Overview
Communities often ask, "Can the patron pay the cost to print and mail passes?"
Yes. But read carefully how it works and effects your balance.
Here is how printing, mailing, and payment processing fees work.
If AGS is...
1. Printing a pass
2. Mailing a set of passes
3. Collecting a payment from the patron
Then the community will be charged all three fees. There are three separate line items in the account.
If AGS is...
1. Not printing a pass
2. Not mailing any passes
3. Not collecting collecting a payment from the patron
Then the community is not charged any fees.
This scenario is common if the community allows the patron to select ePasses for FREE but charge for classic passes. Many patrons select ePasses for free and the community is not charged.
A common way to setup the community's application is to "Closely Match" AGS's fees.
Charge the member $6 for the first pass and $1 for each additional pass.
Here is an example (#1)
A family completes an application. The Mom selects an ePass, the Dad selects Classic Pass, the Daughter selects Classic Pass. In this case, 2 passes are printed, 1 set is mailed. $7.00 is collected from the family.
$7.00 is credited to the community's account. Because $7.00 was collected from the family.
$1.34 fee is accessed to the community. Because $7.00 was collected from the family and a payment processing fee was accessed. $7.00 * 4.9% +$1 = $1.34
$2.00 fee is accessed to the community's account. Because 2 passes were printed.
$3.00 fee is accessed to the community. Because 1 set of passes were mailed.
Notice the net result for this single example's lifecycle is a $0.66 profit for the community.
$7.00 - $1.34 - $3.00 - $2.00 = $0.66
Another common setup is "Exact Match" AGS's fees.
Here is an example (#2)
A family completes an application. The Mom selects an ePass, the Dad selects Classic Pass, the Daughter selects Classic Pass. In this case, 2 passes are printed, 1 set is mailed. $8.41 is collected from the family.
$8.41 is credited to the community's account. Because $7.00 was collected from the family.
$1.41 fee is accessed to the community. Because $7.00 was collected from the family and a payment processing fee was accessed. $7.00 * 4.9% +$1 = $1.34
$2.00 fee is accessed to the community's account. Because 2 passes were printed.
$3.00 fee is accessed to the community. Because 1 set of passes were mailed.
Notice the net result for this single example's lifecycle is a $0.00.
$8.41 - $1.41 - $3.00 - $2.00 = $0.00
Why am I receiving invoices & payouts?
How does this effect my community's invoice or payout?
Communities are charging their members in a single transaction. AGS fees are accessed in three different transactions that happen at different times. This timing effects the payout if the account is reconciled in between when the member pays and the passes are approved to print and mail. This usually happens on the 1st of the month.
Lets look at example #1 again (Closely Match)
A family completes an application and requests 2 passes. $7.00 is collected from the family. On July 28th.
July 28th - The family purchases 2 passes.
$7.00 is credited to the community's account. Because $7.00 was collected from the family.
$1.34 fee is accessed to the community. Because a $1.34 payment processing fee was accessed.
August 1st - The account is reconciled.
$5.66 payout is issued to the community. Because the community has a credit in the account.
August 3rd - The community approves the membership and passes are printed and mailed.
$2.00 fee is accessed to the community's account. Because 2 passes were printed.
$3.00 fee is accessed to the community. Because 1 set of passes were mailed.
September 1st - The account is reconciled.
$5.00 invoice is sent to the community. Because the have a balance for the passes printed and mailed.
Notice the net result for this single example's lifecycle is still $0.66 profit for the community.
$7.00 - $1.34 - $5.66 - $3.00 - $2.00 + $5.00 = $0.66
Since there was a large gap in time from the original money collected and the time the passes were approved, this set of transactions happens over two separate statements.
Can I turn off payouts so I don't get a small payout one month then a small invoice the second month?