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Tracking Payments

Quick Reference​

Payment tracking helps you monitor who's paid, who hasn't, and who needs a follow-up. ShootPath provides dashboards, status indicators, and reports to keep you on top of your cash flow.

Key Payment Tracking Tools:

  • Invoice Dashboard - All invoices across all jobs at a glance
  • Job-Level View - Payment status for a specific booking
  • Payment Reports - Revenue, outstanding amounts, and trends
  • Status Filters - See only overdue, due soon, or paid invoices
  • Automatic Reminders - System sends emails for upcoming/overdue payments

Payment Statuses:

  • Future - Not due yet (grayed out)
  • Due Soon - Due within 7 days (yellow)
  • Due Now - Due today (orange)
  • Overdue - Past due date (red)
  • Paid - Payment received (green checkmark)

Next Steps: Learn how to follow up on overdue payments or explore payment reports for business insights.

Detailed Guide​

Why Payment Tracking Matters​

As a photography business owner, you're juggling dozens of bookings at various stages. Payment tracking ensures:

You get paid on time:

  • See at a glance who owes money
  • Know when to send reminders
  • Follow up promptly on overdue amounts

Your cash flow stays healthy:

  • Forecast upcoming revenue (future payments)
  • Track outstanding amounts (money you're waiting on)
  • Identify payment patterns (who pays late?)

You avoid awkward situations:

  • Don't show up to a session with unpaid balance
  • Don't deliver galleries before final payment (if that's your policy)
  • Don't let payments slip through the cracks

You maintain professionalism:

  • Timely follow-ups show you run a serious business
  • Consistent payment tracking builds client accountability
  • Clear records prevent disputes

The Invoice Dashboard​

Your main payment tracking tool is the Invoice Dashboard - a central hub showing all invoices across all jobs.

What You See​

Invoice list with columns:

  • Client Name - Who owes the money
  • Job Type - Wedding, Portrait, Event, etc.
  • Invoice Number - Unique ID (e.g., INV-5234-01)
  • Description - What the payment is for
  • Amount - Dollar amount due
  • Due Date - When payment should be received
  • Status - Current payment status (color-coded)
  • Actions - Quick buttons (Send Reminder, View Details, Mark Paid)

Visual indicators:

  • 🟢 Green checkmark = Paid
  • 🟡 Yellow highlight = Due Soon
  • 🟠 Orange highlight = Due Today
  • 🔴 Red highlight = Overdue
  • ⚪ Gray/faded = Future (not due yet)

How to Use It​

Daily check (recommended):

  1. Open Invoice Dashboard
  2. Filter to "Overdue" + "Due Today"
  3. Send reminders or follow up on each
  4. Takes 2-5 minutes, prevents problems!

Weekly review:

  1. Check "Due Soon" (next 7 days)
  2. Make sure clients have payment links
  3. Proactively reach out: "Your balance is due next week!"

Monthly review:

  1. Look at all "Future" payments
  2. Confirm due dates align with session dates
  3. Adjust if sessions have been rescheduled

Filtering and Sorting Invoices​

The dashboard has powerful filtering to help you focus:

Filter by Status​

Show me:

  • All Invoices - Everything (can be overwhelming!)
  • Unpaid Only - Anything not fully paid yet
  • Overdue - Red alert - past due date
  • Due Today - Urgent - due right now
  • Due Soon - Yellow alert - due within 7 days
  • Future - Not urgent yet
  • Paid - Green - money received

Most useful views:

  • Overdue - These need immediate attention
  • Due Today + Due Soon - Upcoming payments to monitor
  • Unpaid Only - See all outstanding amounts

Sort by Column​

Click column headers to sort:

  • Due Date - Earliest to latest (default)
  • Amount - Highest to lowest (focus on big payments)
  • Client Name - Alphabetical (find specific client)
  • Status - Group by payment status

Pro tip: Sort by Amount (descending) to prioritize big-ticket items. A $3,000 overdue invoice deserves more immediate attention than a $200 one!

