Setting Up Payments

RTObase supports online payments through Stripe (recommended) or eWAY. This guide walks through setting up payment processing for your enrolments.

Invoice and payment reference format

In Settings > Payment Settings, open Invoices and set Number prefix and Minimum number of digits. Include your separator in the prefix, for example SP-, and finish it with a letter or hyphen. New employer invoices and learner payment requests use the chosen format. Existing numbers stay as issued, and a number longer than the minimum width is never shortened.

Access required

Choose the task you are doing. Each row is a separate action.

Gateway availability still depends on the organisation's plan and payment configuration. A role permission does not enable a gateway.

Payment options by plan

Understanding platform vs BYO

Platform payments (Startup/Business)

With RTObase's Stripe Connect:

• We handle Stripe setup and compliance
• Payments go through our platform
• Platform fee: 2% + 30c per enrolment, capped at $4 plus GST on Startup. Business has no per-enrolment fees
• Funds transfer to your connected bank account
• PCI compliance managed by us

Startup and Business plans see the Stripe Connect setup directly, no gateway selection needed.

BYO payments (Custom)

Custom plan users see a gateway selector first, with three options:

Select your preferred gateway, then follow the setup steps below.

Setting up Stripe Connect (Platform)

Setting up BYO Stripe (Custom)

Setting up eWAY (Custom)

Testing payments

Sandbox/Test mode

Online payment test mode applies to provider checkout. Staff-created enrolments, offline receipts and free public enrolments are real activity by default. To practise a staff enrolment, booking or bulk class cohort, an admin must explicitly select Test enrolment in the creation form. This purpose is fixed at creation and applies to its unit courses and manual receipts. Practice is excluded from platform fees and AVETMISS readiness and NAT exports; other operational report totals can still include it. A test enrolment cannot take a live online payment or receive a completion document. Its payment links still work with test checkout. Existing records are not automatically reclassified.

New organisations begin with payment checkout in test mode. Before going live:

1. Connect the active Test environment and practise checkout with provider test card numbers:
   • Stripe: 4242 4242 4242 4242
   • eWAY: 4444 3333 2222 1111
2. Complete test enrolments and verify learner access, payment records, refunds and reporting
3. Prepare the live account or credentials separately. Test payments keep working while Stripe verifies your business
4. On the Startup plan, check your invoice email in Settings → Billing → Settings. RTObase sends its monthly platform fee invoice there. Eligible real enrolments are metered independently of learner payment methods.
5. Use the explicit Enable live payments confirmation when ready. New checkouts then charge real payment methods and settle to the live account

Fee structure

The Payments page includes a live example for the current plan. Use it to compare what the learner pays, the RTObase platform fee, the estimated card-processing fee, and the RTO's estimated net amount before going live.

Startup platform fees and Business flat pricing

The platform fee is 2% of the fee basis plus a fixed 30c, capped at $4.00, plus 10% GST, bounded by the fee basis. For metered enrolments, the basis is the net of the payments recorded for the enrolment by the monthly billing run; course and booking prices are not used. An enrolment with no payment recorded is billed the $4.00 maximum. A $0 payment confirms a free enrolment: free and fully-discounted website signups record one automatically, and staff can record a $0 receipt. With a $0 basis there is no fee at all: the 30c fixed component only applies when there's an amount to charge.

Example: $20 enrolment (Startup)

• Platform fee: 2% of $20 = $0.40, + $0.30 fixed = $0.70 excluding GST
• GST on the platform fee: $0.07

Example: $100 enrolment (Startup)

• Platform fee: 2% of $100 = $2.00, + $0.30 fixed = $2.30 excluding GST
• GST on the platform fee: $0.23

Example: $500 enrolment (Startup)

• Platform fee: 2% of $500 = $10.00, + $0.30 = $10.30 → capped at $4.00 excluding GST
• GST on the platform fee: $0.40
• Stripe fee: ~$8.80
• You receive: ~$486.80

Example: $500 enrolment (Business)

• Platform fee: none
• Stripe fee: ~$8.80
• You receive: ~$491.20

Include the RTObase fee in your course price (Startup)

Card surcharges are no longer available on learner payments. They are turned off in line with Australian card scheme rules from 1 October 2026. To have learners cover the RTObase fee, include it in your course price.

