Add special fees

Special fees are fees that have unique functionality tied to operations within Blackbaud Billing management and calculate based on met conditions. There can only be one special fee for each fee type.

Access special fees by navigating to Billing management, hovering over Billing on the navigation, selecting Billing years, and finally selecting Special fees on the in-page navigation.

1. Select a Fee type.

   • Credit card surcharge fee: A convenience fee for all credit card payments.

   • Direct debit surcharge fee: A convenience fee for all direct debit payments.

   • Payment plan fee: A convenience fee for payment plan payments.

   • Late Fees: Fees incurred due to not meeting the due date of a charge.
     

   • Failed payment fee: A fee incurred when a payment fails and a Billing clerk handles it. Once configured for the billing year, clerks can add the fee while handling a failed payment.

2. Select a Fee name. The available Fee names are created under Tables in Billing settings.

3. Enter a Description to refer to the special fee's scope and specifications.

4. Select how to Calculate the amount using. The available options depend on the fee type.

   Credit card surcharge fee and Direct debit surcharge fee:

   • a flat amount:
     A single, static amount incurred at the time of charge.

   • the percentage:
     A single, variable amount that is a defined percentage of the charge.

   • a percentage plus a flat amount:
     A variable amount that is a defined percentage of the charge plus a static amount.

   Payment plan fee:

   • a fixed amount:
     A single, static amount incurred at the time of charge.

   • a fixed amount based on payment plan:
     A specific amount incurred based on the payment plan.

   • the percentage of what is charged:
     A single, variable amount that is a defined percentage of the charge.

   • a percentage based on payment plan:
     A variable amount calculated as a percentage specific to the selected payment plan. Select a formula for the calculation and then specify the percentages for each payment plan.

     Optional: Enter 0% to prevent the fee from applying to specific payment plans.

   Late Fees, under Calculate late charge amount using:

   • a specific amount:
     A single, static amount incurred at the time of charge.

   • a specific percentage:
     A single, variable amount that is a defined percentage of the past due amount.

   • whichever is greater, percentage or specific amount:
     The greater between the defined static amount or the percentage-based amount.

   Failed payment fee: No calculation option is available. Enter a Failed payment fee amount.

    

5. For Late Fees, complete the required fields for the selected calculation option:

   • Late charge amount: Required for a specific amount and whichever is greater, percentage or specific amount.

   • Late charge percentage: Required for a specific percentage and whichever is greater, percentage or specific amount.

   • Minimum balance required for charge: The minimum balance required before a late fee is charged.

   • Minimum # of days past due: The number of days a balance must be past due before a late fee is charged.

6. Determine how the fee is distributed between general ledger accounts:

   1. a single set of GL accounts

      Define the GL accounts that tuition posts to for all grade levels. Enter the account number, description, and the percentage of the allocation.

   2. different GL accounts based on grade level
      If selected, choose the grade range to impact. For example, if you want certain transactions to posts to the accounts for lower school tuition, you could differentiate between school-level specific accounts.

7. Enter the Account number, Description, and CR percentage or select the x to delete a GL Distribution.

8. Optional: Select Add another distribution. Ensure that the distributions total to 100%.