Billing

      Although this page describes the way MCA's billing software works, MCA can use the billing transactions created by other programs. If you can provide the data that we need ( Draft Data or Card Data ), it can be turned into a credit in your account. Several of our clients use third-party software (such as Legend or Aphelion) to manage their clubs, but send their transactions to MCA.

      MCA's software allows flexibility in the timing, amount and method by which each club member is billed. This is done by creating one or more payment schedules for each membership ( Schedule ). In each schedule, you will find an amount to be billed, a start date, end date, period (months between bills - usually one), next-due date and payment method (bill, draft, credit card or EFT).

      We have found no billing requirement too complex to be handled using schedules. For example, if a membership needed to be billed $20 for six months starting in January and then $33 quarterly ever after, two schedules would be created. The first would have a starting date of 01/**/**, an ending month of 06/**/**, a period of one and amount of $20. The second schedule would start on 07/**/**, end far in the future - say 12/01/49, have a period of three and amount of $33. Different payment methods could be assigned to each schedule, six months through EFT and the remainder by credit card. Temporarily interrupting a schedule is accomplished by adjusting the next-due or end date.

      Schedules handle recurring charges, but not all transactions for a membership can be predicted. For special, one-time charges or for receipts, MCA software allows manual transactions to be entered. Every adjustment to a membership's balance is accomplished through a transaction so there is a clear history of everything that has happened.

      When billing is run (usually once or twice a month), the program checks payment schedules to see if charges need to be generated. The generated transactions plus any unbilled manual transactions are then used to create "billing" transactions. These can take the form of drafts, credit card charges, paper bills (invoices) or EFT charges. A report of all billing activity is created.

      The billing transactions are sent to MCA where they are processed according to their payment type. Paper bills are printed and returned to the client for review and mailing; EFT transactions are converted to a NACHA format and submitted to our bank; credit card vouchers are printed or converted for electronic transfer and submitted for payment; paper drafts are printed and returned to the client for deposit at their bank. A summary of all processing done at MCA is sent to the client and a draft for processing fees is presented to the client's bank.

      MCA assists our client's administrative personnel in understanding how billing is accomplished and in using our software effectively. We also provide timely payment of billed amounts and very competitive transaction processing fees.