Manage balance payment

When a customer books with a deposit + balance system, the deposit is charged immediately and the remaining balance must be collected before or on the day of the activity.

This system gives you total control over when to charge while notifying you of pending balances.

Balance payment now works in a 100% manual way:

• At booking: The customer pays the deposit (e.g., 30% of total amount)
• Secure storage: The customer's card is securely stored by Stripe for future payment
• Notifications: You receive email reminders for balances to collect
• Visual indicators: Flashing orange badges appear in the dashboard for each booking with a pending balance
• Manual payment: You decide the exact moment to charge each balance via the "Capture balance now" button
• Flexibility: You can also mark a payment as "Paid in cash" if the customer pays on-site

You keep total control of the payment process.

The system helps you remember everything:

• Email reminders: You receive an email in your preferred language listing all bookings whose balance must be collected
• Dashboard badge: A counter shows "X balance(s) to collect" at the top of the bookings page
• Per-booking indicator: Each booking card displays a flashing orange dot if a balance is pending
• Direct link: The email contains a direct link to your dashboard for quick action

These notifications are sent automatically but no automatic charges are made.

To capture a balance via Stripe:

• Access the dashboard: Open the "Bookings" page
• Identify balances: Spot bookings with the flashing orange indicator
• Click "Capture balance now": A confirmation modal appears
• Confirm: The balance is immediately charged via Stripe with the saved card
• Confirmation: The status automatically changes to "Paid"

The customer's card was saved when paying the deposit, so the charge happens without customer intervention.

If a customer prefers to pay in cash on-site:

• Before or during the activity: The customer pays you in cash
• In the dashboard: Click "Mark as paid in cash"
• Confirm the action: A confirmation modal appears
• Validation: The booking is marked as "Paid" and Stripe charging is permanently blocked

This option allows you to manage cash payments securely.

In your dashboard, you have a complete view:

• Bookings tab: View all your bookings and their payment status
• Available statuses:

* `deposit_paid`: Deposit paid, balance pending

* `paid`: Full payment (deposit + balance)

• Summary badge: "X balance(s) to collect" at the top with animation
• Visual indicators: Flashing orange dots on each relevant booking

You can manage your payments proactively.

If a manual payment fails (expired card, insufficient funds, etc.):

• Error displayed: An error message shows you the reason
• Try again later: Some failures are temporary
• Contact the customer: For card or funding issues
• Cash option: Offer the customer to pay in cash on-site

The system never attempts automatic charges, you always keep control.

Manual payment with notifications offers you:

• Total control: You decide exactly when to charge each balance
• Flexibility: Ability to accept cash payments without risk of double charging
• Proactive notifications: Automatic reminders so you don't forget anything
• No surprises: You manage failures in real-time and can adjust
• Traceability: All manual charges are recorded in Stripe

It's a system that gives you control while keeping it simple.

• Check daily: Review your dashboard each day for pending balances
• Charge in advance: For activities, charge 1-2 days before to handle potential failures
• Communicate clearly: Inform your customers at booking about the deposit + balance system
• Follow your emails: Automatic reminders help you stay organized
• Cash option: If a customer requests it, use the "Mark as paid in cash" button to avoid any charging

With these best practices, you maintain optimal control over your collections.