The Action center (AC) is your go-to dashboard to help manage billing issues that need attention. Whether it’s a failed payment, an expiring credit card, or an account that can be quickly reconciled, this tool brings everything together to help you stay on top of client accounts. The Action center can be found under the Accounting and Finance tab < Action center.
The Action center is organized into four sections:
1. Failed transactions
Permissions needed 🔑
To manage failed payments, admins must have the following permission:
Manage failed payments: This permission enables the actions detailed below and automatically enables the View failed payments permission.
For view-only access to failed payments, admins must have the following permission:
View failed payments: This permission enables the display of failed payments without the ability to edit them. Manage failed transactions must be disabled.
This section lists transactions that didn’t go through. Here’s when an item shows up:
A refund to a credit card didn’t work
An eCheck payment failed
An installment payment (via card or eCheck) failed
A subscription payment failed
Each entry shows the client’s name, transaction type, and failure reason. You’ll also see actions like:
🔃 Retry Transaction
🔃 Retry Transaction
To retry a failed transaction, click 'Retry transaction' under the Actions column. An orange clock appears next to the Payment ID while the transaction is retried and pending.
If it's successful, the transaction disappears from the AC In the client's billing, the new payment is reconciled to the appropriate invoice item(s)
If the retry fails, the transaction remains in the AC until the retry is successful or you remove the failed transaction record by clicking 'Dismiss this transaction' under the Actions column
🚫 Dismiss
🚫 Dismiss
Not planning to collect the payment or a payment was made by admin or client? You can dismiss the entry.
Before dismissing a payment in the AC, we recommend to first contact the client and create a manual payment in the client account or have them complete it in their personal account. This helps prevent any payment oversights.
If you complete the payment directly in client billing, or the client does it themselves, you must manually dismiss the transaction in the Action center.
✏️ Edit Payment Method
✏️ Edit Payment Method
You can edit the transaction's payment method if it's tied to an installment or subscription payment.
Under the Actions column, click 'Edit payment method' to the right of the transaction. This redirects you to the Upcoming payments subtab in the client's account, where you can edit the payment method tied to the installment or subscription.
There's no edit option available for failed credit card refunds. If a failed credit card refund appears in the AC, it's most likely as a result of not having enough funds in your merchant account to supply the refund.
✉️ How will I know a transaction has failed?
✉️ How will I know a transaction has failed?
Your billing contact is sent one Transaction Failure Notification email per day that lists all failed transactions from the last 24 hours; with details such as the account owner, date, transaction amount, transaction type, and payment ID. Other admins can receive failed payment notifications by opting in via the Account > Email preferences subtab.
From this email, click Manage failed transactions for any of the account owners, and you'll be directed to the Action Center.
You can use the three available filters (Payment method, Transaction type and Failure reason) and export with ease.
1.1 Create an invoice from Failed transactions
If you want to invoice a client for a failed payment transaction, admins with permission can charge extra fees (custom item) from the Failed transactions section.
Steps to create an invoice in the Action center
1. Admins need the Manual invoicing permission (in Clients group) to create an invoice for failed transactions.
2. Go to the Accounting and finance > Action center subtab.
3. Click the arrow next to Failed transactions to expand the list.
4. Add a checkmark next to one or more failed transactions.
5. Click the ... and then Create invoice to open the configuration window.
Enter the amount, type of extra fee (custom item), choose the ledger account (if you have permission), applicable taxes, and optional description/comments.
6. Click Create invoice when finished. A success message appears.
7. A new invoice with the name of the extra fee appears in Client billing.
1.2 When failed transaction notifications are automatically dismissed
Resolved failed payment notifications are automatically dismissed from the Action center when the failed payment is considered resolved.
A failed payment notification is considered resolved when a client pays their balance or an admin takes steps in Client billing:
When a person pays an unpaid invoice from their user account, we immediately check and dismiss any failed payment notifications associated to the invoice.
When an admin pays an unpaid invoice from Client billing > Operations, we immediately check/dismiss related failed payments
A notification is also considered resolved when:
The associated invoice has been fully paid or reconciled; or
In the case of a failed refund, the related credit memo has been fully reconciled.
2. Expiring credit cards with planned payments
This section lists clients with expiring credit cards who have upcoming payments scheduled.
🔍 When will account owners appear in the section?
🔍 When will account owners appear in the section?
The credit card tied to the upcoming installment or subscription payment (i.e., planned payments) expires the following month; and
The credit card is saved in the client's Wallet in their personal account. If it isn't, the card won't appear in this section, even it's about to expire.
Clients are sent a notification a month before their credit card expires. As an admin, you may click on an account owner's name to jump to their account in the Clients tab. You may want to remind them to update their credit card information if it isn't already done.
✉️ Is the client notified when their payment has failed?
✉️ Is the client notified when their payment has failed?
Yes, an automatic email is sent to the account owner notifying them of the failed payment. The email will include your organization's logo, along with clickable links for them to update their payment information and make a payment by accessing their account and wallet. The email will also provide your organization's main email address for further assistance.
