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Recording Customer Payments

When you receive a payment from your customers, you create a record of the payment and the associated details of the payment in e-automate. You use the Record Customer Payment window to record the payment and to apply the payment to one invoice or multiple invoices. In most cases when a payment is received, the payment is for a specific invoice and the payment is applied to that invoice. In some cases you may not have an invoice to which you want to apply the payment; in this case you can use the Record Customer Payment window to record an unapplied payment (payment not associated with any invoice). Unapplied payments appear like credits on customers' accounts. You can use the Apply Customer Payments window to apply an unapplied payment to an invoice at a later time.

Occasionally customers have open credits associated with their accounts. Customers can submit partial payments to be used in conjunction with open credits to apply toward open invoices. You use the Record Customer Payments window to record partial payments and open credits that affect a customer account. In addition to open credits and payments, you can also add unapplied payments using the Record Customer Payments window. The Record Customer Payment window is used when there is a payment present. If there is no payment present and you simply want to apply memos and unapplied payments, you should use the Apply Customer Memos window. For additional information on applying customer memos, see the Applying Credit Memos and Payments topic.

Traditionally in e-automate you apply a customer payment to invoices associated with the customer from whom you received the payment. There are occasions when you can receive payments from customers other than those to whom the original invoice was posted. For example, you might generate an invoice to a customer but a leasing company ends up paying for the invoice. You then try to receive the payment from the leasing company, but find the invoice was not posted to the leasing company as the bill-to on the invoice. When this scenario occurs, you can use e-automate’s advanced add feature in the Record Customer Payment window. In the payment window, you can add invoices from customers that are related to the invoiced customer, or add invoices from any customer.

If you discover the bank has denied a payment, you can void the payment from the customer payment list. E-automate creates the necessary entries to remove it from your cash account. You can also generate a Miscellaneous Charge Invoice for a non-sufficient funds (NSF) fee.

Getting to the TransactionGetting to the Transaction

On the Accounting menu, select Accounts Receivable > Record Customer Payments to open the Record Customer Payment window.

Note: An alternate way to open the Record Customer Payment window is to click [Receivables] on the e-automate toolbar to open the Accounts Receivable Console. Locate the customer from whom you received the payment in the Customers region, and then click [Payment] to open the Record Customer Payment window. When opening the payment window in this way, the system automatically populates the customer in the window.

Basic InformationBasic Information

Complete the following fields as appropriate:

Customer: Customer from which you receive the payment. The phone number automatically populates.

Description: Optional description of the payment.

Number: Automatically assigned customer payment number. You may change it.

Date: Date on which the payment is received.

Method: Method the customer used to make the payment, such as cash, check, credit card, or wire transfer.

Note: If you select Check, the Check number and Check date fields display. If you select Credit Card, the Card number field and [Credit Card Info] button display. If you select Wire Transfer, the Reference number and Fee fields display.

Do ONE of the following as appropriate:

When the Method is Cash, continue to step 3.

When the Method is Check, do the following:

In the Check number field, enter the check number displayed on the customer’s check.

Note: You can record letters or numbers in the Check Number field.

In the Check date field, enter the date on the check.

When the Method is Credit Card, do the following:

Click [Credit card info] to identify credit card information in the Add Charge Account window.

Note: If a credit card was associated with an invoice when the invoice was generated, e-automate automatically adds the card associated to the invoice when the invoice is added to the Invoice/Payments tab.

If there is already credit card information associated with the customer, verify the card information or use the lookup in the Charge account field to select an appropriate credit card for this payment.

If there is no credit card information in the Name on account field, enter the name of the person on the credit card account.

In the Address, City, State, and Zip fields enter the address information associated with the credit card billing address.

Note: Your system administrator can require specific fields for credit card payments.

In the Charge account type field, use the drop-down menu to select the credit card type.

In the Account number field, enter the credit card number.

In the Expiration date field, enter the credit card expiration date.

In the Security code field, enter the security code associated with the credit card.

Note: This number is usually displayed in the signature bar on the back of the credit card, or is a small number on the front of the credit card.

If this is a new credit card, you can save this information to the customer’s account. Check the Save to customer charge accounts checkbox to save.

When the Method is Wire, do the following:

In the Reference number field, enter the reference number associated with the payment.

In the Fee field, enter the wire fee, if any.

In the Amount field, enter the total amount of the customer’s payment.

Invoices/Payments TabInvoices/Payments Tab

To leave the payment unapplied, skip to the "Miscellaneous Tab" section of this topic.

To select invoices to which to apply the payment, do one or more of the following:

To apply this payment automatically to all invoices billed to this customer, click [Auto apply customer payment]. Invoices are selected by e-automate to which to apply the payment, beginning with the oldest invoices and continuing to apply it until the payment has been completely disbursed or there is an unapplied amount of payment remaining.

To add invoices/credit memos to the Record Customer Payment window that were originally posted to the selected customer, do the following:

In the Invoice field, use the lookup to select an invoice/credit memo.

In the Amount field, e-automate calculates an amount to apply to the invoice or use from the credit memo. If necessary, enter a different amount as appropriate.

Click [QuickAdd] to add the invoice/credit memo to the Record Customer Payment window.

Repeat steps a through c above to add more invoices billed or credit memos posted to the selected customer.

To add invoices and set specific details during the addition, do the following:

Click [Add] to open the Add Accounts Receivable Receipt Detail window.

To identify an invoice, select Apply to credit memo/invoice and use the lookup to select an invoice or credit memo.

Complete the following fields as appropriate.
Amount to apply: Amount of the payment to be applied or used to the selected invoice/credit memo.

