Collect Membership Fees via SEPA Direct Debit

Managing membership fees is one of the most time-consuming tasks in association work. Especially the manual tracking of payments and creating direct debit files costs valuable time that could be better invested in musical work. With the new SEPA direct debit feature in Chorilo, this process is significantly simplified.

Distinguishing Active and Passive Members

Not all choir members are equally active. Some sing regularly at rehearsals and concerts, while others want to support the choir as passive members. This distinction is not only organizationally important but also has financial implications. Passive members often pay a reduced fee since they don't participate in all activities and don't need access to the Chorilo platform, for example.

In Chorilo, you can specify for each member whether they are active or passive. Active members receive full access to the platform and can view sheet music, register for rehearsals, and participate in communication. Passive members are only listed in the member directory and pay an adjusted fee. This flexibility allows you to represent different membership models while keeping administrative effort low.

SEPA Direct Debit for Membership Fees

The new SEPA direct debit feature in Chorilo makes collecting membership fees a breeze. Instead of manually creating direct debit files and gathering bank details, you can generate a standardized SEPA XML file with just a few clicks. This file complies with the official Pain.008 standard and is accepted by all European banks.

The process is simple: First, you store your association's bank details in the ensemble settings. This includes the IBAN, optionally the BIC, and the SEPA creditor ID, which you receive from the Deutsche Bundesbank. This data only needs to be entered once and is then available for all future direct debits.

For your members, you can individually specify whether they want to participate in the direct debit procedure. There is a dedicated checkbox "SEPA Direct Debit for Membership Fees" in the member management. If a member agrees to this option, you additionally store the IBAN and optionally the BIC. Chorilo stores this information securely and uses it only for creating direct debit files.

Flexible Fee Structure

A special advantage of the Chorilo solution is the ability to set different fees for active and passive members. When you create a SEPA direct debit, you can specify two different amounts: one for active members and one for passive members. The system automatically considers each member's status and debits the corresponding amount.

This flexibility is particularly practical when you want to collect an annual fee, for example. Active members might pay 120 euros per year, while passive supporting members only contribute 60 euros. You don't need to create separate direct debit files or manually sort – Chorilo does this work for you.

If you don't want to collect a fee for a specific member group, you can simply set the corresponding amount to zero. For example, if you only want to collect fees from active members, set the amount for passive members to 0 euros. These members will then be automatically excluded from the direct debit.

Easy Handling in Daily Use

Creating a SEPA direct debit is done directly from the cashbook. In the settings dropdown, you'll find the option "SEPA Direct Debit Membership Fees". Clicking on it opens a clear form where you can make all necessary entries.

You enter a title for the direct debit, for example "Membership Fee 2025". This title will later appear on your members' bank statements, supplemented by your choir's name. This makes it clear to everyone involved what the amount was debited for. Additionally, you set the amounts for active and passive members as well as the desired collection date.

As soon as you click "Generate SEPA File", Chorilo generates an XML file in standardized SEPA format. This file contains all necessary information: your association's bank details, the data of all participating members, the respective amounts, and the mandate references. The file is automatically downloaded and can be uploaded directly to your online banking.

Security and Data Protection

When processing bank data, security is paramount. Chorilo stores all sensitive information encrypted and uses it exclusively for creating SEPA direct debits. The generated XML files are not stored on the servers but transmitted directly to your browser. This way, only you as the association's responsible person have access to the complete direct debit data.

The SEPA creditor ID and mandate references are automatically generated and comply with the requirements of the Deutsche Bundesbank. Each member receives a unique mandate reference composed of the ensemble ID, member ID, and current year. This system ensures that all direct debits can be clearly assigned.

Time Savings for Association Work

Manually creating SEPA direct debits can take several hours, especially for larger choirs with many members. You have to gather bank details, maintain Excel lists, consider different fee amounts, and ultimately create an error-free XML file. With Chorilo, this effort is reduced to just a few minutes.

The time saved can be invested in actual association work: in rehearsal planning, organizing concerts, or simply more time for music. At the same time, you minimize the risk of errors since all data is centrally maintained and automatically transferred to the direct debit file.

Particularly practical is the integration into the existing Chorilo system. You don't need to maintain data twice or switch between different programs. All information about your members, their status, and bank details is available in one place and can be used for fee collection with just a few clicks.

Transparency for Members

The SEPA direct debit feature also brings advantages for your members. They no longer need to remember to transfer fees and can be sure that their payments are made on time. The purpose on the bank statement is clearly formulated and shows both the purpose of the payment and the choir's name.

The mandate reference and mandate date are automatically generated from the data stored in Chorilo. The member's joining date is used as the mandate date, enabling clean documentation. If a member has questions about a direct debit, you can quickly look up all relevant information in Chorilo.

Conclusion

The SEPA direct debit feature in Chorilo is another building block for modern and efficient association management. It significantly simplifies the collection of membership fees, saves time, and reduces sources of error. The distinction between active and passive members with individual fee amounts makes the system flexible and adaptable to different association structures.

Through integration into the cashbook and member management, a seamless workflow is created that requires no additional tools or manual data maintenance. Compliance with the official SEPA standard guarantees compatibility with all banks and ensures legally compliant direct debit procedures.

If you're already using Chorilo, try out the new feature and experience for yourself how much time you can save in fee management. If you don't know Chorilo yet, now is a good time to get to know the platform and discover how it can facilitate your association work.