SchoolPay Payments

Overview:

Schoolpay has help documents you can access, by the module name click the download icon.

Applying Payments to Food Service Accounts
SchoolPay User Guide
SchoolPay Accounts
Card Readers
Using iPad
Using Virtual Terminal on a Computer (USB reader)
Using Virtual Terminal
SchoolPay Paid/No Paid Report
Year end Cleanup "Fee items" and items with Quantity Counts
Chromebook Fees
Athletic Fees
Waivers
Deposits – Cash & Check Batching

Applying Payments to Food Service Accounts See More

Log in to SchoolPay.

Click on the VT drop-down menu in the top-right corner, then select "Office Terminal".

Select the "By Student" tab. Then click "--Select School--", and find the student's school in the drop-down menu. After that, click "Select student" and find the student in the drop-down menu.

Once the student is selected, scroll down through their fees until you find the "Food Service" row. Check the box on the left side of the row, then hit "Submit".

Check the box for "Admin Custom Fields override", enter a dollar amount, then hit "Submit".

When finished, click "Proceed to Checkout".

Under "Payment", select either "Manually Enter" or "Tap to Swipe", then check the box for "Remove Convenience Fees."

NOTE: Under "Select payment method", click ONLY the credit card icon. Do not select cash or check.

If you selected "Manually Enter", enter the payer's card details. If you are doing this over the phone, repeat the information back to the payer.

Follow the prompts and check the box for "E-mail Receipt to Payor". Finally, click "Buy".

NOTE: Any cash or check payments are to be given to the server/cashier in the kitchen, so that they may apply those payments to student's accounts.

SchoolPay User GuideSee More

SchoolPay AccountsSee More

Log in to SchoolPay with your email address and designated password (provided to you by Accounting).
Click the Account icon on the top right corner and choose "Account Settings"
Select "User Settings" from the left hand menu to expand more options, then select "Administrators"
Click the +Add Administrator button on the top right corner to add a New User.
1. Note: The email address must be unique when adding a new user. If the email address is already being used, you will receive an error message.
Enter the following:
1. First Name
2. Last Name
3. email address
Select a "School"
Select a "Role"
Check the boxes to "Send welcome e-mail" and "Receive Weekly Transaction Reports"
Set the Password to Manually Input and type in the password that you will give to the new user.
Check the box "I'm not a Robot" and click "Submit" to save the new user.

Card ReadersSee More

NOTE: To purchase additional units, please use the IT Hardware Quotes Service Request
When you insert the reader into the headphone plug make sure the "L" part of the bracket is at the front of the ipad so it doesn't spin around.

Using iPad See More

Your District iPad should have these two apps listed below. If not, you will need to request these apps using the iPad Apps Service Request:

ID Tech UniMag
SchoolPay Mobile Terminal

Instructions

Make sure you allow permissions to Unimag to the microphone in settings. Also enable the microphone in the SchoolPay POS app.
Plug in your card reader to the headphone jack.
Open the 'ID Tech UniMag' app
If prompted, allow access to the microphone
Click the “i ” icon near the bottom right of the screen
Select UniMag II from the options listed
Click “Connect with Reader”
Download the “ID Tech UniMag” app from the App Store, and open the app. If it doesn’t remove the reader from the headphone jack and re-insert ensuring it is fully connected.
If you would like to test your reader, click “Swipe” at the bottom of your screen.
Click “Read Card Swipe” and then swipe your card through the reader. Text will appear on the screen, indicating that the device could read the card.
You will now open the SchoolPay app from the Apple Store. The App icon will look like the image below:
Open the SchoolPay application then login with your provided username and password. Once logged in you will be able to start taking payments.

Using iPad for Events

After Each Transaction, arrow back twice.
From the 4 square window, go back into the event.
Ready to charge again.

Three key things to know when using the iPad virtual terminal:

You must have the SchoolPay Mobile Terminal App installed
The card reader must be plugged into the iPad before opening the SchoolPay App
1. If not, close the SchoolPay App by double clicking the home button at the bottom of the iPad, and your open applications will zoom out. Swipe up on the SchoolPay App to close it completely.
The microphone should be enabled (you will be prompted to agree to this)

Using Virtual Terminal on a Computer (USB reader)See More

To setup your MSR100 card reader, please plug the reader into the USB port on your computer. Please allow a couple of minutes for the reader to install on your computer. This will happen automatically. Once the reader has completed installation, the light will be green on the top of the reader. Go to www.schoolpay.com from a standard web browser to log in and begin using the Virtual Terminal. Please make sure that when swiping a credit/debit card, the magnetic strip on the card is facing the opposite side as the light on the reader.

