If you’re about to run Autopay for the first time, this guide will walk you through what happens and what to check beforehand. A few quick confirmations now can help ensure your first run goes smoothly.
How Autopay Works and What to Confirm Before Your First Run
Autopay automatically charges a family’s saved payment method for posted charges that are due on their account. Once enabled, the system attempts payment on your scheduled billing date.
Before your first Autopay runs, take a moment to confirm the following:
Autopay is enabled in Settings under the Billing tab. Weekly and monthly billing cycles are configured separately, so make sure you are reviewing the correct billing cycle.
Autopay begins processing at 9 a.m. local time on the date that you have set it to run. It does not run again later in the day. If you add a debit after 9 a.m. on your scheduled Autopay date, it will not be included until the next run. Debits must already be posted to student accounts and have a due date assigned at the time auto pay runs.
For the smoothest experience, set your Autopay run date to match the due date of your debits. If a debit is due after your Autopay date, it will not be included in that run. Keeping these dates aligned helps ensure predictable billing and avoids confusion for families.
How to Confirm Autopay Is Enabled
You can verify Autopay in two places:
In the Statements tab, you can view which families currently have Autopay turned on.
In an individual student’s profile, open the Billing tab. At the bottom of the page, you will see an Autopay indicator on the listed payment method if is enabled for that account.
Review Your Billing Setup One Last Time
Before your first Autopay runs, take a few minutes to review your billing setup. A quick final check can help you catch small issues before they turn into bigger questions later.
Confirm Students Are on the Correct Billing Frequency
Before Autopay runs, head to the Transactions tab and open the Debits tab. From there, turn on the Billing Freq, Service Start, and Service End columns if they aren't already. To make the columns visible, click the ⚙️ icon at the top of the header. Click on the eyelash to make preferred columns visible. Seeing these side by side makes it much easier to spot anything that looks off.
Take a moment to confirm that the billing frequency matches the service dates. For example, if a billing cycle is set to Monthly, the service start and end dates should reflect a full monthly range. If those don’t line up, Autopay may not process the way you expect.
This quick review helps ensure each student’s charges are aligned with the billing cycle before your first run.
Confirm the Autopay Date aligns the Due Date
Next, go to the Statements tab and turn on the Next Autopay and Next due date columns. Review these dates side by side. Your Next due date should align with your Next Autopay date. If the due date is set after the Autopay date, that charge will not be included in the upcoming run.
Taking a moment to compare these two columns helps you quickly spot any misalignment before Autopay processes.
Review Who Has Autopay Enabled and Send Reminders if Needed
In the Statements tab, make sure the Autopay column is turned on. You can sort this column or apply a filter to quickly see which families have Autopay enabled and which do not.
If you have families who have not turned on Autopay yet, you can send them a reminder directly from this page. Select the checkbox next to the student’s name, click the Actions button, and choose Request autopay via email. This will send an email asking the family to enable Autopay.
If you have mandatory Autopay turned on, families still need to go in and enable Autopay themselves the first time. Once they’ve turned it on, they won’t be able to turn it off unless you apply an Autopay exemption for them.
What Families Will Experience
When Autopay runs, families will see the charge on their saved payment method. Autopay begins processing at 9 a.m. local time, so charges are typically processed that morning.
If the payment is successful, the family will receive a confirmation email with the payment details, including the date, amount, and payment method used.
If the payment fails, the family will also receive an email notification letting them know the payment was declined. They will need to update their payment method or submit a manual payment to resolve the balance.
Knowing what families see on their end can help you answer questions quickly and confidently after your first run.
💡 Once your first Autopay has processed, head to After Your First Autopay Runs article to learn what to review and how to handle common follow up questions.