> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.hoopai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Manual payment methods — cash, check, and custom methods

> Record offline payments like cash, check, or wire transfer, set up custom manual payment methods, and use Cash on Delivery for store orders.

Manual payment methods allow you to record payments that are collected outside the HoopAI Platform — such as cash received in person, checks mailed by clients, wire transfers deposited to your bank, or payments through third-party apps like Venmo or Zelle. Recording these payments keeps your invoices and financial records accurate without requiring an online payment gateway.

Manual payments are also used for **Cash on Delivery** (COD) in your e-commerce store, where customers place orders online but pay when the goods arrive.

<Note>
  Manual payments do not require a connected payment gateway. You can record manual payments even if you have not connected Stripe, NMI, or any other processor. However, manual payment recording is **not supported for subscriptions** — subscriptions require an active online payment gateway to process recurring charges.
</Note>

***

## What are manual payments?

Manual payments are any payment that:

* Is collected outside the platform (cash, check, money order, wire transfer).
* Is collected via a third-party app that is not integrated with the HoopAI Platform (Venmo, Zelle, PayPal Friends & Family, etc.).
* Is deferred to the point of physical delivery (Cash on Delivery for store orders).

When you record a manual payment, the invoice is marked as **Paid** or **Partially Paid** depending on the amount entered. The payment appears in **Payments → Transactions** with the type labeled as **Manual**, keeping it distinct from gateway-processed transactions.

### Use cases

| Payment type                    | How to handle it                                                |
| ------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Cash paid in person             | Record payment → select Cash                                    |
| Check received by mail          | Record payment → select Check; note the check number            |
| Wire transfer / bank deposit    | Record payment → select Bank Transfer or a custom method        |
| Third-party app (Venmo, Zelle)  | Create a custom method with the app name; record payment        |
| Barter or trade agreement       | Create a custom method (e.g., "Trade Credit"); record payment   |
| Cash on Delivery (store orders) | Enable COD in Payment Integrations; mark order paid at delivery |

***

## Recording a manual payment on an invoice

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the invoice">
    Go to **Payments → Invoices & Estimates** and locate the invoice you want to mark as paid.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the record payment dialog">
    Click the **three-dot menu** on the invoice row and select **Record Payment**. You can also access this option from within the invoice editor via the **Record Payment** button.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select the payment type">
    Choose from the available payment methods:

    * **Cash** — for in-person cash payments
    * **Check** — for payments made by check
    * **Bank Transfer** — for wire transfers or direct deposits
    * Any **custom payment methods** you have created (see below)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the payment amount">
    Type the amount received. This can be:

    * The **full invoice amount** — marks the invoice as **Paid**
    * A **partial amount** — marks the invoice as **Partially Paid** and shows the remaining balance
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the payment date">
    The date defaults to today, but you can backdate it to match when the payment was actually received — useful for reconciling historical payments.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a note (optional)">
    Use the **Note** field to record additional details, such as:

    * A check number
    * A wire transfer reference number
    * The name of the person who paid (if different from the contact)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save**. The invoice status updates immediately. If a **Payment Received** workflow trigger is configured, it fires at this point.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  For check payments, always note the check number in the Notes field. This creates an audit trail if you need to reconcile a returned or disputed check later.
</Tip>

***

## Partial payments

You can record payments against an invoice multiple times to build up to the full amount — useful when a client pays in installments informally or when a check bounces and they send a replacement.

* Each recorded payment reduces the outstanding balance.
* The invoice status shows **Partially Paid** with the remaining balance visible.
* Once the total recorded payments equal the invoice amount, the invoice automatically changes to **Paid**.

<Note>
  Partial manual payments are separate from the formal **Payment Plans** feature (which splits an invoice into a defined installment schedule). Use partial manual recording for informal or ad hoc partial payments.
</Note>

***

## Creating custom manual payment methods

In addition to the built-in Cash, Check, and Bank Transfer options, you can create your own named payment methods that reflect how your business actually operates.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open payment integrations">
    Go to **Payments → Payment Integrations**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find manual payment methods">
    Scroll to the **Manual Payment Methods** section.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a new method">
    Click **Add New** (or the **+** icon). Enter a name for the payment method. Examples:

    * Wire Transfer
    * Venmo
    * Zelle
    * PayPal (Friends & Family)
    * Company Check
    * Trade Credit
    * Money Order
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save**. The new method is now available in the **Record Payment** dialog for all invoices and at checkout for e-commerce store orders (if COD is enabled).
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Create a custom method for each payment type you regularly receive outside the platform. This makes it easy to filter and report on specific offline payment channels in the Transactions tab.
</Tip>

***

## Cash on Delivery for e-commerce store orders

Cash on Delivery (COD) allows customers to place orders in your store without paying online. Payment is collected physically when the order is delivered or picked up.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open payment integrations">
    Go to **Payments → Payment Integrations**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable Cash on Delivery">
    In the **Manual Payment Methods** section, find **Cash on Delivery** and toggle it on. You can also customize the display name customers see at checkout (e.g., "Pay on Delivery" or "Pay at Pickup").
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save**. COD now appears as a payment option on your store checkout alongside any online payment methods you have configured.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Fulfill the order">
    When a customer places a COD order, the order appears in **Payments → Orders** with a **Pending** payment status. Fulfill and deliver the order as normal.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Mark the order as paid">
    Once you have collected payment from the customer physically, open the order in **Payments → Orders**, click the three-dot menu, and select **Mark as Paid**. Record the payment method (Cash, or whichever method the customer used).
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  COD orders carry the risk of non-payment — a customer may refuse to pay or be unavailable at delivery. Use COD only for customers you trust or in business models where non-payment risk is acceptable.
</Warning>

***

## Manual payments and workflow automations

When you record a manual payment, the **Payment Received** trigger fires in your workflows — the same trigger that fires for online gateway payments. This means:

* You can automate follow-up actions (e.g., sending a thank you email, adding a tag, moving an opportunity to a new stage) for manually recorded payments.
* Workflow automations treating payment receipt as a signal work consistently regardless of whether the payment was online or recorded manually.