Using Virtual TerminalSee More

We have included a link below that includes an instructional video on how to use the Virtual Terminal (amongst other training videos on the SchoolPay System) to accept payments with your UniMag and MSR100 card readers.
ttps://www.schoolpay.com/control/promote/trainingvids

To make an in-person payment via SchoolPay for items in Synergy (Athletics/Chromebook Fees):

Select the Virtual Terminal (VT)
1. 3^rd party Items
Search for the student by name or ID.
Click “get fees”
Select the Fee item.
Checkout
Proceed with payment, recording cash or check, check number and dollar amount being paid.

To make an in-person payment via SchoolPay for items not Synergy (Library Fees):

Select the Virtual Terminal (VT)
1. change 3^rd party screen to Symphony plugin
Search for the student by name or ID.
Click “get fees”
Select the Fee item.
Checkout
Proceed with payment, recording cash or check, check number and dollar amount being paid.

SchoolPay Paid/No Paid ReportSee More

Download PDF version

Year end Cleanup "Fee items" and items with Quantity CountsSee More

5/25/2022 - MSBSD Accounting Department Memo- Below are some necessary SchoolPay cleanup tasks that may be relevant for your school:

The first is with fee items. Most school use “Individual” items to create fees, but some of you may have created “fee Items” that parents have already paid for this year and will need to pay for next year again (example: Football sports fee”). If there are fee items that exist out there and parents will have to pay for the item again in the next school year you will want to archive and duplicate the item from the 21-22 school year. This is because fee items are only meant to be paid once and they do not "reset" year to year. So if we have a middle school parent with a rising 7th grader that paid a technology fee this year, they would not be able to see the item next year as it is being classified as already paid. Please find instructions below for duplicating items and removing items in SchoolPay.

The second is if you had a limited quantity on an item for an item and you need the counts to reset for the new year. Item sold counts do not reset year to year. As an example of when you may want to archive and duplicate and item for the next year: If you have a generic “Yearbook” item, and there 100 yearbooks available this year and you use the same item next year, it will appear as if 100 are already sold, unless you archive the old one, and create a new item with the “Duplicate” button (then adjust the quantity). Another instance when it is best practice to archive and duplicate an inventory for the next year is when the Item where the sold count on the bottom of the item will be closely monitored. Since the item sold counts do not reset year to year if an administrator will be closely monitoring items sold, we suggest creating a new item. Please find instructions below for duplicating items and removing items in SchoolPay.

“Fee” Items
Items with Inventory Counts

INSTRUCTIONS

Duplicating Items

Hover over Payments
Select the payment type (most likely Individual Item)
Hover over the item you would like to duplicate
Click the Duplicate button
Change the name, item description, and price, if necessary
Save your new item

Deleting Items

Hover over Payments
Select the payment type (most likely Individual Item)
Click the box next to the item you would like to remove
Click the Trash Icon at the top of your screen

You can view the items in your trash by clicking the magnifying glass in the bottom left corner of your screen. All items will be held here until it is permanently deleted from your trash. Deleting an item does not remove payments to the item; all transaction history for your deleted items will still be available under your transaction and item reports.

Chromebook Fees See More

To standardize the Chromebook fees in accordance with the District One to One Agreement the following fees have been added to each school’s SchoolPay items:

Chromebook Replacement Fees (6)
Chromebook Case Replacement Fee
Chromebook Power Adapter Replacement Fee
Chromebook Screen Replacement Fee
Chromebook Keyboard Replacement Fee

These items have been created for the collection of fees related to the Chromebooks, with the intention being that it is assigned only to students whom the School Office Staff, in coordination with the librarian or designated staff, has determine owes a fee. The items are inactive at this time so that they are not visible to any students in the payment center until ready to be used.

These items have been locked down to prevent edits, edits should only be made by the Accounting Department.

Chromebook Fee Payment Collection

All Chromebook related fees must be processed and paid using SchoolPay. The preferred method of fee collection for all Chromebook related fees is to pay online or via credit card.

Chromebook Fee Payment Waiver

To waive Chromebook fees, go into the Synergy screen Student Fees. Find the student and open the specific fee. Under the adjustment history section, click add. From here choose credit and put the fee amount and reason in, click save. Refresh your page and the fee will move to the paid line.

