x $3 per day).
  • This toggle will not be active if the Fee Type is set to Deposit or Penalty.
• Enter a Payment Priority or click the field label to choose one from a list. This is a required field.
  • Payment priority codes determine the order in which fees are paid. Payment priorities are created and maintained on the Payment Priority Maintenance window (SA> Maintenance> Payment Priority).
• Attach an AR Account, Revenue Account and Cash Account to the fee. These accounts must be designated in order to create the fee.
  • When charges are generated, the system will debit the AR Account and credit the Revenue Account.

• When payment is received, the system will debit the Cash Account and credit the AR Account.

• The system will not validate what type of account was entered, so you can enter any account you choose.

• If you would like to attach a Penalty Fee to the new fee, enter one in the Penalty Fee field or click the field label to choose one from a list. Penalty fees are generally attached to SA fees to assess penalties on delinquent accounts.
  • If the Fee Selection window does not display a penalty fee, you will need to create one before it can be attached to another fee.

3     Add rates to the fee.

• The Rates section of the Fee Maintenance window is used in conjunction with the fee units specified on the fee. The rates section tells the system how much to charge for each unit specified on the license. This section will only be enabled when creating a Penalty fee.
• Click the Create icon drop-down menu and select New Rate to create a new rate line item.
• Enter the range values in the Greater Than and Through fields.
  • These values will designate the lower and upper limits of each penalty fee tier.
  • For example, a three-tier late fee might include ranges of 0 - 15 days, 15 - 30 days and 30 - 45 days. In this case, you would need to create a new rate line item for each of these ranges. The high limit on a lower tier should match the low limit of the next tier.
• Check the Or Over toggle if you want the range to apply to unit values that are greater than the upper range entered in the Through field.
• Enter a Rate for the fee.
  • The Rate applies to both Percentage and Per Unit fees.
  • To create a Percentage fee, check the Percentage toggle and enter the percentage to be charged by the fee in the Rate field.
    • On Penalty fees, the percentage in the Rate field will be multiplied by the past due amount.
  • To create a Per Unit fee, check the Per Unit toggle and enter the per unit charge in the Rate field.
    • This is generally the amount you would like to charge for every unit in the range. The value in the Every field will determine how often the amount in the Rate field is charged. For example, if you want to charge $1 per day for every day a fee is overdue, you would enter a 1 in the Every field. If you are using a tier system, the rate might be $1 per day for 0 - 15 days overdue, $2 per day for 15 - 30 days overdue and $3 per day for 30 - 45 days overdue.
• Click the Save icon when complete.