Direct Debit Setup

Overview

Many schools collect monthly fees by direct debit through a dedicated provider such as GoCardless. MartialFlow doesn't process direct debits itself — instead, it acts as a signpost: you store your provider's sign-up URL against each class, and MartialFlow's Direct Debit page sends families to the right sign-up link for their class.

This keeps things simple and safe:

• Your provider handles mandates, bank details, collections, and any retries
• MartialFlow stores one sign-up URL per class and redirects families to it
• No bank account details ever pass through or get stored in MartialFlow

Prerequisites

• An account with a direct debit provider (e.g. GoCardless)
• A sign-up (mandate/payment) URL from your provider for each class or payment plan
• Permission to edit class settings in MartialFlow

How It Works

1. In your provider's dashboard, create the payment plan or sign-up page for a class and copy its URL
2. In MartialFlow, save that URL on the class
3. A family (or a staff member helping them) opens MartialFlow's Direct Debit page, picks the club and class, and clicks Continue
4. They are redirected to your provider's secure page to complete the direct debit sign-up
5. From then on, your provider collects payments according to the plan you configured there

Step 1: Get the Sign-Up URL from Your Provider

In your direct debit provider:

1. Create a plan matching the class's monthly fee (amount, collection day, etc.)
2. Generate the public sign-up link for that plan
3. Copy the URL — you'll need one per class (classes with different fees need different plans/links)

Consult your provider's documentation for creating plans and payment links; that side of the setup is entirely within their product.

Step 2: Add the URL to the Class

1. Open the class record in MartialFlow (Tables → Classes, then select the class)
2. Paste the provider's sign-up URL into the class's direct debit URL field
3. Save the class

Repeat for each class you want to offer direct debit sign-up for. A class without a URL will show "This class doesn't support Direct Debit" on the Direct Debit page.

Step 3: Direct Families to the Direct Debit Page

The Direct Debit page is where sign-ups happen:

1. Choose a club
2. Choose a class — the list shows the class name, schedule, and school years
3. Click Continue — the browser is redirected to the provider URL saved on that class

Share this flow with new families as part of enrollment, or walk them through it at the front desk.

Managing Changes

• Fee change? Update the plan in your provider, and if it produces a new link, update the URL on the class in MartialFlow
• Cancellations, failed payments, refunds — all handled in your provider's dashboard, not in MartialFlow
• New class? Create the plan and link at the provider first, then add the URL when you create the class

Best Practices

1. One plan per class fee — keep provider plans aligned one-to-one with classes so families always land on the right amount
2. Test each link — after saving a URL, run through the Direct Debit page yourself and confirm it lands on the correct provider page
3. Label plans clearly at the provider — use the class name in the plan name so reconciliation is easy
4. Review URLs periodically — if you rebuild a plan at the provider, remember to update the class URL
5. Track payment outcomes in MartialFlow — record customer payment status so overdue accounts are visible alongside the rest of your data

Troubleshooting

Issue: "This class doesn't support Direct Debit" message
Solution: The class has no direct debit URL saved. Edit the class and add the provider sign-up URL.

Issue: Families land on the wrong plan or amount
Solution: The wrong URL is saved on the class. Copy the correct link from your provider and update the class record.

Issue: A payment failed or a mandate was cancelled
Solution: This is managed in your direct debit provider's dashboard — check there for the failure reason and retry options, then follow up with the family.

Next Steps

After setting up direct debit links:

1. Payment Status Tracking - Keep payment statuses current in MartialFlow
2. Handling Overdue Payments - Follow up when provider collections fail
3. Setting Up Payment Methods - Overview of payment options
4. Managing Customer Billing - Billing context for customer accounts

With a provider link on each class, families get a smooth, secure direct debit sign-up — and you keep collections where they belong, with your payment provider.