Log a Payment to a Bill

Record payments made to vendors — with full control over account mapping, category tagging, and receipt documentation.

🔐 Access Control

• Only Admin users or staff with payment permissions can log bill payments
• From the Dashboard, use the side menu to navigate: Accounting → Expense → Payments

🧭 Step-by-Step: Create a Payment Entry

Click + Create Payment to open the form.

1️⃣ Payment Details

• Date*: Select the payment date (defaults to today)
• Amount*: Enter the amount paid to the vendor
• Account*: Choose the financial account used for payment (e.g. Checking Account, Petty Cash)
• Vendor*: Select the vendor associated with the bill
• Category*: Choose a payment category (e.g. Electric, Water, Cleaning)
• Reference: Optional — add a transaction ID, bank reference, or internal note
• Description: Optional — add context for audit or reconciliation
• Payment Receipt: Optional — upload a file (e.g. bank slip, PDF, image)

Click Create to save the payment. The system will:

• Link the payment to the selected vendor
• Update the bill status and outstanding balance
• Make the payment available in accounting reports and audit logs

📋 Viewing Payment History

• All entries appear in the Manage Payments table
• Use filters for Date, Account, Vendor, or Category
• Export logs for audit, reconciliation, or financial reporting

✅ Best Practices

• Match payment entries to actual bank transactions for accuracy
• Use consistent references for traceability (e.g. BILL00006, BankRef-2025-10-29)
• Upload receipts for high-value or disputed payments
• Categorise payments correctly for financial statements
• Review payment logs monthly for completeness and compliance
• Use sector-fit categories (e.g. Care Home Utilities, Cleaning Services, Logistics Freight)