Variables

A variable is a column containing information that is used to determine hours, charges, and refunds. You can use any table for which the ID Number is the only key.

Each entry in the Charge Table is identified by a group of characteristics that makes it unique. The Students Attributes describe the group of students who would receive the transactions for each Charge Table entry.

The program uses these attributes to select the proper Charge Table entry for each student.

·       If the student chose Meal Plan A, then use this Charge Table entry to create a $1,125 debit to 01-01-1020-1200 and a $1,125 credit to 01-01-4020-4340.

·       If the student is full time, then use this Charge Table entry to create a $2,450 debit to 01-01-1020-1200 and a $2,450 credit to 01-01-4010-4010.

When you implement the Accounts Receivable module, you can choose the variable columns for each fee code. There are two major reasons that variables exist in the Charge Table.

·       To omit the students who should not receive a particular charge. For example, the fee code for meal plans specified a charge for those students with Meal Plan = A and Meal Plan = B. Any student who did not have one of these meal plan codes did not receive a charge. Thus, you can select variables that will allow you to omit certain types of students from receiving the charge. The other way to omit students from particular charges is to create Charge Table entries that calculate a transaction amount of zero.

·       To define more than one Charge Table entry for each fee code. Variable columns are used to define unique attributes for each table entry. With these attributes, you can create debits and credits that differ between groups of students. For example, the debit and credit transactions for part-time students (credit hours 0 - 11.99) are different than the debit and credit transactions for full-time students (credit hours 12 - 15).

To define variable columns, you need to know who will receive the charge and how that charge differs from group to group. Following are some reasons you may want more than one Charge Table entry per fee code.

Transaction Amount

·       The calculation of the amount may differ depending on characteristics of the student.

·       Part time tuition is calculated on a per hour basis while full-time tuition is a flat fee.

·       Certain groups, such as senior citizens, receive a lower hourly charge for tuition.

·       The charge is based on a students choices. A double room carries a higher charge than a single room. The 12-meal plan is less expensive than the 21-meal plan.

Income Account

·       The offsetting account may differ according to student characteristics.

·       Tuition income for part-time students is recorded in one income account while tuition income for full-time students may be recorded in another account.

·       Income from graduate students and undergraduate students may be tracked in separate accounts.

Subsidiary Account

·       Some organizations create subsidiary accounts on the basis of organizational divisions or student types. The subsidiary account on the debit transaction may be dependent upon the students type or their location.

·       Transactions for students from the Main campus use the Main campus A/R subsidiary account. Transactions for students from the East campus use the East campus A/R subsidiary account.

Description

To avoid confusion, one group might see one transaction description while another group sees a different description. Description is rarely used as the only reason to create a new entry on the Charge Table.

The reasons that each item might change must be identified for each fee code. The illustration below reflects different rates and income numbers depending on the students program.

Once you are certain that all students are covered, you can proceed. You know that a part-time undergraduate student is charged $200 per hour. Now you need to identify the variable columns that allow the system to classify a student as part-time and as an undergraduate.

In dealing with student-based charges (e.g., student, annual, lifetime, discounts), you can choose columns from student information and student hours information as variable columns to classify the students. This is probably a good time to get the Registrar involved, since their input will be critical as you define your automatic student charges. After all, you will be using the data they enter to classify students so you need to make sure that you're looking in the right place!

You also need to identify the student information or the student hours information that will identify a students status. If a student is defined as "Undergraduate: Part time," how does the system know that the student is an undergraduate? The Registrar tells us that undergraduates have a Current Division column equal to U. We know that they are part time based on the number of credit hours (less then 12 credit hours). Therefore, we can tell that a student is part time if their credit hours total is between 0 and 11.99 (since 11.99 is the highest number that is less than 12). We use the middle column of the worksheet to rewrite the criteria using variable columns.

If a student has a Current division of U and student course hours within the 0-11.99 range, the program will calculate their tuition charge using $200 per hour.