Search and Filter​

Search by:

  • Client name: "Sarah"
  • Invoice number: "INV-5234"
  • Job type: "Wedding"
  • Date range: "Due between Jan 1 - Jan 31"

Common searches:

  • "Find all overdue invoices for weddings" (filter Status=Overdue, Type=Wedding)
  • "Show invoices due this week" (filter Status=Due Soon)
  • "What does Sarah owe?" (search "Sarah")

Job-Level Payment View​

Besides the global dashboard, each job has its own payment tracking:

What You See​

Open any job and scroll to "Invoices" or "Payments" section:

Payment summary:

  • Total Job Value: $5,000
  • Total Paid: $3,000
  • Outstanding Balance: $2,000
  • Payment Progress: 60% paid

Invoice list for this job:

  1. Deposit - $1,500 (Paid Jan 5)
  2. Installment 2 - $1,500 (Paid March 10)
  3. Final Balance - $2,000 (Due May 1 - Due Soon!)

Payment history:

  • Jan 5, 2026 at 3:42 PM - $1,500 via Visa ***4242
  • March 10, 2026 at 11:23 AM - $1,500 via Mastercard ***8888

When to Use Job-Level View​

Before client meetings:

  • Check what they've paid and what's due
  • Be prepared to discuss payment status

Before sessions:

  • Confirm final balance is paid (if required)
  • Don't show up if they're behind!

Before gallery delivery:

  • Verify all required payments received
  • Don't release gallery if balance is owed (your policy)

During client conversations:

  • Pull up job to answer "How much have I paid?" and "What do I still owe?"

Payment Status Meanings​

Understanding what each status means helps you take appropriate action:

Future​

What it means: Payment exists but isn't due yet. No action needed from you or client.

Example: Today is February 1. Balance invoice is due April 1. Status: Future.

Client sees: "Balance: $1,500 due April 1" (grayed out, not urgent)

Your action: None. Just monitor to ensure due date is still accurate (session hasn't been rescheduled).

Turns into "Due Soon" when: 7 days before due date (March 25)

Due Soon​

What it means: Payment is due within the next 7 days. Time to send a friendly reminder!

Example: Today is March 25. Balance invoice is due April 1. Status: Due Soon.

Client sees: "Balance: $1,500 due in 6 days" (yellow highlight)

Your action: Send proactive reminder: "Hi Sarah! Just a reminder that your balance payment of $1,500 is due on April 1. Here's the payment link: [link]. Let me know if you have any questions!"

Why this helps: Clients appreciate the heads-up. They can plan financially and pay before the due date (avoiding overdue status).

Due Now​

What it means: Payment is due today. Client should pay immediately.

Example: Today is April 1 (the due date). Status: Due Now.

Client sees: "Balance: $1,500 due TODAY" (orange highlight, urgent tone)

Your action: Send same-day reminder: "Hi Sarah! Your balance payment of $1,500 is due today. Can you submit payment when you get a chance? Here's the link: [link]."

If they don't pay by end of day: Status changes to "Overdue" tomorrow morning.

Overdue​

What it means: Due date has passed without payment. This is a problem that needs immediate attention.

Example: Today is April 5. Balance invoice was due April 1. Status: Overdue (4 days).

Client sees: "Balance: $1,500 - OVERDUE" (red highlight, urgent)

Your action: Follow up firmly but professionally:

Day 1-3 overdue: "Hi Sarah, I noticed the payment due on April 1 hasn't been received yet. Can you submit payment today? Let me know if there's an issue!"

Day 4-7 overdue: "Sarah, your payment is now 5 days overdue. I need to receive this before we can proceed with the session. Please submit payment by [date] or contact me to discuss."

Day 7+ overdue: "Sarah, your payment is now 1 week overdue. Per our contract, the session cannot proceed until payment is current. If I don't receive payment by [date], I'll need to reschedule."

Enforce contract terms:

  • Reschedule session
  • Hold gallery delivery
  • Charge late fees (if contract allows)
  • Consider canceling booking (extreme cases)

What it means: Payment received! Money is in your account (or will be in 2-3 days).

Example: Client paid $1,500 on March 30. Status: Paid.

Client sees: "Balance: $1,500 - Paid March 30" (green checkmark)

Your action: None! But consider sending a thank-you: "Thank you for the payment! I'm looking forward to your session on April 15!"

