Taking and Recording Payments on an Invoice

An invoice can be paid in three ways from its page: you send the customer a payment link, you take a card yourself while the customer is with you, or you record a payment that was made outside ServiceVisit. This guide covers all three, starting from the invoice page under Money, then Invoices.

Before you start

  • The link and the card options need an active, ready payment account. If none is connected, the card page tells you to connect a processor and offers Set up payments.
  • The link and card options also need permission to process payments. Recording a payment needs permission to record manual payments.
  • Recording a payment is offered only while the invoice workflow allows collecting payment, which means the invoice has been sent.
  • To send the invoice first, use Send Invoice on a draft.
  1. Open the invoice and find Request Payment by Link.
  2. Select Create payment link. The page confirms that the link was created.
  3. The new link appears under New payment link. Select Copy to copy it, or open the list below.
  4. Each link in the list shows its amount and a status label such as Sent or Paid, and the last time it was sent. Select Email to customer to email it. Paid links no longer offer this button.
  5. The customer pays on their own device. Card details go directly to the processor.

Steps: take a card payment yourself

  1. In Request Payment by Link, select Take card payment.
  2. Enter the customer's card in the secure Card details form. The card number is typed into the processor's form and never reaches ServiceVisit.
  3. Read out the authorization text shown and have the customer sign in the Customer signature box. Use Clear to start the signature again.
  4. Tick Save this card on file for future charges only if the customer agrees. It is unticked by default.
  5. Optionally enter an address under Email a receipt to the customer.
  6. Select the green Charge button, which shows the amount. Cancel returns you to the invoice.

Steps: record a payment made outside ServiceVisit

  1. On a sent invoice, select Mark as Paid. The dialog is titled Record Payment.
  2. Choose Payment Method: Cash, Check, Card (External), ACH (External), Wire Transfer, Financing (paid by a lender), or Other.
  3. Enter Amount Paid and Payment Date.
  4. Enter the reference. The field is labeled to match the method, for example Check Number. It is required for every method except Cash.
  5. For Financing, enter the Lender and Fee the lender kept. Keep Amount Paid as the invoiced amount; the page shows what your bank should receive.
  6. Add Notes (Optional) and select Record Payment.
  7. A success message says the payment was recorded and a receipt was sent to the customer.

Tips

  • If the customer wants to spread the cost, Set Up Installment Plan is offered on the invoice while it can still collect payment. See the installment plans guides.
  • Deposits and credits a customer already holds are applied from the invoice, not recorded as new payments. See the guide on refunds and credits.
  • After any payment, check Payment History on the invoice for its number and status.

If something goes wrong

  • Payment amount must be greater than zero. Enter a positive amount.
  • A reference number is required for the method. Fill in the reference field.
  • Enter which lender remitted this payment. Financing needs a lender name.
  • Failed to record payment. Check the details and try again. If it keeps failing, contact support.
  • Unable to create a payment link. Check payment setup and try again. Open the payment setup guide and confirm your account is ready.
  • If Request Payment by Link is missing, your role lacks permission to process payments.

Related articles

  • Collecting and Tracking Payments — Payment collection is how a provider gets paid for an invoice and keeps track of what has been paid. The provider connects their own payment account, so card payments go to that account and the…
  • Connecting Your Payment Account — Before customers can pay online or you can take a card payment, you connect a payment account that you own. ServiceVisit lists each payment processor it supports as a card on the Payment Setup page…
  • Refunds, Credits and Write-Offs — Giving money back or reducing a balance is done in four separate ways, and the product keeps them apart because each affects your books differently. A refund returns money already taken. An invoice…
  • Viewing and Paying an Invoice Online — When a service business sends you an invoice, you can read it, download a copy and pay it by card from your account. You can pay only if the business has set up online payments. This guide covers…
  • Record a Manual Payment — Not every customer pays through the platform. Recording a manual payment books money you received some other way against an invoice. On the invoice, choose Mark as Paid, which opens the Record Payment…
  • Send an Invoice — Sending an invoice (the Send Invoice button on the invoice) moves it from draft to sent and gives the customer a private link to open it. Use it when the lines are right and you are ready to ask for…
  • Installment Plans Overview — An installment plan lets you offer a customer a payment arrangement on an unpaid invoice. The amount owed is split into scheduled payments, and the customer agrees to the terms before anything is…

Still need a hand?

Email our support team and a person will get back to you.

ServiceVisit Sales

Pre-sales questions? Ask away.

Walter is an AI assistant and can make mistakes. Don’t share passwords or card details.

Sales is offline.

Say hello to get started.

This chat has ended.

The conversation is saved for both you and the Sales team.