Collect a payment from a client

Sometimes a client pays you before you know what the money is for — they hand you a check at the counter, or tap a card for “whatever I owe you.” Instead of hunting for the right invoice first, you can collect the payment on the client’s record and decide where it goes, either right away or later.

Before you start

• This is available on US accounts, which run BuddyPay on Rainforest Pay. International accounts (on Stripe) collect payments from the invoice or quote instead — see Record a payment manually.
• Your account needs BuddyPay connected to take card, bank, or terminal payments. See Set up BuddyPay. Cash and check can be recorded without it.
• To charge a card on file, the client needs a saved payment method on their record.
• To take a tap/insert/swipe payment, you need at least one card terminal set up on your account.

Steps

1. Open the client from the Clients list.
2. Click Collect Payment in the top-right of the client’s page.
3. Enter the Payment amount.
4. Choose a Payment method:
   • A terminal (listed by device name) — the client taps, inserts, or swipes at that terminal.
   • New Card — type the card details in; it charges instantly.
   • Bank Account — type the bank details in for an ACH debit.
   • A saved card or bank account — anything already on file for this client.
   • Cash — recorded as an offline payment, nothing is processed.
   • Check — recorded as an offline payment. You can add a Check Number (optional).
5. Under Apply this payment, choose what happens to the money:
   • Don’t apply yet — add to available balance — the payment sits on the client’s balance until you decide.
   • Apply to one or more quotes or invoices — pick the orders it should cover.
6. If you chose to apply it now, check the quotes and invoices in the list and set how much goes to each. Use the search box to find one by number or title.
7. Check Email a receipt to the client if you want them to get one.
8. Click Collect Payment (or Collect at POS for a terminal).

Tip

Splitting one payment across several orders is exactly what the checklist is for — a client paying $5,000 to cover a deposit on one quote and the balance on two invoices is one payment, not three.

Paying at a terminal

When you pick a terminal, Service Buddy sends the amount to the device and waits. The screen shows AWAITING CARD until the client presents their card.

• Keep the window open while it waits — it usually takes a few seconds.
• If the client walks away or the card is declined, the payment shows as FAILED · NOT CHARGED and nothing is taken.
• You can cancel from Service Buddy or on the terminal itself.
• If you chose to apply the payment to orders, it’s applied once the card is confirmed at the terminal.

What happens next

• Anything you applied is credited to those quotes and invoices immediately — deposits are marked collected and invoice balances drop.
• Anything left over goes to the client’s Available Balance, ready to apply whenever you like. See Apply a client’s available balance.
• The payment appears in the client’s Recent activity feed, and in your payment reports.
• Bank (ACH) payments take a few days to settle. Until they do, the money isn’t available to apply to anything else.

FAQ

What’s the difference between this and recording a payment on an invoice?

Collect Payment starts from the client, so you don’t need to know which invoice the money is for — and one payment can cover several quotes and invoices at once. Recording a payment on an invoice closes out that one invoice. See Record a payment manually.

Can I collect more than the client currently owes?

Yes. Collect the full amount and the extra sits on their available balance until there’s something to apply it to. That’s the normal way to handle a client who pays a round number or pays ahead.

Why don’t I see any card or terminal options?

Card, bank, and terminal payments need BuddyPay connected. Until then you’ll only see Cash and Check. See Set up BuddyPay.

Why is there no Collect Payment button on my clients?

The button is on US accounts, which run BuddyPay on Rainforest Pay. International accounts run on Stripe, where payments are collected from the invoice or quote itself rather than from the client record.

Can I save the card for next time?

Yes — when you enter a new card or bank account, check the option to keep it on file. It then shows up as a saved method the next time you collect from this client.

The client wants to pay part now and part later. What do I do?

Collect what they’re paying now and apply it across the orders you want covered. The rest of each order stays open, and you collect again later.

Does the client get a receipt?

Only if you check Email a receipt to the client before collecting. You can leave it off for a cash payment at the counter and send a receipt later.

What if I applied the payment to the wrong invoice?

You can undo it from the client’s activity feed without refunding the money — see Apply a client’s available balance.

Related tasks

• Apply a client’s available balance
• Record a payment manually
• Add a deposit to an invoice
• Issue a refund