Creating and Managing Default Payment Plans and Templates

Streamline your quoting process by creating standardized payment plan templates. This guide will walk you through setting up, configuring, and applying automated installment plans to collect payments as efficiently as possible.

Introduction: Automating Your Payment Plans

This feature allows administrators to design and save reusable, default payment structures to be automatically applied on quotes based on predefined rules, including per institution. This transforms payment plan creation from a manual, per-quote task into a centralized, automated system.

By implementing templates, your agency can unlock several key benefits that enhance both internal operations and the student experience.

Key Benefits

• Save Time and Increase Efficiency

Templates eliminate the need for repetitive, manual data entry. Instead, agents can rely on pre-configured plans allowing them to generate complex quotes faster.

• Ensure Consistency and Professionalism

Standardized payment plans ensure that every student receives a clear, professional, consistent quote and guarantees that all payment schedules align with your agency and your partner institution's policies.

• Scale Your Operations

Handle an increasing volume of quotes by moving the responsibility for payment logic from individual agents to an administrative setting.

• Customize Plans for Different Student Segments

Allow for quote customization per school provider, institution or program, streamlining the operational workflows for different student segments (e.g., language, juniors, higher education).

Getting Started: Default Payment Plans

All your payment plan templates are managed from a central hub within your settings. To get started, navigate to:

Settings > Company > Payment > Default Payment Plans

You will see all your existing templates and from here, you can:

• Create new templates - Begin building a new, reusable payment plan.
• Edit or delete existing ones - Perform routine maintenance and edit your existing plans.
  
  

Step-by-Step Guide: Building Your First Payment Plan Template

The configuration process is broken down into five logical steps. As you proceed through each step, you will see a Live Preview Panel on the right side of your screen. This powerful tool updates in real-time, showing you exactly how your payment plan will look based on your settings.

 

Step 1: Template Name

• Users must first enter a name for the payment plan template.
• This name helps identify the template later in the list of configurations.
• Templates can be used in Sales, allowing users to select names from a list of preconfigured payment plans.

Best Practice Tip: Use a clear and descriptive naming convention. For example, "Standard Language Program - 6 Installments" or "High School Pre-Departure Plan" is much more helpful than "Template 1."

 

Step 2: Deposit Configuration (First Payment)

Next, configure the initial deposit. This involves setting the customer-facing title and defining how the deposit amount is calculated.

• Deposit Title: Enter the label that students will see on their quote, such as “Initial Deposit,” “Registration Fee,” or “Non-refundable Fee.”
• Deposit Type: 

• • Fixed Amount: Does not change with the total quote value
  • Percentage of Total: Scale amount with the program cost
• Currency Selection: Selecting a currency will also update the calculation preview

Step 3: Number of Installments

This step determines how the remaining balance (the total quote amount minus the deposit) will be divided and collected.

Splitting "By Total"

Choose a 'split' type that apply to the entire remaining balance:

• Equal Split: Select the number of installments, and the system will automatically calculate an equal amount for each one.
• Custom Split: Choose the number of installments and then define the percentage of the remaining balance for each one, for further flexibility.

 

Step 4: Installment Dates

The power of templates lies in their use of relative dates rather than fixed calendar dates. This design choice is deliberate; it allows a single template to be applied to countless quotes with different start dates, making the system scalable.

4.1 Deposit Due Date (Start Date Rule)

First, set the rule for when the deposit is due ('First Payment'). You must select a trigger event and then specify a custom timeframe, relative to it. The trigger options are:

• Before quote start date
• After quote created

Then, simply select a number and interval, relative to that trigger.

Accordingly, the default payment plan will set its first due date relative to the rule set; in the example above - 2 days, after the quote has been created. If a quote were to be created on July 1st - the first payment due date here, will be set to July 3rd.

