Payment Processing Settings | Preferences

Rentec Direct property management software allows you to customize default settings for all online payments made using your merchant account through Rentec Direct software to your specific business needs. This article reviews:



The following video is a great source to guide you through customizing your settings. You can also follow the step-by-step instructions written out below.

Online Payment Processing Settings | Rentec Direct Training Series from Rentec Direct on Vimeo.

Online Payment Default Settings

The following steps will guide you through customizing your online payment processing settings and explain why these configurations are important to consider. Settings set here will be the default for all online transactions made with CSG Forte merchant accounts.

In your Rentec Direct account:

  1. Click on Settings
  2. Under Financial, click on Online Payments

System Note: Settings can also be adjusted for tenants individually, following the steps to access Online Payments in Scheduling Online Payment Transactions for Tenants

Your Selected Merchant Accounts and Fees to You

Information displayed here is the default information that applies to all transactions. Hovering over the "?" throughout the software provides more details.


  • Credit/Debit Card Processing Cost - This is the amount you are charged for tenant payments made by Credit or Debit Card.

    Tip: Further in these steps, under Credit/Debit Card Settings, you can indicate a convenience fee that you charge to the tenant to reimburse yourself for the expense

  • ACH Processing Cost - This is the amount that you are charged for incoming ach transactions.

    Tip: You can select in the settings to allow ACH and/or Debit/Credit card payments

  • ACH Settlement Delay - Online payments made through Rentec Direct software are set to process at the quickest time frame available.
  • Bank Accounts - This identifies which of the Bank/s listed in your account are linked to a merchant account for online payment processing.
    • The default account is identified with Primary.

System Note: Setting default Income and Expense accounts in properties' Financial settings ensures that payments are routed to the correct bank account. If no default account is specified, payments will be directed to the Primary account.

Under Processing Settings

These settings will apply to all online transactions processed in Rentec Direct using your merchant account.

  • Send emails on payment failures - Do you want to be notified of failed Online Payment transactions?

    Tip: We highly recommend setting this to Yes, allowing you to follow up promptly when a tenant's payment fails.

  • Payment Notification Email Address - Enter the email address where you would like Online Payment-related notifications to go. This can be the same or different from your primary Rentec Direct email found in Settings, Your Contact Information

  • Tenant Fee Income Category - The system default Category is the industry standard 4000. Before making changes to this category, we recommend reviewing it with your accountant.

    Learn more about  Setting up Categories | Chart of Accounts

  • Send upcoming payment reminders to tenants - Setting this to Yes will send a reminder to tenants that they have an upcoming scheduled payment and requires tenants to have a valid email address.
  • Send upcoming payment reminders to the manager - Would you like to receive a notification for each payment tenants have scheduled? This option is beneficial for accounts with a high volume of online tenant payments, helping to reduce the number of emails you receive or allowing you to designate a specific person to receive them.

Emails will be sent to the first of the following configured emails:

  1. Payment Notification Email Address indicated in Online Payment Settings, Payment Notification Email Address
  2. Property Manager's email address (for PM clients, indicated in the property profile
  3. User's account information (found in Settings, Your Account Information)
  • Apply Tenant fees to property - When an online payment is received, would you like the convenience fee to be applied to the property?
    • If you, as the landlord/property manager, retain the fee and prefer the convenience fee income not to show on the property, change the setting to No
    • It's most common for clients to allow the convenience fee income to be indicated on the property for complete transparency
    • If you allow the convenience fee income to be indicated on the property, but actually keep the funds to reimburse yourself
      • Create a convenience fee expense category as a manager
      • As incoming fees are posted to the property, post an expense using the new category

Learn more about expensing out management/convenience fees: Property Manager | Paying Out Convenience Fees and Late Fees

  • Default Tenant Payment Policy -  There are three options for the default online payment policy. You have a choice of policies that will apply when a tenant pays online. 
    • Allow Any - Allows online payments in any amount
    • Require Rent - Allows one-time transactions of amounts equal to or greater than the tenant's rent amount, unless they have a balance for the period that is less than their rent amount. For recurring transactions, the amount must be no less than their rent amount
    • Require Balance - Allows one-time transactions of amounts equal to or greater than the tenant's balances. For recurring transactions, this setting has the same effect as the 'Require Rent' setting.

Important Note: Tenants will be able to make a one-time online payment in amounts less than their rent if the payment is made prior to their rent charge being posted.