On the Startup plan, open the course's Course design tab and find Price under Course details. The hint under the price shows the RTObase fee excluding GST and what you receive after the RTObase fee and its GST, before card fees. Click Add RTObase fee to raise the price so you still receive at least the amount you entered. RTObase rounds the new price up to a whole dollar. It is an ordinary course price, so learners pay the same amount whichever payment method they use.

How platform fees are billed (Startup)

How a Startup enrolment's platform fee is collected depends on how it was paid:

• New public enrolments paid through Stripe Connect checkout: the fee, including GST, is taken at checkout. It never appears on a monthly invoice.
• Every other eligible enrolment: manual, eWAY and BYO Stripe enrolments, and existing enrolment payment links paid through Stripe Connect, are billed monthly. RTObase emails a monthly invoice to your invoice email. Pay it by bank transfer within 30 days, using the payment reference on the invoice. There is no card to add. Until RTObase's bank transfer is available, these fees wait and nothing is charged. High-volume months can have several itemised invoice parts. Each enrolment is metered once.

Fees can accrue before RTObase bills them. Real manual enrolments are billable even when online checkout uses test mode.

For website booking courses without an online gateway, learners submit a booking request. No enrolment, slot reservation or payment is created at that step. Staff confirm the price and client payment arrangements, then use Prepare booking in the booking requests inbox. Saving admits the learner and confirms the booking together. Your RTO remains responsible for issuing its client invoice or collecting and recording an offline receipt.

Your course invoices to learners or employers are separate from RTObase's platform fee invoices. Paid self-service website enrolment needs a configured gateway. For an enquiry or booking handled without online collection, invoice your client or collect payment offline and record the receipt. A booking request does not automatically create a client invoice. Record each client payment, including $0 for a free enrolment, before the 1st of the month. An enrolment with no payment recorded by then is billed the $4.00 maximum. If a payment is recorded, removed or refunded after the monthly fee is recorded, the fee is corrected to the amount actually paid. A lower fee becomes a credit against your RTObase invoices; issued invoices and their GST do not change. A higher fee, such as removing every payment so it returns to the $4.00 maximum, is added to your next invoice. Existing historical fees retain their recorded basis and correction rules.

Review billing in Settings > Billing

The top of Settings > Billing shows your plan, how you pay and your invoice email. When you owe RTObase money, it shows the amount and the date it is due. A credit with RTObase comes off your next invoice.

The Overview tab has three tables:

• Metered enrolments is a running list of eligible enrolments. New rows show an estimated fee excluding GST and Pending monthly billing. The list refreshes every minute while open. The first-of-month run records the final fee for invoicing. Once RTObase bills it, the row links to its invoice in the same list. Payments, refunds and withdrawals can change a pending estimate. The invoice shows the frozen GST breakdown. Search by student name. Click the learner's name to preview the enrolment or the course name to preview the course.
• Platform fee invoices lists each RTObase invoice with its status, total, credits, paid amount, outstanding balance, due date and collection method. Earlier Startup invoices and metered enrolments stay listed after you move to Business or Custom.
• Paid Stripe Connect fees lists a tax invoice for each RTObase fee taken at Stripe Connect checkout, with the fee excluding GST, the GST and the total. Click View statement to open it, then Print tax invoice to print it or save it as a PDF. These fees are already paid and are never added to your monthly invoice. A later refund shows as a fee credit on the statement.

The Settings tab shows your plan and upgrade options. On the Startup plan, it also holds your Invoice email. RTObase sends its invoices and receipts there. Change it and click Save billing settings.

Pay an RTObase invoice

The invoice page lists the metered enrolments it covers, with the fee basis, platform fee excluding GST and GST for each. Click Print invoice to print it or save it as a PDF. Tax invoices show the subtotal excluding GST, the GST and the total including GST. Invoices issued before GST applied say that GST was not charged. A voided invoice says so and needs no payment.

Metered enrolment statuses

These statuses do not confirm payment. The outstanding amount in the Invoice settlement column is for the whole invoice, not one fee.