3. Reconcilable accounts
This section is all about helping you clean up client accounts that have both unreconciled invoices and available credits. It highlights all client accounts eligible for immediate reconciliation.
⚙️How It Works
⚙️How It Works
✅Only accounts that have both of the following will appear:
At least one unreconciled debit (e.g. invoice or refund).
At least one unreconciled credit (e.g. payment or credit memo).
🚫 Accounts that will not appear:
Accounts with only invoices (debits) or only credits.
Invoices already covered by upcoming payments — these aren’t considered unreconciled for this dashboard
Note: This isn’t a tool for tracking accounts receivable. It’s designed to help you clean up accounts by highlighting items that are ready to be reconciled.
🔄Reconcile Button
🔄Reconcile Button
Clicking the Reconcile action will:
Automatically link and reconcile items starting with the oldest.
It will reconcile on the spot, you do not have to leave the page!
Most accounts reconcile in seconds (though some large accounts might take a bit longer).
The status will change from unreconciled to reconciled. The client will remain in “reconciled” status until you refresh your page— then they’ll be removed from the list.
👀 Need a closer look? Use the account owner link to open the client’s billing page in a new tab and reconcile manually.
🧠Understanding the Columns
🧠Understanding the Columns
Unreconciled Items: Total number of payments, credit memos, invoices, and refunds that aren’t yet reconciled.
Unreconciled Debit: Total value of unreconciled invoices and refunds.
Unreconciled Credit: Total value of unreconciled payments and credit memos.
🔢How the page is ordered
🔢How the page is ordered
The system prioritizes accounts in this order:
Zero-balance accounts: These are typically the most straightforward. Usually, just two items that perfectly offset each other (e.g. a payment and an invoice for the same amount).
Accounts with fewer unreconciled items to the most: This makes it quicker to clean up.
🔍Common reasons accounts end up here
🔍Common reasons accounts end up here
Some typical scenarios that land accounts in this section:
Service Cancellations:
Credit memos are created when services are canceled, but not always applied to existing invoices.
Partial Contract Cancellations:
Some charges stay on the account while others are credited.
Admin Oversight:
A credit exists but isn’t applied to a new or existing invoice.
🔑 Permissions required
🔑 Permissions required
One permission is required * and the other permissions are optional, depending on admin needs.
🔑 Under Finance and reporting |
Manage reconciliations * : You need this permission to use and see the reconcile actions on the dashboard in the Action center. |
🔑 Under Clients |
Manual invoicing (optional) : You need this permission to create an invoice (i.e., invoice a custom extra fee) in the Action center.
Override ledger account for custom items (optional) : Select a different ledger account when applying custom items instead of using the default account. |
4. Outstanding receivables
🎗️ Outstanding receivables is an evolving section. Write-offs is currently the main collection action available here, with more planned over time.
With permission, admins can see the list of invoice items with unpaid or partially paid balances directly in the Action center, so you can manage aging receivables and take action on balances that aren't being collected. When an item's balance is resolved, it disappears from Outstanding receivables.
You can write off the balance for one item at a time, or in mass on many balances.
In this section:
Permission name 🔑 | Why you need it |
Finance and reporting | Required to view outstanding receivables in the Action center and to write off a balance. |
4.1 How to find invoices in the table
Each line represents one invoice item (it does not provide the item description).
Invoice items are sorted oldest to newest by invoice age, so the balances that need the most attention appear first.
Search by the client's name. Type the beginning of a client's first name, last name, or both (2 to 3 characters). For example, type "mar paq" to find Marie Paquin. Accents are optional — "elie" will match Élie. If you search by a person's name, the Account owner's name will appear, not necessarily the person who has an unpaid invoice item
Search by 'Days since invoice was generated', or by the item's revenue ledger or the accounts receivable ledger account linked to the item's revenue ledger.
By default, SmartRec uses the system-generated accounts receivable default account. With ledger assignments (for accrual only), you can create additional AR ledger accounts and assign them to revenue accounts.
If multiple invoice items are unpaid, a separate line is created for each, but each line will refer to the same invoice link. You can select all of them and click the '...' icon to write off the balance on all three items simultaneously.
Below, three unpaid invoice items belong on the same invoice #14616096
4.2 How to write off invoice items in the Action center
When an item's balance is considered uncollectible and you want to remove it from the client's account, you can write off the balance on the item.
⚠️ Write-offs are performed on the full balance remaining on the item.
A write-off doesn't issue a refund or a usable credit. It clears the item's open balance and records the loss by deducting it from the item's revenue ledger account. This does not impact the client's registration.
Steps to follow
- To write off a balance via the Actions column in the Action center -
1. Make sure you have permission.
2. Go to the Accounting and finance tab and click Action center.
3. Click to expand Outstanding receivables.
4. Add a checkmark to select the invoice item(s) to write off.
5. On the right of the item, click under Actions and then Write off balance.
Use the '...' button at the top if you select more than one item.
