In the past, direct debits used to be something only larger companies could use, and something you associate with paying utility bills or insurance. They just cost small businesses too much to set up as only the big banks had the technology to generate the Direct Debit Mandates.
GoCardless have a system which allows small business to access this technology, with the capability to set up, take and manage payments using Direct Debit online. I was consulted originally in 2014 with the first interface between Sage 50 and GoCardless, but now with Sage 50 Accounts Version 24 there is improved integration to enable you to use the system which allows you to:
- Create a GoCardless account, or use an existing one.
- Securely set up customers with Direct Debit.
- Automatically collect payments on the invoice due date, improving cash flow.
Setting up GoCardless Integration
First, you need to go to Settings>Company Preferences to setup your connection with GoCardless. You can either connect your existing account or set up a new one. Sage has a wizard which guides you step by step through the Setup, but a tip to remember is that GoCardless passwords need a minimum of 12 characters.
Once your account is set up and confirmed you will then be returned to the wizard to complete the configuration and specify the bank account receipts will be paid into. The Direct Debit Manager account will receive the full value of any invoices paid by direct debit PRIOR to any fees being taken. This may need to be a new account set up specifically for this new purpose, and once payments have been received the account payments in and out will contra each other. Think of this as a control account to keep track of monies owing to you.
Then the Nominated Bank account will be the account which receives the money LESS the fees – so will often be your main bank account.
You will also need a Fee’s nominal code, usually in the 79** range of accounts for the GoCardless Fees to be allocated to.
You will also need to specify a charge date, which is the date the money will be requested prior to the invoice date. Remember it takes a few days for mandates to be processed and requested so you might want request the funds a few days before they need to be paid.
Customer Setup
Now you are ready to configure your customers so you can request payment from them using GoCardless. New buttons have been added in Sage to allow you to request a mandate, refresh a mandate (to see if it has been approved yet) and then Request DD payment.
Sending a request triggers an email to be sent to your client so they can accept or reject the mandate. They will be taken through an approval system which feeds back to Sage. You will need to click the refresh mandate button to filter through any changes,
You can link existing customers to your GoCardless account, you must have an email address for anyone who you want to set up a mandate for.
Need More Help?
If you need help with setting up the GoCardless integration with Sage 50, or you want to learn any more about the other new features in Sage 50 Version 24, then get in touch with us via the Contact Us page at the top of the page. We offer Sage training to help you get the best out of your accounts software both face to face handholding session and remotely using remote control software.
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