In Instinct EMR, the AR for Closed Invoices Dashboard shows patterns that every practice encounters. This article covers how payment, refund, and timing scenarios appear in the dashboard and what action to take for each. For discount, complex invoice, and red flag scenarios, see Part 2 of this article.
Note: This dashboard is currently in beta. Multi-location practices that share a single database will see combined metrics for all locations.
Payment scenarios
Full payment received
Invoice shows $200 in sales
Invoice shows $200 in cash
AR for this invoice = $0
What it means: The client paid exactly what they owed. This invoice has no impact on your ending AR. No action needed.
Partial payment received
Invoice shows $300 in sales
Invoice shows $150 in cash
AR for this invoice = $150
What it means: The client made a partial payment. $150 is still owed on this invoice. Follow up on the remaining balance if it falls outside your payment terms.
Overpayment received
Invoice shows $100 in sales
Invoice shows $120 in cash
AR for this invoice = -$20 (negative)
What it means: The client paid more than they owed. You effectively owe them $20. Refunds should only be issued if the client explicitly requests them. Otherwise, leave the funds in Account Credits (Unapplied Payments) for future use. Avoid creating a credit invoice, as this can lead to double-counting the credit.
Handling Overpayments: Refunds, Account Credits, and Reconciliation
Overpayments can occur for various reasons, such as client errors or last-minute changes to charges. Proper handling of these situations ensures accurate financial records and customer satisfaction. Below are guidelines for managing overpayments effectively.
1. Handling Overpayments
When a client overpays, the first step is to determine their preference for handling the excess funds:
Account Credits: If the client does not want a refund and plans to use the credit for future visits, keep the funds in Account Credits (Unapplied Payments). Avoid creating a credit invoice, as this can lead to double-counting the credit. Later, you can apply the Account Credit as a payment to a specific invoice.
Refunds: If the client prefers a refund, process it accordingly. Ensure the refund is accurately recorded in the ledger to reflect the transaction.
2. Issuing Refunds
Refunds should only be issued if the client explicitly requests the return of funds. To process a refund:
Unapply the payment from the invoice so it moves to Account Credits (Unapplied Payments).
Issue the refund and ensure it is recorded as a negative line item on the invoice. This ensures the ledger and transaction summary reconcile correctly.
3. Ensuring Accurate Reconciliation
Accurate reconciliation is crucial to avoid discrepancies in financial reports. For example, if an overpayment occurs due to a last-minute change, such as a voided item:
Unvoid the charge so the correct charge appears in the ledger.
Record the additional payment that was collected.
Log the refund using the negative line item invoice method. This ensures the transaction summary and ledger reflect the true paid amount and the refund, removing residual overage amounts from reports.
Refund scenarios
Standard refund
Cash decreases from $200 to $150
AR increases from $0 to $50
What it means: $50 was refunded to the client, so they now owe $50 on this invoice again. What really happened could be a refund to their card/bank OR a move to account credit — check the Ledger Event Type on the Ledger Detail tab to confirm which.
Voided payment
Cash decreases from $300 to $200
AR increases from $0 to $100
What it means: A $100 payment was voided or reversed, restoring the balance due. Common reasons: failed credit card, duplicate payment, or processing error.
Timing scenarios
Backdated payment
What you see in the dashboard: Payment shows on March 15th (when it was originally recorded) and the invoice reflects payment received on March 15th.
What actually happened: Payment was recorded on March 15th, then backdated to March 10th in your system.
Key insight: The dashboard maintains historical accuracy by showing the original recording date, not the backdated date.
Pre-close payment
Invoice closed March 5th
Payment dated March 5th (same day)
But the payment was actually made on March 3rd
What happened: Payments made before an invoice is closed are assigned a closure date for consistency. This ensures all pre-close transactions share the same date for reporting purposes.
Frequently asked questions
Cash decreased, but the client says they paid. What happened?
A cash decrease could mean a refund, an account credit, or a payment void. Open the Ledger Detail tab and check the Ledger Event Type column to see exactly what occurred.
Why does a payment show on a different date than I expected?
The dashboard uses the date the payment was recorded, not any backdated date. If a payment was recorded on March 15th and later backdated to March 10th, it will still appear on March 15th.
What does negative AR mean?
Negative AR means more cash was received than was owed on that invoice — an overpayment. Refunds should only be issued if the client explicitly requests them. Otherwise, leave the funds in Account Credits (Unapplied Payments) for future use. Avoid creating a credit invoice, as this can lead to double-counting the credit.
Still need help?
Contact the Instinct support team via live chat or email [email protected].