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Getting Started with Pay Now (v71.33+) in Synergetic: A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting Started with Pay Now (v71.33+) in Synergetic: A Step-by-Step Guide

Why Use Pay Now?

Pay Now links are integrated within existing billing functionality, allowing payments to be made from anywhere with no login required, seamlessly incorporated into Synergetic’s finance module – reducing admin hassle and ensuring timely payments.

How to Configure Pay Now

To use Pay Now, you must be on Synergetic version 71.33+

Prerequisites:

  • You have signed the Synergetic Stripe Product Agreement, available from your CSM

  • You have completed Stripe registration using the provided Connect account URL (refer to this article)

  • You have been informed that your secure Stripe integration connection has been completed

  • Service Suite, Events Portal, and Core API are active on your site (installation of Service Suite will be confirmed when your site connection is configured)

  • When upgrading to 71.33, the systems team can assist with activation of the modules above at no additional cost. Please make an upgrade booking and let the team know you are interested in trying Pay Now.

Other tasks you may wish to complete:

1.) Configure Stripe Merchant and Pay Now base URL

  • Navigate to System → Online Payments Maintenance

  • If it does not already exist, add a Merchant with the “Gateway Provider” of STRIPE

    image-20240905-231430.png
  • Leave the Password blank (your Stripe details have already been configured and are stored elsewhere in the system)

    image-20240905-231319.png
  • With the Stripe merchant selected, click the “Pay Now URL” button to populate the base URL for your site.

2.) Activate Pay Now feature toggle

  • Navigate to System → Configuration Maintenance

  • Search for PayNow to find the FeatureToggle | PayNow key

  • Set the Value to “true” by ticking the box

3.) Verify and Test

  • Create a test statement run for a few “friendly” users. Many schools like to use staff who also have children at the school

  • In Email Statements / Invoices, you can add a Pay Now link as a merge field into the accompanying email

TIP: If you would like the Pay Now link to appear as a button, set the “Message Type” to “HTML Raw” and use the following code to represent the button:

<a href="{PayNowLink}" style="display: inline-block; background-color: blue; color: white; padding: 10px 20px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; border-radius: 5px; font-size: 16px;"> Pay Now </a>

 

  • Use the “test mode” to send all statements in the run to a test email address

 

  • When you receive the email, click the link and your browser will load the PayNow payments page. This is a live page. You can make a small payment (>$1) with a valid credit card to test the payment page.

  • To check the status of a payment, use the Online Receipts Report

  • Successful payments will be automatically recorded in Synergetic finance

4.) Configure your statement email template to include Pay Now by default

When you are satisfied with your Pay Now email format, you can configure your statement email template so that all Statement / Invoice / Reminder emails include the Pay Now link. Refer to the following documentation:
Synergetic Financial Configuration - Debtors tab - Page 3 sub-tab

Synergetic Financial Configuration - Debtors tab - Sub Ledgers sub-tab

 

Pay Now URLs are unique to a debtor

A big benefit of Pay Now is that the URL allows payment into a particular debtor’s account with full integration into Synergetic. Importantly, this means that Pay Now URL that is generated from the merge field is unique to a single debtor! Any payments made via that URL, will be applied to that debtor’s account.

Therefore, it is critical that schools do not attempt to “copy and paste” Pay Now URLs from previously generated emails and send them to other debtors!

5.) Communicate with Your Community

Inform parents about the new feature. You may wish to provide screenshots and inform them that they can verify the base URL in their browser when making a payment. This will help them feel confident their payment is going straight to the school.

6.) Configure header logo (Optional)

You can either replace the Synergetic logo in the header or keep the default setup.

Logo specs:

  • Recommended dimensions: 1773 x 328 OR 470 x 75

  • Aspect ratio: 5:1

  • File format: png

Steps:

  1. Rename your file to logo2.png

  2. Navigate to EventBooking > assets > img

  3. Replace logo2.png with your file.

If you replace the logo, make sure to clear the cache so the changes are applied correctly.

Enjoy the Benefits

Use the power of our partnership with Stripe and our unmatched school financial management software to get your school paid quickly and safely, with less administration for schools and more convenience and choice for parents.

For further assistance or detailed instructions, please contact your CSM or our support team.

 

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