In Instinct EMR, the AR for Closed Invoices Dashboard shows invoice-level data—what happened to specific invoices—not your clients' complete account picture. Understanding this distinction is essential for interpreting what you see and knowing when to look elsewhere for the full financial story.
Note: This dashboard is currently in beta. Multi-location practices that share a single database will see combined metrics for all locations.
What the dashboard shows (invoice perspective)
For each invoice, you will see:
Services charged to that specific invoice
Payments applied to that specific invoice
Discounts given on that specific invoice
Refunds from that specific invoice
The remaining balance owed on that specific invoice
What the dashboard does not show
The following are intentionally excluded because they exist at the account level, not the invoice level:
A client's full account balance across all invoices
Account deposits that have not yet been applied to invoices
Credits moved between different invoices
Where the refunded money went (back to the client vs. applied as account credit)
Payments that were moved to different invoices
The dashboard is designed to answer one specific question: What is the balance due on this specific invoice? It does not answer: "Where did that money go after leaving the invoice?", "What is this client's total account balance?", or "How much credit does this client have?"
Why the same action can look identical in the dashboard
When you see a "$100 Cash Reduction" on an invoice, the dashboard shows the same thing regardless of what actually happened. Consider these two scenarios:
Scenario A: Real Refund
The client receives $100 back to their credit card. The money leaves your practice entirely. On the invoice ledger: Cash decreases by $100, AR increases by $100.
Scenario B: Account Credit
The $100 moves to the client's account credit for future use. The money stays in your practice. On the invoice ledger: Cash decreases by $100, AR increases by $100.
Both scenarios look identical in the invoice ledger because, from the invoice's perspective, the same thing happened—$100 in payment was removed from that specific invoice. To find out which scenario actually occurred, you need to check the Ledger Event Type column on the Ledger Detail tab.
How to find out what really happened
To see the real destination of a money movement:
Open the Ledger Detail tab on the AR Dashboard.
Find the transaction in question.
Check the Ledger Event Type column—this shows whether a cash reduction was a "refund," "account credit," or "payment void."
How to interpret what you see when reviewing transactions
Keep these principles in mind when working with the dashboard:
Focus on the invoice balance. Did this transaction increase or decrease what is owed on this specific invoice?
Do not assume money destinations. A cash decrease could be a refund, account credit, or payment void—check the Ledger Event Type to confirm.
Use the event type. The Ledger Event Type is the definitive source for understanding what really happened.
The table below summarizes the most common patterns:
You see this | Invoice impact | Possible real-world actions |
Cash decreases | AR increases (client owes more) | Refund to client, moved to account credit, payment voided |
Cash increases | AR decreases (client owes less) | New payment received, account credit applied, voided refund |
Practical example
Invoice #12345 shows that Cash went from $500 to $400 (a decrease of $100), and AR went from $0 to $100 (an increase of $100).
What happened to the invoice: It now has a $100 balance due.
What might have happened in real life:
The client received a $100 refund, or
$100 was moved to their account credit, or
A $100 payment was voided
Check the Ledger Event Type on the Ledger Detail tab to confirm which one actually occurred.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I see a client's full account balance?
The AR Dashboard shows invoice-level balances only. For total client account balances—including unapplied deposits and account credits—use the client's account page or other reports in Instinct EMR.
Why doesn't the dashboard show where the refunded money went?
Once money leaves an invoice (whether as a refund, account credit, or void), it moves to the account level. The dashboard tracks invoice-level activity only and intentionally excludes what happens to money after it leaves a specific invoice.
Can I see account deposits in this dashboard?
No. Account deposits that have not yet been applied to invoices are not visible in this dashboard. They exist at the account level and will appear once applied to a specific invoice.
Still need help?
Contact the Instinct support team via live chat or email [email protected].