Resolve a Fine at Check-In

Fines for overdues, if any, are calculated automatically. When you attempt to check in an overdue item, a Fine dialog box indicates that a fine is being charged. The fine amount in the dialog box shows an amount related to the item you are checking in. The dialog box also warns you if the patron owes additional money not related to this item.

To pay, waive, or charge a fine to a patron’s account when you check in an overdue item:

Note:
In Polaris Administration, the Patron Services parameter Check in: auto-charge fine from item work form and find tool context menu controls whether overdue fines are automatically charged to the patron account when overdue items are checked in from the Item workform, the Find Tool context menu, or the Patron Status workform - Items Out view. If the parameter is set to Yes, the Fine dialog box does not appear.

1. (Optional) Change the amount of the fine, if necessary, by typing a new amount in the Fine box (maximum $2,000,000.00).

Note:
To change the fine amount, you must have the Circulation permission Modify fine amount: Allow.

2. Choose one of the following options:

• To check in the item and confirm that the patron owes money, but you will process the fine later, click Continue.

The fine appears in the Pending patron account transactions list. Each entry in this list displays the total amount of all fines for that patron. (If one patron has returned several overdue items, it does not list each individual fine.) Before you can close the Check In workform, you must resolve each patron’s fine by paying, waiving, or charging the patron’s account (see step 4).

• To check in the item and waive the fine, click Waive.

A record of the waiver appears in the Transaction Summary box for the patron account (see Display a transaction’s history ). If you set Polaris for fine receipt printing at the Check In workform, a fine receipt prints (see Setting Up Receipt Printing from Workforms).

Note:
Your library may suppress fine receipts for waive transactions.

• To check in the item and charge the fine to the patron’s account, click Charge Account.

The charge is listed on the Patron Status workform - Account view, where you can pay or waive the charge later. See Processing Charges and Payments.

Tip:
To resolve all charges on the patron account, both old and new, click Manage All Fines. See step 7.

3. If you clicked Continue, and you are ready to process the fine, select the patron line item in the Pending patron account transactions list.
4. If you want to charge the selected line item to the patron’s account, click Charge New on the right side of the Pending patron account transactions list. The line item no longer appears in the list. The charge appears on the Patron Status workform - Account view, where you can resolve the charge later. See Pay charges from the Account view.
5. If you want to pay the selected line item, follow these steps:
   1. Click Pay New on the right side of the Pending patron account transactions list.

Note:
If your library uses Active Payment Manager (Class Point of Sale) to manage payments, the Class Point of Sale window opens. Follow your library’s procedures to process the payment.

The Pay dialog box appears.

2. Type the amount to pay in the Amount box (maximum $2,000,000.00), if you are paying an amount other than the exact amount of the line item:

• Partial payment (less than the line item amount) - If the line item represents a single charge, the payment will be recorded as a partial payment on the charge, and the Account Transaction list in the patron’s record will show a balance for the charge. If you are making a partial payment on multiple charges, the payment amount is applied to the oldest charges first. See Pay charges from the Account view.
• Overpayment (more than the line item amount) - If your library allows overpayments to be recorded as account credits, a dialog box appears that alerts you to the overpayment and provides the choice of crediting the account or not. Click Yes to credit the patron’s account. Click No to pay the charge without recording a credit. (Click Cancel if you entered the wrong amount.) If your library does not allow overpayments to be recorded as credits, a message indicates how much change you should give the patron. Click OK on the message box.

3. Select a payment method in the Method box, and click OK.

Note:
If your library accepts credit card payments, and the patron wants to pay with a credit card, select Credit card in the method box. For more information about taking credit card payments, see Take credit card payments for fines and fees - PayPal Payflow Pro or Take payments for fines and fees - Comprise SmartPAY.

The line item no longer appears in the list. However, a record of the charge and payment appears in the Transaction Summary dialog box for the patron account. If any charges were only partially paid, or if an overpayment was credited, the transactions appear in the Account Transaction list for the patron account. See Viewing Patron Financial Accounts and Processing Charges and Payments.

If you set Polaris for fine receipt printing at the Check In workform, a fine receipt prints. You can also opt to print the fine receipt only for patrons who do not receive eReceipts. See Setting Up Receipt Printing from Workforms.

6. If you want to waive the selected line item, follow these steps:
   1. Click Waive New on the right side of the Pending patron account transactions list. The Waive dialog box appears.
   2. Type the amount to waive in the Amount box (maximum $2,000,000.00), if you are waiving an amount other than the exact amount of the line item:
   • Partial waive (less than the line item amount) - For a partial waive on a single charge, the transaction will be recorded as a partial waive on the charge, and the Account Transaction list in the patron account will show a balance for the charge. If you are making a partial waive on multiple or all charges, the waived amount will be applied to the oldest charges first. See Waive charges from the Account view.
   • Distributed waive - If you want to apply the same waived amount to each of multiple charges, select (check) the Distributed Waive check box, and type an amount to waive. If your library does not allow distributed waives, this option is not available for selection.

Note:
If the distributed waive amount is identical to a charge, the charge is cleared. Charges less than the distributed waive amount are not affected.

The line item no longer appears in the list. However, a record of the waiver appears in the Transaction Summary dialog box for the patron account.

3. Click OK on the dialog box.

If you set Polaris for fine receipt printing at the Check In workform, a fine receipt prints. You can also opt to print the fine receipt only for patrons who do not receive eReceipts. See Setting Up Receipt Printing from Workforms.

Note:
Your library may suppress fine receipts for waive transactions.

7. To resolve other charges on this patron’s record, click Manage All Fines on the right side of the Pending patron account transactions list. The Patron Status workform - Account view opens. For information about working with patron accounts, see Patron Status and Accounting.

Related Information

• Fine calculation - Polaris Administration settings control how fines are calculated.
• Fine receipt information - The information printed on fine receipts is determined by Polaris Administration settings. With the appropriate permission, you can also modify the message printed on check-out and fine receipts. See Set receipt printer message text.
• Working with patron accounts - See Patron Status and Accounting.