4.2 Final Installment Date and Intervals (End Date Rule)

Define when the final payment must be collected based on the interval that you set:

• Method to calculate: Set the end date of the plan (last payment) to calculate based on a set timeframe according to the end date of the quote, or by a standard interval of time. 
  • If set by 'Due/End Date' - choose the split option (before quote start, or after quote created) as in the previous step to that should calculate the last payment date.

• • If 'Intervals' is chosen - The final number of installments set from 'Step 3' will come into effect and determine how many payments are required, with the due dates calculated based in the interval values you set here.

Setting the relative interval here, allows for a flexible default setup even when dates and total course cost are not known.

 

Step 5: Apply Configuration to Schools

A template is only active once it has been assigned to one or more institutions. This final step automates that assignment, based on the installment rules you define.

• By Provider: Apply the templates on a per campus basis within a school's brand.
• By Program: Specify the program to apply the plan to within a school's campus.
• Preview List: As you define your assignment rules, the preview panel will show a real-time list of all schools that will be affected. This is a critical final check to ensure your template is applied correctly and to prevent unintended configurations.

The Payment Plan Preview Pane

Located on the right-hand side of the configuration screen, the Payment Plan Preview acts as a real-time simulator to provide immediate feedback. To make sure your payment plan will produce the desired outcome on a real quote, enter:

1. A total amount
2. Program start date
3. Program end date

Based on these inputs and your current configuration, the panel will generate a complete payment schedule. It will display the deposit, each installment amount, and  their respective due dates.

Practical Applications and Recommended Scenarios

While the template builder is highly flexible, it has been optimized to support the most common use cases across the education industry. 

The following table provides a quick reference guide for how templates could be structured for different types of educational products:

Use Case / Product	Payment Plan Configuration
Language Programs	• 1 single payment • Deposit (fixed amount) + final payment • Deposit (% of total) + final payment • Deposit + multiple installments (split by % of remaining amount)
Juniors / Summercamps	• 1 single payment • Deposit (fixed amount) + final payment • Deposit (% of total) + final payment
High School Programs	• Deposit + multiple installments (split by % of remaining amount) • Support for pre-departure payments (all payments due before course starts)
Higher Education / Vocational / Onshore Markets	• Deposit + multiple installments (split by % of remaining amount) • Option to configure payments before or after program start (e.g., pay while studying)

Current Limitations

Certain complex scenarios are not included in the current version.

• Monthly/Quarterly Payments During Program: The system cannot automatically generate payment plans tied to program length (e.g., monthly payments for a 12-month course). This is because installment plans are not dynamically based on program durations.
• Fixed Installment Dates: Templates do not support fixed dates (e.g., September 30, 2025), as this would require custom input for every quote and defeat the purpose of a reusable template.
• Per-Item Due Dates: While you can split the amounts of a payment plan by item (Course, Accommodation, etc.), you cannot yet assign different date rules to each item within the same template.
• Fixed Amount Installments: Installments (after the deposit) are calculated by percentage, not fixed amounts. This ensures the template remains flexible and can adapt to quotes with varying total prices.

Other Important Limitations

• Scope: Templates only apply to quotes created through Edvisor.
• Payment Collection: This feature structures the payment plan and facilitates reminders. It does not include automated payment collection, which is a separate feature.
  
  

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I create different payment plans for different programs or schools?

A: Yes! You can create multiple payment plan templates and assign them to specific institutions. 

Q: Can I adjust payment plans for specific quotes?

A: Absolutely. Templates provide a default starting point; but you can edit details per quote as needed.

Q: Will students see these payment plans automatically?

A: Yes, the payment plan will be included in the quote sent to students, including all descriptions you configure.

Q: Does this feature collect payments automatically?

A: Fro now, default payment plans are used only to structure and communicate payment timelines on quotes. Payment collection requires using the Sales feature to create payment requests, and is powered using 'Edvisor Payments'. Find out more.

Q: Who can create and administer templates?

A: Admin-level users have exclusive rights to create, edit, and assign templates.