⏱️ Estimated time: 5 minutes

👤 Role: Club Manager, Finance Administrator, System Administrator

What you'll learn:

• How to link your Stripe account for recurring billing.

• How to map Stripe payment types to EMS internal records.

• How to configure collection days and cut-off lead times.

When should I use this?

This process is essential for automating the collection of recurring membership fees. While usually handled during your initial implementation, you will need to revisit these settings if you change your banking arrangements, add new payment methods (such as moving from Card only to Direct Debit), or need to adjust your monthly collection schedule based on finance requirements.

Key Logic: By setting multiple collection days, you provide flexibility for members; however, the "Lead Time" is crucial as it prevents payment requests from being sent to the bank too late to be processed for the current month.

Before you start:

• Ensure you have an active Stripe account linked to Journey Payments.

• Ensure your internal Payment Types have been created within the EMS Global Settings.

• Confirm your preferred monthly collection dates with your Finance team.

Step-by-step:

1. Access the Membership settings

Navigate to the Settings menu on the sidebar, select Sites, and then click on the Member tab. This section houses all configuration rules specific to your membership database and billing cycles.

2. Connect your Stripe account

If your account is not yet linked, you will see a Connect Stripe button. Follow the on-screen prompts to authenticate your account.

Important Notice: Ensure you are logged into the correct Stripe merchant account before authenticating to prevent payments from being routed to the wrong bank account.

3. Add a Payment Method

Once Stripe is connected, click the + Add Payment Method button. This creates a bridge between your physical payment processor and your EMS reporting.

4. Map the Payment Types

Select your Stripe Payment Type from the dropdown menu (e.g., SEPA Direct Debit or Credit Card). You must then link this to a corresponding EMS Payment Type that you configured during setup. This ensures your financial reporting and reconciliation remain accurate.

5. Configure Collection Days

Set your preferred collection days for this specific method. You can set up to 5 different payment days (e.g., the 1st, 10th, and 15th of the month). This allows members to choose a billing date that suits their personal cash flow.

6. Set the Lead Time

Enter the required number of days in the Lead Time section. This is the "cut-off" period; if a member joins or a change is made within this window, the payment will automatically roll over to the next available collection date to allow for processing time.

7. Save and Repeat

If you offer multiple ways to pay (e.g. both Credit Card and Direct Debit), repeat the steps above for each method. Once finished, click Save at the bottom of the page to confirm your settings.

Best practice:

• Consult Finance: Always check with your finance department before changing collection days, as this can impact monthly cash flow reporting and bank reconciliation workflows.

• Standardise Lead Times: For Direct Debits, a lead time of 3–5 working days is standard to ensure the mandate is successfully lodged with the bank before the first collection attempt.