Use this workflow when a customer pays an invoice outside Stripe: cash, cheque, Interac, debit, bank transfer, a card charged outside Stortech, or another manual method. Card and pre-authorized debit payments update automatically when Stripe confirms the payment; you do not need to mark them manually.
Recording the payment in Stortech keeps the customer's balance accurate, prevents unnecessary reminders, limits accidental late fees, and leaves a trace in the invoice activity.
Video
This video shows how to open an open or overdue invoice, change its status, choose the offline payment method, and verify that the invoice is marked as paid. The payment dialog has changed since the recording: it now asks for the amount received instead of a status to pick. The path to open it has not changed.
Before you start
Before changing an invoice status, verify that the payment was actually received, that you are on the correct invoice, that the customer and unit match the payment received, that the amount received covers the full invoice or only part of it, and that the selected payment method matches your internal records.
Do not mark an invoice as paid just to stop reminders if the money has not been received. Use Void or Uncollectible only when that is the real status you want.
Record the payment
Step 1.
From the left menu, open Invoices, then use the Open or Overdue tabs to find the invoice that needs collection. Open it and compare the customer, amount, and due date against the payment received.
Step 2.
On the invoice record, open the ••• (More actions) menu and choose Update status. The Send reminder and Charge customer buttons stay visible next to it: the first sends a payment reminder, the second attempts payment through the method saved in Stripe. For a payment received by cash, cheque, Interac, debit, or transfer, use Update status.
Open the invoice, then More actions → Update status.
Step 3.
In the Change invoice status dialog, choose Payment received. An amount field appears, already filled with the balance due: if the customer paid exactly what they owed, there is nothing to change. Otherwise, enter the amount actually received. The dialog shows Amount due and Amount received side by side, and the amount decides the status: less than the balance leaves the invoice partially paid, the exact balance closes it. Voided is for an invoice created by mistake, Uncollectible is for when you no longer expect to collect the payment. The dialog has no date field: the entry applies as of today.
You can enter an amount larger than the balance due. The invoice is then settled and the difference is credited to the customer's account and deducted from their next invoice; the dialog tells you so before you confirm. If the amount is ten times the balance due or more, Stortech asks you to tick a box to confirm it: a guard against the extra zero.
Choose the payment method next: Cash, Cheque, Interac, Bank transfer, Card (outside Stortech), or Other. Use Card (outside Stortech) when the customer's card was charged through a different processor than Stripe, for example a payment still collected in a previous system during a migration. Add an internal note if it helps your team trace the payment.
On a late fee invoice, the dialog keeps the older choice between Paid and Partially paid instead of the amount field. The rest of the flow is identical.
Step 4.
Click Update status to confirm.
Verify after the update
After confirming, the invoice shows a Paid (or Partially paid) badge, and recent activity shows the applied payment along with the status change. The Send receipt and Mark as refunded actions then become available.
Once the invoice is paid, recent activity shows the payment trace and receipt actions become available.
If the invoice is linked to a rental, also check the rental record if the payment should restore access, settle an overdue invoice, or avoid a late fee.
Cases to distinguish
Full payment
Leave the pre-filled amount as it is: it already matches the balance due. Stortech closes the invoice and the activity keeps the payment trace.
Partial payment
Enter the amount received, smaller than the balance due. The invoice still needs follow-up until the remaining balance is paid.
Overpayment
Enter the amount received, larger than the balance due. The invoice is settled and the difference becomes a credit on the customer's account, applied to their next invoice.
Invoice created by mistake
Use Void only if the invoice should not exist or contains an error that should not be collected. If a new invoice should replace it, create it separately. See also Manual invoices.
Payment cannot be collected
Use Uncollectible when you no longer expect to receive the payment. This decision has accounting and operational impact; confirm your internal process before using it.
Common issues
The invoice is open, but the customer says they paid. Why?
What to check: did the payment go through Stripe or outside Stripe?
What to do: if the payment went through Stripe, wait for confirmation or check Payment refused or failed. If the money was received outside Stripe, record the payment manually.
I marked the wrong invoice as paid. What should I do?
What to check: can the invoice still be corrected in Stortech? Does the offline payment appear in activity?
What to do: contact support if you do not see an action to correct or void the recorded payment. Avoid creating a second payment to compensate without validation.
Late fees were created even though the customer had paid. Why?
What to check: was the invoice still Open or Overdue when the late-fee process ran?
What to do: record offline payments as soon as they are received. If a late fee was already generated by mistake, review the late-fee invoice and follow your cancellation process or contact support.
The Update status menu item does not appear. Why?
What to check: does your role allow invoice management? Is the invoice in a status that can be changed?
What to do: ask an Owner or Manager to verify your permissions and the invoice status.
FAQ
When should I record an offline payment? Only when the money was received outside Stripe: cash, cheque, Interac, debit, bank transfer, a card charged outside Stortech, or another manual method.
Do I need to do this for card or pre-authorized debit payments? No. Payments that go through Stripe update the invoice automatically. If a Stripe payment fails, see Payment refused or failed.
Do I have to choose between Paid and Partially paid? No. You enter the amount received and Stortech derives the status: the exact balance closes the invoice, a smaller amount leaves it partially paid, a larger amount closes it and credits the difference to the customer's account. Only late-fee invoices keep the older choice between the two statuses.
Why does this matter? An invoice left Open or Overdue can trigger reminders, affect access, or generate late fees depending on your settings.