Record Manual Payments (Desktop)
Customer paid cash, check, or bank transfer? Mark invoices as paid from your desktop to keep records accurate and revenue metrics up to date. This guide covers the desktop workflow—mobile users see Collect Payment on Mobile.
When to use manual payment recording
Cash payments
Customer pays in cash on-site or in-office. Record the payment immediately to update your revenue metrics and mark the invoice paid.
Checks/Cheques
Customer gives you a check. Record it when received (not when deposited) and attach a photo of the check for your records.
Bank transfers
Direct bank transfer, wire, or BACS payment received. Use the bank reference number as the payment reference in Toolfy.
How to record a manual payment
Follow these steps from your desktop dashboard to mark an invoice as paid.
Navigate to Invoices
Click Payments or Invoices in the main navigation. This shows your list of sent invoices.
Find the invoice to mark paid
Use the search bar to find by customer name or invoice number. Filter by "Unpaid" or "Overdue" to narrow the list. Click the invoice row to open details.
Click "Record Payment"
In the invoice details page, find the "Record Payment" button (top-right or in the actions menu). This opens the manual payment form.
Select payment method
Choose from the dropdown:
- • Cash - Physical currency received
- • Check/Cheque - Written check given by customer
- • Bank Transfer - Direct transfer, wire, BACS, etc.
- • Other - Any other manual payment type
Enter amount received
The form pre-fills with the full invoice amount. If the customer paid partial (e.g., £500 of a £1,000 invoice), change the amount. You can record multiple partial payments until the invoice is fully paid.
Add payment reference (optional but recommended)
Add details to help you identify this payment later:
- • Check number: "Check #1234"
- • Bank reference: "BACS ref: 20250110-SMITH"
- • Receipt number: "Cash receipt #042"
- • Date/location: "Cash paid on-site 10 Jan 2025"
Attach proof of payment (optional)
Upload a photo or PDF of the check, bank statement, cash receipt, or deposit slip. This creates an audit trail if the customer disputes payment later.
Set payment date
Defaults to today. Change if you're recording a payment received on a previous date (e.g., customer paid last week but you forgot to log it).
Click "Record Payment"
The invoice status updates immediately to "Paid" (or "Partially Paid" if amount is less than total). Your dashboard revenue metrics refresh instantly—"Total Paid" increases by the amount recorded.
Partial payments
How partial payments work
If a customer pays in installments (e.g., £300 now, £200 next week), record each payment separately:
- 1. Record first payment (£300) → Invoice shows "Partially Paid - £300 of £500"
- 2. Record second payment (£200) → Invoice updates to "Paid - £500 received"
Viewing payment history
Open the invoice details page and scroll to "Payment history". This shows all recorded payments with dates, amounts, methods, and references. Click any payment to view attached proof documents.
Automatic balance calculation
Toolfy calculates remaining balance automatically. If invoice total is £1,000 and customer has paid £600, the invoice shows "£400 outstanding" prominently.
Best practices for manual payments
✓ Do this
- • Record payments immediately after receiving them
- • Always add a payment reference (check number, bank ref, etc.)
- • Attach proof of payment (photo of check, bank statement)
- • Use the correct payment date (when received, not when deposited)
- • Send a receipt email to the customer after recording
✗ Avoid this
- • Waiting days/weeks to record payments (metrics become inaccurate)
- • Recording cash payments without any reference/note
- • Forgetting to record partial payments (customer disputes balance)
- • Using "Other" payment method when specific option exists
- • Recording payments for wrong invoice (check invoice number first)
What happens after recording payment?
Invoice status changes
Invoice updates from "Unpaid" or "Overdue" to "Paid". If partially paid, status shows "Partially Paid" with remaining balance. Paid invoices move to the "Paid" filter in your invoice list.
Revenue metrics update
Your dashboard "Total Paid" metric increases immediately. Outstanding amount decreases. This affects monthly revenue reports and accounting exports.
Automated reminders stop
If you have payment reminders enabled (Reminders → Invoice follow-ups), Toolfy stops sending reminders to the customer once the invoice is marked paid.
Receipt email (optional)
After recording payment, click "Send receipt" to email the customer confirmation of payment. This includes payment method, date, amount, and reference number.
Editing or deleting recorded payments
Edit a payment
Open the invoice → Payment history → Click the payment you want to edit. You can change amount, date, reference, or attached proof. Invoice balance recalculates automatically.
Delete a payment (recorded by mistake)
In Payment history, click the trash icon (🗑️) next to the payment. Confirm deletion. The invoice returns to "Unpaid" status and the amount is removed from revenue metrics.
Audit trail
All edits and deletions are logged in the invoice activity log. You can see who recorded/edited/deleted each payment and when. This is important for accounting audits.
Cash vs check vs bank transfer: Which to use?
| Payment Type | When to Use | Reference Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | Physical currency handed to you | Cash on-site 10 Jan |
| Check/Cheque | Written check given by customer | Check #1234 |
| Bank Transfer | Direct transfer, wire, BACS, SEPA | BACS-20250110-SMITH |
| Other | Vouchers, trade, crypto, anything else | Service trade value |
Common questions
Can I record a payment before sending the invoice?
No. Invoices must exist in Toolfy before you can record payments. If a customer paid upfront, create and send the invoice first, then immediately record the payment.
What if I recorded the wrong amount?
Open the invoice → Payment history → Click the payment → Edit amount → Save. The invoice balance recalculates instantly and revenue metrics update.
Do manual payments sync to Stripe?
No. Manual payments are separate from Stripe. Stripe only knows about card payments processed through its system. Manual payments exist in Toolfy only (and in your accounting exports).
Can customers see manual payments in the customer portal?
Yes. When customers view invoices via the portal, they see payment history including manual payments. The payment method shows (e.g., "Paid via cash on 10 Jan 2025").
How do I export manual payments for accounting?
Go to Payments → Export → Select date range → Download CSV. The export includes payment method, date, reference, and amount for all payments (Stripe + manual). Import into QuickBooks, Xero, or your accounting software.
Related articles
- Collect Payment on Mobile - Record payments from the field app
- Accepted Payment Methods - All ways customers can pay
- Handle Partial Payments - Installment payment strategies
- Dashboard Overview - Understanding revenue metrics