The rule for installment records: the planned installment schedule and completed receipts — two separate records. Knowing the total collected against total fees is not enough — “which installment falls due when, which is already paid” — those two columns are the measure of dues discipline.

What to verify: planned installments and completed receipts, kept apart

A fictional installment schedule:

Installment Due date Amount Completed Receipt Remaining
Admission at admission 2,000 2,000 #1024 0
Instalment 1 31 Mar 1,500 1,000 #1029 500
Instalment 2 30 Apr 1,500 — — 1,500

This table answers three questions instantly: how much collected (3,000), which installment is due (500 of Instalment 1 + all of 2), and when the next reminder goes (Apr 28). Keeping only “total paid / total due” answers no installment-level question.

A usable sample: the fictional instalment schedule

Rules for building the plan:

  1. Write the number and amount at admission — remembered installments breed disputes.
  2. Dates realistic — if not near salary/harvest days, delays are normal.
  3. Partial payments allowed — noting which installment the money counts against.
  4. Old installments pending → new installment demands wait — keep the order.
  5. A waiver marks which installment was waived — a sign in the completed column.

Installment records: workflow steps and limitations

  1. Reminder SMS 3 days before each due date — reduces demand without embarrassment.
  2. First response to a skipped installment is enquiry, not punishment — cause patterns build policy.
  3. Limitation: an installment schedule is not a contract — it is the institution’s flexibility document; an impression of “strict deadlines” damages relationships.

Installments: questions to ask before your demo

  • Can a per-student installment schedule be created separately?
  • Do partial payments count against a specific installment — does the system distribute automatically?
  • Can installment reminders be automated?

See the installment structure in fee management and the fee documentation; reminder channels in the communication module; terminology in the glossary.

Installments FAQ

Should a student with a pending installment be stopped from class?

Institution policy — but humane action first: enquiry and schedule adjustment. With installment records kept, even firm decisions look justified.

If the installment money arrives early, when is the receipt issued?

At the time of payment — not on the installment due date; a receipt proves collection, not the planned date.

Where does a waiver get cut from?

Write it in the decision note — if the system does not distribute, distribute by hand with a note; do not merge waivers into the “completed” column.