Microsoft KB Archive/148456

= How to enter an Electronic Payment (Epay) in Microsoft Money 2004, and earlier versions =

Article ID: 148456

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Money 2004 Deluxe Edition
 * Microsoft Money 2003 Deluxe Edition
 * Microsoft Money 2002 Deluxe Edition
 * Microsoft Money 2001 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Money 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Money 99 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Money 98 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Money 2000 Business & Personal Edition
 * Microsoft Money 98 Deluxe Edition
 * Microsoft Money 98 Financial Suite Edition

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This article was previously published under Q148456



SUMMARY
In Microsoft Money, an Electronic Payment is known as an Epay and an Automatic Payment is known as an Apay. This article explains Epays and tells how and where you can enter one in Microsoft Money.

An Epay is used when you want to pay a bill electronically using the Money Online Bill Payment service. The service works with any checking account in the United States. You can pay any business or individual within the United States. You just tell the Online service when you want a bill paid and it is paid from your account. To use the Bill Payment service, you need to subscribe to the service and set up your accounts.

As long as you have a checking account in the United States that is set up for online bill payment, you can pay your bills directly from your computer. To do this:
 * 1) Enter your payment as usual, either in the Account Register or in the Pay bills screen, but with one difference. In the Number field, click Electronic Payment (Epay).

Note If your financial institution is unable to process and deliver your payment by the date you enter, Money asks if you want to accept a later date.
 * 1) From the To do list in the left pane, click Send payments.
 * 2) In the Connect box, type your password, and then click the Connect button.
 * 3) When you complete your call, Money displays a summary of information received from your financial institution.

If you want to save the call summary, click Save Summary.



MORE INFORMATION
Money assigns special check numbers to electronic payments to prevent a conflict with handwritten checks.

You can enter Epays in the Account Register in Money 2004, Money 2001, Money 2000, Money 99, and Money 98. When you enter an Epay transaction in Money, you enter all data in the normal fashion, except that you enter Epay in the Number field. When Money prompts you for a date, enter the date that you want the payment paid.

You can also have Money remind you to send these transactions by using the Bills area in Money 2004, Money 2001, Money 2000, Money 99 and Money 98.

For more information about how to enter these transactions, use the appropriate method below for your version of Money.

Note These steps assume that you are signed up for the service and that your accounts are set up for online bill payment.

Money 2000 and Later
To enter an Epay in the Account Register, follow these steps:  In Money 2000, click Accounts on the Money navigation bar.

In Money 2001 and later, click Account List on the Accounts & Bills menu. Select the account that you want to use to make the electronic payment. Click the Withdrawal tab. In the Number field, type the following:

Epay

 In the Due Date field, enter the date that you want the payment to be delivered. Usually, this is the bill's due date.

Note Money warns you if it cannot process the transaction by the date that you specify. Money suggests the earliest payment date possible. In the Pay To field, enter the payee name. In the Amount field, enter the payment amount.</li> You may also enter information in the Category, Subcategory, and Memo fields for your records.

This information is not transmitted with your payment.</li> When you are finished, press ENTER.</li> If Money does not have an account number or an address for this payee, you are prompted for this information when you enter the transaction.

The account number is the number of your account with the payee. You can usually find it on bills you receive from the payee.

Note Money requires data to be entered into the Account Number field and the Address field. If the payee is a friend or family member instead of a business, you may want to type your name or a brief message instead of an account number. This helps the payee identify your payment. An alternative is to simply type a period (.) in the field. This allows Money to proceed to the next step.</li> When you enter the transaction, Money displays a lightning bolt with an open envelope and the word Epay in the Number field.

This indicates that it is a pending instruction to be sent during your next connection to Online Services.

Note For Money 2002 and later, the transaction is sent to the financial institution as soon as you enter it.</li> Repeat steps 3-10 for each Epay that you want to send.</li> After you have entered all your transactions, click Send payments under To do on the left side of the screen.</li> In the Connect dialog box, review the list of instructions to be sent.</li> When all of your Online Services instructions are ready to send, click Connect and follow the instructions on the screen.</li></ol>

Note After the payment instructions are sent, Epay is replaced by a check number in the Number field, preceded by a lightning bolt with a closed envelope. This reminds you that this payment was sent using Online Bill Payment.

Money 99 and 98
To enter an Epay in the Account Register, follow these steps: <ol> On the Money navigation bar, click Accounts, and then select the account that you want to use to make the electronic payment.</li> Click the Check tab.</li> In the Number field, type the following:

Epay

</li> In the Due Date field, enter the date you want the payment to be delivered. Usually, this is the bill's due date.

