When units incur charges with due dates on their accounts and the due date passes, you can view the delinquent accounts as well as create automations that send email, regular post or certified letters to these accounts at specified intervals. The below guide explains how to accomplish this.
⚠️ In order to use an automation that includes a physical mailing, you must have set your Organization's address defaults in the General Settings ➡ Organization.
👉 Visit the Financial Dashboard from the left navigation and find Delinquent Accounts under the Billing section.
You will see the list of delinquent accounts in your association, along with core information such as:
the address
charge type
days overdue
amount
actions - things you can do with this charge
Each row is the aggregated view of a Property which can be expanded to view the individual charges that make up the total.
The automation dropdown specifies whether or not this particular delinquent account will be subject to your automation rules. If you have not created rules yet, this will be automatic by default. Once you create an automation, any existing charge that would be subject to the automation will be set to manual to prevent unintended triggering of notices at the time the rule is created. If you switch the charge from manual to automatic at that point, the rule applying to the latest action will be triggered at the next run.
⚡️ Creating Automation Rules
Click Automation Settings in the top right of the page.
Creating an Overdue Notice automation allows you to select the charge type that the specific automation applies to. In the example above, we are applying the rule to "Dues" type charges. Enter the number of days past due that will trigger this automation, and then select Email, Regular Postal Mail, or Certified Letter. If you select Certified Letter, select whether your HOA absorbs the certified mail cost (in other words, it's included in the fine that has been created for this late charge), or whether you wish to create a line item charge in that property's account equal to the cost of the certified mail. The text input lets you edit the default text that is sent in these letters. You'll note the {{variables}} that will automatically place certain fields in the letter, such as:
the property address
the charge type
the days past due amounts
a link to their account to make a payment
Wherever a {{variable}} field is entered, that specific information will be placed in the letter. You can preview the letter by clicking PDF Preview.
You can create several rules, either for individual charge types or for late periods, such as 60 or 90 days.
⚡️ Rules Settings
Charge Type: Set the type pf charge that your notice applies to (Dues, Fines, Special Assessments etc). Other charge types can have other rules.
Days Overdue: Set the number of days overdue that triggers the rule
Window (in Days): The number of days that must pass before a new notice is sent regarding another overdue charge. Since every overdue notice includes a listing of all charges, this is intended to prevent an account from receiving multiple certified letters or other notices within a short period of time that all contain the same charges.
👉 Example: If your "window" is set to 30 days, then an account that triggers a notice for overdue charges on March 1st (for this rule) would not be eligible to trigger a new notification from any rule) until March 31st.
👉 How Rules Are Applied
Every delinquent unit is either set to automatic or to manual for application of these rules. Charges that are set to manual will not receive any automated notices due to these rules (manual can be sent).
Accounts are set to automatic by default, but if a new rule is created that would immediately apply to an account with delinquent charges and trigger a notice, that Account/Property is set to "manual" to avoid that trigger. You can change that Account from manual to automatic to ensure it receives the notice through the automation - OR you can manually send the notice and choose the method.
⭐️ EXAMPLE 1
Address 123 Main Street has a $100 outstanding "Dues" charge that was due 65 days ago
You have no rules yet in place.
You create a rule that applies to Dues charges at 30 days late, and another rule that applies to Dues charges at 60 days late.
That charge is now eligible to receive a 30 day and a 60 day late letter BUT, since the rule was created at a time when it is eligible, that charge is automatically set to manual - meaning no letter will be sent.
You change that charge from Manual to Automatic. It has not received a 30 day or a 60 day letter so it is eligible for both. However, sending both would not make sense. The system sends only the latest eligible notice - the 60 day letter.
⭐️ EXAMPLE 2
Address 456 Main Street has a $100 outstanding "Dues" charge that was due 65 days ago
You have no rules yet in place.
You create a rule that applies to Dues charges at 90 days late
The charge is set to Automatic and will remain set to automatic because the rule that was created does not automatically apply yet.
At 90 days, the system runs the process and the charge that has not yet been paid is triggers, receiving a letter because it now meets the rule's criteria.