IN BRIEF
The Prevent Duplicate Charges option helps avoid billing families more than once for the same class tuition when running the Class Tuition Charges task. This option uses Charge Categories and a selected detection period to identify potential duplicate charges before they are processed.
- Overview
- Accessing the Feature
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- How Detection Periods Work
- Troubleshooting & FAQs
- Related Articles
Overview
When billing tuition using the Class Tuition Charges task, the System automatically checks for potential duplicate charges to help prevent accidental double billing. This process relies on Charge Categories, which act as labels to identify the type of charge being applied.
Each charge created in the System—whether manually, through Class Tuition Charges, or via automated tools—is assigned a Charge Category. The Prevent Duplicate Charges option compares new charges against existing charges in family ledgers based on the selected detection period.
Accessing the Feature
- From the main navigation menu, go to TRANSACTIONS.
- Select Class Tuition Charges.
- Review the Prevent Duplicate Charges option in the task settings.
This option is enabled by default when running Class Tuition Charges.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Navigate to TRANSACTIONS>CLASS TUITION CHARGES.
- Configure the tuition billing settings as needed.
- Confirm that Prevent Duplicate Charges is selected.
- Use the Within the Past dropdown menu to choose a detection period.
- Preview the charges before processing.
During the preview:
- The System searches family ledgers based on the selected detection period.
- Enrollments with matching charges are automatically deselected.
- A note appears indicating that a duplicate charge was detected.
To bill an enrollment anyway:
- Manually select the checkbox next to the enrollment before processing charges.
To disable duplicate detection entirely:
- Deselect the Prevent Duplicate Charges option before processing.
Additional Context About Charge Categories
- Charge Categories identify the type of charge being created.
- Common tuition examples:
- Monthly billing categories such as “August Tuition”
- Annual categories such as “January 2025 Tuition”
- Non-tuition charges typically use separate categories, such as:
- Registration fees
- Meet fees
- Uniforms
- Merchandise
How Detection Periods Work
Detection compares the charge date shown on the family ledger, not the date the charge was entered into the system. A charge that was backdated when it was created is judged by its charge date, so it may fall outside the detection period even though it was entered recently.
The detection period is counted backward from the date the task is run — the day the Preview is generated, and again the day charges are processed. It is not counted from the Student Active dates chosen earlier in the task.
The two settings do different things. Student Active determines which enrollments are included in the run. The detection period determines how far back the System looks for an existing charge on those enrollments.
Billing a Past Period
Because the detection period runs backward from date the task is run, a charge older than the selected period is not visible to duplicate detection — even when the task is deliberately billing that older period.
For example, running a catch-up charge in September for January tuition with 6 Months selected will not find the January charge already on the ledger, and the enrollment will be billed a second time. Setting Student Active to January does not change this.
When running catch-up or corrective billing for a past period, select All by Enrollment and Charge Category rather than a dated period.
All by Enrollment and Charge Category
- Searches the family ledger for any charges:
- Using the selected Charge Category, and
- Tied specifically to the same active enrollment
- Reviews all historical charges, regardless of date
- Recommended when using unique Charge Categories each year, such as:
- “January 2025 Tuition”
- “January 2026 Tuition”
All by Charge Category Only
- Searches the entire family ledger history
- Includes all enrollments for that family
- Prevents reuse of the Charge Category, even if it was used for an unrelated charge
- Best suited for one-time Charge Categories
1 Year
- Searches family ledgers for charges:
- Within the past year
- Using the selected Charge Category
- Charges older than one year are ignored
- Allows the enrollment to be billed again if the previous charge is older than one year
6 Months
- Default option
- Searches family ledgers for charges:
- Within the past six months
- Using the selected Charge Category
- Recommended for monthly billing when reusing Charge Categories annually, such as:
- “01 January Tuition”
- “02 February Tuition”
1 Month
- Searches charges:
- Within the past month
- Using the selected Charge Category
- Connected to active enrollments during the current billing period
Troubleshooting & FAQs
-
Why was an enrollment automatically deselected during the preview?
- The System detected a previous charge that matched the selected Charge Category and detection period. This indicates a potential duplicate charge.
-
Can I still charge an enrollment that was flagged as a duplicate?
- Yes. Manually select the checkbox next to the enrollment before processing charges.
-
Should I turn off Prevent Duplicate Charges?
- It is generally recommended that this option remain enabled to prevent accidentally double-billing a customer. It may be deselected only if duplicate detection is not needed for a specific billing scenario.
-
Does this feature apply to non-tuition charges?
- The feature applies to any charges created through Class Tuition Charges and is dependent on the Charge Category used.
-
Does the Student Active date change the "Within the Past" window?
- No. The detection period is always counted back from the date the task is run. The Student Active dates determine which enrollments are included in the run, not how far back the System searches for existing charges.