Payment Requests
Updated: Feb 5
If you are using Retreat Portal, then you have the option to enable Payment Requests.
Payment Requests allow you to send emails to guests or groups who have an outstanding balance asking them to pay all, or part, of the remaining balance via Retreat Portal. The link in the email takes the guest to the payment page where the requested amount is captured.
Table of Contents
Enable Payment Request Portal Interface
Retreat Portal Interface (Guests and Groups)
Retreat Manager Interface (Guests Only)
Payment Request Email Template
Retreat Portal Interface (Guests and Groups)
Log in to you your retreat portal console.
Required
Optional:
Click the menu icon in the top left of the page and you will see a Financials section with options for Outstanding Balances and Payment Requests. Click Outstanding Balances.
Retreat Portal Outstanding Balances Listing
The Outstanding Balances page in Retreat Portal shows the status of every invoice that has a balance due. It doesn't matter if the program hasn't started yet. It captures any invoice that hasn't been fully paid.
Recommended Reading: How to use tables in Retreat Portal
Click the question mark button in the top-right of the table to view the description of the columns.
The rows use the Balance for column to distinguish whether an invoice is meant for a Reservation (i.e. a guest) or for the Program (i.e. a group). Note in the example below that the Balance due is also a good indicator of whether the balance belongs to one person or a group.
When you've found the outstanding balance that you want to request payment for click the Create link in the Payment request(s) column. If a payment request already exists for the associated invoice, then the count of payment requests followed by an Edit link is present.
A form will appear with the contact for the payment request at the top. If you wish to select a different party to receive the payment request click the icon that looks like a pencil next to a square box. In the form you can choose when the payment request should be sent (default is immediately) and you can set when the payment is due. Finally you can choose whether the current outstanding balance should requested or if a fixed amount should be paid. When done click Create Payment Request.
Important: Requesting a party to pay the entire balance means the balance at the time you create the payment request. Should the balance change after the request is created, then the payment request does not change. This is because the email may contain the amount being requested.
The Outstanding Balances table will update automatically to indicate a payment request exists for the given invoice.
To edit the payment request(s) for an invoice click the Edit link. Since multiple payment requests per invoice are possible the edit screen will show you the listing of associated payment requests. If you wish to Create an additional payment request click Create. If you wish to edit an existing payment request click the Edit link for the given payment request row. The top of the form shows you the invoiced amount, total paid to date, the outstanding balance and the total requested payment requests. It is possible to have payment requests totaling more than the outstanding balance.
When you click Edit you'll see the details of the payment request.
If the payment request has not been sent yet, then you can modify the request as well as delete the payment request.
If the payment request has been sent, then you cannot modify anything nor can you delete the request. You can void the request though so that if they try to pay they are told they do not have to pay.
Retreat Portal Payment Requests Listing
The Payment Requests page in Retreat Portal shows the status of every payment request that has been created.
Recommended Reading: How to use tables in Retreat Portal (Coming Soon)
Click the question mark button in the top-right of the table to view the description of the columns.
The Payment Requests listing combines together the invoice status as well as the payment request status. It is possible an invoice may change or other payments made which could nullify the need for the party to pay the payment request.
The top of the listing has default filters to hide any invoice that has been paid in full as well as to hide any payment requests which have been paid in full.
The Request status column is the status of the request while the Invoice status column is the status of the invoice. The two are not tied together.
Important: There is no way to create payment requests from the payment requests listing page. Payment requests originate from invoices so you can only start from a page which has invoice information.
To take action on a payment request (e.g. to edit one) then click the three dots in the row for the payment request. A pop-up will appear allowing you to edit the payment request. You can also copy the link to the payment request should you wish to manually send it to someone. Or you can preview the pay request link.
Editing a payment request follows the same rules as above which are based on whether the payment request has been sent or not. Once a payment request has been sent, then your only option is to void the payment request.
Previewing a Pay Request will not flag the payment request as being viewed. But going to the link from Copy Pay Request Link will flag the payment request as being viewed.
What the payer sees (Pay Now Interface)...
The link to the payment request shows the payer a simple form to supply their credit card information and to pay the amount immediately.
You can supply your own logo to show in the top-right of the screen. The payment request link gives a summary of what the payment is for along with the invoice details. There is a button to view the invoice as well as pay the invoice.
Recommended Reading: Customize Retreat Portal Invoices
Retreat Manager Interface (Guests Only)
The interface in Retreat Manager only supports managing payment requests for guests. Retreat Manager does not yet support sending payment requests to groups.
Enabling Payment Request Feature
Start by enabling the Payment Request feature in Retreat Manager by selecting Configure > Administration > Payments, Invoice, Price Options
Click 'Online Portal' on the left-side and then check the box next to 'Enable Pay Request System'. Click Save and Close.
Using Payment Request Feature
Open the Payment Requests form by clicking 'Pay Requests' menu item.
There is a drop-down in the top-left to let you select programs that are either Sponsored or Hosted.
The second drop-down at the top allows you to narrow the results to a specific program.
The checkbox at the bottom lets you optionally show any registrations that were not taken on Retreat Portal. This is optional because Retreat Portal requires an email address, but registrations taken over the phone or in person may not have an email and therefore a payment request may not be possible.
The table ONLY shows those guests with a posted invoice AND that have an outstanding balance. As the balances are paid the guests will disappear from the list.
Create a Payment Request
Right-Click on a guest row and select 'Schedule Payment Request'
You can select when the payment request email will be sent - it can be immediately or any date in the future. You also specify when the payment is due and the chosen date will appear in the email tot he guest.
You can also choose to either have the full balance paid or a different amount. This can be useful if you want to request incremental payments over time.
When done click Submit.
Reset / Remove Payment Request
You can reset/remove a payment request which hasn't yet been sent by right-clicking on the row and selecting 'Reset Payment Request'.
Resend a Payment Request
Important - you MUST select the entire row by clicking the grey rectangle on the far left.
There will be a third option to 'Resend Pay Request...'
Enable Payment Request Portal Interface
Before you can use the Payment Request feature in Retreat Portal you must do the following.
Click the gear icon in the top-right of the page and select Marketing.
On the left-side of the page click Feature Flags and ensure Send Payment Notification is Enabled and Pay Now UX Version is set to v2.
Pay Now v2 Branding
The Pay Now interface is what guests and groups see when they pay the payment request.
Click the gear icon in the top-right of the page and select Branding.
On the left-side of the page click Payment Requests.
Click the Refresh button on the far right in the Preview area. This will refresh the contents to show you a sample of what the pay now interface would look like for the payer. The top of the page is fixed, but scroll down and you'll see a section for your logo. The preview shows what the interface looks like for a mobile device.
To change/set the logo click the Change button and the image picker will appear. If you have images you may choose an already uploaded image or click Upload Image and then Browse to pick an image from your computer to use.
Click the Refresh button again in the Preview area and the page will update. Scroll down to view your logo on the pay now page.
If your logo doesn't have a transparent background and you want a specific color behind your logo click the eye dropper icon next to Logo Background.
A color picker will appear. Drag your mouse around the left-side box to change colors and slide the bar up/down to adjust the color as well. Or you can enter an HTML color code in the box next to the # symbol. When done click the multi-colored circle in the bottom right.
Click Refresh to see the color in the preview window.
REMEMBER: When done click the Save button to make any changes permanent.
Payment Request Email Template
Go to retreatportal.com and log in.
Click the gear icon in the top-right of the page and select Branding
Select Emails on the left-side.
In the drop-down pick 'Guests / Payment Request'.
To get more information about how to manage email templates see the following tutorial: https://www.retreatportal.com/post/email-template-management