Chromebook Fee Process

These will be automatically entered from 1to1 Plus from the assessment into Synergy Thursday nights. Once in Synergy the administration can mark these waived or the parent can pay these from SchoolPay. Notifications of these will go out to parents on the following Wednesday night.
No Chromebook fees should be collected outside of the SchoolPay system. As an example, adding Chromebook fees in a Munis (non-SchoolPay deposit) or Synergy credit is unallowable.
If there is a need for any additional Chromebook replacement fee items not in already in SchoolPay/Synergy, please email studentactivities@matsuk12.us and Accounting will work with IT to review the request.

For those who enter the Chord fees at the front office, you can go to the Student Fee screen, add the fee to the student, then follow the virtual terminal instructions mentioned above.

Athletic FeesSee More

NOTE: If a student is marked as Free or Reduced in Synergy, their fees will be automatically reduced. This process runs daily at 12 PM and 4PM.

Assigning Fees

Fee groups are assigned in Synergy by the school.

In order to assign these groups, you can use the individual "Student Fees" screen, or assign students to groups with "Fee" in the code or description.

To assign a fee, copy the fee to your school. DO NOT change the description, as this disrupts the import process.

Below is a list of approved descriptions:

MSBSD Athletic Fee: Baseball
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Basketball
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Cheer Basketball
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Cheer Football
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Cross Country Running
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Flag Football
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Football
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Football Cheer
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Hockey
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Marching Band
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Nordic Ski
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Nordic Skiing
MSBSD Athletic Fee: NYO
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Soccer
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Softball
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Swim/Dive
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Tennis
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Track and Field
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Volleyball
MSBSD Athletic Fee: Wrestling

Once a fee is assigned in Synergy, it will automatically flow to SchoolPay. The parent will see the fee in ParentVUE before going to pay. Once paid, it will automatically move to the "Paid Fee" section of the "Student Fees" screen.

If an athletic fee needs deleted, verify there is not a waiver. If there is, first delete the waiver, then the fee.

Out-of-School Athletes

If a student is participating in sports but is not from the school, work with your registrar to have the student enrolled concurrently.

If a student is participating in sports but is not enrolled in the Mat-Su Borough School District, work with your registrar and have the student fill out the online sports registration form in ParentVUE. Directions for this can be found here, under "Out of District Athletic Registration."

Fee Reports

There are many fee report options available in Synergy:

If more are needed, please email CallCenter@matsuk12.us.

WaiversSee More

Synergy, Student Fees screen, find student
Expand the line item in Current Fees section that you want to waive
Adjustment History - Add
1. Transaction Type= Credit
2. Amount
3. Adjustment Reason
4. Save
Refresh your screen and it will show in the current fees section as a credit.

Deposits – Cash & Check Batching See More

SchoolPay is the digital cash register for the MSBSD. Every dollar received, should be entered into SchoolPay to create a receipt. As payments are entered into the system, Schoolpay logs each payment in a batch. This batch is an accumulation of the money held by your school, that needs to be taken to the bank for a deposit. At the end of every day, the cash and checks you have in the safe, should equal the batch total in Schoolpay. To review your check batch total:

Login to SchoolPay
Reports > Batches > Paper Checks / Cash
If you don’t see the batch listed, expand your date range on the left hand side of the screen
The deposit total, should match the total of the checks (or cash in a cash deposit) in your deposit. If they don’t match, you’ll need to click on the transactions, review each SchoolPay receipt, against each check in the batch.

Taking the Money to the Bank

Printable Deposit Instructions

Notes:

Money should be deposited frequently, not held at the school
The balance in schoolpay should match the balance taken to the bank. Please contact accounting before you deposit funds, if you have a discrepancy.
Close your batch every time you take money to the bank.
When you’re at the bank, combine all cash and checks into a single transaction. (Cash, checks, and projects are split using SchoolPay and Munis)

Additional Synergy FeesSee More

Follow the process outlined below to add additional fees that will show in Synergy and go out with the weekly email notice to parents:

In SchoolPay:

Open SchoolPay
In the Payments drop-down to the right select Synergy Items
Click Build New Synergy Item in the menu to the left, enter the following:

Category: Fee
Item Title: Create a generic name and include "$1"
Priority: Don't change
Year Extension: Don't change
School Year: Enter current school year

In Synergy

Access 'School Fee Codes' screen
a) Highlight fee, click Show Detail
b) Check 'Allow Partial Payments' box. Do not mark anything else.
c) Click Save
Access 'Student Fees' screen for intended student
a) Add new fee per usual procedure with $ amount and add any extra notes

Request Service: Other Software Issues

0 reviews

Print Article

Updating...