Payments

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Introduction

Payments are a critical component of your financial workflow in Blinksale. They represent the money received from clients for invoices you’ve sent them. This guide explains how payments work, how to record and manage them, and how they impact your invoices and financial reporting.

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Understanding Payments

In Blinksale, payments are always tied to specific invoices. When a payment is recorded, it’s automatically applied to reduce the balance due on the associated invoice. This connection ensures accurate financial tracking and reporting. Payments can be recorded in several ways:

• Manual recording - You enter payment details for payments received outside the system
• Online payments - Clients pay electronically through integrated payment gateways
• Partial payments - Multiple payments can be applied to a single invoice

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Payment Methods

Blinksale supports various payment methods, which fall into two main categories:

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Manual Payment Methods

These are payments you record manually after receiving them outside the system:

• Cash - For in-person cash payments
• Bank Transfer - For wire transfers, direct deposits, and other bank-to-bank transfers

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Online Payment Methods

These are integrated payment gateways that allow clients to pay electronically:

• BlinksalePay - The native payment processing system
• Stripe - For credit card and other payment methods
• PayPal - For PayPal account payments
• Coinbase - For cryptocurrency payments

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Payment Dashboard

The payments dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of all payments across your invoices. From this central hub, you can:

• View all payments in a sortable, searchable list
• See payment amounts, dates, and methods
• View payment references and associated invoices
• Access detailed payment information
• Manage manual payments (edit or delete when applicable)

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Recording Manual Payments

When you receive payment outside the system (such as via check, cash, or bank transfer), you need to record it manually:

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From an Invoice

The most common way to record a payment:

1. Navigate to the invoice’s detail page
2. Click the “Apply Payment” button
3. Enter the payment amount (can be partial or full)
4. Select the payment method (Cash or Bank Transfer)
5. Add an optional reference note (e.g., check number, transaction ID)
6. Click “Apply Payment”

When the payment is saved:

• The invoice’s paid amount is updated
• The balance due is recalculated
• The invoice status may change (to Partial or Paid)
• A thank you email can be automatically sent (if configured)

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Viewing Payment Details

To access detailed information about a specific payment:

1. Navigate to the Payments section from the main sidebar
2. Find the payment in the list and click on it

Alternatively, you can view payments associated with a specific invoice:

1. Navigate to the invoice’s detail page
2. Scroll down to the “Payments” section

The payment details page provides comprehensive information about the transaction:

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Payment Information Section

This section shows:

• Payment amount
• Payment method
• Date paid
• Reference (if provided)

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Invoice Information Section

This section provides context about the related invoice:

• Invoice number (with link to view the full invoice)
• Invoice total amount
• Remaining balance due

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Client Information Section

This section shows who made the payment:

• Client name and type (business or individual)
• Client email

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Editing Payments

Not all payments can be edited. Only manual payments (those recorded as Cash or Bank Transfer) can be modified. Payments processed through online payment gateways cannot be changed because they represent actual electronic transactions. To edit an editable payment:

1. Navigate to the payment’s detail page
2. Click the “Edit” button (only visible for editable payments)
3. Modify the payment details:
   • Amount
   • Payment method (Cash or Bank Transfer)
   • Reference
   • Date paid
4. Click “Update Payment” to save your changes

When you update a payment amount:

• The invoice’s paid amount is recalculated
• The invoice status may change based on the new balance
• All financial reporting will reflect the change

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Deleting Payments

As with editing, only manual payments can be deleted. Online payments cannot be removed because they represent actual transactions that have occurred. To delete a manual payment:

1. Navigate to the payment’s detail page
2. Click the “Delete” button
3. Confirm the deletion in the dialog that appears

When a payment is deleted:

• The amount is removed from the invoice’s paid total
• The invoice status reverts based on the remaining payment(s)
• The record is permanently removed from your account

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Online Payment Integration

Blinksale offers seamless integration with several payment gateways, allowing your clients to pay invoices electronically. These payments are automatically recorded and applied to the appropriate invoices.

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Setting Up Payment Gateways

To enable online payments:

1. Navigate to Settings > Payment Gateways
2. Select the gateways you want to activate
3. Follow the configuration steps for each gateway
4. Test the connection to ensure it’s working properly

Once configured, you can enable these payment options on your invoices, and clients will be able to pay electronically directly from the invoice.

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Thank You Emails

When a payment is recorded, Blinksale can automatically send a thank you email to your client. This feature helps maintain good client relationships and confirms that their payment was received. To configure thank you emails:

1. Navigate to Settings > Automated Messages
2. Go to the “Payment Thank You Messages” section
3. Enable or disable automatic thank you emails
4. Customize the message template if desired
5. Save your settings

Each thank you email includes:

• A personalized message
• Payment amount and date
• Invoice reference
• Your branding elements

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Payment Reporting

Payments are a key component of your financial reporting in Blinksale. You can analyze your payment data through:

• Dashboard widgets - Quick summaries of recent payments
• Reports - Detailed financial reports including payment data
• Export options - Export payment data for external analysis

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Best Practices

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Recording Payments

• Record payments promptly to maintain accurate financial records
• Include detailed references to help with reconciliation
• Double-check payment amounts before saving
• Use consistent reference formats for easier searching and sorting

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Payment Management

• Regularly review the payments dashboard to ensure all expected payments are recorded
• Reconcile payments with your bank statements periodically
• Follow up on partial payments to collect remaining balances
• Document any special payment arrangements in client notes

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Multi-Currency Considerations

• Be mindful of exchange rates when recording payments in different currencies
• Consider using the invoice currency for the payment to avoid conversion issues
• Note any currency conversion fees that may affect the final amount received

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

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Payment Amount Mismatch

Issue: The amount received doesn’t match the invoice total.
Solution: Record the actual amount received and make a note of the difference. If it’s a minor difference due to currency conversion or bank fees, you may choose to mark the invoice as paid in full.

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Cannot Edit or Delete Payment

Issue: The edit or delete options are not available for a payment.
Solution: Only manual payments (Cash and Bank Transfer) can be edited or deleted. Payments processed through online gateways cannot be modified because they represent actual transactions.

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Payment Not Reflected on Invoice

Issue: A payment was recorded but the invoice still shows as unpaid.
Solution: Verify that the payment was correctly assigned to the right invoice. Also check that the payment amount was properly saved and that the invoice hasn’t been accidentally duplicated.

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Client Paid the Wrong Amount

Issue: Client paid more or less than the invoice total.
Solution:

• If they overpaid, record the full amount and create a credit that can be applied to their next invoice.
• If they underpaid, record the partial payment and follow up with the client about the remaining balance.

By effectively managing payments in Blinksale, you’ll maintain accurate financial records, improve your cash flow tracking, and provide a better experience for your clients.