Method's Payment App is used to record a payment, which saves a record of the received payment and updates invoices in Method and QuickBooks.
The app can also process payments made via payment gateways (e.g. credit card payments).
NOTE: This article covers Payments for those with a QuickBooks Online accounts. If you are using QuickBooks Desktop, please refer to the article Receive a Payment for QuickBooks Desktop Accounts.
For the purpose of this article we will separate the screen into these sections:
Record a Payment
From your Method dashboard, click ⊕ New on your Payments App, or click ⊕ New Payment from your Payment List screen.
This opens your New/Edit Payment screen. Choose the customer from whom you're receiving the payment.
Let's take a look at the first section of fields:
Amount*: By default, this is pre-filled with the customer's total outstanding balance but can be changed. Note: You cannot associate a payment with a customer carrying a negative balance.
Payment Method*: Select a method of payment from the dropdown. Further down on the page, you can process the payment as well.
Date*: shows today's date by default, but can be changed. You can set a future date, but make sure you check “Waiting for sync approval” so QuickBooks doesn’t update the customer's invoices.
Deposit to Account*: The account where money is initially deposited. The accounts showing in the dropdown are populated by QuickBooks.
Currency (not shown): For multi-currency accounts, you can select the currency the payment is in.
Assigned To (QuickBooks Online only): Assign the payment to a Method User.
Reference Number: Refers to the number provided by the gateway when processing via CC or ACH. If paying by Cash / Check, you will need to manually update this with the appropriate reference number.
Wait for sync approval?: Postpone the Method sync. Your payment is accepted, but invoices are not updated in your QuickBooks account until this is unchecked.
Tags: Assign tags to this invoice.
Memo: Internal note to you or another Method user.
Attachments: Allows you to attach a file to this payment. This file is only accessible from this payment screen.
Process a Payment
Next up is applying the payments. You can choose to apply payments automatically or not.
Auto Apply Payments
If Auto Apply Payments, is checked, Method will pay off the customer's balance using the following rules:
If their exists an invoice with a total that matches the payment exactly, Method applies the payment to that invoice (even if it isn’t the oldest invoice by date.)
If the payment does not match a specific balance, it is applied to the oldest outstanding invoice for this customer.
If the payment pays off an invoice with extra left over, the extra is applied to the next-oldest invoice.
If the payment does not pay off the entire invoice, the payment is deducted from the customer's balance.
Manually Apply Payments
If you uncheck Auto Apply Payments, you are prompted to choose an invoice (or invoices) to apply this payment to.
Click ⊕ Select Invoices to Pay. This will bring you to a new screen.
Select one or more outstanding invoices from the list by checking the checkbox.
Click Add Selected Invoices.
You are returned to the New / Edit Payment screen, and now the invoice list is populated with the invoices you selected.
To adjust the payment, select an invoice in the grid, and this brings you to a new screen where you can alter the amount to pay.
If you want to process the payment at the same time it's logged, check Process with Payment Gateway when saving. Remember, your payment gateway needs to be setup before this.
On saving, this will bring up a pop-up to let you enter in a credit card\. If they have their credit card saved via the Payment Gateway, you can use the information to charge their card again.
Please see our article Connect Payment Gateways for more information.
Note: Leaving this option unchecked means Method assumes the payment has already been received.
Payment Buttons
More Actions [ ∨ ]:
Clear / New: Clear the current payment form so you can create a new one.
Delete: Delete the payment. This cannot be undone!
Send [ ∨ ]:
Email: Email the customer a link to their portal where they will be able to view their transactions online. You will get a preview and the option to make edits before sending it out.
SMS: Send an SMS to customer with a link to their portal where they will be able to view their transactions online. You will get a preview and the option to make edits before sending it out. Only shows if SMS is enabled in your account.
Save [ ∨ ]: This button is clickable and will save the transaction.
Save & New: Save the payment and clear the form to enter in a new payment.
Save & Back: Save the payment and go to the previous screen.