If you're used to accounting software like QuickBooks, you probably expect to start billing by creating invoices. Member Splash works differently. For dues and membership fees, members log in and pay what's required of them. Invoices are only used for charges that have already been billed to an account, like snack bar purchases.
The billing flow
Products. You create the charges in Finances > Products (for example, Annual Dues, Capital Improvements, Special Assessment) and use Show/Hide/Require rules to decide which account types see them. A product set to Require is automatically included, so members can't opt out of it.
Members pay. Members log in and go to the Payments tab. The products that apply to their account type are waiting for them, itemized with one total. Nothing needs to be added to each account first.
Orders. When a member checks out, an order is created on their account and payments are recorded by fee type for your reporting.
Invoices (only for Bill to Account orders). Some charges are placed on an account to be paid later, using the Bill to Account payment method in Point of Sale or at the Front Desk. Those unpaid orders are what you invoice from Finances > Create Invoices.
🪧 Key point: Invoices can only be created for orders that were billed to an account and are still unpaid. Membership products don't create these orders on their own, so you won't see accounts in Create Invoices just because a dues product applies to them.
Collecting annual dues
To collect dues from all your members:
Set up and publish your membership products with the right fee types, prices and Show/Hide/Require rules.
Test with a test account to confirm the right products appear on the Payments tab.
Send an email to your members letting them know it's time to log in and pay.
Members see each required product as its own line, so they know exactly what makes up their total. See Member Splash Platform Overview for Board Members for how renewals work.
When to use invoices
Use Finances > Create Invoices when a member already has unpaid Bill to Account orders, such as:
Snack bar or pro shop purchases charged to the account
Guest passes charged to the account at the Front Desk
One-off charges you billed to an account through Point of Sale
Members can see these orders in their Order History, but they can't pay them until you send an invoice. See How To View Orders, Create Invoices and View Invoices in Point of Sale.
FAQ
Why are only some of my accounts showing in Create Invoices?
Create Invoices only lists accounts that have unbilled Bill to Account orders for the statement date you picked. Accounts with no on-account charges won't appear, even if they match the account type you selected.
Can I send a dues invoice to every member?
Dues aren't collected through invoices. Instead, members pay their required products on the Payments tab. Send an email to let them know payments are open.
Do I need to add products to each account before members can pay?
No. Published products appear automatically for the account types their rules allow.
Can members choose which fees to pay?
Not if you set the product to Require. Required products are preselected and can't be removed at checkout.