Author Topic: Dues  (Read 8325 times)

Julie P

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Dues
« on: July 01, 2009, 03:25:14 PM »
Note: This post is applicable in the Cloud database's Windows App as well as in the Legacy database.

Sorry, but the dues still confuse me!  Under Club Set up - Weekly Dues Amount I put $1.00.  For the Annual Dues Amount I tried to put in -0- because we only charge for the week they attend.  But as you know it wouldn't take it so I put in $40. since we will be running 40 weeks.  So in the Default Dues Mode, I put weekly.  Is this right?  Won't it still charge for the weeks they don't attend by showing a "balance due since I had to put an Annual Due Amount?"  We will be charging $20 for registration so where would that be entered.  Thanks for your help!
« Last Edit: March 24, 2022, 11:44:50 AM by Annette »

Rick Leffler

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Re: Dues
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2009, 11:51:51 AM »
Julie P... no need to apologize!  Handling Dues/Registration, book, uniform and other fees and payments can be daunting, even when you're trying to do it on paper! 

This would be a good time to remind everyone that the current functionality of AWdb has evolved based on the requests and feedback from users over the past few years.  If users can come up with a better way to meet the needs on this or any other topic, I'm open to it and look forward to making future enhancements.  With that said, let's review the current functionality...

Here is the information I copied from the "Info" panel on the Admin > Club Setup screen:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DUES:  To track dues-related payments, the system must have
a Fee record representing the "annualized" dues for the current
club year. This record will be created automaticaly when a
clubber's Registration becomes current, or when the Dues Pd
checkbox is checked.

   The "Default Dues Mode" determines the amount of the Dues
Fee record. If the mode is "Annual"  then the Annual_Dues_Amt
is used, otherwise the annualized Dues Amount is calculated
as the "Weekly_Dues_Amt * Number_of_Weeks.  Note: Either
of these annualized amounts may be affected by the pro-rate
option under Admin > Options >Fees and Dues.

   If the Dues_Pd checkbox field of the Check-in List or
Attendance tab of the Member form is used, it is assumed that
Dues are going to be paid on a weekly basis and therefore the
annualized Amount of the Dues Fee record will be calculated
using the Weekly_Dues_Amt. You may also enter payments for
Dues through the Household Ledger.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Remember, A FEE record representing the Annualized Dues (aka Registration) Amount will be created automaticaly when a clubber's Registration becomes current, or when the Dues Pd checkbox is checked.

The easiest way to set a clubber's Registration to be current is to select one or more clubbers on the main Clubbers List grid.  Then right-click a highlighted row and from the popup menu select
"set Registration to Current".  This will: a) set the clubber's Status to "Active" and b) set the Registration as current as of the Current Club Date, and c) create a FEE record representing the annual Dues (aka Registration) Amount for the {2009-2010} Club Year.

As you can tell from above, I'm promoting the use of the words "Dues" and "Registration" fees as somewhat interchangeable here. I think that may help reduce confusion and simplyify data-entry if your club uses/considers the word "Dues" to be the same as "Registration Fee".  Thus if your Registration Fee is $20 then consider that your Annual Dues amount and enter $20 on the Club Setup screen and select the default dues mode to be "Annual". You would then set your weekly dues amount to $0.50.

You asked "... Won't it still charge for the weeks they don't attend by showing a "balance due ...". 
Answer: Mostly "Yes" because if you join a club and the club requires Dues (aka Registration Fee) then you owe the amount. Period. (Think of any of us joining a health club, Rotary, YMCA, etc.)  If you decide not to attend one or more club meetings you don't get your money back. Also, for those clubbers who pay the full amount at the beginning of the year and miss a few nights, you probably don't give them refunds (nor should you in my opinion). Thus, if a clubber is allowed to pay their Dues/Registration Fee on a weekly basis and miss a week, technically they still owe for the weeks they missed.  Now, here is the exception: Under Admin > Option Fees and Dues > Main  you will see a checkbox option to affect how Dues payments received are distributed when applying pre/post paid amounts.  You can tell AWdb to SKIP weeks where the clubber was absent if you want to.

Another point about Dues Fees, or technically any kind of Fee, is that you can WAIVE the balance due if you can not or do not want to collect the amount owed. This is a good approach because it will give you a much more accurate picture of costs involved in running the club and you can track who paid or did not pay  and for what. There is no free lunch. SOMEONE has to pay for the overhead of running the club. If your club decides to not charge for uniforms, books, dues or whatever, that's ok, but that doesn't mean those items are free... the church and/or others have covered the costs. By creating the Fee records (most of which are done for you automatically in AWdb) you paint a truer picture of club expenses, and having accurate information like this is a good planning and budgeting and reporting tool.

I think most clubs prefer to try and collect the annual Registration/Dues Fee up front and then not hassle with the weekly payments. If so, you can and should hide the Dues band from the Check-in List grid display. Naturally you can collect a portion of the annual Fee and let parents pay in two or three or more subsequent payments and easily log those payments through the Household Ledger. This way you still don't have to "do" the weekly Dues tracking.  Note the handy "Household Account Statement" report that you can give to parents periodically.

Another approach I think is useful is to keep separate Fees for Books and Uniforms and Do NOT lump them all together under one Registration Fee. That makes inventory harder to manage and frankly only works for brand new clubs their first year because EVERY clubber needs a book and uniform, starting in the second year some clubbers will re-use their uniform and may still be working in their same book. 

Bottom lines (in my opinion):
 
1) If there is a Registration Fee (it's ok to call it "Dues") and it should be separate from any Fee for a book or uniform.

