Switching Platform Billing Between Direct Debit and Bank Transfer
Once billing is connected, the owner can move the school onto automatic debit and add a backup payment method from Team → Platform Billing. Moving onto bank transfer is never a self-serve option — Fees101 does that only when automatic payments aren't working.
Switching from bank transfer to automatic debit
Go to Team → Platform Billing.
Choose "Connect my bank (free)" or "Use a card (₦50)."
03Fees101 first checks whether a working mandate is already on file with Paystack from an earlier attempt.
If one is found, you're switched over straight away with nothing charged.
Otherwise, Connect my bank takes you to Paystack to authorize a direct debit with your bank. Nothing is charged.
Use a card opens Paystack's checkout for a ₦50 check, because a card can only be saved by charging it.
A bank mandate can take a few hours to activate (Paystack says up to 24). Until it shows as active, keep paying by transfer — the page says "Activating" in the meantime. If it hasn't activated within 48 hours, it's cleared and you can try again with another bank or a card.
Adding a backup payment method
A school on automatic debit with only one payment method sees an optional "Backup payment method" row. Adding a bank (free) or a card (₦50) means that if your main method ever fails, Fees101 tries the backup instead — bank mandates first, then cards — so your account isn't interrupted. A school that already has two working methods isn't asked.
Switching from automatic debit to bank transfer
There's no button for this. Only Fees101 moves a school onto bank transfer. If you need to move off automatic debit, contact support.
When Fees101 moves you to bank transfer
- When your school has no working automatic debit 15 days before its first bill — a bank-transfer account is created and emailed to the owner, so there's time to pay.
- During initial setup, if your mandate checkout fails hard (unsupported bank, abandoned checkout) or soft-fails twice in a row — see Setting Up Your Direct-Debit Mandate.
- If your account has lapsed into suspension for non-payment, the suspension screen offers both a fresh mandate and bank transfer — see Account Suspension for Non-Payment.
Fees101 always reuses an existing bank-transfer account rather than creating a new one if your school already has one. Whichever way you pay, an unpaid bill moves through the same payment due → grace → suspended steps.