# Recurring payments and statutory configuration

## Recurring payments and recurring templates

A recurring template is a reusable settings record for recurrence and journal choices. A recurring
payment is a dated record that applies those settings to a partner, amount, payment type, and date
range.

Configure recurring payment records and recurring templates.

Prepare a reusable recurrence, create the payment record that uses it, or turn an eligible recurring
entry into a payment. Statutory destinations are covered in
[Electronic invoicing and local reporting](doc:electronic-invoicing-and-local-reporting).

| If you need to… | Go to |
| --- | --- |
| Prepare the recurrence settings | [Prepare and confirm a recurring template](#prepare-and-confirm-a-recurring-template) |
| Create the dated recurring record | [Create and complete a recurring payment](#create-and-complete-a-recurring-payment) |
| Work through generated entries | [Review recurring entries and create payments](#review-recurring-entries-and-create-payments) |
| Continue with payment work | [Payments and follow-ups](doc:payments-and-follow-ups) |
| Work with statutory destinations | [Electronic invoicing and local reporting](doc:electronic-invoicing-and-local-reporting) |
| Resolve a validation message | [When a recurring payment action fails](#when-a-recurring-payment-action-fails) |

## Before you start

**Prerequisites**

- You have Accounting user or Accounting manager access.
- A recurring template exists in the `done` state before you select it for a recurring payment.
- You have the partner, amount, payment type, journal, start date, end date, recurrence period,
  recurrence interval, and journal-generation choice for the payment.
- You have the name, journal, recurrence period, recurrence interval, journal-generation choice,
  company, and description for a template.

The recurring template starts with a recurrence interval of `1`, journal generation in `draft`,
and the current company. The recurring payment requires a partner, journal, payment type, start
date, end date, template, recurrence interval, and journal-generation value.

These prerequisites lead into the lists where you prepare the template and then create the dated
payment.

## Find a recurring payment or template

Recurring payments and templates are Accounting configuration records. Use the corresponding list
to open an existing record or start a new record.

**Steps**

1. Open the Accounting area.
2. Open the **Recurring Payment** menu.
3. Choose the list that matches your task.

| If you need to… | Choose |
| --- | --- |
| Open or create a payment record | **Recurring Payment** |
| Open or create the reusable settings record | **Recurring Template** |

4. Choose how to continue.

   | If you need to… | Action |
   | --- | --- |
   | Review a saved record | Open an existing row. |
   | Enter a new record | Start a new record. |

**Result:** The selected recurring-payment or recurring-template list is open, ready for you to
open an existing record or begin a new one.

## Understand the recurring payment and template screens

The screen separates template settings, payment details, and the recurring entries area.

### Recurring template fields

| Field | What it controls |
| --- | --- |
| Template name | Identifies the reusable template. |
| Journal choice | Selects the journal used by the recurrence. |
| Recurrence period | Selects the unit used for each recurrence. |
| Recurrence interval | Sets the number of selected periods between entries. |
| Journal-generation choice | Sets how the journal is generated. |
| Company choice | Sets the company for the template. |
| Description text | Stores explanatory text for the template. |
| Status value | Shows whether the template is in `draft` or `done`. |

The template list shows record name, journal, and status columns.

> **Note:** A bank or cash journal is the permitted journal choice for recurring payments and
> their entries.

### Recurring payment fields

| Field | What it controls |
| --- | --- |
| Completed template choice | Selects the template whose recurrence settings apply. |
| Partner choice | Identifies the party connected to the payment. |
| Payment-type choice | Sets the payment direction. |
| Amount value | Sets the amount for each entry. |
| Journal choice | Selects a bank or cash journal. |
| Start-date value | Sets the first date in the range. |
| End-date value | Sets the end of the range. |
| Recurrence period value | Shows the selected template's period. |
| Recurrence interval value | Shows the selected template's interval. |
| Journal-generation value | Shows the selected template's journal-generation choice. |
| Description text | Stores explanatory text for the payment. |
| Status value | Shows whether the payment is in `draft` or `done`. |

The payment list shows record name, partner, journal, and status columns. The payment form also
contains a recurring entries area. Each entry carries a date, amount, journal, currency for users in the
multi-company group, and status. A bank or cash journal is the permitted journal choice in the
payment and entry forms.

Prepare the timing and journal setup before entering the recurring payment details.

## Prepare and confirm a recurring template

Prepare the timing and journal setup before creating the dated payment record.

**Prerequisites**

- You have Accounting user or Accounting manager access.
- You know the journal, recurrence period, recurrence interval, journal-generation choice, and
  company for the template.

**Steps**

1. Open the **Recurring Template** list.
2. Start a new template.
3. Enter the template name.
4. Select the journal.
5. Select the recurrence period.
6. Enter the recurrence interval.
7. Select the journal-generation choice.
8. Select the company.
9. Enter a description.
10. Select **Confirm** while the template is in `draft` state.

The **Confirm** action changes the template to `done`. The **Set To Draft** action is shown after
the template reaches `done`, so use it when you need to return the template to `draft` before
changing its setup.

**Result:** The recurring template is in `done` state and can be selected for a recurring payment.

## Create and complete a recurring payment

Use the prepared template to create dated entries for a partner and amount.

**Prerequisites**

- A recurring template is in `done` state.
- You have the partner, payment type, amount, journal, start date, end date, and recurrence details.

**Steps**

1. Open the **Recurring Payment** list.
2. Start a new payment record.
3. Select the completed recurring template.
4. Select the partner.
5. Select the payment type.

   | If the payment is for… | Select |
   | --- | --- |
   | Money leaving the company | The outbound payment option. |
   | Money entering the company | The inbound payment option. |
6. Enter an amount greater than zero.
7. Select a bank or cash journal.
8. Enter the start date.
9. Enter the end date.
10. Review the recurrence period, recurrence interval, and journal-generation choice inherited from
    the template.
11. Select **Done** while the payment is in `draft` state.

The **Done** action then sets the recurring payment to `done`.

After the payment reaches `done`, **Set To Draft** is shown. Returning it to `draft` removes its
unfinished entries unless one of its entries is already `done`.

**Result:** The recurring payment is in `done` state and its recurring entries area is available.

## Review recurring entries and create payments

A recurring entry is one dated amount generated from a recurring payment. Use the entry action
when the entry is eligible for payment creation.

**Prerequisites**

- The recurring payment has generated entries.
- The entry you are working on is not in `done` state.

**Steps**

1. Open the **Recurring Payment** record.
2. Open the recurring entries area.
3. Review the entry date, amount, journal, currency when shown, and status.
4. Select **Create Payment** on an entry whose status is not `done`.

**Result:** The entry action has been selected for the eligible recurring entry.

If an action produces one of the listed messages, follow the matching correction below.

## When a recurring payment action fails

Use the message on screen to correct the value or choose an action that matches the record's
status.

| Message | Meaning | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `Amount Must Be Non-Zero Positive Number` | The amount is zero or negative. | Enter an amount greater than zero. |
| `You cannot Set to Draft as one of the line is already in done state` | At least one recurring entry is already complete. | Keep the recurring payment complete instead of returning it to `draft`. |
| `Cannot delete done records !` | The recurring payment is complete. | Keep the completed record, or use an unfinished record for correction. |

## Know what is next

For payment work, continue in [Payments and follow-ups](doc:payments-and-follow-ups).
For statutory destinations, continue in [Electronic invoicing and local reporting](doc:electronic-invoicing-and-local-reporting).

**Result:** You know whether to continue with payment work or move to the electronic-invoicing
reference page for statutory destinations.