​Introduction

Recurring Payments does not automatically send transactions to STARS for payments on scheduled dates. Rather, users must log on to Payment Services and Recurring Payments on a regular basis, and view the Schedule screen to see what is, or needs to be, scheduled.

After a payment template has been saved, it is ready to be scheduled for payment. This makes the payment ready for fiscal coding. To change fiscal coding for one payment, (e.g., change a PCA or Index) the template should be scheduled, and then the Fiscal Coder should make the changes on the Distribute screen. (You can edit a template if you intend to make a change to all future payments.)

A "Run Date" is not necessarily the Payment Date - which is the date the transaction gets sent to STARS. The final Approver can select a specific Payment Date that is different than what was scheduled on the template.

The Schedule screen is divided onto two sections: Templates Pending through and Scheduled Payments.

Figure 1 -Schedule

"Templates Pending through" Section

The Templates Pending through section displays templates that are ready to be scheduled for actual payment. If you do not see a template that you expect to see, select a different date range from the drop down menu. Also, a template must be marked as "active" to be seen on the Schedule tab. Templates that have been saved but do not have any line items added will not be displayed. Other information shown includes:

• Run Date. The next date that the template is ready to be scheduled or run.
• Name. The name of the template.
• Description. The description of the template.

"Scheduled Payments" Section

A list of scheduled payments is displayed that are ready to be fiscal coded or approved. The Scheduled Payments section displays the following information:

• Payment Date indicates the date that was scheduled in the template. If the final approver changes the payment date, this will be updated accordingly.
• Name. The name of the template.
• Description. Description of the payment.
• Status. Indicates if the scheduled payment is awaiting an approval, awaiting authorization, if cost distribution is in progress, or if it has been released to STARS for payment.
• Created by. The person who created the template and the date they saved it.

Schedule a Payment

1. Click the Schedule tab.

2. Click Schedule next to a template in the Templates Pending through section. (If you do not see a template that you expect to see, select a different date range from the Templates Pending through drop-down menu.)

Figure 2 - Templates Pending through

3. Click OK on the confirmation dialog box. The template will become a scheduled payment in the Scheduled Payments section.The Status will be Awaiting Authorization, even if your agency has enabled Auto Authorize Invoices settings in Payment Services. The payment is then ready for fiscal coding, and then approval.

Figure 3 - Scheduled Payments

Skip a Payment

The Run Date of each pending template indicates the date is ready to be scheduled or run. If no action is taken, this date will not change.

1. Click Skip to skip a payment.

2. Click OK when prompted. The next available Run Date will be displayed.

Figure 4- Skip a payment

Identify a Scheduled Payment for Fiscal Coding or Approval

Once the payment is scheduled, click the link next to a payment to open it in either the Distribute or Approval screen, depending on the status of the payment.

• A payment ready for fiscal coding will display Select next to it. The Status will be Awaiting Authorization, even if your agency has enabled Auto Authorize Invoices settings in Payment Services. A Fiscal OCder can click Select, and then complete the fiscal coding as needed.
• A payment ready for approval will display Approve next to it. An approver can click Approve, and then approve the payment or return it to a Fiscal Coder or to the 'authorization' stage. Your Payment Service administrator assigns users to the approval levels needed by the agency. The administrator also defines the number of approval levels and the names of the approval levels.

Figure 5 - Select or Approve