Accommodation Payment Batch - Run

• This article advises how to run the accommodation payment batch.

• The system needs to be configured correctly for the correct data to be generated. Please check your configuration by reviewing this article.

Instructions

• Go to the Batch Payments tab on your navigation bar. If you cannot see this tab, please review this article on adding tabs to your navigation bar.

• To create a new payment batch, click on “Create”. This will present a pop-up dialogue box for you to select the appropriate options:

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1. Select the relevant School you wish to process the payments for

2. Reverse previous payments - typically leave unchecked.

3. Batch size - typically leave as 10.

4. Catch up payments since - typically leave unchecked.

5. Batch date - typically today’s date.

6. Currency - select approriate to your school.

7. Pay method - typically leave as ALL.

8. Pay Rule - typically select Accommodation Payment

9. Period Start and Period End - enter the dates you wish the payment batch to cover.

• When complete, press Accept. You will then see a confirmation message to inform you that the accommodation batch has been started.

• This is processed by the system in the background, so you can continue your work elsewhere in the system while you are waiting.

• Depending on the number of payments to be made, the process can take between 2 and 10 minutes. You will receive a confirmation email from the system when the batch is complete.

Reviewing the Batch

• Once the batch has been completed, you can review the contents.

• In the Batch Payments screen, select the batch you wish to review in the drop down at the top of the payments panel. These are presented in chronological order, with the newest batch at the top:

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• NOTE: Please ensure the “Generation Completed” field is marked as YES - this indicates the batch has completed processing. If viewing when this states NO, the batch may not display all results.

• You will then be presented with a list of all the payments to be made in this batch.

• To Pay (or not to Pay) - that is the question

  • Review the list to ensure the correct placements are being paid and when happy, tick the To Pay button to select all to pay.

  • If you do not wish to pay any specific lines, untick the box in the To Pay column.

  • This will populate the “This Payment” column with the amount owed for each placement.

  • If you need to make any manual amendments to the amount, click on the desired “This Payment” field and type the alternative amount.

• Save

  • When you are happy with any changes you have made, press Save at the bottom.

Checking Reports

You should have two checking reports in the accommodation reports folder:

• Accommodation Payment Batch Report

  • This is filtered by batch ID and can be used to audit the batch

  • If this file does not exist it can easily be created by using the Finance Batch Journal Report Type

    • Filter by Finance Batch Id, Deleted = False

• Accommodation Placement Not in Batch Chk

  • This report compares the placement data by period against the batch file

    • If this file does not exist it can easily be created by using a Placement report with a cross filter on Finance Batch Journals

• Export the file for bank payments

  • It is then possible to export an XML file from the system to upload to your bank in order for them to process the payments.

  • Select “Export” at the bottom left of the screen and complete the options in the dialogue box:

1. File Type - typically leave as Credit

2. File Format - varies by School. Please check with your finance department if you are unsure.

3. Settlement Account - select the bank account the payments will be made from.

4. Payment Execution Date - select the date the payments will be made.

• Once the payments have been made, you can complete the Paid column, by ticking the box at the top of the column.

Posting the Batch

• NOTE: The batch must be exported before posting. Once posted, it will not be possible to export the batch.

• Once the bank has confirmed all the payments have been successfully processed, you can select the POST button in the bottom right which post the journals on to the Schoolworks ledger.

• Complete the fields accordingly and press Accept.

  • Note please double check the bank account is the same account you paid against as this cannot be undone.

• This will generate a batch process in the background and you will be notified by email when complete.

• This will also update the Last Payment Date on the Placement records to ensure that the next batch will start from that date for the next payment run