This article explains how to set up online payment processing for your system. After the setup for bank accounts is complete in the Payment Portal, you can enable payment processing for each property in Breeze.
From tenants, you can accept the following types of online payments:
Payments by Credit Card
Payments by Debit Card
Payments by ACH
Payments by WIPS (Walk In Payment System)
You can also process online payments to vendors, owners, or tenants:
Payments by Bill Pay ACH/EFT
Payments by Bill Pay Check
Notes:
ACH stands for "Automated Clearing House." For ACH payments, the tenant enters their bank account information and Breeze debits the bank account directly.
For Debit Card payments, the tenant enters their debit card number. In the setup, there is no direct option for Debit Card. To enable Debit Cards, you must complete the setup for both ACH and Credit Card payments.
In order to use the Resident Screening feature, you need to set up payment processing so that prospects can pay an application fee on RentCafe.
Getting Started (Prerequisites)
Before you set up payment processing, make sure that bank accounts, properties, units, tenants and scheduled charges have been added to Breeze.
The total amount of scheduled charges will be used to set processing limits on how much you can accept via online payment processing on a monthly basis. If your setup is incomplete, the limit might be too low, and some online payments could fail to process. (Note: The processing limits are referred to as "velocity limits.")
The limits are intended to prevent fraud. When your setup is complete, you will receive an email from our team that will state the exact amount of each limit.
Make sure that the user designated as the SPOC is the one who will set up online payment processing. "SPOC" stands for Single Point of Contact. This user is shown on the Company Settings screen.
To set up payment processing
Go to the Company Settings screen in Breeze.
Click the KYC/Payments Portal button.
Note: Only the SPOC will see this button. If you are the SPOC and you can't see the button, start a Chat session with Support.
Completing KYC (Know Your Client)
When you click the button to open the portal for the first time, it opens at the KYC form, shown below.
KYC stands for “Know-Your-Client.” This is a process required by our vendors to enhance the safety and security of the payment processing system by preventing money laundering activities.
Complete the screen. If your contract includes Resident Screening, additional sections appear.
When you click Submit, the KYC process begins. You will receive an email from the Breeze legal team when it is complete.
Note: If you return to this screen while KYC is in process, the screen will state In Progress. When KYC is complete, you can access the Payment Portal and set up accounts.
Setting up Bank Accounts for Payment Processing
Note: If the screenshots in this section do not match what you see on the screen, you are probably viewing the old version of the Payment Portal.
When KYC is complete, you can add the bank accounts that you want to use for online payments. (The bank accounts must be set up in Breeze already.)
Return to the Payment Processing Portal and select Bank Accounts > Add Bank Account.
The Add Bank Account screen appears.
Complete the screen.
Select the payment types you would like to enable. | ACH (Automated Clearing House). For ACH payments, the tenant enters their bank account information and Breeze debits the bank account directly.
CHECKscan The CHECKscan feature allows you to scan checks using an app. The system then creates a receipt batch in Breeze and deposits the amount in your bank account.
WIPS (Walk-in Payment System). This feature allows residents to pay rent in cash at participating convenience stores. Payments are transferred to Breeze and your bank account within a few days.
Credit Card For standard credit card payments. Debit Card (not shown) In the setup, there is no direct option for Debit Card. To enable Debit Cards, you must complete the setup for both ACH and Credit Card payments. |
Payments to Vendors | Bill Pay In Breeze, Bill Pay is a payment service with two payment methods:
Bill Pay can also make payments to tenants and owners. |
Bank Nickname | Select the Bank Nickname. You can only select banks that have been set up in Breeze. |
Account Type | Options are Checking and Saving. |
Account Number | Enter the account number. |
RTN | Enter the routing number. |
Name on File With Bank | Enter the name on file with the bank. Note: This field does not correspond with any information entered in Breeze, and instead is the name on file with the actual bank. Some banks require that the name listed in this field match their records, while others do not validate it. |
Note: You need to enter the account number and routing number twice. Do not modify the bank nickname while setup is in progress, or it will fail to complete. If you need to modify the nickname, do so prior to adding the account.
Click Save. The Dashboard shows that the account setup is in progress.
Account Setup In Progress
After you submit the information, the setup process takes a few days.
Credit Card setup takes up to 24 hours to be completed and does not require verification via a test transaction.
ACH setup requires verification with a test transaction. (This process is described below.)
Bill Pay setup also requires a test transaction.
Account Verification (ACH)
As part of the setup for ACH, Breeze makes a small deposit in your bank account — a few cents. After the deposit is made, you receive an email from Breeze, telling you to check your account and note the amount.
On the Dashboard, in the Accounts section, select Verification Needed.
The screen displays the bank accounts that need to be verified.
Enter the deposit amounts and click Save Changes.
When the amount is verified, the account is shown in the Setup Complete total on the Dashboard.
Account Verification (Bill Pay)
Setting up bank accounts for Bill Pay requires verification with sample transactions for both Bill Pay ACH and Bill Pay Checks.
The process for Bill Pay ACH is the same as for regular ACH. See the preceding section for details.
For Bill Pay Checks, a separate Check sample is generated and mailed to the return mailing address that was entered. (A digital copy can be accessed by clicking on Payable Check on the Banking Portal homepage.)
Enter the amount of the check on the screen shown above. The rest of the process is the same.
Setup Complete
When the setup process is complete, you will receive a notification in Breeze.
To check notifications, look at the bell icon in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. If there is a number next to the bell, you have received one or more notifications. Click the bell and the notifications appear below it.
Property-level Setup
You can now select online payment options at the property level. Open the Property screen and go to the RentCafe tab.
Select the options you want to use for this property: Credit Card, ACH, and/or Debit Card.
The options shown here are based on the system-level setup. The Debit Card option only appears if both Credit Card and ACH have been set up.