Assigning a Processing Fee to a Fine or Changing a Fee or Fine

When you assign a processing fee to a fine, you actually assign the fee to a range of fines. This way, you can decide how you want to assess processing fees. However, if you do not want to assign a processing fee to a range of fines, you can assign a flat processing fee to all fines.

For example, you can assign a processing fee of $1.00 to fines that range from $10.00 to $20.00, then a fee of $2.00 to fines that range from $20.00 to $30.00, and so forth. If you assigned processing fees to fines like this, then here is how Debt Collect would assign fees to a borrower:

A fine amount of $7.00 would not be assessed a processing fee.
A fine amount of $12.00 would be assessed a processing fee of $1.00.
A fine amount of $20.00 would be assessed a processing fee of $2.00.

If you want to assess a processing fee for borrowers who owe less than the amount required for them to be considered for collection, you can do so by entering a range that begins with $0.00.

Before You Begin

If you want to pass on fees from your collection agency, find out what fees the collection agency charges your library for their services. If your library wants to charge your borrowers other fees for processing fines, find out what fees your library charges. Once you find out the fees you want to pass on, decide how you want them distributed in Debt Collect.

To assign a processing fee to a range of fines or to change a fee or fine

1 Be sure you are not running the Debt Collect Day End processes.
2 In the Horizon Client, go to Administration > Table Editor.
3 Select the debt_collect table, and then click OK.

The Debt Collection Group dialog box displays.

4 Choose the group you want and click Edit.

Debt Collect displays the Debt Collection Group Edit dialog box:

5 Choose one of the following tasks:

Task

Steps

Assign a flat processing fee to all fines

1 Type a value of 0 for the Fine value.
2 Enter the Fee to assign to all accounts sent to Debt Collect. For example, type 30 to always assess a $30.00 fee.
3 Save your changes and Close the dialog box.

Assign a flat processing fee for all fines above a certain value

1 Type the value for the Fine value that is the minimum for a fee to be assessed. For example, type “25”. Any borrowers with fines below $25.00 will not be assessed an additional fee.
2 Enter the Fee to assign. For example, type 30 to assess a $30.00 fee.
3 Save your changes and Close the dialog box.

Assign fees to a range of fines

A range consists of two or more entries for Processing Fees. The lower number is the mimimum value in the range. The higher number is minimum value in the next range, but it also defines the maximum value for the previous range, at a number 1 less than itself.

For example, if you enter a Fine of $10 with a Fee of $1 and a Fine of $20 with a Fee of $2, fines less than $10 will not incur a fee, fines of $10 through $19 will incur a $1 fee, and fines greater than or equal to $20 will incur a $2 fee.

To assign fees to a range

1 Type the value for the Fine value that is the minimum for a fee to be assessed. For example, type “10”. Any borrowers with fines below $10.00 will not be assessed an additional fee.
2 Type the Fee to assign for the fine. For example, type 1 to assess a $1.00 fee.
3 Click New.
4 Type the minimum Fine value for the next range of fines. For example, type 20.
5 Type the Fee to assign for this next range. For example, type 2.
6 Repeat steps 3-6 for each new range to add.
7 Save your changes and Close the dialog box.

 


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