The below page includes some of the most frequently asked questions about Payments.
How can I make an urgent payment to one creditor?
Use Payment Entry to select the Creditor and check the payment method details (EFT/BPay). Also select 'Pay Immediately' to skip Payments and authorise. The authorise will directly upload to StrataCash Management website or EFT Manager will open for all other supported banks to complete the finalisation of the batch ready for manual upload. See 'Urgent Creditor Payment'.
If the invoice is not yet entered, use Creditor Invoices plus 'Save and Pay' to go directly to Payment Entry as above.
How do we pay one creditor for all Buildings?
Use the Payments start screen to check that 'All buildings' is selected at the top of the screen, then select 'Include only Master Chart Creditors' in the bottom section and only tag the one creditor which is to be paid and select 'Continue'. (Do not adjust any 'Exclude by Default' ticks).
How can I add a note on my Remittance Advice?
An external note can be added from Payments Management to be included on a Remittance Advice.
How to place a Creditor Invoice on Hold?
A Creditor Invoice can be placed on Hold from the Payments menu during the Payment Process, or you can search for the Creditor Invoice in Search Creditor Invoice Items if between payment processes and mark on Hold.
Can we print a Remittance Advice?
Remittance Advice are emailed to contactors during the EFT Manager stage of the Payment Process. The Email Address is recorded in the Creditor Contact Card in Creditor Maintenance. A copy of the Remittance Advice can be printed, reprinted or emailed from Payments Management.
Previously we reviewed invoices from Preview Payments and Linked Invoices option, how do we review now?
Once the Payments have been processed, each payment can be viewed in Payments Management with 'Auto Show Document' ticked. The document saved with the payment will be displayed. There is the option to tag all buildings and select the Date Range of Today to review only payments created today. Once reviewed, if changes are required the Reverse option is available in Payments Management allowing for a review and reversal if required in the one icon.
Why is there no Print icon in Payments Management?
The print icon will display when the Email Remittance Advices process has been completed. If the print icon is not visible in Payments Management, check EFT Manager to ensure the batch has had the Email Remittance Advices processed.
Minimum and Maximum Amounts via BPay
Payments using the BPAY channel are subject to minimum and maximum payment amounts as dictated by the Biller you are paying. Please check with that Biller to determine the minimum\maximum amount that will be accepted. If you submit an amount to the Biller that is lower than their specified minimum payment amount or higher than their specified maximum amount, the payment will be rejected and you will be charged a return fee.
FEES - there is a transaction fee per payment that will be charged on the third (3rd) business day of the following month via StrataPay Payables , refer to the StrataPay Product Disclosure Statement for more info or contact your relationship manager.
Different CRN Numbers
If you have entered a number of creditor invoices that have different CRN numbers, upon creation these will be split into separate payments based on the CRN numbers. If you enter a credit note (debit creditor invoice) with a totally different CRN number to all the other creditor invoices, the message ‘More than one BPAY CRN for a creditor and at least one has a credit balance’ may be shown. (The CRN can be edited to match if appropriate which will allow the payment to be created). If the credit note has the same CRN number as any other creditor invoices and that amount is less than the creditor invoices, this will create a BPAY payment – i.e. Creditor Invoices add up to $100.00 and a credit note for $50 – with the same CRN number it will create a $50 payment. However if you enter the credit note as $150 – nothing will create as this adds up to $50 debit.
If BCMax has 2 creditor invoices being processed on the same day for the same creditor using the same CRN and for the same building, it will amalgamate both payments. If the payment does not complete for any reason all returns would be for the total amalgamated amount.
If BCMax has 2 creditor invoices being processed on the same day for the same creditor using different CRN’s and one of the CRN’s is invalid for the same building, neither will be paid.
After all payments are created, proceed to EFT Manager and process your payments using the normal procedures for Processing EFT Payments.
When to use Tag Paid Invoices
The Creditor and Payment system is designed to pay outstanding invoices (any entries with a D reference) and when the payment is created those invoices are tagged as Paid. There are occasions when the payment will not create, one example of why this can occur - is because the invoices that are outstanding do not add up to the amount of the payment (Creditor account balance). Another example of this is often due to journals being posted to a Creditor code (082xxxxx) Because journals are not creditor invoices they do not put an entry or amount into the 'Unpaid Invoices' table and cause issues when trying to create payments, as this process only reconciles against 'Unpaid Invoices' as result of loading creditor invoices.
How do we print a report showing what has been paid? Previously we would print an EFT Authority report.
Once an EFT batch has been finalised, a report can be printed which confirms all payments included in the ABA. Batches can be accessed at a later date if required via EFT Manager / View Completed Batches. The report can have page breaks on change of building if required. Further information is available here.
How do we cancel a Payment created in the Old Year?
Refer to the instructions in the following Payments Management article for Reverse a Payment.
If the Payment is not to be recreated (i.e.: the entire invoice will not be paid at all), a Credit Note can be entered from Creditor Invoices to reverse/adjust the Creditor A/c balance in the Current Year, or a journal if the adjustment is required in the Old Year.
Why are we being prompted to verify the compliance status in Payments? We just want to pay the invoice.
Refer to the instructions to edit the default actions for Compliance codes.
If you do not want to have to verify compliance for payments for creditors that are not marked as Approved, update the specific Compliance Codes so that the Action for Payment is set to Valid.
BPay Payments and Log Information
Processing BPAY payments is the same as an EFT payment; there is no need to change your processes. The payment can be created on a global or local basis.
- Search or select Payments.
- Set the buildings and creditors as required.
- Click Continue.
- In the next screen, review any warnings for all cheques, EFT and BPAY’s (EFT).
- Adjust any CRNs for BPAY payments as required.
BPay Messages:
Below are some of the example messages that can be displayed when reviewing the BPay Batch Log.
- Web service rejection payment reference
- Action Required
- No CRN Supplied
- Enter the CRN for the creditor in creditor invoices
- Internal server error
- Please try again later
- CRN has not been validated
- Please try again later
- CRN is invalid for the Biller
- Check the BPAY CRN in creditor invoices & confirm the correct CRN has been entered. Edit the entry and enter the correct CRN.
- Biller Code has not been validated
- Please try again later
- Biller code is invalid
- Change the Biller Code in creditor maintenance.
- Building ‘1234’ is not Registered
- Upload the building from the StrataMax icon.
- Building ‘1234’ cannot accept BPAY payments
- Contact StrataPay Support – 1300 -135-610
Why are we required to click Email Remittance Advices rather than this just happen automatically?
This is a final step and should only be done once the ABA final has successfully been uploaded and finalised. This ensures that the remittances are only sent for payments that have been processed.
Can we edit the email subject and body that is used when remittance advices are emailed?
The email subject and body can be edited for EFT Remittance Advices from version 5.6.100. It is recommended to update the subject and body to assist in avoiding emails being caught up in spam filters. To update the email template refer to the instructions in the following Email Templates page.
Can I upload an owner reimbursement or owner refund created in Payment Entry to the Invoice Hub?
No an owner reimbursement or owner refund will require the debtor to be created as a creditor account and an invoice loaded via Creditor Invoices. The Creditor Invoice can then follow the standard Invoice Hub process.
