Customer accounts and credit
Every balance
has a story.
Explore customer accounts through a sale on account, a later payment and a return. Review the details your team needs to explain what is still due.
Start with the right customer record
Bring a sample customer record with only the fields your store needs. Ask how staff distinguish customers with similar names and how existing balances would be introduced. Use fictional or anonymised records for evaluation. Confirm who can view and amend account information before choosing a working process.
Follow a sale on account through payment
Ask to record a sale with an unpaid amount, then collect part of that amount later. Inspect the transaction date, the amount received and the remaining balance. The goal is a record your staff can explain to the customer without reconstructing the account from receipts and memory.
Reconcile one simple account
For an illustrative test with a zero opening balance, record a sale of 1,000 and a later payment of 400. The amount still due should be 600. Then test a return worth 100 and confirm whether it reduces the amount due to 500 under the agreed rules. Sample figures are not subscription prices or a promise of collection results.
Keep different kinds of credit clear
A customer owing your shop money is different from store credit your shop owes the customer. Loyalty points are another separate arrangement. If you need these workflows, ask to see each independently, including a refund, a correction and any rules on use. Do not treat a points total as a monetary account balance.
Agree on opening balances and corrections
Before moving from a notebook or spreadsheet, reconcile outstanding amounts and identify disputed entries. Discuss how opening balances will be checked, who can make a correction and how the reason is recorded. Confirm what customer import work and staff training are included in the proposed setup.
A few useful answers
Before we talk.
Bring the questions that matter to your shop. Start with these.
Can I bring my current customer ledger?
Bring an anonymised sample and the fields you use. Discuss import format, opening balance checks and responsibility for resolving discrepancies.
Is customer credit the same as store credit?
No. Customer credit in a sale-on-account workflow is an amount the customer owes. Store credit is value available for the customer to spend, subject to your rules.
Does this replace a full accounting system?
Assess the customer balance workflow separately from general accounting. Ask your accountant to review any reporting or bookkeeping requirements before changing your existing process.
Walk through one customer account
Use a sale, a part payment and a return to see whether the balance remains understandable at each step.