Payment details shown:

  • Date and time paid
  • Payment method (card ending in 4242)
  • Transaction ID (Stripe reference)
  • Receipt (downloadable)

Recording Manual Payments​

Sometimes clients pay outside of Stripe:

  • Cash at session
  • Check mailed to you
  • Venmo/Zelle transfer
  • Bank transfer

You need to record these manually so your records stay accurate:

How to Record a Manual Payment​

  1. Open the invoice that was paid
  2. Click "Record Payment" or "Mark as Paid"
  3. Enter payment details:
    • Amount: (usually full invoice amount)
    • Payment method: Cash, Check, Venmo, Bank Transfer
    • Date received: (when you got the money)
    • Notes: Check #, Venmo transaction ID, etc.
  4. Save
  5. Invoice status → Paid

Why This Matters​

Accurate records:

  • Your dashboard reflects reality
  • Client's portal shows correct payment status
  • Reports include all revenue (not just Stripe)

Client relationship:

  • Client sees invoice marked "Paid" in their portal
  • No confusion about what's owed
  • Prevents "I already paid you!" disputes

Bookkeeping:

  • Track all income sources
  • Know how much came from Stripe vs. other methods
  • Tax time is easier

Common Manual Payment Scenarios​

Scenario 1: Cash at Session

Client hands you $500 cash when you arrive for the portrait session.

What to do:

  1. Give them a handwritten receipt on the spot
  2. Later: Open balance invoice, click "Record Payment"
  3. Payment method: Cash
  4. Date: Today
  5. Notes: "Paid cash at session - receipt provided"

Scenario 2: Check in Mail

Client mails you a check for $1,500.

What to do:

  1. Deposit check at bank
  2. Once cleared: Open invoice, record payment
  3. Payment method: Check
  4. Date: Date check was received (or deposited)
  5. Notes: "Check #1234 - deposited 1/20"

Scenario 3: Venmo/Zelle

Client sends $750 via Venmo.

What to do:

  1. Confirm funds received in Venmo
  2. Open invoice, record payment
  3. Payment method: Venmo (or "Other")
  4. Date: Date of transfer
  5. Notes: "Venmo transaction ID: xyz123"

Automatic Payment Reminders​

ShootPath can send automatic reminder emails to clients - no manual work required!

How Automatic Reminders Work​

When reminders are sent:

  1. 7 days before due date - "Payment due soon"
  2. On due date - "Payment due today"
  3. 3 days after due date - "Payment overdue"

What clients receive:

Subject: Payment Reminder - Balance Due Soon

Hi Sarah,

Your balance payment of $1,500 is due in 7 days (April 1).

[Pay Now]

Questions? Reply to this email!

[Your Business Name]

Benefits:

  • Saves you time (no manual reminders!)
  • Consistent communication (never forget)
  • Professional (automated but personal tone)
  • Reduces late payments (clients appreciate reminders)

Enabling Automatic Reminders​

Setup (one-time):

  1. Go to Settings > Notifications
  2. Find "Payment Reminders"
  3. Toggle on:
    • ✅ Send reminder 7 days before due date
    • ✅ Send reminder on due date
    • ✅ Send reminder 3 days after due date
  4. Save settings

That's it! Reminders now send automatically for all invoices.

Customizing Reminder Emails​

You can customize the reminder email template:

Personalization options:

  • Subject line
  • Email body text
  • Tone (formal vs. casual)
  • Include/exclude payment link
  • Add your branding

Best practices:

  • Keep it short and clear
  • Always include payment link
  • Be friendly but firm
  • Sign with your business name

Following Up on Overdue Invoices​

Even with automatic reminders, some invoices go overdue. Here's how to handle it professionally:

Follow-Up Cadence​

Day 0 (due date) - Friendly reminder: "Hi Sarah! Your balance payment of $1,500 is due today. Here's the payment link if you need it: [link]. Thanks!"

Day 3 - Check-in: "Hi Sarah, just following up on the payment that was due on [date]. Can you let me know when I can expect payment? Let me know if there's an issue!"

Day 7 - Firmer reminder: "Sarah, your payment is now 1 week overdue. I need to receive this before we can proceed with the session. Please submit payment by [date] or we'll need to reschedule."

Day 14 - Final notice: "Sarah, your payment is now 2 weeks overdue. Per our contract, I cannot hold your date without payment. If I don't receive payment by [date], I will release your date and consider the booking canceled."

