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An entry fee — sometimes called a membership fee or joining fee — is a one-time payment collected from a member when they first join your organization. Unlike a savings deposit, this money belongs to the organization the moment it is paid: it covers onboarding and administrative costs and is recognized immediately as organizational revenue. Agatabo records entry fees separately from savings so that your books stay clean and your member’s savings balance accurately reflects only the money they can draw on.

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Before You Begin

Before recording an entry fee, confirm the following:
  • The member has been invited, has activated their account, and holds the Member role.
  • You have the organization_users:write permission (held by Administrators and any custom role with write access to users).
  • You have collected the fee in cash or via bank transfer.
  • You know the correct bank or cash account in Agatabo that received the payment.

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Recording an Entry Fee

1

Navigate to Organization Users

Click Organization Users in the left sidebar to open the user list.
2

Find the member

Search for the member’s name or browse the list, then click their name to open their profile.
3

Open the Entry Fee section

Within the member’s profile, locate and click the Entry Fee section or tab.
4

Click 'Record Entry Fee'

The entry fee form opens. Fill in the following fields:
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Amount
number
required
The fee amount as defined in your organization’s bylaws. Keep this consistent across all members.
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Date
date
required
The date the payment was physically received. Record this on the same day you collect the money.
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Bank Account
select
required
The cash or bank account in Agatabo that received the payment. Selecting the correct account keeps your cash reconciliation accurate.
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Reference
string
An optional receipt number or payment reference for your records. Useful for audit trails and reconciliation.
5

Submit and verify

Click Record Entry Fee to save the transaction. Confirm that:
  • The entry fee appears on the member’s profile with the correct amount and date.
  • The selected bank account balance has increased by the entry fee amount.
  • You issue a receipt to the member immediately.

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How the Accounting Works

When you record an entry fee, Agatabo posts the following double-entry journal automatically: 
DEBIT:   Cash / Bank Account     [amount]
CREDIT:  Entry Fee Income         [amount]
This means:
  • The money flows into your organization’s cash or bank account (asset increases).
  • Entry fee income is recognized as organizational revenue (income increases).
  • The member’s savings balance is not affected at all.
The entry fee appears on your Profit & Loss statement as income, not on the balance sheet as a member liability. It belongs to the organization — not to the member.
Entry fees are not savings deposits. Recording an entry fee does not add money to the member’s savings account. If you want to credit the member’s savings, record a separate deposit in the Deposits section after the entry fee. Confusing the two will misstate both your revenue and the member’s savings balance.

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Entry Fee vs. Savings Deposit

Entry FeeSavings Deposit
PurposeOne-time organizational membership feeRegular member savings contribution
FrequencyOnce per member, everMultiple deposits allowed over time
Accounting treatmentRecognized as organizational income (revenue)Recorded as a liability (money owed back to the member)
Effect on member’s savings balanceNone — balance unchangedIncreases the member’s savings balance
Withdrawable by member?No — belongs to the organizationYes, subject to your organization’s withdrawal rules
Eligible as loan collateral?NoYes
Typically refundable?No — represents administrative cost of joiningYes — member’s own money
Recorded inEntry Fee section of the member’s profileDeposits section

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One Entry Fee Per Member

Each member can have only one entry fee recorded. If you need to correct a mistake — wrong amount, wrong date, or wrong bank account — you must edit or delete the existing entry fee record rather than creating a second one. Entry fees are permanently linked to the member’s account and appear in their profile history.

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Best Practices

  • Collect the entry fee before assigning the Member role when possible. This ensures payment is confirmed before savings and loan access is granted.
  • Record the entry fee on the same day you receive the payment to keep your cash reconciliation accurate.
  • Keep the entry fee amount consistent across all members as specified in your organization’s bylaws.
  • Clearly explain to new members that the entry fee is non-refundable organizational revenue and is separate from their savings account.
  • Issue a physical or digital receipt immediately after recording.
  • Document any fee waivers or special arrangements in your meeting minutes for transparency.
  • Review your bylaws annually to confirm the entry fee amount remains appropriate for your organization’s needs.

Inviting Users

Complete the invitation process before recording an entry fee.

Managing Users

Assign the Member role so savings and loans become available.