Create Payment Reminder Rule

This document explains how to set the rules determining which invoices are included in a payment reminder.

Outcome

A payment reminder rule is defined, regulating among other things the number of reminders to be issued before the matter is handed over for collection and whether any interest and reminder fees are calculated.

The rule can be reviewed in 'Payment Reminder Rule. Open' (CRS465).

When the payment reminder rule is connected to each customer in 'Customer. Open' (CRS610/K) and activated, it is automatically applied when selecting invoices to be included in a payment reminder proposal. You can also use the reminder rule as an additional selection criterion when creating the proposal in 'Payment Reminder. Open' (ARS650).

The parameter file (CSYTAB) is updated.

Before you start

If a reminder fee should be printed using the payment reminder rule, you must define a set of payment terms controlling the due date calculation in 'Payment Term. Open' (CRS075).

Parameters to set

Program ID/Panel Field Field description
(CRS465/E) Number of payment reminders The field indicates the number of reminders a payer should receive before the matter is handed over for collection.
(CRS465/E) Number of accepted postal service days The field indicates the number of days after the due date allowed for the postal service. When this period of time has passed, you can include the invoices in a payment reminder proposal or an interest proposal.
(CRS465/E) Payment reminder interval

The field indicates the number of days that should elapse after the latest reminder date before you can send a new payment reminder.

Note that this means that invoices included in a payment reminder are blocked from being included in another reminder until the specified number of days is passed. However, you can change the latest reminder date manually for an invoice in 'Accounts Receivable. Display' (ARS200), if you need to create a new payment reminder before the reminder interval is complete.

(CRS465/E) Minimum amount per payment reminder

The field indicates a minimum amount required for creating a reminder for a specific payer or customer.

If the total of all invoices for the payer or customer is lower than this amount, the invoices are included in the reminder proposal but the payer or customer receives block code 5 in the proposal. You need to manually remove the block code to include the invoices in the final reminder.

Note that this only applies to invoices past due. This means that if you have defined that invoices that are not past due should be printed on the reminder as well, these are not included in the calculation.

(CRS465/E) Grouping method

The field indicates how records are grouped and displayed in the reminder.

These are the valid alternatives:

  • 0 (blank) = Not controlled by the reminder rule
  • 1 = Per customer
  • 2 = Per payer.

If alternative 0 is selected, you can manually enter the grouping method to use for all customers matching the selection criteria when creating the reminder proposal in (ARS151/F). This makes it easier to create a proposal, since you do not have to make sure that the reminder rules added as extra selection criteria on that panel have the same grouping method.

Interest Calculation

(CRS465/E) Calculation of interest

The field indicates whether interest is to be calculated and included in the payment reminder.

(CRS465/E) Print interest on reminder from level

The field indicates when interest is included in a payment reminder: From level 0 (interest included in all reminders), level 1 (after one reminder is sent), level 2 (after two reminders are sent), etc.

The interest is calculated based on the interest rule connected to the payer in 'Customer. Open' (CRS610/K).

Information Included in the Reminder
(CRS465/E) Print order number on reminder The field indicates whether to print additional information on the reminder.
(CRS465/E) Print external text

The field indicates whether to print any external text specified for the invoice in 'Customer Invoice. Change' (ARS201/T) on the reminder.

If alternative Yes is selected, the first three lines of such an external text for an invoice is added to the invoice record in the reminder proposal as well as in the final reminder. This is done regardless of what is selected in the 'Print external/internal text' field when creating the proposal.

(CFS465/E) Print invoices not past due

The field indicates whether to include open items that are not past due in the reminder.

These are the valid alternatives:

  • 0 = No
  • 1 = Yes: The total of all not past due invoices is presented before the past due invoices are listed
  • 2 = Yes: All invoices that are not past due are listed together with their total before the past due invoices.
(CRS465/E) Print total reminder level

The field indicates whether to print a subtotal per reminder level on the reminder.

If alternative Yes is selected, the invoices are sorted by level of reminder for the respective payer or customer.

Control of Reminder Fees
(CRS465/E) Reminder charge

The field indicates the administrative reminder fee that is printed on the reminder and charged to the customer.

The fields used to control the creation of reminder fees in the payment reminder rule were originally added as a part of a Norwegian modification.

(CRS465/E) Minimum reminder level for reminder charge

The field indicates the minimum reminder level that will trigger a reminder fee to be charged.

For example, if the reminder level is 2, a reminder fee is not created if the payment reminder includes invoices on a level less than 2. However, if the invoices are on level 2 or higher, a reminder fee is automatically created.

(CRS465/E) Minimum reminder charge amount

The field indicates the amount limit for reminder fees.

If the total amount for reminder is below this limit, no fee is charged. A reminder fee is charged for an amount above this limit. If the field is zero, then a fee is always generated when a value is entered into the 'Reminder charge' field.

(CRS465/E) Create transactions

The field indicates whether accounting transactions are created for a reminder charge in the general ledger.

If alternative No is selected, it is uncertain whether the customer accepts a reminder charge. No invoice record is created for the charge and consequently no transactions are created. An invoice is printed but no extended invoice reference number, OCR or KID code, is printed on the invoice or giro slip. Instead, the payment reminder number is used as reference. If the customer accepts the charge, the payment is processed using an accounting option in 'Payments Received. Record' (ARS110).

If alternative Yes is selected, the customer is expected to accept the charge and an invoice record is created. Transactions are created based on accounting rules AR45-100 and AR45-335. Information on which voucher series to use is retrieved from FAM function AR45. The invoice printed is processed as a regular customer invoice.

(CRS465/E) Print due date

The field indicates whether to print a due date for the reminder charge on the final payment reminder.

Note that you must select this check box if the 'Create transaction' is selected.

(CRS465/E) Payment terms ... how the due date is to be calculated. (Refer to Before Starting.)

Follow these steps

  1. Start 'Payment Reminder Rule. Open' (CRS465).

  2. On the B panel, give the rule a three-position alpha-numeric code or identity. Click Create.

  3. On the E panel, specify a description and a name.

  4. Specify these basic values: Number of payment reminders (required), number of accepted postal service days, payment reminder interval (required), grouping method, and minimum amount per payment reminder.

  5. Specify the values for interest calculation: Calculation of interest, interest on reminder level, and print interest on reminder from level.

  6. Specify the values controlling which information is included in the reminder: Print order number on reminder, print external text, print overdue invoices, and print total reminder level.

  7. Specify the values controlling the reminder fees: Reminder charge, minimum reminder level for reminder charge, minimum reminder charge amount, create transactions, print due date, and payment terms which is required if a due date is to be printed. Press Enter.