Before we jump in, if you haven't already, we highly recommend reading our help center article on Credit Card Authorization.
Overview
Installment Payment Schedule: this new payment schedule allows you, as the advisor, to break down an activity or trip package into multiple payments (beyond just a 'deposit / remaining balance').
We typically see advisors use Installments when they want to make sure a client "stays on track" towards authorizing the full cost of their trip. They will set up monthly or biweekly installments, and make sure the full cost is covered by the 'final payment due date'.
We recommend using an Installment Payment Schedule if you anticipate needing to break down the price of an item into multiple payments - even if you don't want to do that immediately. You can add additional installment(s) at any time.
Allowing Partial Payments: this is a new setting on all Payment Schedules (except guarantees), which allows your client to authorize partial amounts towards the full cost, deposit, or next installment of an activity.
We typically see advisors enable this setting for clients who like to authorize payment amounts whenever they have extra money in the bank, to make sure they are periodically paying for the cost of their upcoming trip.
You can enable this setting at any time (per activity/trip package).
Jump to Partial Payments below to learn more.
Installments
This new payment schedule allows you, as the advisor, to break down an activity or trip package into multiple payments (beyond just a 'deposit / remaining balance').
Advisor Side: Setting Up Installments
1. First, make sure you have set up your activity or trip package with all the information necessary to get it 'ready for authorization'
If you have questions about this, please refer to our help center article on Credit Card Authorization.
2. Next, select the 'Installment' payment schedule type
3. Add as many Installments as you'd like. You'll see the 'Remaining Balance' automatically update as you go
Make sure to re-publish your trip once you're done setting up!
Transition bookings with historical payments:
If you imported a booking with payments logged before Tern (for example, "Paid prior to Tern Transition"), Tern allocates those payments sequentially against your installments. An installment will show "Paid" automatically if total historical payments cover its amount - even without an authorization.
To set up a new installment for authorization alongside historical payments: set the first installment amount equal to the total of all historical payments, exclude it from credit card authorization, then add a second installment for the amount you want your client to authorize. This ensures the historical payments satisfy the first installment and the new installment is ready for authorization.
Client Side: Authorizing Installments
1. When your client visits their itinerary to authorize payments, they will see the first Installment that is "ready for authorization"
They will go through the regular process of reviewing items to authorize, adding a credit card, agreeing to terms, and e-signing.
2. You will both receive an email confirmation after authorization
The PDF receipt is identical to the regular receipt for authorizations - but you'll note the amount next to that authorization in the table is marked as an 'Installment'.
3. The next time your client goes to authorize payments, they will see the "next" Installment you have added
Note: you can add additional Installments any time, and they will show up in the order you have set them.
Advisor Side: Reviewing Installment Authorizations
1. You will receive an email receipt immediately after authorization (shown above), and see this logged in Trip Activity
2. Installments will be split out on your Payments Table
3. You can access credit card details for each Installment on the activity or package
Tip: this allows a client to use different credit cards per Installment, if they prefer to pay that way.
Partial Payments
This is a new setting on all Payment Schedules (except guarantees), which allows your client to authorize partial amounts towards the full cost, deposit, or next installment of an activity.
Advisor Side: Allowing Partial Payments
1. To allow Partial Payments, simply toggle this option on your trip packages or activities at any time
This will work for all Payment Schedule types except Guarantees. Remember to re-publish your trip when you're done!
Client Side: Making Partial Payment Authorizations
1. When your client visits their authorization page, they'll see the option to 'Authorize Partial Amount' available for any packages or activities you've enabled this setting for
2. They will then be able to authorize "up to" the next available amount
For 'In Full' schedule types that means they can authorize any partial amount up to the full cost of the package or activity
For Deposit + Final Balance types that means they can authorize partial payments towards the Deposit at first, and towards the Final Balance once the deposit has been authorized
For Installments types that means they can partially authorize each Installment
3. You will both receive an email confirmation after authorization
4. The next time your client goes to their authorization page, they'll be able to authorize another partial payment
Or they can authorize the full remaining balance / installment normally!
Advisor Side: Reviewing Partial Payment Authorizations
1. You will receive an email receipt immediately after authorization (shown above), and see this logged in Trip Activity
2. Partial Payments will be split out on your Authorization Table
3. You can access credit card details for each Partial Payment on the activity or package
FAQ
Why does my invoice show the full balance when I have installments set up?
The invoice shows the total balance due - the full amount still outstanding across all bookings. This is a financial summary, not a request to collect that full amount at once. When your client opens their itinerary and clicks Authorize Payments, they will only see the next installment due, not the full balance. The invoice and the authorization flow serve different purposes: the invoice summarizes what is owed overall, while the authorization flow collects one installment at a time in the order you set them up