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Collecting payments

In this guide, we'll cover:

Add Payment — on an invoice row, the client's Billing tab, or straight from the appointment panel — opens one window for every way money arrives:

  1. Under Select invoices and confirm payment amount, tick the invoices to collect. Selected invoices are always collected in full; there's no partial-payment entry. (Tick nothing to take an advance payment instead — see Advance payments & credits.)
  2. Under Choose payment method, pick how the money arrives (below).
  3. Check the Summary on the right and click the button at the bottom (for example Add $150 payment).

The Add Payment modal with payment method options

When clients pay part of a balance​

In the client portal, clients can choose Other amount and pay part of their balance (from $1 up to what's owed). A payment toward their total balance goes to the oldest invoices first; a payment started from one invoice goes to that invoice. A partly paid invoice stays open with its remaining amount, so Add Payment, AutoPay and past-due reminders all work on what's left. Each card payment carries its own processing fee, including the fixed 30¢, so several small payments cost a little more than one.

Payment methods​

  • Online card on file — charge the client's saved Stripe card (shown as brand •••• last-4; the default card is marked). If none is saved yet, the modal links you to their Payment & Insurance tab to add one.
  • New card (one-time charge) — shown once at least one invoice is ticked. "One-time charge on a card that isn't saved. Use this for HSA/FSA cards, which generally can't be stored on file." Enter the card details; nothing is retained.
  • Cash — record it with the Payment date (income reports count it in that period).
  • Check — same, plus the check number for your records.
  • External card — "Record a payment collected using an external payment processor" (Square, Venmo, an old terminal…), with a transaction reference. The money isn't moved — you're recording that it happened elsewhere.

If the client has unallocated credit, an "Apply unallocated credit" checkbox uses it first — enough credit can settle an invoice with no charge at all (see Unallocated payments & credits).

Refunds​

  • Card charges — from the Card Transactions tab, click Refund on the transaction ("Refunds can be issued within 180 calendar days of the original charge.").
  • From the payment's row menu — Refund Payment reverses the payment: card payments are refunded to the client's card through Stripe; cash, check, and external records are marked refunded (process the actual repayment outside the system). Delete Payment removes a record entered in error.

Collecting a card during intake​

Check Request credit card on file when sending intake and the client is prompted to add a card in the portal — it lands on file for AutoPay and future charges. For minors the card saves to the guardian. See Collecting demographics & payment info.