Day 21+ - Enforce contract:

  • Cancel/reschedule booking
  • Keep deposit (per contract)
  • Consider small claims court for large amounts
  • Move on

Communication Tips​

Be professional, not emotional: ❌ "I can't believe you haven't paid yet!" ✅ "I haven't received the payment yet. Can you submit it today?"

Reference the contract: ❌ "You need to pay me NOW!" ✅ "Per Section 4 of our contract, payment is required before the session."

Offer solutions: ❌ "If you don't pay, too bad!" ✅ "If the full amount is difficult right now, we can discuss a payment plan."

Know when to walk away: If a client is 3+ weeks overdue with no communication, they're unlikely to pay. Enforce your contract terms (forfeit deposit, cancel booking) and move on. Your time is valuable!

Payment Plan Negotiations​

If a client can't afford the full amount:

Option 1: Split the payment "I can break the $2,000 balance into $1,000 now and $1,000 in 30 days. Would that help?"

Option 2: Extend the due date "I can give you an extra 2 weeks to pay. New due date: [date]. Does that work?"

Option 3: Smaller recurring payments "How about $500/week for 4 weeks? That adds up to the $2,000 balance."

What NOT to do:

  • Don't let them book without ANY deposit (too risky!)
  • Don't accept $50/month forever (not sustainable)
  • Don't let them go 6+ months without payment (you'll never collect)

Document everything: If you agree to custom payment terms, put it in writing (email or addendum to contract) so there's no confusion later!

Refunds and Credits​

Sometimes you need to refund a payment or issue a credit:

Issuing Refunds​

Common reasons:

  • Client cancels and contract allows partial refund
  • You overcharged by mistake
  • Service wasn't delivered (you had an emergency)
  • Gesture of goodwill (issue with photos, service problem)

How to issue refund:

  1. Find the paid invoice
  2. Click "Refund"
  3. Choose:
    • Full refund (entire amount)
    • Partial refund (enter amount)
  4. Add reason/note
  5. Process refund

What happens:

  • Money returned to client's card
  • Appears in client's account in 5-10 business days
  • Invoice shows: Paid $1,500, Refunded $750, Net $750
  • You receive confirmation

Tax implications: Refunds reduce your taxable income. Keep good records for tax time!

Issuing Credits​

A credit is money owed to a client that can be applied to future purchases:

Example: Client paid $1,500 but you need to refund $300. Instead of refunding to their card, you issue a $300 credit they can use toward a print order or album.

How to issue credit:

  1. Create a negative invoice: -$300
  2. Description: "Credit - [reason]"
  3. Client's account balance shows $300 credit
  4. Apply credit to future invoices

When to use credits vs. refunds:

  • Credits: Client is still engaged, will buy more from you
  • Refunds: Relationship is ending, give them their money back

Payment Reports and Analytics​

ShootPath provides reports to help you understand your payment performance:

Revenue Report​

What it shows:

  • Total revenue by month
  • Breakdown by job type (weddings, portraits, events)
  • Comparison to previous months/years
  • Average booking value

Use it for:

  • Tracking business growth
  • Tax preparation
  • Identifying busy vs. slow months
  • Setting revenue goals

Example insights:

  • "I earned $15,000 in May (peak wedding season)"
  • "Portrait revenue is down 20% this year - why?"
  • "Average wedding booking: $5,200"

Outstanding Invoices Report​

What it shows:

  • Total amount owed to you (unpaid invoices)
  • Breakdown by status (due soon, overdue)
  • Oldest outstanding invoice
  • Average days to payment

Use it for:

  • Cash flow forecasting
  • Identifying collection problems
  • Prioritizing follow-ups

Example insights:

  • "I'm owed $12,000 total across 8 clients"
  • "$4,500 is overdue (need to follow up!)"
  • "On average, clients pay 3 days late"

Payment Method Report​

What it shows:

  • % of payments via Stripe vs. cash vs. check
  • Total revenue by payment method
  • Processing fees paid (Stripe)

Use it for:

  • Understanding client preferences
  • Calculating true net revenue (after fees)
  • Deciding whether to accept certain payment methods

Example insights:

  • "85% of clients pay via credit card (Stripe)"
  • "I paid $1,200 in Stripe fees this year"
  • "Only 2 clients paid cash - maybe stop accepting it?"

