Payment Processing

# Payment Processing RecSystems integrates with Stripe to handle all payment processing securely and efficiently. This guide covers managing payments, processing refunds, and handling common payment scenarios. ## What You'll Learn - How RecSystems processes payments through Stripe - Managing customer payment methods - Processing refunds and partial refunds - Handling failed payments - Understanding payment statuses - Managing balance due payments ## Payment System Overview RecSystems uses **Stripe** as the payment processor. This provides: - Secure card processing - PCI compliance - Automatic receipts - Refund management - Payment method storage All reservations are created via **Carts**. When a cart is paid, its bookings become **Reserved**. ## Payment Flow ### 1. Customer Checkout (Cart-Only) When a customer books: 1. They add items to a Cart (unified hold timer starts per account settings) 2. They enter payment details 3. Stripe creates a Payment Intent (deposit or full amount per settings) 4. On success, the Cart is marked **Paid** and bookings move to **Reserved** 5. Receipt is automatically sent ### 2. Payment Types **Initial Deposit (Cart)** - Charged at checkout time - Percentage or fixed amount (account-level configuration) - Remainder is the balance due **Balance Due** - Remaining amount after deposit - Collected at check-in or before - Can be paid online or in-person (recorded on the Cart or Booking) **Additional Charges** - Damage fees - Fuel charges - Late return fees - Added during check-out (return processing) ## Managing Payments ### Viewing Payment Details 1. Open a cart (or the related booking for details) 2. Payment tabs show complete payment history: - Initial charge (via cart) - Balance payments - Refunds issued - Payment methods used ### Payment Information Shows - Amount charged - Payment date/time - Card last 4 digits - Transaction ID - Receipt link ## Processing Refunds ### Full Refunds 1. Open the Cart (recommended consolidation) 2. Click **Process Refund** (dashboard cart actions) 3. Enter refund amount or select full 4. Add refund reason 5. Process Refund allocation uses intelligent LIFO at the cart level: - Stored‑value gift instruments applied to the purchase are restored first up to the original applied amounts - Any remaining refund is returned to the credit card used for the charge - Idempotency keys prevent duplicate refunds ### Partial Refunds 1. Open the Cart or specific Booking 2. Enter specific amount 3. Add detailed reason 4. Process ### Refund Processing Time - Instant in RecSystems - 5-10 business days to customer's card - Customer receives email confirmation - Original payment method used (after gift card allocation rules) ## Balance Due Payments ### Collecting Balance at Check-in 1. Open the Cart in Dashboard (preferred) 2. Click **Collect Balance** / **Settle Balance** 3. Choose payment method: - Use card on file - Enter new card - Record cash/check 4. Process payment 5. Print or resend receipt if needed ### Online Balance Payment Customers can pay balance due online: 1. Send payment link via email 2. Customer clicks link 3. Enters payment details 4. Receives confirmation ## Failed Payments ### Common Failure Reasons - Insufficient funds - Expired card - Incorrect details - Bank decline - Fraud prevention ### Handling Failed Payments 1. System automatically notifies customer 2. Cart stays in **Checkout** status 3. Customer has limited time to retry (hold timer) 4. After timeout, cart expires and items release ### Manual Payment Retry 1. Open the Cart 2. Retry payment flow 3. Update card information 4. Process payment 5. Bookings update to **Reserved** when cart is paid ## Payment Methods ### Card on File - Stored securely by Stripe - Only last 4 digits visible - Can be used for: - Balance due - Additional charges - Future bookings ### Updating Payment Methods 1. Open customer's booking/cart 2. Click **Payment Methods** 3. Add new card or remove old 4. Set as default if needed ### Cash/Check Payments For in-person payments: 1. Select **Cash** or **Check** 2. Enter amount received 3. Add reference number for checks 4. System records but doesn't process ## Gift Card Payments ### Applying Gift Cards & Vouchers 1. During checkout or modify flow 2. Enter code, system validates and shows balance/eligibility 3. Vouchers/discounts apply pre‑tax; credit gift cards apply post‑tax 4. Remaining balance via card ### Partial Gift Card Use - Can combine with credit card - Gift card applied first (after discounts), then card - Unused gift card balance remains ## Payment Reports ### Daily Payment Summary View in **Reports** (from the Reports dropdown in top navigation): - Total processed - Number of transactions - Failed payments - Refunds issued ### Payment Export 1. Go to **Reports** (from the Reports dropdown in top navigation) 2. Select date range 3. Click **"Export CSV"** (if available) 4. Includes all transaction details ## Security & Compliance ### PCI Compliance - RecSystems never stores card numbers - All data encrypted by Stripe - Regular security updates - Annual compliance verification ### Data Protection - SSL encryption for all transactions - Tokenized card storage - No sensitive data in RecSystems - Stripe handles all security ## Common Payment Scenarios ### Deposit + Balance Due 1. Customer pays configured deposit at cart checkout 2. Cart Paid → Bookings Reserved 3. At check-in, collect remaining balance 4. Complete transaction ### Group Bookings 1. One cart contains multiple bookings 2. One person pays deposit 3. Different person can pay balance 4. Both payment methods saved ### Extending Rentals 1. Modify Cart or Booking 2. System calculates additional charges 3. Charge card on file or collect in-person 4. Update booking end date ### Damage Charges 1. Document damage at return 2. Calculate repair cost 3. Charge card on file 4. If declined, follow up manually ## Troubleshooting Payments ### "Payment Failed" at Checkout - Verify card details correct - Check expiration date - Confirm billing zip code - Try different card - Check with bank ### Can't Process Refund - Verify original payment cleared - Check if already refunded - Ensure Admin permissions - May need to wait 24 hours ### Card on File Declined - Card may be expired - Insufficient funds - Bank flagged as suspicious - Request updated card ### Stripe Connection Issues - Check internet connection - Verify Stripe status page - Try again in few minutes - Contact support if persists ## Best Practices ### 1. Clear Payment Terms - Show deposit amount upfront - Explain when balance is due - List potential additional charges - Provide receipts always ### 2. Timely Processing - Process refunds same day - Collect balance at check-in - Charge damages before customer leaves - Send receipts immediately ### 3. Good Documentation - Note payment issues in booking/cart - Document refund reasons - Keep record of cash payments - Track failed payment attempts ### 4. Customer Communication - Explain all charges clearly - Send payment confirmations - Notify of failed payments - Provide refund timelines ## Payment Settings ### Configuring Payment Options Go to **Accept Payments** (from Account sidebar → Accept Payments, under "Configure"): - Deposit percentage or fixed amount (cart checkout) - Balance due timing - Accepted payment types - Receipt preferences ### Stripe Configuration - Currency settings - Statement descriptors - Receipt customization ## Related Guides - [Booking Workflow](../01-daily-operations/booking-workflow.md) - Reservations via Carts - [Check-in Process](../01-daily-operations/check-in-process.md) - Collecting balance due - [Price Rules](./price-rules.md) - Setting up pricing - [Stripe Integration](../08-integrations/stripe-payments.md) - Technical setup --- *Pro Tip: Always process refunds through the Cart when possible to keep payment history consolidated and enable intelligent refund allocation.*