A Payment Reminder is a document that can be sent to clients informing them of their outstanding debt to the practice.
1. Payment reminder overview
A payment reminder is a printable document that can be used to aid credit control within a practice. This document can be produced within the Fees ledger to remind clients of unpaid invoices.
To use payment reminders you will first need to ensure that the client has been flagged to receive payment reminders. By default, this option is automatically flagged.
The format and layout of the payment reminder is based upon a template system within the Fees Ledger. To being using payment reminders first select the payment reminder template to be used.
Once the template has been setup the payment reminder document can be produced. By using the bulk payment reminder screen payment reminders can be produced for single or multiple clients. For example, to do a run of payment reminders at the end of the months. Payment reminders can also be produced from the Fees account display for single documents.
The standard templates for payment reminders include narratives, based upon the age of the debt and the client status. For example, for a good payer an invoice not paid within 60 days may include light narrative whereas for a bad payer a more fierce narrative may be appropriate. To control this feature for the narraives the severity criteria is used.
2. Payment reminder setting on Client
For a client to received a payment reminder ensure the 'send payment reminders' flag is enabled. By default, this is flagged for each client.
Click here for the help topic.
3. Select the required template
The format and layout of an payement reminder document is based upon a template system within the Fees Ledger. To begin using payment reminder first select the invoice template to be used.
Practice's may have their own preferred layout for their templates. Click here for the help topic for creating a bespoke template.
Click here to display the standard word templates.
4. Standard narratives on Payment reminders
Introduction to narratives
The narratives included on standard on a payment reminder are the text that will appear on the letter. For example:
'We do not appear to have received payment from you. If you have made payment then I should be grateful if you should contact us. If you have not, then I should be grateful if you would make payment within fourteen days'.
With payment reminders there are five standard narratives for each client ranging from a least severe (such as the narrative above) to a more severe narrative. For example, a more severe narrative may threaten legal action. Which of these narratives is selected for the client is first set by the client status.
Client Paying Status
For practices, as with other industries, some customers have a good credit rating whereas others may be known as bad payers. Within IRIS clients can be distinguished by five levels starting as 'bad payers' running through to 'good payers'. (As a client is created their are defaulted with a 'medium' payer status).
For each payer status there are 5 standard narratives from least severe to most severe. This allows the practice to have a total of 25 narratives, ranging from 5 very stern narratives for known bad payers 5 light narratives for known good payers.
By default all clients are setup with a 'normal' payment status, making them neither a good payer nor bad payer.
Tip: By default the standard word template has ignores the client paying status and supplies five narratives. If this feature is required the template can be amended.
Click here for the help topic for setting client payment status.
Severity Criteria Grid
When a payment reminder is produced the system will look at the details on the severity criteria grid and pick which narrative to use. Each client will have a possible 5 narratives that can be inserted onto their payment reminder. Each of these narratives will be inserted depending upon a minimum age, or minimum amount, or minimum balance.
On the x axis of the grid is the client payer status, defaulting to 'medium' payer status. If you wish to look at the narratives for different payer status's move the bar to the left (for bad payer) or right (for good payer). Here you can see the minimum conditions for this payer status.
On the y axis of the grid is the severity criteria, defaulting to least severe. This can be moved up or down to view minimum conditions for each of the narratives for clients with this payer status.
The minimum conditions are stored within the grid. After the client payer status (x axis) and severity critieria (y axis) have been set the relevant minimum conditions will be displayed. For example, by selecting bad payer and the least severe narrative you can set the minimum conditions for this narrative to be used. The conditions include Minimum Fees balance, minimum amount and minimum age. For example, the least severe narrative to be inserted after an unpaid invoice is over 15 days old.
To use a default severity criteria grid for each bulk payment reminder run it is recommended the standard severity criteria grid is customised. For bespoke runs, the severity criteria can be adjusted using the severity tab from the bulk payment reminders screen.
5. Print the payment Reminder Document
Once the templates have been setup the payment reminder document can be produced. By using the bulk payment reminder screen payment reminders can be produced for single or multiple clients.
After the Word document has merge a prompt will appear to print now or print later. Click on print now to print the document
Payment remidners can also be produced from the Fees account display for a single client.
6. Review or Edit a document after it has been produced
For users with an Automail licence or Practice Management licence Fees Documents can be accessed after they've been produced through bulk payment reminder screen or Fees Account display.
With a Practice Management licence, Fees Word documents can be accessed on each client screen using the Communication tab. Click here for further information for producing documents through the communications tab.
With an Automail Licence, Fees Word documents can be accessed from the communication log. Click here for further information.
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