System Advice: Changing default settings will automatically apply to future tenants added. Changes in Payment Policy for existing tenants can be made individually. Learn more about changing preferences per tenant here: Enforcing Full Rental Payments

Under ACH Settings

  • Enable online ACH payments - This must be set to Yes for tenants to pay rent by ACH

System Advice: Tenants will not be able to pay online if this is set to NO

  • Use Forte Verify to validate ACH entries - When set to YES, the system will utilize the Forte Verify service to verify the legitimacy of account data entered into the system. This will happen automatically for accounts entered through the Tenant Portal, and will provide an option for you to use Forte Verify when adding bank accounts via the management interface. If this is set to NO, per Nacha rules, you must perform your own validation of bank account data.
  • Default Tenant ACH Fee - Enter the fee you wish to charge each tenant for the ACH transaction. This amount will be automatically added to the tenant's transaction amount.
    • Set to 0.00 to disable the fee.
    • This fee should be disclosed within your renter's ACH authorization form and rental or lease agreement.
    • The default amount can be changed on a per-tenant basis in the tenant's Online Payment settings
  • Tenant Provides ACH Authorization by and Tenant Portal Additional ACH Terms - Choose whether to have your tenants provide ACH information to you via a written document or to allow them to enter the information within the Tenant Portal.
    • Written Document - When selected, you can upload your authorization form in either MS Word (.doc) format or Adobe Reader (.pdf) format. This form will then be available on the tenant portal for tenants to download for ACH authorization.

    • Tenant Portal - When this option is selected, the Default Tenant ACH Agreement below will be displayed when tenants schedule a payment online. Enter any Additional ACH Terms to be viewed by tenants in the box provided

      "Default Tenant ACH Agreement - By providing this information, I certify that I am an authorized signer on this account and that I have the authorization to initiate electronic debits from this account. I agree that this payment method may be used by myself and/or my property manager to fulfill financial obligations related to my property. If you wish to remove this payment information in the future, you can do so by logging in and selecting Payments, then Manage Payment Accounts."

Click here for a sample Authorization Form

Tip: Online payment options can be turned on/off per tenant by going to Tenants, Online Payments

Under Credit/Debit Card Settings

Merchant accounts must include Credit/Debit card authorization to receive online application fees, but allowing tenants to pay rent is optional.


  • Enable Credit/Debit Card Payments - This option will be available if your merchant application includes credit/debit card processing. 
    • If you would like to allow rent payments and application fees to be made by Credit/Debit cards, change the setting to Yes
    • If you would only like to allow online application fees to be processed by Credit/Debit Cards and not rent payments, change the setting to NO
  • Accepted Credit Cards - Check the box next to each type of debit/credit card you will allow
  • Credit/Debit Card Convenience Fee - This fee is the amount that you charge tenants that reimburse you for your expenses
    • Using the drop-down, select your preference of a % of the transaction or a $ Flat Fee to be applied when rental payments are made with a Credit/Debit card

Note: You will be charged 2.95% (higher for Amex), but are able to pass along a convenience fee percentage to your tenants to recover your costs. Click here for more Information about Credit/Debit Card Transactions Fees 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q) How Can I test my new Merchant Account?

Click this link for steps on how to Test Your Merchant Account

Q) Are reports available for online transactions?

Yes. Click on Reports in your Rentec Direct account to access a variety of reports, including the following for online transactions:

  • ACH Settlement Cash Settlement
  • CC/DC Settlement Completed Online Payments
  • Outgoing ACH Upcoming Payments

CSG Forte also provides you with a reporting system called DEX, which can be used for additional reconciliation or to double-check the processing status of any transaction. To learn how to use CSG Forte's virtual terminal, join their weekly training webinars here: Dex Training


Q) How are tenant payments scheduled?

There are two ways tenant payments can be scheduled:

1) The most common way tenant payments are scheduled is by the tenant through their portal. When a tenant's portal is enabled, they will receive an email with instructions on how to log in and make their payment.

2) There may be times when you schedule a payment for a tenant. Be cautious when making changes, as the system is live; any charges entered into the system will be processed from this point forward.

Complete instructions for scheduling online payments for your tenants can be found here:  Scheduling Online Payment Transactions for Tenants

Rentec Direct provides resources to help you communicate with your tenants about using their portal, welcoming them to the system, and video training on how to make a rent payment.


Q) What other types of payments can be made online?

Other than incoming rental payments and application fees, you can also process:

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