> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://support.pears.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://support.pears.io/plan/community-events/event-payment.md).

# Event Payment

Learn how to configure payment methods, fees, and discounts for a paid community event in PEARS.

If your community event charges a fee, use the Payment section to configure payment methods, set fee amounts, and create discounts. The Payment section appears only when your organization has turned on **Use Payment for Events**, and its **Payment Settings** and **Pricing** pages open only after you mark the event as having a fee.

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#### Navigate to the Payment Tab

After completing the Registration Types section, PEARS takes you to the **Payment** page. You can also access it by opening an existing event and clicking **Payment** in the progress panel.

Answer **Does this event have a fee?** Select **No** and click **Save and continue** to skip ahead to Confirmation. Select **Yes** and click **Save and continue** to open **Payment Settings**. The **Payment Settings**, **Pricing**, and (for organizations that use advanced accounting) **Accounting Information** pages then appear under **Payment** in the progress panel.

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**NOTE:** If your organization has not set up any payment methods for events, the Payment page asks you to contact your organization administrator and offers a **Continue without payment** button instead. Changing a paid event to free removes the payment settings already attached to it; PEARS asks you to confirm first.
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#### Select Payment Methods

On the **Payment Settings** page, choose one or more **Payment Methods** **\*** by checking the available options. Payment methods determine how registrants can pay for the event. You can also select an accounting code to associate with the event.

Optionally add instructions for each method that is not processed through your organization's online payment processor. Each of these methods has its own instructions field, named after the method (for example, **Check Instructions**). Instructions are displayed to registrants during checkout alongside that payment option (e.g., "Make checks payable to...").

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**TIP:** Selecting multiple payment methods gives registrants flexibility in how they pay. Ensure your organization can process each selected method before enabling it.
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**TIP:** Payment methods can be restricted to a single audience in [Manage Lists](/administration/administration/manage-lists.md):

* **Internal Use Only** methods appear only when entering a registration through Manage Registrations and are hidden from the public registration form.
* **Public Use Only** methods appear only on the public registration form and are hidden from Manage Registrations (useful when an organization's policy prevents staff from handling credit card payments on behalf of registrants).

Restricted methods carry an **Internal Only** or **Public Only** badge in the **Payment Methods** list on the Payment Settings page, so event creators can tell at a glance where each method will appear.
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#### Configure Fee Amounts

On the **Pricing** page, open the **Registration Fees** tab and click **Add Registration Fee**. Check the registration types under **Which registration types will the fee apply to?**, enter the **Base price ($)**, and click **Save**. If the event has multiple sessions, you can set additional fees for individual sessions on the **Session Fees** tab.

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**NOTE:** The event needs at least one registration type before you can add fees. Registration types with no fee attached are free, and the Pricing step is complete once at least one registration fee, session fee, or add-on exists.
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#### Add Discounts (optional)

To offer discounted pricing, add either type of discount on the **Pricing** page:

* **Early Bird Discounts** -- Set a discounted fee that applies to registrations received within a date range. On the **Registration Fees** tab, click **Add Early Bird Discounts** under the fee, choose a **Discount Type** of **Amount** or **Percent**, enter the **Discount Amount ($)** or **Discount Percent (%)**, and set the **Start Date** and **End Date**. If more than one early bird discount is in effect at the same time (overlapping date ranges), PEARS applies the one that saves the registrant the most.
* **Promo Codes** -- Create promotional codes that registrants can enter during registration to receive a discount. On the **Promo Codes** tab, click **Add Promo Code**, enter the **Promo Code**, choose a **Discount Type** of **Amount** or **Percent** and enter the discount, and optionally set **Max Redemptions** to cap the number of times the code can be used.

Repeat this step to add multiple discounts as needed.
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#### Configure Add-On Purchases (optional)

Add-on purchases allow you to offer supplementary items (such as course materials, merchandise, or meal options) at an additional cost. Add-ons are configured through registration form questions:

* Navigate to [Registration Types](/plan/community-events/registration-types.md) and add a form question that can trigger a fee: a checkbox or toggle, a question with choice options (select, multi-select, radio group, or checkbox group), or a number field.
* On the **Pricing** page, open the **Add-ons** tab and click **Add an Add-on**. Enter a **Description**, choose the question under **Which field in the form triggers this add-on?**, choose when the fee applies (whether a checkbox is selected, or which options are selected), and enter the **Add-on fee**. For a number field, the fee is charged per item.
* Registrants see add-on items and their costs during the registration process.
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#### Enter Accounting Codes (optional)

If your organization uses advanced accounting, the **Accounting Information** page follows **Pricing**. For each fee, select an **Accounting Code** to override the event's accounting code, set whether discounts apply to it, and click **Split** to divide the fee's **Amount** across more than one accounting code.

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**NOTE:** Once anyone has been invoiced for a fee, its accounting details — accounting code, amount, discountable setting, and taxable amount — can no longer be edited. This keeps existing invoices accurate. To change pricing after invoices exist, refund and re-register the affected participants.
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#### Save Payment Configuration

On each payment page, click **Save and continue** to save the payment configuration and proceed to the next step.

To save without continuing, click the **Save** button instead.
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## Continue to the Next Step

After configuring payment, click the **Save and continue** button to proceed to [Confirmations](/plan/community-events/confirmations.md).