Note Money warns you if it can't process the transaction by the date you specify. Money suggests the earliest payment date possible.</li> In the Pay To field, enter the payee name.</li> In the Amount field, enter the payment amount.</li> You may also enter information in the Category, Subcategory, and Memo fields for your records. This information is not transmitted with your payment.</li> <li>When you are finished, press ENTER.</li> <li>If Money does not have an account number or an address for this payee, you are prompted for this information when you enter the transaction.

The account number is the number of your account with the payee. You can usually find it on bills you receive from the payee.

Note Money requires data to be entered into the Account Number field and the Address field. If the payee is a friend or family member instead of a business, you may want to type your name or a brief message instead of an account number. This helps the payee identify your payment. An alternative is to simply type a period (.) in the field. This allows Money to proceed to the next step.</li> <li>When you enter the transaction, Money displays a lightning bolt with an open envelope and the word Epay in the Number field.

This indicates that it is a pending instruction to be sent during your next connection to Online Services.</li> <li>Repeat steps 2-9 for each Epay you want to send.</li> <li>After you enter all your transactions, click Online Banking in Money 98 or Online Finances in Money 99 in the Reminders box on the left side of the screen.</li> <li>In the Online Banking area, review the list of instructions to be sent.</li> <li>When all your Online Services instructions are ready to send, click Connect, and then follow the instructions on the screen.</li></ol>

Note After the payment instructions are sent, Epay is replaced by a check number in the Number field, preceded by a lightning bolt with a closed envelope. This reminds you that this payment was sent using Online Bill Payment.

Using Bills or Payment Calendar
You can have Money remind you to send these electronic transactions to Online Services by entering a transaction in the Bills area of Money. To do this, use the appropriate method for your version of Money.

Money 99 and Later
To set up reminders, follow these steps:
 * 1) In Money 2001 and later, click Bills & Deposits Setup, on the Accounts & Bills menu.

In Money 99 and 2000, click Bills, and then click Set up bills and deposits in the left pane.
 * 1) Click New.

Click Bill, and then click Next.
 * 1) Select the frequency of the payment by clicking the appropriate option button and frequency, and then click Next.
 * 2) In the Payment Method list, click Electronic Payment (Epay), and then click Next.
 * 3) Click the appropriate option button, enter an appropriate amount of approximate payment, and then click Next.
 * 4) Press the TAB key to move to each field while filling in all the necessary transaction information.
 * 5) In the Next Due field, enter the date you want the payment delivered, and then click Finish.

Money reminds you a few days before this bill is due by displaying a reminder in the Money Home screen and the left side of the Account screen and Bills screen. To send the instructions, follow these steps:
 * 1) In the Bills area, click Pay Bills in the left pane, and make sure that Epay is selected.
 * 2) Verify that you have enough in your accounts to cover the transaction.
 * 3) Click Record Epay.
 * 4) In the Record Payment dialog box, review the information to make sure that Epay is listed in the Number field.

The Date field should show the date that you want the payment delivered.
 * 1) Click Record to add the payment to the Account Register.
 * 2) In the Reminders box on the left side of the screen, click Online Finances.
 * 3) In the Online Banking area, review the list of instructions you are sending.
 * 4) When your Online Services instructions are ready, click Connect.
 * 5) Follow the instructions on the screen.

Money 98
<ol> <li>In the Bills area, click the New Bill button.</li> <li>Click Bill, and then click the Next button.</li> <li>Press the TAB key to move to each field while filling in all the necessary transaction information.

When you are prompted for a Check Number, type the following:

Epay

</li> <li>In the Due Date field, enter the date you want the payment delivered.</li> <li>In the Entry Method list, click Manual Entry, and then click OK.</li></ol>

Money reminds you a few days before this bill is due by displaying a reminder in the Contents screen. To send the instructions, follow these steps:
 * 1) In step 1 of the Bills area, make sure that the Epay is selected.
 * 2) In step 2, verify that you have enough in your accounts to cover the transaction.
 * 3) In step 3, click Enter Now.
 * 4) In the Enter Scheduled Payment dialog box, review the information to make sure that Epay is listed in the Number field.

The Date field should show the date that you want the payment delivered.
 * 1) Click Enter to add the payment to the Account Register.
 * 2) In the Reminders box on the right side of the screen, click Online Banking.
 * 3) In the Online Banking area, review the list of instructions you are sending.
 * 4) When your Online Services instructions are ready, click Connect.
 * 5) Follow the instructions on the screen.

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