IN BRIEF
The Late Charges task allows administrators to automatically assess late fees for unpaid class, camp, and appointment charges that are past their due date. This task uses flexible filters to control which families are eligible, how late fees are calculated, and how those charges are recorded in customer ledgers. 

• Overview
• Accessing the Feature
• Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Configure the Late Charge
  • Define Enrollment and Activity Filters
  • Set Charge Dates and Eligibility Rules
    • Important Notes
  • Preview and Process Late Charges
• Troubleshooting & FAQs
• Related Articles

Overview

The Late Charges task is designed to help businesses consistently apply late fees to overdue balances without manually adding charges to individual family ledgers. Late fees can be generated based on enrollment type, student activity status, charge category, and overdue balance thresholds.

Late fees are always issued per family, but the amount assessed can vary depending on how the task is configured. The task also includes preview and record-keeping options to help administrators review and document applied charges before final processing.

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Accessing the Feature

1. From the main navigation menu, go to TRANSACTIONS.
2. Select Late Charges.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

Configure the Late Charge

1. Enter a Late Fee Description.
   • This text becomes part of the charge title shown on the family ledger.
2. Select a Charge Category.
   • This category labels the late fee charge for reporting and ledger organization.
3. Select a Charge Program.
   • This program is associated with the late fee charge in the ledger.
4. Enter a Late Fee Amount.
   • This is the base amount used to calculate the final late fee.
5. Select a Fee Type to determine how the late fee amount is applied:
   • Charge a Single Flat Fee Per Family
     • One late fee is issued per eligible family.
   • Multiply Fee by Active Students
     • One late fee is issued per family, calculated as: 
       Late Fee Amount × number of active students in the family.
   • Multiply Fee by Overdue Charges
     • One late fee is issued per family, calculated as: 
       Late Fee Amount × number of overdue charges on the family ledger.

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Define Enrollment and Activity Filters

1. Select an Enrollment Type to control which charges are considered:
   • All events
   • Class enrollment charges only
   • Camp enrollment charges only
   • Appointment booking charges only
2. Configure the Student Active filter to determine when students must have been active:
   • In the Month Of
     • Student(s) must have been active at any point during the selected month.
   • Within the Range Of
     • Student(s) must have been active at any point during the selected date range.
     • Enrollments that dropped before the start date or began after the end date are not considered.
   • As Of Date
     • Student(s) must have been active on the selected date.
     • Enrollments that dropped before this date or started after this date are not considered.

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Set Charge Dates and Eligibility Rules

1. Enter a Charge Date.
   • Payments will not appear as applied in financial reports until this date.
2. Enter a Due Date.
   • This date indicates when payment is due for the late fee.
3. Select a Late Fee Search option to determine eligibility:
   • Charges that are Overdue
     • Families are eligible if they have any past-due charges that meet the enrollment type filter, regardless of charge category.
   • Charges in a Specific Category
     • Families are eligible only if they have past-due charges in the selected charge category.
     • If multiple charge categories are needed, the task must be run separately for each category.
4. If applicable, select a Charge Category Search.
   • This defines which charge category is used when searching for overdue charges.
5. Enter a Minimum Overdue Charge Amount.
   • Families with overdue balances below this amount are not eligible for late fees.

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Important Notes

• Charges are considered “Overdue” when the Due Date has passed.
• Early Bird cutoff dates are not taken into account.

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Preview and Process Late Charges

1. Select Preview.
   • A preview task is generated in the background for record-keeping.
   • The preview opens automatically unless you navigate away from the page.
2. Review the Filter Summary at the top of the preview.
   • Select Show to view all applied filters.
3. Review the list of eligible customers.
   • Customers highlighted in blue will be charged.
   • If changes are made to accounts, a new preview must be run to reflect updates.
4. Select Process to apply late charges to customer ledgers.
   • Processing may take time and runs as a background task.

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Troubleshooting & FAQs

• Why is a family not included in the late charges preview?
  • The family may not meet one or more filters, such as enrollment type, student activity dates, charge category, or minimum overdue charge amount.
• Are Early Bird discounts considered when determining overdue charges?
  • No. Overdue status and minimum overdue charge amounts do not take Early Bird pricing into account.
• Can I apply late fees for multiple charge categories at once?
  • No. If you need to assess late fees for more than one charge category, the task must be run separately for each category.
• What happens if I correct an account after running a preview?
  • You must run a new preview to see the updated eligibility results.

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Related Articles

• What Do I Need to Know About Charges?
• What is the TRANSACTIONS Page?
• What is the Class Tuition Charges Task?
• How Do I Manually Create Class Tuition Charges?

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