Create payment records for multiple clients simultaneously using Bulk Actions, allowing your agency to generate fees, fines, or payment obligations across a filtered client population in a single operation.

### Overview

The Create Payments bulk action lets you generate payment records for many clients at once instead of manually creating them on individual profiles. You configure the payment details (amount, location, description, dates, and status), filter the clients who should receive the payment record, and run the action. This is especially useful for agencies that issue court fees, supervision payments, or program costs to large groups of clients on a regular basis.

- **What it does:** Creates a payment record on each client profile that matches your search criteria, with the amount, dates, and status you specify.
- **Why it matters:** Eliminates repetitive data entry when issuing payments to many clients, ensures consistent payment terms, and provides a clear audit trail.
- **Who should use it:** Administrators, finance staff, clerks, and supervisors responsible for managing client payment obligations.
- **Expected outcome:** All matching clients receive a new payment record with the details you configured, visible on their individual profiles.

### Prerequisites

Before creating payments via Bulk Actions, make sure you have:

- An active eCourtDate staging or production agency account
- Super Admin role or both the **Create Bulk Actions** and **Update Bulk Actions** permissions
- Payment amounts, due dates, and other details finalized before starting
- Client filters ready to target the correct population
- Familiarity with your agency's payment statuses and workflows

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Navigate to Bulk Actions

1. Log in to your eCourtDate agency.
2. Click **Bulk Actions** in the top navigation bar.

#### Step 2: Create a New Payments Action

1. Locate the **Create Bulk Action** form.
2. Enter a descriptive name in the **Action Name** field (for example, "March 2026 Supervision Fees").
3. Select **Create Payments** from the **Action Type** dropdown.
4. Click **Create** to generate the bulk action.

You are redirected to the bulk action edit page in **Draft** status.

#### Step 3: Configure Payment Details

Locate the **Bulk Action Settings** section and fill in the payment information.

1. Enter the payment **Amount** in the currency input field. This is the dollar amount assigned to each client's payment record.
2. Enter the **Location** in the text field to indicate where the payment should be made (for example, "Clerk's Office - Room 201" or "Online Portal").
3. Enter a **Description** in the text field to explain what the payment is for (for example, "Monthly supervision fee" or "Court filing fee").
4. Select the **Due Date** using the date picker. This is the date by which the payment must be received.
5. Select the **Issue Date** using the date picker. This is the date the payment obligation is officially issued.
6. Select a **Status** from the dropdown to set the initial payment status. Available options include:
   - **Pending** for payments that are awaiting collection
   - **Paid** for payments already received
   - **Overdue** for payments past their due date
   - **Waived** for payments that have been forgiven or waived

> **Tip:** For most new payment records, set the status to **Pending** and update it later as payments are received.

#### Step 4: Filter Clients

1. Scroll to the **Search Clients** section.
2. Use the available filters to narrow down your client list. Filters include **Client Status**, **Assigned User**, **Assigned Group**, **Assigned Organization**, **Case Number**, and date ranges.
3. Set the **Client Limit** to cap the maximum number of clients included.
4. Click **Search** to preview the matching clients.

> **Note:** All search filters use the AND operator. A client must match every selected filter to be included.

#### Step 5: Review the Client List

1. Review the filtered client list in the results table.
2. Verify the client count and confirm the correct clients are included.
3. Click the **Include/Exclude** toggle next to any client you want to remove from the payment creation.
4. Excluded clients display a red indicator and will not receive a payment record.

#### Step 6: Run the Bulk Action

1. Click **Live Run** to create the payment records immediately.
   - The status progresses from **Dispatching** to **Processing** to **Complete**.
   - You receive an email notification when the bulk action finishes.
2. Alternatively, click **Schedule Run** to set a future date and time.
   - Enter the **Scheduled Date** and **Scheduled Time**.
   - Click **Schedule Run** to confirm.

#### Step 7: Verify the Results

1. Click the client icon for any client in the results list to open their profile.
2. Navigate to the **Payments** section on the client profile.
3. Confirm the new payment record appears with the correct amount, dates, and status.
4. Spot-check several client profiles to ensure accuracy across the batch.

### What to Expect

After running the bulk action, each matching client has a new payment record added to their profile with the amount, location, description, dates, and status you configured. The bulk action status progresses through **Dispatching**, **Processing**, and **Complete**. You receive an email notification once processing finishes. Payment records are available immediately on each client's profile for review and management.

### Best Practices

- **Double-check the amount before running.** Payment amounts apply to every matching client. A small error multiplied across hundreds of records creates significant cleanup work.
- **Use clear descriptions.** Include the purpose and period in the description field (for example, "Q1 2026 Supervision Fee") so clients and staff can easily identify what the payment is for.
- **Set the issue date accurately.** The issue date creates an official record of when the payment obligation began. Use the actual date of issuance for audit and compliance purposes.
- **Start with Pending status.** Set new payment records to **Pending** and update them individually or via a subsequent bulk action as payments are collected.
- **Test with a small group first.** Use the **Client Limit** field to restrict your first run to a small number of clients, verify the results, then process the full population.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can I create payments with different amounts for different clients?**
A: No. A single bulk action applies the same payment amount to all matching clients. If you need different amounts for different groups, create separate bulk actions with different filters and amounts for each group.

**Q: What happens if a client already has a payment record with the same details?**
A: The bulk action creates a new payment record regardless of existing records. It does not check for duplicates. Review your filters carefully to avoid creating duplicate payment obligations.

**Q: Can I update or delete payment records created by a bulk action?**
A: Yes. After the bulk action completes, you can edit or delete individual payment records from each client's profile. To update payments in bulk, create a new bulk action targeting those records.

**Q: Does creating a payment record automatically notify the client?**
A: Creating a payment record through Bulk Actions does not automatically send a notification to the client. To notify clients about their payments, use a separate **Send Messages** bulk action or configure automated payment reminders in your agency settings.

**Q: Can I set a payment status to Overdue when creating the record?**
A: Yes. You can select any available status, including **Overdue**, at the time of creation. However, for most new obligations, starting with **Pending** and letting your agency's workflow update the status is recommended.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** Payment records show incorrect amounts after the bulk action completes.
**Symptoms:** Client profiles display a payment amount that does not match what you intended.
**Solution:**

1. Open the bulk action and review the **Amount** field to confirm the value you entered.
2. If the amount is wrong, you need to update or delete the payment records individually on each client profile.
3. For future runs, double-check the amount field before clicking **Live Run**.

**Issue:** Payments were created for clients who should not have received them.
**Symptoms:** Clients outside your intended group have new payment records on their profiles.
**Solution:**

1. Review the search filters you applied before running the action.
2. Verify that the **Client Limit** and any exclusion toggles were set correctly.
3. Remove the incorrect payment records from the affected client profiles.
4. For future bulk actions, use more specific filters and review the client list thoroughly before running.

> **Important:** If you continue to experience issues after following these troubleshooting steps, sign in to eCourtDate and create a ticket by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

### Related Articles

- [How to Send a Mass Message Using Bulk Actions](/how-to-send-a-mass-message-using-bulk-actions)
- [How to Create Events via Bulk Actions](/how-to-create-events-via-bulk-actions)
- [How to Update Clients via Bulk Actions](/how-to-update-clients-via-bulk-actions)
- [How to Assign Users via Bulk Actions](/how-to-assign-users-via-bulk-actions)
- [How to Schedule Recurring Bulk Actions](/how-to-schedule-recurring-bulk-actions)