Note: The full amount of the invoice/credit memo is typically entered but you may change it.
Terms discount amount: Discount amount to be applied to the invoice according to the terms.

Note: This is usually only applicable to invoices and not credit memos.
Reverse Sales Tax: When checked, e-automate creates a miscellaneous charge credit memo against the invoice to reverse the tax charged on the invoice.

Note: This function is used if you charged a nontaxable customer tax. This amount is posted in the current open period for the tax adjustment. E-automate allows a zero application amount if you have taken a partial payment (payment less tax) and then use the record payment window to reverse the sales tax.
Terms discount account: Account to which the terms discount is applied.

Note: The Terms Discount account is automatically selected but you may change it.
Terms discount department: Department to which the terms discount is associated.
Accounts receivable account: Accounts receivable account to be reduced.

Note: The accounts receivable account specified in administrative options is automatically entered.

Important: Only in rare circumstances should you change the account identified in the Accounts receivable account field.

Click [OK] to add the invoice/credit memo to the list and return to the Record Customer Payment window.

Repeat steps a through d to add more invoices/credit memos to the Record Customer Payment window.

To add an unapplied payment to the Invoices/Payments tab, do the following:

Click [Add] to open the Add Accounts Receivable Receipt Detail window.

Select the Apply to unapplied payment radio button and use the Lookup icon to select an unapplied payment.

Note: You must have an unapplied payment to use this option. When Apply to unapplied payment is selected, only the Amount to apply and the Accounts receivable account fields are available.

Complete the following fields as appropriate.
Amount to apply: Amount to be applied.

Note: The unapplied amount of the payment is typically entered but you may change it.
Accounts receivable account: Accounts receivable account to be reduced.

Note: The accounts receivable account specified in administrative options is automatically entered.

Important: Only in rare circumstances should you change the account identified in the Accounts receivable account field.

Click [OK] to add the unapplied payment to the list and return to the Record Customer Payment window.

Repeat steps a through d to add more unapplied payments.

To add invoices from other customers, do the following:

Click [Advanced Add] to open the Add Customer Payment Invoices window.

E-automate displays only invoices billed to the customer identified in the Customer field. To see invoices billed to customers related to this customer, select Show only invoices billed to customer and related customers. To see all open invoices for any customer, select Show all invoices.

Use the QuickSearch to narrow your list of invoices. For information on using the QuickSearch functionality, see the Using the QuickSearch topic.

Place a checkbox next to invoice(s) to which you want to added to the Record Customer Payment window.

Note: If necessary, you can reverse sales tax and clear terms discounts by right-clicking on the invoice in the Add Customer Payment Invoices window.

To record the invoice as fully paid, in the Amount to apply field, assure the amount due on the invoice is displayed. If you want to apply a partial payment on the selected invoice, in the Amount to apply field identify the amount of the payment you want to apply to the selected invoice.

Click [OK] to add the invoices checked in the Add Customer Payment Invoices window.

Note: You can add multiple invoices at a time using the Add Customer Payment Invoices window or you can add one at a time by repeatedly visiting the Add Customer Payment Invoices window.

To make changes to the invoices, credit memos, or unapplied payments you added, do the following:

Select the invoice/credit memo or unapplied payment whose settings you want to change.

Click [Edit] to open the Edit Accounts Receivable Receipt Detail window.

Modify the following fields as appropriate:

Note: Not all fields are applicable for unapplied payments.

Amount to apply: Amount to be applied.

Note: The full amount of the invoice is automatically entered but you may change it.

Terms discount amount: Discount amount to be applied to the invoice according to the terms.

Reverse Sales Tax: When checked, e-automate creates a miscellaneous charge credit memo against the invoice to reverse the tax charged on the invoice.

Note: This function is used if you inadvertently charge a nontaxable customer tax. This amount is posted in the current open period for the tax adjustment.

Terms discount account: Account to which the terms discount is applied.

Note: The Terms Discount account is automatically selected but you may change it.

Terms discount department: Department to which the terms discount is applied.

Accounts receivable account: Accounts receivable account to be reduced.

Note: The accounts receivable account specified in administrative options is automatically entered.

Click [OK] to save your payment settings.

To remove an invoice from the Invoices/Payments tab, do the following:

On the Invoices tab, select the invoice, credit memo, or unapplied payment you want to remove.

Click [Remove] to remove.

To remove the invoice, credit memo or unapplied payment, click [Yes]. To cancel and return to the Record Customer Payment window, click [No].

Miscellaneous TabMiscellaneous Tab

Click the Miscellaneous tab to bring it forward.

Note: Many of the fields may already be populated. You may change the information if needed.

Important: Only in rare circumstances should you change the accounts identified on the Miscellaneous tab.

E-automate displays the appropriate fields based on the selected method of payment.

If Method is set to Cash, Check, or Credit card/ACH, e-automate displays the following fields:

Undeposited receipts account: Account into which customer payments are received.

Note: The balance in this account represents the total from payments received but not deposited.

Unapplied Accounts Receivables account: Account to which customer payments not applied to a specific invoice are posted.

Branch: The applicable branch.

Note: This field is only available when you have branching enabled.

If Method is set to Wire, e-automate displays the following fields:

Cash account: Cash account to which the wire transfer payment is deposited.

Fee account: Account to which the wire transfer fee is posted.

Note: This is usually an expense account.

Fee department: Department to which the fees for a wire payment are posted.

Branch: The applicable branch.

Note: This field is only available when you have branching enabled.

Completing the TransactionCompleting the Transaction

Click [OK] to record the payment and post it to the appropriate accounts.