Congratulations on your approval for ePay! You’re almost ready to make and receive online payments through Buildium.
Click here for an ePay video tutorial on Buildium Academy!
In this article, you’ll learn how to:
- Enable your properties for ePay
- Set up your convenience fees
- Give residents access to the resident portal
- Show your tenants how to use ePay
- Enable online application fees
1. Enable your properties for ePay
You have the option to enable EFT/eCheck and credit card payments for each property that is tied to the approved bank account.
To enable your properties for epay:
- Navigate to Accounting > Banking, then click on the approved bank account.
- Select the Properties tab, then click Edit epay methods.
- Check the box next to each property you want to enable EFT/eCheck or credit card payments for. You can select one or both payment method options for each property.
- Click Save changes.
2. Set up convenience fees
Convenience fees are one way to offset the cost of using ePay. When a resident pays rent or fees online, Buildium will add the indicated convenience fee to their payment.
To setup convenience fees:
- Navigate to Accounting > Banking, then click on the approved bank account.
- Select the Payment settings tab, then click pencil icon next to conveniece fees to set a convenience fee for EFT(ACH) and Credit Card payments.
- For EFT(ACH), enter a flat fee amount in the convenience fee box to set the fee the resident or owner will pay to you.
- For credit cards, check the box next to the 2.95% transaction fee if you would like to pass this charge on to the resident or owner.
- Once you’re done setting your convenience fees, click Save.
Note: before setting up a convenience fee for credit card transactions, we recommend referring to local and state legislation relating to convenience fees and surcharges for your area to ensure that you are following the correct practices. Additionally we recommend viewing the terms of use of major credit card associations to ensure that you are in compliance.
All service fees and convenience fees are processed using the convenience fee income account on your chart of accounts. They will appear on reports along with your other income accounts.
If you intend to keep the convenience fees for yourself, consider making convenience fee income a management income account.
3. Give residents access to the portal
Once you’ve enabled your properties, give residents access to their resident portal where they can pay online.
Inviting your residents to the Resident Center is the first step in streamlining communications. To help with adoption, we've created videos you can use to promote this feature!
More promotional videos for Association owners and board members.
To learn more about the resident portal and how to invite your users, click here.
4. Show your residents how to use ePay
Resident desktop site guide: Send your residents a step by step guide that shows them how to access and navigate the resident site.
Rental: Download resident site guide PDF
HOA: Download HOA resident site guide PDF
Once residents start paying online, ePay transactions are automatically updated everywhere: on ledgers, in your bank accounts, and in reports.
5. Enable online application fees
Accepting application fees online is another great feature of ePay. If you’re already using Buildium’s customizable rental application, it’s easy to set up online payments for application fees, too.
To enable ePay for application fees:
- Navigate to Settings > Application settings.
- Then, click Rental applications. Select the Fee tab.
- Click Edit payment methods to select your ePay approved bank account as the default for application fee, and to enable EFT/eCheck and credit cards.
If you plan on paying vendors and rental owners electronically, click the links below to learn how to add their information into Buildium.
Click here to learn how to enter rental owner ePay information
Click here to learn how to enter vendor ePay information
| Article #: | 205946738 |