Client Payment History​

What it shows:

  • Payment timeliness by client
  • Average days to payment
  • Who pays on time vs. late

Use it for:

  • Identifying reliable vs. risky clients
  • Adjusting payment terms for repeat clients
  • Deciding whether to work with someone again

Example insights:

  • "Sarah always pays on time - love working with her!"
  • "John is 2 weeks late on every payment - tighten terms next time"
  • "New clients pay slower than repeat clients"

Payment Tracking Best Practices​

1. Check Dashboard Daily​

Spend 2-5 minutes every morning reviewing:

  • Overdue invoices (follow up immediately)
  • Due today invoices (send reminder)
  • Due soon invoices (proactive outreach)

This habit prevents 90% of payment problems!

2. Enable Automatic Reminders​

Let ShootPath send reminders automatically. You don't have to remember!

Saves time + increases payment rate.

3. Follow Up Quickly on Overdue Payments​

The longer an invoice is overdue, the less likely you'll collect.

Best: Follow up within 24 hours of missed due date Worst: Wait 2+ weeks to follow up

Quick follow-ups show you're serious about payment.

4. Keep Detailed Notes​

Record notes on every invoice:

  • Why it was created
  • Client conversations about it
  • Payment agreements
  • Issues or disputes

This protects you if there's confusion later or if you need to take legal action.

5. Thank Clients for On-Time Payment​

A simple "Thank you for the payment!" goes a long way:

  • Builds goodwill
  • Reinforces positive behavior
  • Makes clients feel appreciated

Happy clients pay on time and refer friends!

Review reports monthly to identify patterns:

  • Are late payments increasing? (tighten your contract terms)
  • Do certain job types pay slower? (adjust due dates)
  • Are you collecting less than expected? (review pricing)

Data helps you improve your business over time.

Common Payment Tracking Scenarios​

Scenario 1: Client Says "I Already Paid"​

What to check:

  1. Open their job in ShootPath
  2. Review invoice status
  3. Check payment history

Possible outcomes:

They DID pay:

  • Invoice shows "Paid" with date/transaction
  • You say: "You're right, I see the payment from [date]. Thank you!"

They DIDN'T pay:

  • Invoice shows "Unpaid" or "Overdue"
  • You say: "I'm not showing a payment yet. Can you check your bank statement? If it went through, send me a screenshot and I'll investigate."

They paid outside Stripe:

  • They sent cash/check/Venmo but you forgot to record it
  • You say: "You're right! I have the check but forgot to mark it paid. Let me update that now. Sorry for the confusion!"

Lesson: Always record manual payments immediately!

Scenario 2: Multiple Clients Are Late on Payments​

If you notice a pattern of late payments:

Ask yourself:

  • Are my due dates too aggressive? (maybe extend them)
  • Are my reminders not working? (check email deliverability)
  • Are clients not seeing the payment links? (make them more visible)
  • Is the payment process confusing? (simplify it)

Solutions:

  • Adjust due dates (give more lead time)
  • Improve reminder emails (clearer subject lines, bigger buttons)
  • Test the client payment experience yourself
  • Add more payment methods (some clients prefer bank transfer over card)

Scenario 3: Big Invoice Is Overdue​

A $3,000 wedding balance is 10 days overdue. What do you do?

Step 1: Call (don't just email) Big amounts deserve a phone call. Email can be ignored.

Step 2: Understand the situation "Hi Sarah, I haven't received the $3,000 balance yet. Is everything okay?"

Possible reasons:

  • Forgot (happens!) → Send payment link, they pay today
  • Financial issue → Offer payment plan or extend due date
  • Dispute/unhappy → Discuss the issue, resolve it
  • Ghosting → Enforce contract terms (cancel, keep deposit)

Step 3: Take action based on response

  • If they pay: Great! Mark paid and move on.
  • If they need payment plan: Document new terms in writing.
  • If they're ghosting: Follow contract (reschedule or cancel).

Don't let $3,000 slip through the cracks! Prioritize large overdue amounts.

What's Next?​

Now that you know how to track payments, you might want to explore:

Want to automate payments? → Payment Schedules shows how to set up automatic invoicing.

Need to create a custom invoice? → Creating Invoices walks through manual invoice creation.

Curious about payment processing? → Stripe Integration explains how Stripe works.

Back to basics? → Invoices Overview for the big picture.

Questions? Look for the help links throughout ShootPath, or reach out to support if you need help!