Sierra Central - Bill Payer

BillPayer Support

What is BillPayer and how does it work?

BillPayer is our online solution to your bill paying needs! This service is available to all members who have internet access and a checking account with Sierra Central Credit Union. BillPayer can only be used in conjunction with your Sierra Central checking account suffix 5.

Once you have enrolled, the first step is to set up your payees. We already have a Master Payee List of over 120,000 payees for you to choose from, or you may create your own if your payee is not in the Master Payee List (database).

Schedule either one-time or recurring payment requests through your checking account. On the scheduled payment date, your payment is processed by the Credit Union and submitted to the payee the following day. Payments are made electronically to the vendor whenever possible. If the payee does not accept electronic payments, a check will be issued.

How much does BillPayer cost and how do I enroll?

First, you will need to be signed up for PCU Banking, our FREE internet banking product. If you are already using PCU Home Banking you can contact Member Services at 1-800-222-SCCU (7228) Monday - Friday during business hours to have a member representative enroll you for BillPayer. You may also sign up online - find out more information and to sign up.

BillPayer is a separate service that runs within PCU Online Banking. BillPayer normally costs $6.95 per month with a one time setup fee of $10.00. However, if you have it tied to a Direct Deposit checking account, with an automatic monthly deposit of $300 or more, the service is FREE. Both the setup and monthly fees are waived.

How do I set up payees?

First, click on the "Payees" button within BillPayer. Next, click on the "Find Payee" button to search through our Master Payee List. If you do not find the payee you are looking for in the Master Payee List, try to use variations of the name.

If your payee is not on the Master Payee List or the address does not match your payee, you will need to add the payee in the "Add Payee" section. When creating a new payee, all fields must be completed. The only exceptions are the "Attn:" field and the "Ext." in the "Phone" field. If you fail to input information in all of the required fields, your payee will not be set up and you will not be able to make payments to this payee.

Once you have set up a payee in the "Add Payee" section you will need to wait up to 14 business days before scheduling a payment. This allows our payment processor to verify the payee information. Please note that this 14 business-day delay is only imposed once per new payee that you create. If you select a payee from the Master Payee List, you may begin setting up payments immediately.

For more details, click on the "Help" option from within BillPayer.

What if the payee name has a different billing address than on my regular bill?

The payee that you select from the Master Payee List must have the same address as the address on your payee's invoice/statement. If you select a payee with a different address, it could be an entirely different company, or a different office/department that has no ability to apply your payment. If the name of the company and the address don't match, you should add the vendor and all information manually under the "Add Payee" option. If you have any address questions, call the payee to verify the information.

Once I enroll, how soon can I start making payments?

If you set up a "New Payee", you must allow 10-14 business days before you can begin making payments to that payee. This allows our payment processor enough time to verify payee information before the first payment is sent. After the 10-14 business days have elapsed, you will be able to submit payments. This delay is imposed only once. Subsequent payments to that payee are not subject to this restriction.

Do not wait until you are ready to pay bills to set up new payees. If your payee is on the Master Payee List, you may begin to make payments immediately.

New Payments that are set up to start the same day will be processed the same day if completed prior to 12:00PM. New Payments that have been set up to start the same day but were done after 12:00PM will be processed the next business day.

What is the difference between bills paid by check v. bills paid electronically?

A "Check" payment is a paper draft sent though the US Mail system. You must allow sufficient time for the payee to receive this type of payment, about 7-10 business days, just as if you were mailing the payment yourself. An "Electronic" payment is sent out electronically and is the preferred payment method. However, some payees are not able to accept this type of payment. "Electronic" payments clear within a few days.

Payees' addresses and method of payment may automatically be changed so that we may streamline the payment process for you. Where the payee was originally being paid via check, we may automatically convert the address so that we may now make the necessary payments electronically.

How do I modify a payee and what can be modified?

Once a payee has been set up, you can modify your name as it appears on the payee account, the account number, and the nickname you have given the payee.

