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Set up and Log Subsidy Payments
Set up and Log Subsidy Payments

[For Admins + Billing Only Role] Learn how to create invoices and log payments received from subsidy agencies!

Sabrina avatar
Written by Sabrina
Updated over a week ago

Once you've added a subsidy agency's contact information and added them as a payer, you can set up billing plans and charges assigned to that subsidy agency. Then you can log subsidy payments you receive from the agency.

This resource outlines how to create invoices for agencies and log payments made.

Track Subsidy Payments

There are multiple methods for creating invoices and tracking subsidy payments depending on the program's need. Once a invoice is generated, providers can then log payments against that invoice, or the payment can be logged without an invoice created.

Please click on the links below for more detailed steps.

Billing plans

This is helpful if programs are receiving regularly scheduled subsidy payments. A separate bill plan can be created just the agency, or a bill plan that splits charges between families and agencies.

One time charges

This is a helpful way to create one-off charges for agencies that may not recur on a regular frequency.

Log a subsidy payment without a invoice

This is an option if providers wish to record an agency payment quickly and aren’t looking for full tracking of money owed by agencies. A subsidy payment can be logged without generating an invoice - a invoice can always be created after the fact!

ℹ️ Important Notes:

  • Agencies are not able to pay directly through brightwheel and are not notified via text or email when a invoice is posted, so providers will need to take steps to manually log payments made by agencies and apply the payment against any invoices.
    ​

  • If you receive a payment amount lower than you expected from the agency but still expect to be paid for the charge, you can log a payment against the agency invoice, then bill the remainder to the family.

Create Subsidy Billing Plans

Once you've added an agency's contact information and added them as a payer on the student(s) billing account - it's time to set up a billing plan.

  1. Open the Billing page on the web

  2. Jump to the Subsidies page

  3. Open the applicable agency by clicking the agency's name

  4. On the agency's dashboard, click to open the Students tab

  5. Locate the student the billing plan should be created for

  6. On that student's row, select Create plan

  7. Select Start from scratch and complete the remaining prompts

  8. Click + Create a new charge. Input the charge information and amount expected from the agency. Ensure the Agency is selected as a payer.

  9. Click Next

  10. Fill out when the plan will take effect, due dates and when the last payment is expected from the agency if known, otherwise leave blank.
    ​💡 For the field When should payers receive invoices? - select any option; we will not send invoices directly to the agency at this point in time

  11. When ready, click Create plan

ℹ️ Providers can also create Billing plans for students receiving subsidized payments from any billing page by clicking Select an Action. Detailed steps can be found here. When doing do, be sure to toggle the Assign charge to specific payer(s)? option to YES to select the agency.

💡Tips:

  • Create bill plan templates for agency charges that do occur regularly for easier and more efficient tracking!

  • Record one-off agency charges for subsidies that may not recur on a regular frequency by adding one-time charges.

Log a Payment

Agency payments can be logged on posted invoices associated with agency billing plans or one-time charges already added. In addition to this, logging a payment without a bill plan/invoice is an option if you want to record an agency payment and create an invoice after the fact! Learn more by reviewing the steps below.

Log a Payment on an Invoice

  1. Log in as an administrator on the web

  2. Click to open the Billing page from the purple sidebar menu

  3. Jump to the Subsidies tab

  4. Locate and click the agency to open its profile

  5. Scroll down the Invoices section and locate the invoice to be paid

  6. Click the Actions drop-down menu, and select Log a payment

  7. In the Paid By dropdown, select the agency

  8. In the Payment method dropdown, select how the agency paid

  9. Input the Amount paid

  10. Input the Date paid

  11. Add an optional note

  12. When ready, click Save & apply

💡You can also log a payment on a posted invoice for a subsidy agency from the student's billing account!

Log a Payment without a Billing Plan or Invoice

  1. Log in as an administrator on the web

  2. Click to open the Billing page from the purple sidebar menu

  3. Jump to the Students tab

  4. Locate and click to open the specific student

  5. Click the Select an action menu and then Log a payment

  6. In the Paid By dropdown, select the agency

  7. In the Payment method dropdown, select how the agency paid

  8. Input the Amount paid

  9. Input the Date paid

  10. Add an optional note

  11. When ready, click Save & apply

View Agency Payments

From the Student's Billing Account

  1. Log in as an administrator on the web

  2. Click to open the Billing page from the purple sidebar menu

  3. Jump to the Students tab

  4. Locate and click to open the specific student

  5. Jump to the All transactions tab

  6. Use the 'Payer type' filter to select Agency payers and view all invoices with a status of 'Paid' made by an agency.

From the Agency's Profile Page

  1. Log in as an administrator on the web

  2. Click to open the Billing page from the purple sidebar menu

  3. Jump to the Subsidies tab

  4. Locate and click the agency to open its profile

  5. Scroll down and click to open the Payments tab to view all payments made by that agency across any student the agency is attached to

Handling Underpayments

Admins can choose how to resolve an unpaid or partially paid agency invoice by waiving the balance or billing the remaining balance to the private payers for the student.

Waive Balance

  1. Log in as an administrator on the web

  2. Click to open the Billing page from the purple sidebar menu

  3. Jump to the Subsidies tab

  4. Locate and click the agency to open its profile

  5. Scroll down to the Invoices section

  6. Locate the specific invoice by scrolling or using the available filters

  7. Click the Actions drop-down menu

  8. Select Waive balance
    💡This will close the invoice with a $0 balance.

  9. Leave the Reason as 'Uncollectible' or clear out this option and start typing to create a new reason

  10. Add any applicable Notes

  11. Click Yes, waive

Bill Another Payer

  1. Log in as an administrator on the web

  2. Click to open the Billing page from the purple sidebar menu

  3. Jump to the Subsidies tab

  4. Locate and click the agency to open its profile

  5. Scroll down to the Invoices section

  6. Locate the specific invoice by scrolling or using the available filters

  7. Click the Actions drop-down menu

  8. Select Bill another payer

  9. Leave the Reason as 'Uncollectible' or clear out this option and start typing to create a new reason

  10. Add any applicable Notes

  11. Set the new Invoice due date

  12. Click Post new invoice

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