Payment Management (Subscriptions)

The Payment Management Subscriptions feature allows administrators to designate a default payment method for permits that roll over from month to month. Its primary purpose is to streamline recurring billing by automatically applying designated payment types, such as payroll deductions, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), or credit cards, to permit renewals. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators managing recurring parking permits and user billing.

Setup and Configuration

Before managing subscriptions, ensure the system is configured to handle the necessary payment processing.

Admin Side: Administrators must enable specific system settings to allow the processing of recurring credit card transactions for permit rollovers.

1. Hover over System Settings and click Permits.

2. Enable the Allow Credit Card Processing checkbox to ensure the system can process credit card transactions for permit rollovers.

User Side: In order for subscriptions to function, the user must provide valid information pertaining to the payment method they wish to use for their subscription service via the user portal, or provide it to an administrator to enter manually.

Using this Feature

Administrators can manage subscription payment methods directly through a user's profile to facilitate automated permit renewals.

1. Utilize the Quick Search field or hover over User Management and click User Search to locate the target user.

2. Click the specific username from your search results to access their profile.

3. Click the Profile drop-down menu and choose Manage Payment Methods.

4. Click the Add New Payment Method button located under the Payment Subscription Options section.

5. Enter the required payment details based on the user's preferred method.

6. For credit cards, provide the necessary card information and click the Add Payment Method button to register it in the system.

7. For EFT, enter a label into the Label field (e.g., Savings) along with the user's banking information, then click the Add Bank Information button.

8. Locate the Permit Rollover Subscription section on the left side of the screen.

9. Click the payment drop-down menu and choose the newly added payment method from the list.

10. Click the Save button.

Upon saving, a confirmation message will immediately appear on the screen indicating that the permit rollover subscription has been successfully updated.

Best Practices and Considerations

• Verify prior payment history: For a specific credit card to be used for recurring permit payments, the user must have purchased their previous permit using the exact same payment type. The system requires this historical transaction record to successfully link the payment method to the subscription.

• Understand EFT limitations: Remember that EFT can only be used for subscription services. Electronic Funds Transfer cannot be used to pay for individual citations or other one-off items within the system.

• Encourage user responsibility: Administrators should actively encourage users to maintain updated payment information within their online profiles. Keeping billing details current ensures uninterrupted permit rollovers. While administrators can manually add payment details on the backend, users can easily manage multiple payment methods through their own user portal (keeping in mind that only one method may be set as primary).