Audience
ShulCloud sites using Shulware Integrated Payments (SIP) to collect credit card payments.
Introduction
Surcharges are compulsory, percentage-based fees added to payments to offset processing costs. To collect surcharges on credit card payments created and processed by SIP on or after April 1, 2025, a site must enable the surcharge collection feature and agree to the terms presented.
Short Video
To watch a short video in ShulSchool, navigate to ShulSchool by selecting the "?" > ShulSchool and searching "Enabling Credit Card Surcharge Feature for Shulware Integrated Payments."
Why is this setting being implemented?
Surcharges are increasingly regulated by law and industry rules. This setting requires clients to acknowledge and accept their obligation to comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
Transition Period for Existing Sites (March 20, 2025 - March 31, 2025)
Existing sites collecting surcharges through SIP must enable surcharge collection by setting a new option, described below, to "Yes" by March 31, 2025, to continue doing so. Sites that do not select "Yes" by this deadline will have the feature disabled in Settings on April 1, 2025, and SIP gateways set to collect surcharges on credit card payments will be switched to "Ask the Payer." The setting will be introduced on March 20, 2025, with no default value for existing sites. Admins of affected sites will receive a series of emails and see admin banners with reminders to take action.
How to Enable Surcharges
The following steps should be taken by a person authorized by the organization to accept terms.
- Navigate to Admin > Settings > Payments and Donations Page.
- Locate the setting "Allow Credit Card Surcharges?"
- Select "Yes".
- Check the box to agree to the terms and conditions.
- Update Settings.
Changing Setting - Yes
How to Review Gateway Fee Settings
- Navigate to Admin > My Lists > Gateways and select an Integrated Gateway.
If an organization has more than one integrated gateway, all gateways should be reviewed.
An integrated shows "Integrated Gateway" below the gateway name: - Scroll to the Fee section.
- Review the dropdown value.
Fee Option Action Needed Ask the Payer No action needed. Always To continue charging a mandatory fee, change the setting to "Yes" and accept the terms and conditions. Never No action needed. Charge When Amount is Above To continue charging a mandatory fee, change the setting to "Yes" and accept the terms and conditions. Charge When Amount is Below To continue charging a mandatory fee, change the setting to "Yes" and accept the terms and conditions.
Gateway Setting Options When Surcharges Are Disabled ("No")
When "Allow Credit Card Surcharges?" is set to "No", the only available options in Gateway Settings will be:
- "Never" – No surcharges will be applied.
- "Ask the Payer" – The payer will decide whether to add a voluntary fee.
Switching from "No" to "Yes" (Allowing Surcharges)
- An organization must also accept the terms and conditions.
- An organization can begin applying surcharge fees to new credit card payments.
- Existing scheduled payments are not affected and will continue as originally configured.
Switching from "Yes" to "No" (Not Allowing Surcharges)
- Upon updating settings, any SIP gateways accepting cards currently set to: "Always", "Charge when amount is above", or "Charge when amount is below" will be changed to "Ask the Payer."
- This change only affects new payments going forward.
- Existing scheduled payments with surcharge fees will not be automatically removed.
- To prevent surcharges from being collected on existing scheduled payments, the payment schedule must be cancelled and recreated.