How do credits work?
Credits mostly act like cash for a patient. You can add credits to a patient's account, and then use them for any outstanding invoices. Similarly, if there is a credit balance when you issue an invoice, those credits will automatically be consumed. The amount of credit usage will be clearly shown on the invoice. A credit can be used to pay for part of an invoice or multiple invoices, depending on the amount of the credit.
Credits can be set to expire or last forever. They can be used until the end of the day they expire on. You can edit the expiration date of a credit as long as it has not passed. When a credit expires its amount will reduce to $0.
In order to make adding credits easier, you will choose a category which will default the amount and expiration of a credit. Admins of the practice will be able to setup and modify credit categories.
Adding Credit Categories
Credit categories will be required in order to create a credit. This will be helpful to set defaults for specific types of credits such as the amount or expiration. Reporting will also be based on these categories. If you want to know how many "Refer a Friend" credits you issued you will be able to filter the report to show this.
To add a credit category:
Click on 'Admin'
Click on 'Credits'
Click on 'Categories'
Click on '+New Credit Category'
Add in a name, price, and expiration date (if there is no expiration date, leave blank)
Press 'Save'
Adding Credits
Navigate to the patients page. You'll see their credit balance.
Click 'Manage Credits' to create, view, and edit that patient's credits
Choose a category (required)
Enter a reason for the credit (optional). This may be the name of a person referred or anything else such as "Appointment ran an hour late"
Enter an expiration (leave empty for never expire - this may have been pre-filled based on the category chosen). The credit will expire and the amount will adjust to $0 at the end of the day they expire on
Enter an amount (required -this may have been pre-filled based on the category chosen).This will be the amount you can either apply to an outstanding invoice, or that will be credited to newly issued invoices in the future. Credits will be available through the expiration date
Credits and Invoices
A draft invoice will show estimated credit applied. However, while an invoice is in draft mode, it will not reduce the payer's credit balance on the patient tab.
A credit will be automatically applied once an invoice is issued and will reduce the payer's credit balance on their patient tab and the amount due on the invoice.
A credit can be removed if added in error.
A credit can be applied if there is an amount due and the payer has a credit balance.
FAQ
Q: I want to remove the credits from an invoice!
A: If an invoice is not paid but has credits on it, or the invoice was fully paid by credits you can remove those credits. To do this click on remove credits in the available actions at the bottom of the invoice. If the invoice is partially paid by credits and partially paid by another payment you can not remove the credits at this time.
Q: I removed credits from an invoice by mistake, how do I add them back?
A: To do this click on apply credits in the available actions at the bottom of the invoice.
Q: Will credits be applied to the automated membership bills?
A: Yes! They will apply to any newly issued invoice automatically including membership invoices.
Q: What happens when a credit expires?
A: The amount will be reduced to $0 and it will no longer be applied to any invoices. This will happen at the end of the day it expires. Expired credits can be reported on separately from used or removed credits.
Q: How will I know if a payer has a credit expiring soon?
A: On the patient details page if any credits will expire in the next 2 weeks it will show "Expiring Soon" next to their credit balance. This may apply to the entire balance, but may only apply to a portion of it. To view each credit and its expiration date click on manage credits.
Q: How will credit show in my reports?
A: This is important to note! Credits applied to patients' accounts will not show as money collected by the practice. This is because a credit it not seen as received payment, so invoices paid with credit will not be listed in the Received Payments report. We recommend you use credits as a discount as opposed to a payment.