When new enrolments pause

New enrolments pause in two cases:

• Overdue RTObase invoices. When an RTObase invoice is still unpaid seven days after its due date, new enrolments pause until you pay it. This applies on every plan, including earlier Startup invoices after you move to Business or Custom. RTObase emails one reminder after the due date passes. A banner across the dashboard shows the date to pay by.
• Missing invoice email (Startup). Once RTObase's bank transfer is live, a Startup organisation needs a valid invoice email. Without one, new enrolments pause 30 days after your first monthly platform fee, or 30 days after bank transfer goes live if that is later. A banner shows the date. Add the email in Settings > Billing > Settings.

BYO fees (Custom)

Payment methods

Open Settings > Payment Settings > Payment methods. Use the Online payments tab for gateway setup and test/live controls. Configure online payments opens that tab.

• Enable Offer bank transfer only after completing the account name, six-digit BSB and account number.
• Add optional Instructions shown on invoices and payment links, then click Save payment methods.

The Online payments tab shows Bank transfer and card payments side by side, each with a badge such as Available, Not enabled, Setup required or Test payments only. Offer bank transfer is the one setting that controls bank transfer. Bank transfer does not need Stripe, and payment links can offer both options together.

Bank details and instructions also appear on employer invoices, including existing invoices when viewed or sent again. Payment links show them on the learner's payment page with a short reference from your invoice series, such as INV-0042. Staff use Record Payment and select the matching payment request after funds arrive. One save records the payment and closes its link.

Learner payment methods collect course fees for your RTO. RTObase platform charges and metered enrolments are managed separately under Billing.

Employer invoice settings

Open Settings > Payment Settings > Invoices.

• Set the next invoice number. This can only move forward, and the page shows the exact reference the next invoice will receive.
• Set Number prefix, such as SP-, to tell RTObase invoices apart from invoices in your accounting software. It applies to new employer invoices and learner payment requests. Use up to 16 letters, numbers and hyphens, starting with a letter and ending with a letter or hyphen. The default is INV-.
• Set Minimum number of digits from 1 to 20. RTObase adds leading zeroes when needed and never truncates a longer number.
• Set Default payment terms in days from 0 to 365. New invoices use this value to suggest a due date; zero means due today. You can change the suggested date on an individual invoice.
• Click Save invoice payment settings.

The number sequence is separate from the other settings. Confirm Set next number to move it forward. Changing the prefix or digits does not restart the sequence. Existing invoice references and due dates stay unchanged.

Bank details and payment instructions apply when an employer views an invoice or staff send it again.

Eligible sent or overdue invoices can also be paid through the employer portal using your configured online gateway. Every invoice line must identify its unpaid enrolments. Custom items without enrolment links require another payment arrangement. See Employer Management for the payment flow.

Payment links

Send payment requests directly to students from the enrolment's Payments tab. See Payment Links for the full guide.

Recording manual payments

For offline payments (cash, cheque, bank transfer), record them in RTObase:

Viewing payments

Payment dashboard

1. Go to Payments in the sidebar
2. View all transactions
3. Filter by status, date, course

Transaction details

Each payment shows:

• Student and course
• Amount and fees
• Status
• Transaction ID
• Date and time

Exporting payments

Click Export to download payment records as CSV for accounting.

Handling refunds

Full refund

Partial refund

1. Same as above, but enter a partial amount
2. Record why partial (e.g., completed some training)

Refund timing

• Stripe: 5-10 business days to customer
• eWAY: Varies by bank, typically 5-10 days

Troubleshooting

Payments not appearing

1. Check your gateway is connected (Settings → Payment Settings)
2. Verify webhooks are configured
3. Check payment status in Stripe/eWAY dashboard
4. Ensure you're not in test mode

Connection errors

1. Verify API keys are correct
2. Check keys are for live mode (not test)
3. Ensure your gateway account is active
4. Try regenerating webhook secret

Failed payments

Common reasons:

• Insufficient funds
• Card declined
• 3D Secure authentication failed
• Incorrect card details

The student receives an email to retry payment.

Security

PCI compliance

• RTObase never stores full card numbers
• All payments processed through PCI-compliant gateways
• Use HTTPS for all transactions

Fraud prevention

Stripe includes built-in fraud detection. For additional protection:

• Enable 3D Secure
• Set up Stripe Radar rules
• Monitor for unusual activity

Payment request management

Keep going