Overview
Preselect and lock online payment transactions if the payment has predefined payment method/Preselect_And_Lock_Online_Payment is located in Financial Settings > General Settings > e-Payments > Basic Settings. It controls whether the payment method is automatically fixed when a predefined payment method already exists for a transaction.
What This Setting Does
When enabled, this setting ensures that when a transaction already has a predefined payment method associated with it, that payment method is automatically shown as selected and cannot be changed by the end user during the online payment process. This helps ensure payments are directed the way the institution intended for certain charges.
Where It Is Used
This setting affects the payment details screen that _Student_ and _Parent_ users see when issuing a payment for a transaction.
- Main Menu > Financial: when a _Student_ or _Parent_ opens the payment/receipt window for a transaction that already has a predefined payment method, the Payment Method field is shown preselected and disabled based on this setting.
Business Logic / Behavior
- This is a simple on/off toggle (checkbox).
- This setting only has a visible effect on transactions that already have a predefined payment method; transactions without one are unaffected.
- When enabled, the payment method field becomes locked (read-only) and preselected for those transactions rather than presented as an editable choice.
Example(s)
Institute Alfa issues a $150 laboratory fee transaction that must always be paid by Bank Transfer for accounting reasons, so that transaction is created with Bank Transfer already set as its predefined payment method. The administrator enables Preselect and lock online payment transactions if the payment has predefined payment method, so when a parent opens the $150 lab fee to pay it online, the Payment Method field already shows Bank Transfer, grayed out, and the parent cannot switch it to Credit Card or any other option.
When to Use
When to Enable
Enable this setting when certain transactions must always use a specific, predetermined payment method and the institution wants to prevent end users from changing it, reducing reconciliation errors.
When to Disable
Disable this setting if end users should always be free to choose their preferred payment method regardless of whether a transaction has a predefined one.
Notes
- Prerequisites: Enable online payments/Use_Online_Payments must be turned on for this setting to have any effect.
- Related settings: Payment Method/OP_Payment_Method (Financial Settings > General Settings > e-Payments > Transaction properties for addressing Payments); Enable online payments/Use_Online_Payments (Financial Settings > General Settings > e-Payments > Basic Settings).
K-12 vs Higher Education: This setting behaves the same regardless of whether Higher Education Mode (Enable Configuration for Higher Education/Xrisi_parametropoihshs_kolegiou) is enabled or disabled.
