CivicPlus Pay + CSG Forte Fee Models

Forte has two options when it comes to processing fees: the Convenience Fee Model and the Absorbed Fee Model. This article will explain the difference between the two models and outline how each works when configured.

For more information on how the fee models work within the Recreation Management product, view the CSG Forte Convenience Fee Models in Rec article.  

Absorbed Fee Model

The Absorbed Fee Model means your organization would absorb or pay the service fees. Convenience fees would be calculated by Forte and then invoiced to your organization. Your customer would not pay these fees during checkout.

Important Note

• The Absorbed Fee Model is required if your organization wants to save cards on file or use auto-billing. Cards cannot be saved on file or be used for auto-billing using the Convenience Fee Model as outlined below.

Convenience Fee Model

The Convenience Fee Model passes along service charges for your customers to pay instead of your organization. The customer pays the convenience fee during checkout. In this model, the service fee is applied to both credit cards and ACH transactions. 

• Two-Step Refund: Refunds may not reflect the service fee charge. If your organization wants to refund the service fee to the customer, you will need to first refund the purchase in the product and then refund the service fees through CSG Forte's Dex Portal.
• No Card Saving: This model does not support saving cards on file. Therefore, auto-billed charges are not currently available with Forte’s Convenience Fee model and users will need to utilize the Absorbed Fee Model if cards-on-file and/or auto-billing is required.

Convenience Fee Best Practices

If you opt to use the Convenience Fee Model, it is a good idea to warn your customers that they are agreeing to pay the additional fee when they choose to use a credit card or ACH. Some card brands have requirements that dictate how you communicate the fee. For example, Visa has guidelines that state you cannot show the fee as coming from them.

Resources

• CSG Forte Convenience Fee Models in Recreation Management