Payments and expenses
Keep community payments and expense claims in context
Open Communities helps your committee check payments with the events, projects and sponsors they belong to. Keep receipts with expense claims, see how payment records differ from online collection, and ask about the setup you need.
See which activity each payment belongs to
Your committee can check payment details with the event, project or sponsor they relate to. This helps you see what each payment is for and check whether it has been paid.
Event registration payments
Check the payment status of a registration with its event. See event payment status and the registration journey to learn how this fits into the tasks you manage.
Project contributions
Check funds received with the project they support. A pay-later pledge is a promise to pay, not money received. Learn more about project contributions and pledges.
Sponsor invoices
Check the invoice status with the sponsor record. Administrators can find sponsor records, request sponsor invoices and preview their content. See sponsor invoice administration for the wider process.
Collect online or record money paid elsewhere
You can collect money online or keep a record of money paid another way. The key difference is how the money moves.
| Method | What happens |
|---|---|
| Online collection | A payment provider handles the payment through the event or project setup. You must first set up the provider. The ways people can pay, who has access and what the provider needs vary by workflow. |
| Bank or cash recording | You record or confirm money paid by bank transfer or cash. This keeps a record for your committee; it does not process the payment online. |
Cancellation and refunds are separate
Cancelling a registration does not, on its own, refund the payment. You must handle the cancellation and any refund as separate actions under the rules that apply.
Committee expenses
Keep expense claims and receipts together
An expense claim is a request to be paid back. Members with the right access can submit and track claims and receipts. Reviewers with the right access can manage claims and record the available steps to pay them back.
For example, a committee member who buys supplies for an event can submit a claim with the receipt:
-
1
Submit the claim
The member sends the claim, receipt and other details needed to check the expense.
-
2
Review the expense
A reviewer with the right access checks the claim and its documents, then decides whether to approve it.
-
3
Record reimbursement actions
The reviewer records the available steps to pay the member back. Payment profiles hold the details needed to receive these payments.
AI can help prepare receipt details for you to check. It does not approve the claim or pay it. Read about AI assistance and review.
See member self-service for tasks members can do through their accounts. Learn who can submit or manage details on the member administration and permissions page.
Check setup and costs before collecting payments
Your subscription gives you access to features. Platform service costs and payment provider charges are separate costs to check. See current plans and additional costs as you plan your setup.
Online payment fees
Provider charges depend on the payment service and terms you use. Ask about the way you plan to collect payments so you can check the setup needs and fees together.
Have a membership-dues requirement?
A member paying an event fee does not mean the platform can bill membership dues. If you need to collect dues or membership fees, confirm your requirements before you rely on that feature.
Return to the platform overview to see how your website and committee tasks fit together.
Discuss your payment and expense needs
Ask how a payment or claim process could work for you and what setup it needs. When you are ready to begin, create your community.