2) If your club charges a Registration Fee (aka Dues) then use the Annual Dues Amount and try to collect in a single payment up front. If necessary you can allow two or three subequent payments and track them via the Household Ledger.

3) Regards costs for Books, let AWdb automatically create the Fee record for you when assigning books. (be sure to set YOUR Sell Price by editing the specific Inventory Item records for your books.

4) If a clubber misses a week they still owe their dues, but you can use the SKIP option if allowing weekly payments, and you can also WAIVE the balance on any Fee quite easily.

Hopefully this long-winded information will help you decide how to handle your Dues/Registration Fees. We will be having a series of webinars in the coming weeks to cover this topic. I will also be creating a video to demonstrate and talk through this subject. Watch the FAQ and Videos topic for it. 

Finally, I encourage others to jump in here and give their opinions and ideas on this topic!

« Last Edit: June 25, 2018, 04:19:36 PM by Annette »

Julie P

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Re: Dues
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2009, 01:41:53 PM »
Hey Rick,
Thank you for the reply but I think I confused you.  We are charging $20 for the registration fee and $1 for every night they attend.  So if a child has perfect attendance they would have paid $60 (40 weeks).  Like you said most people know about when you join a club there usually is an upfront cost.  We wanted to make it pretty reasonable since some have more than one child attending.   
So we will have a registration fee - $20 and $1 weekly dues so if I enter the $20 as the Annual Dues Amount and we enter it as one payment per clubber will it then show paid in full when we still will have $1 per week charges?
Or should I put $60 as Annual Dues Amt, and use the skip option?  Thank you for your time and patience!

Mainah

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Re: Dues
« Reply #3 on: July 09, 2009, 06:10:14 AM »
You can create a new fee called Registration Fee.  It would be completely independent of the dues so as not to get it confused or skew the status of dues payments.  It would be just like a book or uniform fee.
Diane
Saved at Awana in 1975!
Office Director
Cornerstone Baptist Awana Club
Maine

Julie P

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Re: Dues
« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2009, 10:40:31 AM »
Great idea --- how and where do I do that?

Mainah

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Re: Dues
« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2009, 11:45:59 AM »
Um, yeah, I did that a year ago and had to remember....   ;D
Ok, yeah, I've looked around mine and...here, do this:

Click the Inventory tab
Click on the Items tab if it isn't already selected.
Search: Dues.  See the item numbers there called: Fee 0809, etc and so on?  That's the idea.
Now, click: New Item.
Create an Item #, maybe: Reg0910
Put in a description such as: Annual Clubber Registration
Put: 20 in the Sell Price box
Click on Club Usage
Click This is an item we use in our club
Click Use this item in any fee related....
Click Save and Close
Now search: Reg and you will see it in the inventory!

Hmm, I don't know if there is a way for it to show up for each clubber automatically like the dues does.  I think you might have to pull it up for each clubber just as you do for their books and uniforms. 

Anyone chime in here if I missed something, or if you have something to add!
Diane
Saved at Awana in 1975!
Office Director
Cornerstone Baptist Awana Club
Maine

Julie P

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Re: Dues
« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2009, 02:08:10 PM »
Thank you very much!

Laura W

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Re: Dues
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2009, 09:16:11 PM »
I am a new user too.  We are in the process of entering in clubber information.  We are in a similar situation.  Our church is in a poorer community and so we have a registration fee of $15 and then collect $0.50 weekly dues if the clubber is in attendance.  The idea of the weekly dues is to get them used to giving on a regular basis to church.  Personally, my two sons earn a couple of dollars a week doing chores at home and they pay the $0.50 out of the money that they earn.  It is like their tithe.

Thanks for your help.  I think I have it set up how it is supposed to work now.

cher

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Re: Dues
« Reply #8 on: August 31, 2009, 05:26:45 PM »
I noticed that you mentioned the "Waive" option.  We waive the registration fee for anyone who volunteers for the year.  When I put the volunteer's child's name in it automatically charges the registration fee.  When I try to check off the "waive" box, it doesn't do anything.
Can anyone tell me how to waive a fee?

Thanks
Cheryl

dave4him

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Re: Dues
« Reply #9 on: August 31, 2009, 07:20:23 PM »
First, check to see if you have your "Payor Name" designated for any waived charges. Usually the name of the church is used but any name you choose is fine. Go to ADMIN > OPTIONS > FEES & DUES > MAIN. Insert your  Payor name in the field there. When a fee is paid, a payor's name is selected. So from now on, when you waive a fee, this name you have chosen appears for your record keeping.

Read over the info on this Main Fees page to better understand the available options.

To waive a fee, the fee has to be created first. When your volunteer's child has been charged with the fee, open the Household Ledger. (Several ways to do this, i.e., right-click clubber name and choose Household Ledger is easy.) In the Ledger under FEES tab, you should see the Registration charge (Fee# 0910). In the PAYMENT field above, choose Waived and the fee(s) below will have a check box available now. Click the box with the fee you wish to waive and the cost will appear above now in the Amount field. The "Apply this payment" field should be "ONLY to fees selected below". Click POST the Payment. BLOOF...the fee is gone. The waived fee will now appear on the Payment tab view. If you make a mistake just highlight the appropriate Paid fee and click Delete and it will go back to the Fee(s) due page.


[Note: in the Windows app, the Options tab is under Admin > System Settings. akj]
« Last Edit: March 18, 2022, 10:36:12 AM by Annette »
David Barnes
Awana Commander
First Baptist Church
Branford, FL
N.Fl. Awana Ministry Team