Automatic payments allow parents to set up recurring payments that run on a schedule you choose. This helps reduce the time staff spend chasing payments and gives your nursery more predictable and stable cash flow. Once set up, payments run automatically for parents who opt in, while you stay informed about each payment cycle.
ℹ️ We start preparing payments 3 days before your scheduled billing date. If you change your automatic payment date within those 3 days, the current cycle will still run on the original date, but your new billing date will apply from the next cycle onwards
How Automatic Payments Work
When you enable automatic payments, the process works as follows:
You choose your schedule
You decide when payments should run, such as weekly, monthly, or on invoice due dates.
Parents opt in
Each parent chooses whether to enable automatic payments for their account.
Payments run automatically
On your scheduled day, Famly charges all parents who have opted in.
Everyone receives notifications
Parents receive advance notice before payments are taken, and you receive updates on the payment run.
The funds arrive as usual
You receive payments according to the standard processing timeline for each payment method.
💡 Want to make automatic payments mandatory? You can require parents to set up automatic payments before they can access Famly in your settings. See the In-app Payments Complete Setup Guide to enable this option
Set Your Payment Schedule
To configure automatic payments:
Go to Settings → Finances → Billing and payments → Automatic payments
Select Edit
Choose Your Schedule
Select the option that best suits how your center invoices families.
Weekly
You choose a specific weekday, such as every Monday. This works well if you invoice weekly or if attendance varies from week to week.
Monthly
You can choose the first working day, the last working day, or a specific date between the 1st and 28th. This option works well for consistent monthly fees.
On Invoice Due Date
Payments run whenever an invoice becomes due, and only the amount due up to that date is charged. This works well if you use multiple invoice schedules or irregular billing patterns.
💡 Working days refer to Monday to Friday. Payments may still run on bank holidays even if your center is closed
How to Pick the Right Schedule
When deciding on a schedule, it helps to consider both parents’ circumstances and your nursery’s financial needs.
When do parents get paid?
Try to align payment dates with when most parents receive their income. This is typically at the end of the month or the beginning of the month.
When do you need the funds?
Consider your cash flow requirements. Card payments usually arrive within one to two working days, while Direct Debit payments typically take two to five working days. Factor this timing into your schedule so funds arrive when you need them.
What Gets Charged
The amount collected depends on the schedule you choose.
On weekly or monthly schedules
When using a weekly or monthly schedule, Famly collects the parent’s entire outstanding balance. This includes all unpaid invoices, regardless of their due dates. If a parent has multiple invoices, some due now and some due later, the full balance will still be collected.
On the invoice due date schedule
When using the invoice due date option, Famly only collects amounts due up to that specific date. Invoices with later due dates are collected when their own due dates arrive.
Example:
Invoice A due on March 15th for $500
Invoice B due on March 31st for $600
Payment run on March 15th collects $500
Payment run on March 31st collects $600
When Automatic Payments Fail
It is important to note that Famly only attempts each automatic payment once. If a payment fails, the parent must retry it manually.
For help resolving errors, see the Troubleshooting Payment Issues guide.