Administration¶

This section covers the installation, configuration, and administration of CiviSEPA.

Installation¶

Installing from Extension Directory¶

CiviSEPA is available in the official CiviCRM Extension Directory and can be installed directly from your CiviCRM administration interface.

Installation Steps: 1. Navigate to Administer → System Settings → Extensions 2. Click on "Add New" tab 3. Search for "SEPA Direct Debit" 4. Click "Download" next to the CiviSEPA extension 5. Click "Install" to activate the extension 6. Update database schema when prompted (CiviCRM will show a notification)

Post-Installation: - Verify installation in Administer → System Settings → Extensions (should show as "Installed") - Check for any database update prompts in Administer → Administration Console → System Status - A new menu item "CiviSEPA Dashboard" will appear under Contributions

Manual Installation (Development/Testing)¶

For development or testing purposes, you can install CiviSEPA manually:

# Download from GitHub releases
wget https://github.com/Project60/org.project60.sepa/releases/download/1.12.1/org.project60.sepa-1.12.1.zip

# Extract to extensions directory
unzip org.project60.sepa-1.12.1.zip -d /path/to/civicrm/ext/

# Enable in CiviCRM
cv ext:enable org.project60.sepa

Important: Always use official releases from the GitHub releases page. Avoid using the master branch in production environments.

Initial Configuration¶

Creditor Setup¶

Before processing any SEPA payments, you must configure at least one creditor with your organization's banking information.

Access Configuration: Navigate to Administer → CiviContribute → CiviSEPA Settings

Creating Your First Creditor¶

Required Information: - Creditor Name: Your organization's legal name as registered with the bank - Creditor ID: Your SEPA Creditor Identifier (obtained from your bank or national authority) - IBAN: Your organization's bank account number in IBAN format - BIC: Bank Identifier Code (automatically looked up if Little BIC Extension is installed) - Currency: EUR (SEPA is Euro-only)

Banking Parameters: - PAIN Format: XML format required by your bank (ask your bank for the correct version) - Common formats: pain.008.001.02, pain.008.001.04, pain.008.001.08 - Cycle Day(s): Day(s) of the month when payments are collected (e.g., 15, 28) - Notice Days: Lead time your bank requires for processing (typically 5-14 days)

Example Configuration:

Creditor Name: "Meine Organisation e.V."
Creditor ID: DE98ZZZ09999999999
IBAN: DE89370400440532013000
BIC: COBADEFFXXX
PAIN Format: pain.008.001.02
Cycle Days: 15
Notice Days (OOFF): 5
Notice Days (RCUR First): 5
Notice Days (RCUR Follow-up): 2

Format Specific Notes¶

pain.008.001.02 CH-TA LSV+¶

The creditor ID for this format has to be entered in this form (i.e. the three values separated by /):

LSV+-Identifikation/ESR-Teilnehmernummer/ESR-Referenznummernpräfix

Please note the decommissioning of the corresponding direct debit procedure.

Batching Settings¶

Configure how CiviSEPA groups payments for bank submission:

Horizons (Look-ahead periods): - One-off Horizon: Days ahead to create one-time payment batches (typically 30-60 days) - Recurring Horizon: Days ahead to create recurring payment batches (typically 30-60 days)

Grace Periods: - One-off Grace: Days to keep batch files after due date (typically 3-7 days) - Recurring Grace: Days to keep batch files after due date (typically 3-7 days)

Collection Schedule: - Cycle Days: Specific days of the month for collections (e.g., 15th, 30th) - Buffer Days: Additional days before collection for processing - Weekend Handling: Automatic adjustment for bank holidays and weekends

Multiple Creditors¶

Organizations with multiple legal entities or bank accounts can configure multiple creditors:

Adding Additional Creditors: 1. In CiviSEPA Settings, click "Add" next to existing creditors 2. Choose "Create New" or "Copy from Existing" 3. Configure banking details and batching parameters 4. Assign specific contribution types or campaigns to different creditors

Use Cases: - Multiple bank accounts for different purposes - Separate legal entities within one CiviCRM installation - Different collection schedules for different payment types

Advanced Configuration¶

Payment Types and Financial Types¶

Configure how SEPA payments integrate with CiviCRM's financial structure:

Financial Types: - Map SEPA contributions to appropriate financial types (Donation, Membership Fee, etc.) - Ensure proper accounting and reporting categorization - Configure tax deductibility settings per financial type

Contribution Sources: - Set default sources for SEPA mandates (Online, Direct Mail, etc.) - Track mandate origins for reporting and analysis - Configure campaign-specific mandate creation

Integration Setup¶

CiviBanking Integration¶

For automated payment reconciliation:

Install CiviBanking Extension
Configure Bank Account: Match with your SEPA creditor account
Import Rules: Set up automatic matching of SEPA collections
Statement Processing: Regular import of bank statements

Benefits: - Automatic matching of collected payments with CiviCRM contributions - Exception handling for failed or returned payments - Comprehensive payment reconciliation workflows

Little BIC Extension¶

For automatic bank code lookup:

Install Extension: Available in Extension Directory
Automatic BIC Lookup: Reduces data entry errors when creating mandates
IBAN Validation: Additional validation of account numbers

Form Processor Integration¶

For external form integration:

Available Actions: - Find Mandate: Locate existing mandates by reference or contact - Create Mandate: Create new mandates from external forms - Update Mandate: Modify existing mandate parameters

Use Cases: - Self-service portals for supporters - Integration with external donation forms - Membership management interfaces

Permissions and Security¶

Financial ACLs¶

CiviSEPA supports CiviCRM's Financial ACL system:

Configurable Permissions: - View SEPA Mandates: Control who can see mandate information - Create/Edit Mandates: Restrict mandate creation to authorized users - Process Batches: Control batch processing permissions - Download Bank Files: Restrict access to sensitive banking data

Setup: 1. Navigate to Administer → Users and Permissions → ACLs 2. Create Financial ACL roles for SEPA operations 3. Assign appropriate users to SEPA roles 4. Test permissions with different user accounts

Data Protection¶

GDPR Compliance: - Mandate data contains sensitive financial information - Implement appropriate data retention policies - Ensure secure handling of bank account information - Configure audit trails for mandate changes

Security Best Practices: - Regular backups of mandate and payment data - Secure transmission of bank files - Access logging for sensitive operations - Regular security updates of CiviCRM and extensions

Troubleshooting Installation¶

Common Issues¶

Extension Not Installing: - Check CiviCRM version compatibility (5.75+ required) - Verify sufficient disk space in extensions directory - Check file permissions on extensions directory

Database Update Failures: - Ensure database user has CREATE/ALTER permissions - Check for conflicting extensions - Review CiviCRM error logs for specific messages

Permission Errors: - Verify web server can write to extensions directory - Check CiviCRM file permissions - Ensure temp directory is writable

Getting Help¶

Before Contacting Support: 1. Check CiviCRM System Status for errors 2. Review CiviCRM error logs 3. Test with minimal configuration 4. Document exact error messages

Support Resources: - GitHub Issues: Bug reports and feature requests - Professional Support: Contact SYSTOPIA at info@systopia.de

Next: Learn about daily operations in the Usage section.