After setting up a credit account, a customer can use their credit account to pay for purchases. To use the Account payment type at checkout, the credit account must have an available credit limit equal to or greater than the sale total.
On account sales and sales with deferred payments are considered invoices. After an invoice sale is processed, a detailed invoice with a payment link is sent by email to collect payment from the customer according to your payment terms (ex. Net 30).
Paying for a sale with a credit account
To allow a customer to pay for a purchase using their credit account:
- Navigate to Sales > New Sale.
- Use the Search Customers field and (optional) Advanced filters to search for a customer to attach to the sale. Click Search. The customer will attach to the sale if the searchable details have a unique match.
- Add items to the sale.
- Click Payment.
- In the Payment screen, enter the amount the customer would like to charge to their credit account in the Account field. To apply the total amount of the sale or the maximum available credit on their account, click Max.
The Available amount is the maximum amount the customer can currently charge to their credit account, calculated by subtracting their credit account balance (outstanding invoice balance) from their credit limit, excluding deposits.
- If there’s still a balance due for the sale, enter the remaining amount in the appropriate payment type field and press enter.
- Click Finish Sale.
Sending invoices for credit account sales
Sending invoices to collect payments from customers with outstanding balances is only available for merchants using Lightspeed Payments.
After completing the sale, you can confirm the customer’s email address, set payment terms, and see a preview of the invoice before sending or saving.
- In the Save invoice or send to customer window, review the customer’s email and update if needed.
- Click the Due by dropdown and select a set payment term or click Custom and use the calendar to select a due date.
- Click Save to account to save the invoice to the customer’s credit account or click Send invoice to send an automated email with a link for the customer to view and pay the invoice.
The invoice will be automatically generated and feature:
- Invoice number
- Customer name and details
- Amount owed and payment terms
- Payment method options
- Detailed summary
- Your business details (sourced from Settings > Locations and Company Branding)
Invoices can only be generated in your shop’s currency. Invoices can’t be saved as drafts, split into instalments, or have discounts applied.
Signing up employees to receive email notifications
You can track invoice payment and delivery status by subscribing employees to receive instant email notifications when:
- An invoice online payment is successful. These emails include the payment amount, invoice number, the name of the customer, and the day and time the payment was received. The employee can also click to view the original invoice or payment details.
- An invoice payment fails. These emails include the payment amount that failed, the invoice number, the name of the customer, the reason for the failed payment, and the day and time the payment failed. The employee can also click to view the original invoice, the payment details, or the customer contact details on file.
- An invoice delivery fails. These emails include the invoice number, customer name and email, the reason for the failed delivery, and a link that the employee can copy to provide to the customer to pay the invoice. The employee can also click to view the customer contact details on file.
All employees who are subscribed will receive all notifications for all invoices. Only employees with role permissions to view the Financial Services page will be able to view payment details.
Adding employees
Before you subscribe an employee to receive email notifications, you must have their explicit permission to be contacted via email.
- Navigate to Settings > Credit accounts.
- Click Add an employee.
- Select the checkboxes beside which employees you want to receive email notifications. You can use the search bar to search for specific employees.
- Click Subscribe.
If an employee doesn’t have an assigned email, their name will show in the To review section. To add or edit an email address:
- Click the three dots icon (More) beside the employee name.
- Click Edit employee.
This will take you to the employee profile page, where you can add or edit their email address.
Unsubscribing employees from email notifications
To unsubscribe an employee from email notifications, click the three dots icon (More) beside their name and click Unsubscribe.
Paying outstanding invoices with payment links
After you’ve completed the sale and sent the invoice, the customer will receive an email with a link to view and pay the invoice on desktop or mobile.
The invoice will have the amount owed and the due date, payment options, and purchase details. Customers can pay invoices with credit cards. Split payments, scheduled installments, and international payment options are not available.
When the payment has been processed successfully, the customer will receive a payment confirmation by email. You will also receive a notification that the customer has made a payment.
Paying outstanding invoices at the register
If a customer wants to pay down invoices and reduce their credit account balance in-store, they can make a payment using the payment methods you accept at the register. They can also use deposits to pay outstanding invoices.
To pay down an invoice at the register:
- Navigate to the Sales screen.
- Add a customer to the sale.
- Click Payment.
- Next to Credit account balance, click Make a payment.
- Select the invoice to pay. Adjust the payment amount if needed, then click Done.
- (Optional) To make changes to the invoice payment amount, click the Edit payment button or Edit under Invoice Payment.
- Choose a payment type and click Max or add an amount and press enter to apply.
- Click Finish Sale.
What's next?
Managing credit accounts
View and update credit accounts, send statements, and manage invoices.
Learn more