Breadcrumbs

Process Property Tax Payments

Goal

Process property tax payments from various sources including bank transfers, credit cards, cash payments, and online portals efficiently and accurately.

[Screenshot: Payment Processing Dashboard showing daily payment summary with total amounts, payment methods, and processing status]

When to Use This Workflow

  • Daily payment processing: Handle incoming payments from all sources

  • Bank file imports: Process automated payment files from financial institutions

  • Manual payment entry: Enter individual payments received through various channels

  • End-of-day reconciliation: Ensure all payments are properly recorded and allocated

Prerequisites

Before starting this workflow, ensure you have:

  • Payment method setup: All accepted payment methods configured in the system

  • Bank file formats: Import templates and file specifications established

  • Reconciliation accounts: General ledger accounts properly mapped

  • User permissions: Access to payment processing modules and bank reconciliation

  • Daily cutoff procedures: Clear understanding of processing deadlines

[Screenshot: Payment Method Configuration screen showing enabled payment types (ACH, Credit Card, Check, Cash, Online Portal)]

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Import Bank Payment Files

  1. Navigate to Payments → Bank File Import

  2. Select the appropriate bank and file format

  3. Upload the daily payment file (typically received each morning)

  4. Review file summary showing total payments and amount

  5. Click Process Import to load payments into the system

[Screenshot: Bank File Import interface showing file selection dropdown, upload button, and file format options]

[Screenshot: Payment File Summary screen displaying imported file details - 150 payments totaling $125,000 with status indicators]

Step 2: Review Imported Payments

  1. Go to Payments → Pending Payments

  2. Review all imported payments for accuracy

  3. Check for any obvious errors in amounts or property references

  4. Verify payment dates align with processing requirements

[Screenshot: Pending Payments grid view showing payment list with columns for Amount, Date, Reference Number, Bank, and Status]

Step 3: Auto-Match Payments to Properties

  1. Click Auto-Match Payments to run automated matching

  2. System matches payments using property ID, account number, or amount

  3. Review match results and success rate

  4. Note any payments that couldn't be auto-matched

[Screenshot: Auto-Match Results dialog showing match statistics - 145 successful matches (97%), 5 unmatched, with summary totals]

Step 4: Manually Match Unmatched Payments

  1. For each unmatched payment, click Research

  2. Search for the property using available information:

    • Property address

    • Owner name

    • Account number

    • Payment amount

  3. When property is found, click Match to assign payment

  4. If property cannot be located, flag for further research

[Screenshot: Payment Research screen showing unmatched payment details on left, property search fields and results on right]

[Screenshot: Property Match Confirmation dialog displaying payment amount, property details, and current balance before applying match]

Step 5: Post Payment Transactions

  1. Review all matched payments for accuracy

  2. Select payments ready for posting

  3. Click Post Payments to apply transactions

  4. Confirm posting results and check for any errors

[Screenshot: Payment Posting Review screen with checkbox list of matched payments ready for posting, showing totals and validation status]

[Screenshot: Payment Posting Results summary showing successful posts, any failures, and total amounts processed]

Step 6: Handle Exception Items

  1. Review any payments that failed to post

  2. Research and resolve issues such as:

    • Closed accounts

    • Overpayments

    • Duplicate payments

  3. Reprocess corrected items

[Screenshot: Payment Exception Report listing failed payments with error descriptions and recommended actions]

Example Scenario

Daily Bank File Processing:

  • Receive morning bank file with 150 property tax payments totaling $125,000

  • Import file shows 145 successful auto-matches (97% match rate)

  • Manually research and match remaining 5 payments

  • Post all transactions by 10:00 AM cutoff

  • Generate daily deposit report for accounting team

[Screenshot: Daily Processing Summary report showing complete workflow results with timestamps and totals]

Common Errors & How to Fix Them

Payment Matching Failures

Problem: Payments cannot be matched to properties automatically
Solution:

  • Verify property information in customer database

  • Check for address changes or ownership transfers

  • Use partial matching on owner names or addresses

[Screenshot: Payment Matching Error dialog showing unmatched payment with suggested property matches based on partial criteria]

Duplicate Payments

Problem: Same payment appears multiple times in system
Solution:

  • Check for multiple bank accounts or payment methods

  • Review payment dates and reference numbers

  • Reverse duplicate entries and maintain single transaction

[Screenshot: Duplicate Payment Detection screen highlighting potential duplicate entries with comparison details]

Partial Payments

Problem: Payment amount doesn't match full assessment
Solution:

  • Apply payment to specific tax components in priority order

  • Create payment plan for remaining balance if applicable

  • Document partial payment arrangement in customer notes

[Screenshot: Partial Payment Allocation screen showing tax components with amounts and payment application options]

Bank File Format Errors

Problem: Import file fails due to format issues
Solution:

  • Verify file follows established template

  • Check for special characters or encoding issues

  • Contact bank to confirm file specification compliance

[Screenshot: File Format Error display showing validation errors with line numbers and specific formatting issues]

What Happens After This Workflow

Immediate Results:

  • Payments Applied: Customer accounts updated with payment transactions

  • Balances Updated: Property tax balances reflect new payments

  • Audit Trail: Complete transaction history maintained

  • Reconciliation Data: Information prepared for daily reconciliation

Follow-up Actions:

  • Daily Reconciliation: Compare bank deposits to posted payments

  • Exception Research: Continue investigating unmatched payments

  • Customer Communications: Send payment confirmations if configured

  • Reporting: Generate daily payment summary for management review

Tips for Success

  • Process payments daily to maintain current account balances

  • Establish consistent cutoff times for same-day processing

  • Maintain clean customer database for better auto-matching

  • Document unusual payment situations for future reference

  • Train backup staff on payment processing procedures

Screenshot Placeholders

[Screenshot: Main Payment Processing Menu showing all available payment options and daily workflow shortcuts]

[Screenshot: Bank Account Setup screen displaying configured bank accounts with file format specifications]

[Screenshot: Payment Method Priority Settings showing order of payment application (Current Year Tax, Prior Year, Interest, Penalties)]

[Screenshot: Daily Payment Processing Dashboard with real-time statistics and processing progress indicators]

[Screenshot: Payment Audit Trail report showing complete transaction history with timestamps and user information]

[Screenshot: Error Resolution Queue displaying all payment exceptions requiring manual intervention]

[Screenshot: Bank Reconciliation Preview showing comparison between imported payments and bank statement totals]

[Screenshot: Customer Payment Confirmation template showing payment details, property information, and updated balance]

[Screenshot: Management Payment Summary Report with daily totals, processing statistics, and trend analysis]