Process SEPA direct debits

SEPA direct debit is the most common way for European clubs to collect membership fees. Instead of waiting for members to pay manually, you generate a batch file with all pending invoices and upload it to your bank. This guide walks you through the entire collection cycle from start to finish.

Before you begin

Make sure you have completed the following prerequisites:

• Your club's SEPA creditor details are configured (creditor ID, IBAN, BIC) -- see Configure payment methods.
• At least one member has a SEPA direct debit payment method set up with a valid IBAN and mandate.
• Pending invoices exist that are ready for collection (status: pending).

Step 1: Generate a SEPA XML file

1. Navigate to Finance > SEPA from the sidebar.
2. Click the Generate button.
3. Omoplata collects all pending invoices that are ready for SEPA collection and creates a SEPA XML file in the standard direct debit format.
4. All included invoices move from pending to waiting to send.
5. All related transactions are updated to waiting to send.

The generated file includes:

• A unique message ID identifying the batch.
• The number of transactions included.
• The control sum (total amount across all transactions).
• Your club's creditor details.

SEPA sequence types

Omoplata automatically handles the sequence type for each debit:

• FRST (First) -- used for the very first debit under a new mandate (for example, a member who just signed up).
• RCUR (Recurring) -- used for all subsequent debits under the same mandate.

This distinction is required by the SEPA scheme and you do not need to manage it manually.

Step 2: Download the XML file

1. On the Finance > SEPA page, find the newly created SEPA file in the list.
2. Click the Download button to save the XML file to your computer.
3. Keep the file safe -- you will upload it to your bank in the next step.

Step 3: Upload to your bank

Upload the SEPA XML file to your bank using one of these methods:

Option A: Online banking portal

1. Log in to your bank's online banking portal.
2. Navigate to the SEPA direct debit or batch payment section.
3. Upload the XML file.
4. Review the batch details (number of transactions, total amount).
5. Confirm and submit the file.
6. Complete any required TAN or two-factor authentication.

Option B: FinTS integration

If you have connected your bank via FinTS (see Configure payment methods):

1. Use the FinTS interface in Omoplata to upload the file directly.
2. Enter your PIN when prompted.
3. Complete TAN authentication as required by your bank.

Step 4: Mark the file as uploaded

After uploading the XML file to your bank, return to Omoplata and confirm the upload.

1. On the Finance > SEPA page, find the SEPA file you just uploaded.
2. Mark the file as uploaded.
3. This triggers the following updates:
   • The SEPA file status changes to uploaded with a timestamp.
   • All related invoices move from waiting to send to sent to bank.
   • All related transactions are updated to sent to bank.

Step 5: Wait for bank processing

After uploading, the bank processes the debits on the specified due date. During this time:

• The invoices remain in sent to bank status.
• Members see the pending charge on their bank statements (depending on when their bank processes it).
• Any returns for failed debits are generated by the bank.

Step 6: Invoices are marked as paid

Invoices are marked as paid through one of two mechanisms:

Automatic processing (fallback)

Omoplata automatically marks SEPA files as processed after a configurable waiting period (default: 5 days after the due date). When this happens:

• The SEPA file status changes to processed.
• All related invoices are marked as paid.
• All related transactions are marked as completed.
• Payment records are created.

This only applies to files where all payment due dates are older than the waiting period, giving enough time for any return files to arrive before assuming success.

Manual confirmation

If you prefer not to wait for the automatic fallback:

1. Go to Finance > SEPA and select the file.
2. Mark the file as processed.
3. All related invoices and transactions are updated accordingly.

Processing SEPA returns

When a SEPA debit fails (for example, due to insufficient funds, a closed account, or a mandate dispute), your bank provides a return file.

Step 1: Download the return file

1. Log in to your bank's online portal.
2. Download the CAMT return file (CAMT.054 format).

Step 2: Upload the return file

1. On the Finance > SEPA page, click the upload return button.
2. Select the CAMT file from your computer.
3. Omoplata reads the return file and identifies the affected invoices.

Step 3: Review the results

After processing the return file:

• Affected invoices are moved to pending retry status.
• Related transactions are marked as failed.
• If you have a failed transaction fee configured, the fee is added automatically to the member's account.
• Omoplata tracks each uploaded return file to prevent the same file from being processed twice.

Step 4: Retry collection

Failed invoices in pending retry status are automatically included in the next SEPA XML file you generate. When you create your next batch, these invoices are collected again alongside any new pending invoices.

The retried invoice ID is suffixed with a counter (for example, INV-1000042-1) so you can track how many collection attempts have been made.

Deleting a SEPA file

If you generated a SEPA file by mistake or need to cancel a batch before uploading:

1. On the Finance > SEPA page, find the file.
2. Click Delete.
3. All included invoices revert from waiting to send back to pending.
4. The invoices can be included in a future batch.

SEPA file statuses at a glance

What to do next

• Handle failed payments -- learn how to manage failed SEPA debits and the dunning process.
• Generate invoices -- understand how invoices are created before SEPA collection.
• Configure payment methods -- update your SEPA settings.

For the full reference on SEPA direct debit, see SEPA direct debit.