<Note>
  The Payment Received trigger fires immediately when you click **Save** on the Record Payment dialog. Ensure your workflows are designed to handle both online and manual payments if you use a mix of both.
</Note>

***

## Viewing manual payments in transactions

All manually recorded payments appear in **Payments → Transactions** alongside gateway-processed transactions.

* **Payment type label** — manual payments show as **Manual** (or the specific method name, e.g., "Cash", "Check") in the transaction type column.
* **Filtering** — use the filter options in the Transactions tab to show only manual payments, making it easy to reconcile offline collections.
* **Exporting** — manual payments are included in the CSV export from the Transactions tab. Export to reconcile with your accounting system.

***

## Voiding a manually recorded payment

If you recorded a manual payment in error — for example, you entered the wrong amount or the check bounced — you can void the transaction:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to transactions">
    Navigate to **Payments → Transactions**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find the transaction">
    Locate the manual payment transaction you need to void.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Void the transaction">
    Click the **three-dot menu** on the transaction and select **Void**. Confirm the action.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Record a corrected payment (if needed)">
    If you voided due to an incorrect amount, go back to the invoice and use **Record Payment** again to enter the correct amount and details.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  You cannot edit a manual payment record after it has been saved. If the amount or date is incorrect, void the transaction and create a new one. Voiding reverses the payment status on the invoice.
</Warning>

***

## Manual payments and subscriptions

Manual payment recording does not work for subscription billing. Subscriptions require an active online payment gateway (Stripe, NMI, Authorize.net, or Square) to process recurring charges automatically.

If a customer is paying a subscription by check or cash, the recommended approach is:

1. Use recurring invoices instead of subscriptions — recurring invoices can have payments recorded manually.
2. Set the recurring invoice frequency to match the billing period.
3. Record each payment manually when received.

<Note>
  Recurring invoices are different from subscriptions. Recurring invoices generate a new invoice on a schedule; you record payment when received. Subscriptions charge a payment method automatically on a schedule. For manual-pay clients, recurring invoices are the appropriate tool.
</Note>

***

## Frequently asked questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I use manual payments for e-commerce store orders?">
    Yes. Enable **Cash on Delivery** under **Payments → Payment Integrations → Manual Payment Methods**. When COD is enabled, customers can place store orders without paying online. You fulfill the order and then manually mark it as paid in **Payments → Orders** once you have collected the money.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I record a payment on behalf of a customer who paid via Venmo?">
    Yes. Create a custom payment method named "Venmo" under **Payments → Payment Integrations → Manual Payment Methods**. Then use **Record Payment** on the invoice and select Venmo as the payment type. This keeps a clear record of how the payment was received without needing a Venmo integration.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does recording a manual payment trigger workflow automations?">
    Yes. The **Payment Received** trigger fires when you record a manual payment, just as it does for online gateway payments. Any workflows using this trigger — such as sending a receipt email, tagging the contact, or moving an opportunity stage — will execute after a manual payment is recorded.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I offer multiple manual payment methods at checkout?">
    Yes. You can create multiple custom payment methods in **Payments → Payment Integrations → Manual Payment Methods**. All enabled manual methods appear as options in the **Record Payment** dialog and, when applicable, as checkout options for store orders with COD enabled.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is there a way to require proof of payment (such as a check image upload)?">
    Not currently. The platform does not support file uploads during the Record Payment process. As a workaround, use the **Notes** field to record a reference number or description, and store supporting documents (check images, bank confirmations) in your external accounting or filing system. You can also attach documents to the contact record in the CRM.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if I recorded the wrong amount manually?">
    You cannot edit a manual payment record after saving it. Void the incorrect transaction by going to **Payments → Transactions**, finding the transaction, clicking the three-dot menu, and selecting **Void**. Then return to the invoice and use **Record Payment** again to enter the correct amount.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I refund a manual payment through the platform?">
    No. Manual payments are recorded offline and are not processed through a payment gateway. Because there is no gateway transaction to reverse, the platform cannot issue a refund for a manually recorded payment. You must issue the refund offline — return the cash, void the check, or initiate a bank transfer — and then void the manual payment record in the Transactions tab to keep your records accurate.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are manual payments visible in financial reports?">
    Yes. Manually recorded payments are included in all transaction data exports from the **Payments → Transactions** tab. Filter by payment method type to isolate manual payments. For formal accounting reporting, export the data as CSV and import it into your accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks, Xero).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I backdate a manual payment?">
    Yes. When recording a payment, the date field defaults to today but can be set to any past date. This is useful for reconciling payments received earlier in the month or importing historical payment records when you first set up the platform.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>