---
title: Recording Payments
description: "Take and make payments against invoices or directly on a contact's account."
url: "https://tecniforge.com/docs/vfile/vfile-payments-ledger/recording-payments/"
updated: "2026-10-14"
category: "vFile / Payments & Ledger"
---

# Recording Payments

Money rarely moves in one neat lump. vFile lets you record payments flexibly — against a single invoice, across a contact’s whole account, or as an advance — so balances always reflect reality.

## Ways to record a payment

- **On an invoice** — pay part or all of a specific sale or purchase.
- **On the contact** — from the customer or supplier’s **Payments** tab at [vfile.app/contacts](https://vfile.app/contacts).
- **As an advance** — money taken before any invoice.

## Methods, part payments & overpayments

Choose cash, bank transfer, card or cheque, and link it to a [payment account](https://tecniforge.com/docs/vfile/vfile-accounting/payment-accounts/). When you pay by **cheque**, you can now also record the cheque’s **due date**, which makes post-dated cheques easy to track so you can follow up on time. A partial payment leaves a due; an overpayment becomes an [advance](https://tecniforge.com/docs/vfile/vfile-contacts/advance-payments-advance-balance/).

## Worked example

*Al-Karam Traders* owed ₨140,000 and comes to clear their account.

1. You open Al-Karam’s contact and go to the **Payments** tab.
2. They pay ₨140,000 by **bank transfer**; you enter the amount, choose the *Bank* account and date.
3. You save. The ₨140,000 clears their outstanding invoice, which now shows **Paid**.
4. Their [ledger](https://tecniforge.com/docs/vfile/vfile-payments-ledger/partner-ledger-overview/) balance drops to zero, and a receipt can be sent on WhatsApp.

Had they paid ₨160,000, the extra ₨20,000 would sit as an advance for their next purchase.

## What this affects

- **Ledger** — the payment reduces what they owe and updates the invoice to Partial or Paid.
- **Payment account** — your Bank (or Cash) account rises by the amount.
- **Aging report** — the cleared amount drops out of the overdue buckets.
- Recording a payment does **not** touch stock — goods already moved at the sale.

## Frequently asked questions

**Does recording a payment change my stock?**
No. Stock moved when the sale or purchase was made; a payment only affects balances and your cash/bank.

**What happens if a customer overpays?**
The extra becomes an advance on their account, ready to apply to a future invoice.

**Can I record a post-dated cheque?**
Yes. Pick cheque as the method and set its due date, so you know exactly when it is due to clear.

**Why must I choose a payment account?**
So your cash and bank balances stay accurate — each payment raises or lowers the account you pick.

## Related guides

- [Partner Ledger](https://tecniforge.com/docs/vfile/vfile-payments-ledger/partner-ledger-overview/)
- [WhatsApp Notifications](https://tecniforge.com/docs/vfile/vfile-notifications/whatsapp-notifications/)

---

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