Registering Payments
Record payments against invoices in Sixième Étoile — single payments, partial payments, payment methods, and automatic status updates.
Overview
When a client settles an invoice, the operator records the payment from within the Invoice Detail view. Sixième Étoile supports full payments, partial payments, and multiple successive payments against the same invoice. The invoice status updates automatically each time a payment is registered.
Opening the Payment Dialog
From the Invoice Detail (screen E-03), click Register Payment. The Payment Registration dialog (screen E-04) opens as a modal overlay.
Payment Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Amount received | Yes | The amount paid, in euros. Must be greater than zero. |
| Payment method | Yes | See payment methods below. |
| Payment date | Yes | Date the funds were received or cleared. Defaults to today. |
| Reference | No | Optional free-text reference such as a bank transfer ID or cheque number. |
| Notes | No | Internal note visible only to operators; not shown on the invoice PDF. |
Payment Methods
| Method | Label in UI | Typical use case |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Virement bancaire | Corporate clients, agencies |
| Card | Carte bancaire | Retail clients paying online or in person |
| Cash | Espèces | On-board cash payments |
| Cheque | Chèque | Less common; still used by some public bodies |
| Other | Autre | Direct debit, platform escrow, or custom arrangements |
Status Updates After Payment
Sixième Étoile evaluates the invoice balance after each payment is saved and updates the status automatically:
| Scenario | Resulting status |
|---|---|
| Amount covers the full remaining balance | PAID |
| Amount is less than the remaining balance | PARTIALLY_PAID |
Invoice was OVERDUE and full balance is now covered | PAID |
Invoice was OVERDUE and partial amount is received | PARTIALLY_PAID |
Once an invoice reaches PAID, no further payments can be added. If an excess amount was recorded by mistake, cancel the payment entry from the payment history section and re-register with the correct amount.
Partial Payments
Partial payments are fully supported. When a client makes an instalment payment or settles only part of the amount (for example, when disputing a line item), register the actual amount received. The invoice moves to PARTIALLY_PAID and the remaining balance is shown prominently in the detail view.
Subsequent payment registrations accumulate against the same invoice until the balance reaches zero and the status becomes PAID.
Example:
Invoice FAC-2026-0042 Total TTC: €1 200,00
Payment 1 — 2026-04-10 — Bank transfer — €600,00
→ Status: PARTIALLY_PAID Remaining: €600,00
Payment 2 — 2026-05-05 — Bank transfer — €600,00
→ Status: PAID Remaining: €0,00Overpayments
If the amount entered exceeds the invoice balance, the dialog displays a warning:
Warning: The amount entered (€X) exceeds the remaining balance (€Y). Do you wish to continue?
Confirming registers the overpayment. The invoice is marked PAID and the excess appears in the payment history as a surplus. You can then:
- Issue a credit note for the surplus amount and reimburse the client externally.
- Apply the surplus as a deposit against a future invoice (manual reconciliation in the Finance Hub).
Payment History
The Invoice Detail view shows a chronological list of all payments registered against the invoice:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Date | Payment date as recorded |
| Amount | Amount paid in this entry |
| Method | Payment method used |
| Reference | Bank transfer ID, cheque number, etc. |
| Registered by | Operator who recorded the payment |
Each payment entry can be deleted by an operator with billing permissions as long as the invoice is not in a terminal state (PAID achieved by that very payment). Deleting a payment reverses the status change it caused.
Finance Hub Integration
All payment entries feed directly into the Finance Hub (screen LA-03, Payment Tracking view). Payments appear in the chronological payment timeline immediately after registration and are included in period KPI aggregations (collection rate, revenue recognized).
Practical Tips
- Record payments promptly: the Finance Hub receivables aging buckets (0-30 days, 31-60 days, etc.) depend on accurate payment dates. A late entry creates misleading overdue counts.
- Use the Reference field: always enter the bank transfer reference or cheque number. This makes reconciliation with your bank statement straightforward and reduces support queries.
- Partial payment communication: when a client pays partially, update them on the remaining balance and the new due date before registering the partial payment so your records and theirs stay aligned.
Creating Invoices
Generate and send invoices from orders and missions in Sixième Étoile — line editor, VAT handling, numbering, statuses, and PDF export.
Bulk Payment
Register a single payment against multiple invoices at once in Sixième Étoile — multi-select, amount allocation, and agency settlement workflows.