If you need to change other details, you will need to go through the "Add Payee" process and create a new payee. You can then delete the old payee from your BillPayer account.

Is there a maximum amount I can pay?

Yes. The maximum amount for a single payment is $9,999.99. If you need to make a payment to a vendor that is larger than this amount, you must split the payment into two payments.

What if BillPayer won't accept my account number when setting up a payee?

Occasionally an account number you enter will be rejected as incorrect despite being entered by you correctly. This occurs only if you are using the "Find A Payee" database when setting up a payee. In order to resolve this, simply use the "Add A Payee" field and enter the payee information, including address and account number on your own. The payee will be added to your personal payee listing.

One of the most frequently mentioned examples of this has been when trying to add an account number to Ameritech's payee field retrieved from the "Find A Payee" database.

How long will it take for a payee to receive my payment?

On average, allow two business days for electronic merchants and ten business days for those merchants paid by paper check (for those unable to receive electronic payment). Your Personal Payee List will show whether a merchant is receiving payments electronically or by a check in the mail.

Please remember that Sierra Central Credit Union Credit Union cannot control the delivery of payments by the post office or the posting schedule of the merchant (when the payment is actually credited to your account).

Because merchants may not post the payment the same day that they receive them, we recommend that you include a few "cushion" days in your timing of bill payments. It is your responsibility to select dates to allow enough time for the payment to get to the merchant so that you are not late with your payments.

When are funds deducted from my Credit Union account?

Funds are debited from your account on the day that we process your payment (typically the Payment Start Date), and NOT on the day that the payment is received or cashed by the payee.

If there are not enough funds available, your payment will not be processed and you will be charged an overdraft fee (see fee schedule for amount). If your account has been setup for overdraft protection then transfers and fees (see fee schedule for amount) will be applied to process the payment. Additionally, other items may be returned from your account as unpaid. You will be notified by US mail if an overdraft occurs and funds are unavailable to process the payment.

How do I check on the status of a payment?

Click on the "Payment History" button, and you will see a status on each of your payments, as follows:

In Process: The payment has been sent by the Credit Union to our payment processor and is awaiting further action. At this point a payment has not yet been sent to your payee, but the money has been debited from your account.
Payment Sent: The payment has been processed by our BillPayer Processor and has been sent to your payee by check.
Electronic Payment Sent: The payment has been processed by our BillPayer Processor and has been sent to your payee electronically.
Check Cleared: Your payee has deposited the check. Note that on electronic payees, the final status will be "Payment Sent."

For more help on this, click on the Help option from within BillPayer.

What if I need to modify or stop a payment to a payee?

While a payment is still listed under the pending payment section, changes can be made to the payment at any time. Once a payment has moved from pending payments to payment history, no changes can be made.

Once a payment has been sent, it will be processed according to standard procedures. On an exception basis, our payment processor may be able to stop a payment made to a check merchant. If you choose to try and issue a stop a payment, your account will be assessed the $25 stop payment fee that we are charged by our payment processor. Electronic payments cannot be stopped.

A payment to a payee through BillPayer has not been credited to my account. What should I do?

Check your records. Often a typing error or date error is responsible for a missing payment. Wait at least four business days for an electronic payment and ten business days for a check payment. Call the merchant at the end of this time to see whether they have received the payment.

Once all other means of rectifying the problem have been exhausted, Sierra Central will take any necessary steps, upon the request of the member and on behalf of the member to further pursue the payment issue.

How do I get a copy of a check?

Contact Sierra Central Member Services at 1-800-222-SCCU (7228) and speak with a representative to inform them of your request.

How do I cancel BillPayer service?

If you decide that you do not want to use BillPayer, you will need to call Member Services at 1-800-222-SCCU (7228) to make this request. Please be aware that all Payees and Pending Payments will be canceled. If you later decide to re-enroll in BillPayer again, you will have to reestablish all of your Payees.