6. This opens the 'Write off items' window where you can complete the write-off.
Optional notes under Client memo are seen by the client. Admin notes are not.
7. When finished, click Write off items.
This refreshes the screen. The line item is no longer in the table.
4.2.1 After you write off a balance in the Action center
When you perform a write-off, several things occur in:
The client's account: Balance is removed from the account
Journal entries: Revenue account/bad debt account is debited, AR is credited
Reports: Write-offs can be filtered in your journal entry reports
The client's account ⛹️
In Client billing, a write-off creates a credit memo that's automatically reconciled to the invoice item(s) it applies to. The balance is removed from the client`s account.
To see which items a write-off is reconciled to, expand the write-off entry and click Reconciliations.
No email notification is sent. Clients can view the credit memo in the Billing tab of their personal account.
In journal entries 📒
🎗️ Bad debt ledgers aren't available yet (still working on it!) Once released, you'll be able to assign a bad debt ledger so that write-offs are recorded there instead of as a debit in the revenue ledger.
A Write-off doesn`t just delete the balance. It debits the item's original revenue ledger account and any related tax liability accounts. It also clears the AR balance for that item and removes it from the books. Write-offs don't affect deferred revenue. Here's how it works:
When the item was originally invoiced, the sale was recorded as revenue (money you earned) and the unpaid portion as accounts receivable — AR (money the client owes you).
When you write off that item, Amilia reverses that recognition: it debits the same accounts that were credited at the sale, since you're saying "we're not collecting this after all".
That debit is matched with a credit to Account deposit, which is a temporary holding account, the same one used for payments and refunds. Think of it as a placeholder credit for the write-off amount.
A Reconciliation transaction then applies that credit against the original invoice, clearing the AR balance to zero, the same way a real payment would. When you do a write-off, the reconciliation of the credit memo for the write-off is automatically reconciled to the original invoice item.
Click to expand for an example of a write-off in journal entries
Click to expand for an example of a write-off in journal entries
❗ This example doesn't use a bad debt ledger account.
If a debt ledger is assigned to the revenue account, the debit goes to the bad debt ledger instead of the revenue ledger. Stay tuned for this release!
In this example, we are writing off a $50.00 invoice item.
An invoice item is sold for $50.00 (including $2.17 GST and $4.34 QST), using the revenue ledger HQ - Amilia Headquarters. AR now shows $50.00 owed by the client.
At the write-off, the write-off falls back to the revenue account itself. The revenue and tax accounts are debited to reverse the original sale, and a $50.00 credit is created in Account deposit.
When the write-off is reconciled to the original invoice item, the $50.00 credit is applied to the invoice, bringing the AR balance for this item down to $0.
Write-offs in reports 🧾
AR by invoice item report: The item and its balance disappear from the report.
Journal entries export: Debit the Revenue Ledger / Credit to Accounts Receivable. Identical to today's credit memo/rebate behavior (revenue is reduced and the write-off is indistinguishable from a discount). Filter for write-offs in the Type column.
Sales reports: Write-off amounts are tracked in the Credits column. In the Breakdown of Sales or Sales summary reports.
FAQ
What's the difference between a write-off, a rebate, and a cancellation?
Write-off: Settles an uncollectible balance. Clears the open invoice and records the loss, without issuing a refund or credit. Can debit the item's revenue account directly, or debit's the bad debt ledger account assigned to the revenue account (in development).
Rebate: Reduces what the client owes, while still expecting to collect the remaining balance. Debits the item's revenue ledger directly.
Cancellation: Ends the client's enrollment in a program or membership. May or may not involve a credit or refund.
Can I write off part of an invoice item's balance?
No. A write-off is performed on the full remaining balance of the item. You can't write off only a portion of what's still unpaid.
Will the client be notified when a balance is written off?
The write-off generates a credit memo, which is visible to the client in the Billing tab of their personal account. There's no separate notification beyond this.
Where can I see which invoice items were written off?
In Client billing, expand the write-off entry and click Reconciliations to see which invoice items it applied to.
You can filter for write-off transactions in your journal entry exports (in the Type column).
Does a write-off affect deferred revenue?
No. A write-off only clears the unpaid AR balance on an item.
Deferred revenue money already collected for a service that hasn't been delivered yet stays on the books untouched. It's only recognized as revenue once the service is delivered, or adjusted manually (for example, through a cancellation or rebate).
Note: Write-offs are usually done after 90-120 days after the date of service. In most cases, revenue would most likely have been recognized beforehand.
For example: a member is invoiced $200 upfront for a program, fully deferred at the time of invoicing. After $50 worth of service has been delivered, the member stops attending, and the remaining $150 AR balance is written off.
Ledger account | Balance after write-off |
AR (Accounts receivable) | $0 (written off) |
Deferred revenue | $150 is still on the balance sheet |
Revenue (earned) | $50 recognized |
The $150 in deferred revenue remains untouched by the write-off. This is intentional as a write-off only settles the AR/collections side of an invoice, not revenue recognition.
* Last updated in July 2026
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