Fines and billing
Contents |
Fines
In Evergreen, fines are calculated automatically when the item is checked in. Fines in Evergreen are calculated with the idea that a day is an exact 24 hour period. For example, if one checks out book at 2:00 pm, it is not due until the specified due date at 2:00pm. If it is returned at 1:45 pm, the system does not consider it overdue. Authorized library staff may, however, forgive fines in a patron’s account. Library staff may also add charges to a patron’s account.
Billing
The patron’s bills can be displayed by retrieving the patron/user record. and clicking on the Bills button at the top.
Adding a bill
Retrieve a patron/user record. Click on the Bills button.
Click on the Bill Patron button. It will bring up the Bill Patron Wizard.
The Transaction Type will default to Grocery.
Enter in the amount of the bill in the Amount box and if you want, a Note in the reason for the bill in the Note box. Then click on the Submit this Bill. (The Cancel button will cancel the creation of the bill.)
The bill will display in the white box on the Bills view. To select a bill, check the bill in the blank column. Each bill is checked by default. To de-select a bill, uncheck the bill in the blank column. This is how the payment can be applied to all or just some of the bills.
Click on a bill and click on Actions for Selected Transactions. Select Full Details (or right click on the bill and select Full Details). This will give you all the details regarding the bill. Notice that you have several options, including viewing the item in the catalog, voiding the bill, editing any notes on the bill and under List Actions, several printing and copying options.
To add charges for materials checked out to patrons/users click on the Items Out button, highlight the item to be billed, and click on the Actions for Selected Items menu and select Add Billing (or you can right click on the item and select Add Billing).
The Bill Patron Wizard will pop up. Fill in the information and click on
Submit this Bill.
The new bill will be added to the Bills view in the patron/user record.
Payment
Retrieve a patron/user record. Click on the Bills button.
To make a payment on a bill, make sure the bill (or bills) is checked under the blank column heading. Select the correct Payment Type (it will default to Cash, but other options include Check, Credit Card, Patron Credit, Work, Forgive and Goods). Enter the amount to be paid in the Payment received field.
To see the distribution of the payment, click on the See Distribution button. This will show you the Pending Payment for each bill.
Click on Apply Payment!.
The new balance will be displayed.
The system will automatically print off a receipt if Receipt Upon Payment is the option chosen under Receipt Options.
Difference between forgive & void
It's important to use the correct action when forgiving and voiding fines and bills. Problems can result from using void when forgive would be the correct action.
Forgive
- Forgive should be used when the original charge was valid, but for some reason, the library is nice and decides that the patron/user does not have to pay the fine (or a portion of the fine). For example, maybe the person was hospitalized or the library has a special amnesty - or partial amnesty - day. The billing history will show the amount of the original fine and how much was “forgiven”.
To forgive a bill:
While in the Bills view of the patron/user record, select the Payment Type Forgive.
Make sure that the bill (or bills) you want to forgive are checked.
Enter an amount in the Payment Received box.
To see the distribution of the forgive payment, click on the See Distribution button. This will show you the Pending Payment for each bill.
Click on Apply Payment!.
The new balance will display.
To see that part of a payment was forgiven, click on the History button.
If need be, click on the column picker are the far right of the column headings.
Select Last Payment Type.
Any forgiven bills will have forgive_payment as their Last Payment Type.
Void
- Void should be used when the original charge should not have been charged. For example, when checking in materials after a closure, the check in staff forgot to back-date the check in screen. Or for example, there is a charge on the patron's record that is in error (maybe a questionable charge that came over during the migration process). Or for example, the system charges a person who shouldn't have been charged (maybe a staff person or a teacher with whom you have a special arrangement for a class project, etc). Use Void when you want to wipe out the charge entirely and have no record or history of it in the system. If you "void" a fine, you do not put in any dollar amount because nothing is being credited (you are just wiping out the mistaken charge).
To void all bills:
While in the Bills view of the patron/user record.
Click on any bill, select Actions for this Transaction and select Void All Billings (or right click on any bill and select Void All Billings).
To void an individual bill, you can click on any bill, select Actions for this Transaction and select Full Details
Select all of parts of the bill and click on the Void selected billings button (or you can right click on a specific bill, select Full Details and click on the Void selected billings button.
The new balance will display.
There will be no history of voided bills.
A basic rule of thumb is:
- Forgive - put in the dollar amount that you are forgiving.
- Void - do not put in any dollar amount - the "void" will wipe out the complete charge.
Return to the Michigan Evergreen Wiki