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What can I do if a client's payment is past due?
What can I do if a client's payment is past due?

Reconcile outstanding and failed charges for clients on automatic payment processing

Gnomes avatar
Written by Gnomes
Updated over a week ago

Why does my client have a past due charge?

This can happen due to a few reasons:

  1. The client's automatic payment failed

  2. The client added their payment method after the charge was initiated

  3. The client is on Manual Payment Processing, and no payment has been recorded yet. See what to do about it here

1. What happens if a client's payment fails?

Any time a payment is due to a kitchen and isn't successful, an email is sent to the kitchen and your client letting you both know. There is a link in the email for the client to update their payment method. 

Failed payments are automatically re-attempted up 3 times, weekly, which means that the client will receive this same email once a week if the payment continues to be unsuccessful. If the kitchen manager also attempts to re-charge the failed payment, and it fails, this same "payment failed" email will be sent.  

What can I do? 

By reconciling the past due payment using one of the following options, you will keep your Billing tab up-to-date and your Payments reports accurate. You will also prevent potential client confusion in their view.

1. Change the amount due: If you need to change the total due or want to put the client on a payment plan, you can adjust the charge amount. This will change the total amount due, so the next charge attempt will be for the new amount. Clients tab > client name > Statement > click the dropdown arrow to the right of the charge > Add Adjustment. 

*In the case of a payment plan, remember to add a one-time fee to charge at a later date, to make up for the amount that you credited. 

2. Re-charge the payment: If your client has updated their payment method and you want to re-run the payment before it automatically re-runs, go to your Clients tab > client name > Statement > click the dropdown arrow to the right of the charge > Charge Now. 

3. Apply a credit: If the client has a credit that was added after the charge was automatically attempted, you can choose to apply that credit balance to the outstanding charge. You will know if the client has a credit balance if it shows up in blue at the top of their profile (see example below). You won't see this option until the day after you add a one-time credit, since the credit will "run" at midnight the night you add it. To apply the credit to the charge, go to Clients tab > client name > Statement > click the dropdown arrow to the right of the charge > Apply Credit.

4. Mark it as paid: If your client has paid the charge off by some other means (by handing you a check, for instance), you can mark the charge as paid, by going to your Clients tab > client name > Statement > click the dropdown arrow to the right of the charge > Mark as Paid.

5. Write it off: If you know you won't be collecting payment and have written off the payment as uncollectible, you can mark the payment as such. Clients tab > client name > Statement > click the dropdown arrow to the right of the charge > Mark as Uncollectible. The status for this charge will display as "uncollectible" on your Payments reports. 

6. Stop automatic charge attempts: If you want to cease the automatic re-charge attempts, you can set the client to Manual Payment Processing, and the system will no longer charge their payment method. Clients tab > client name > Edit > Yes for Manual Payment Processing > Save.

2. What if the client adds their payment method after the charge was initiated?

The amount due will not be automatically charged through the system. You will need to charge it by clicking Charge Now. 

Clients tab > client name > Statement > click the dropdown arrow to the right of the charge > Charge Now. 

3. What if the client is set to Manual Payment Processing? 

Outstanding charges for a client on Manual will keep building until you record the payment(s) you've received from them. See what you can do about here.

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