Overview
Sometimes things don't go as planned with invoices and payments. This guide covers common invoice problems and how to fix them quickly.
Common Scenarios
"I sent an invoice but they paid cash"
Problem: Invoice is outstanding but customer paid in person.
Solution: Mark as Paid
Open the appointment
In the Payment section, select Cash as payment method
Click Record Cash Payment
Invoice is marked paid, no charge to card
"The invoice amount is wrong"
Problem: You need to adjust the invoice before charging.
Solution: Edit the Invoice (before payment)
Open the appointment
Ensure status is Completed or Ready to Pay (not yet paid)
In the invoice section:
Click Add Item to add services
Click the X on items to remove them
Adjust quantities or prices as needed
The total updates automatically
Proceed with payment
If already paid: You'll need to issue a partial refund for the difference, or contact support for complex adjustments.
"I need to cancel the invoice completely"
Problem: The appointment happened but you don't want to charge anything.
Solution: Void the Invoice Amount
Open the appointment
In the Payment section, look for More Actions (⋮)
Select Void Invoice Amount
Confirm the action
Invoice is zeroed out, appointment status updates to Invoice Amount Void
When to use:
Complimentary service (gift, compensation)
Customer paid through another method outside Petboost
Pricing dispute resolved by waiving charge
Training or practice appointments
"The customer's card was declined"
Problem: Payment failed, appointment shows Payment Declined.
Solution: Retry or Use Alternative
Option 1: Retry the Card
Open the appointment
Click Retry Card Payment
If successful, payment processes
If failed again, try Option 2
Option 2: Request New Payment Method
Contact the customer
Ask them to update their card in the Pet Owner Portal
Or take payment via card reader or cash
Option 3: Send Payment Link
In the payment section, select Secure Payment Link. Under Deliver Link By, select SMS, then select $X • Send by SMS and Send Payment Link • $X
Customer receives SMS with a link
They enter card details and pay
Common decline reasons:
Insufficient funds
Expired card
Card blocked by bank
Daily limit exceeded
"I need to issue a refund"
Problem: Customer needs money back after payment was processed.
Solution: Process Refund
Open the paid appointment
In the Payment section, click Issue Refund
Choose refund type:
Full Refund - Returns entire amount
Partial Refund - Enter specific amount
Add a reason (for your records)
Click Process Refund
Refund timing:
Funds typically return to customer in 3-5 business days
Refund appears in your Stripe dashboard
Customer receives email confirmation
Note: Stripe processing fees are not refunded (Stripe policy).
"The customer pre-paid but didn't show up"
Problem: Pre-authorisation was captured but customer no-showed.
Options:
Keep as cancellation fee - If your policy allows, keep the pre-auth as payment
Partial refund - Refund minus cancellation fee
Full refund - Return entire amount (generous approach)
To process:
Open the appointment
Cancel the appointment with appropriate reason
In payment section, choose refund option
Process according to your policy
"The wrong card was charged"
Problem: Customer has multiple cards, wrong one was used.
Solution:
Issue a full refund to the wrong card
Ask customer to update their default payment method in the Portal
Charge the correct card
Prevention:
Encourage customers to keep only their preferred card on file
Verify payment method before processing large amounts
"I need to add a custom note to the invoice"
Problem: You want to add a personal message or special instructions to the invoice.
Solution: Set Invoice Message
Open the appointment
In the Invoice section, find Invoice Message
Type your custom message
This appears on the invoice PDF and email
Use for:
Thank you notes
Special instructions
Policy reminders
Discount explanations
"Customer says they didn't receive the invoice"
Problem: Invoice email didn't arrive.
Troubleshooting:
Check email address: Verify it's correct in customer profile
Check spam: Ask customer to check spam/junk folders
Resend: From the appointment, click Send Invoice again
Check email history: View Activity Log to confirm it was sent
Common causes:
Typo in email address
Email provider blocking (rare with Petboost's sending reputation)
Customer's inbox full
"Pre-authorisation failed"
Problem: Card couldn't be pre-authorised before appointment.
What happens:
Customer receives automatic notification
Appointment remains but flagged for attention
You'll see this in Mission Control's Attention Required
Solutions:
Contact customer - Ask them to update payment method
Send Quick Login Link - From appointment, send SMS so they can update card
Take payment at service - Use card reader or cash
Consider declining - If customer is unresponsive and policy requires payment method
Quick Reference
Problem | Solution |
Wrong amount | Edit invoice before payment |
Paid cash already | Record cash payment |
Don't want to charge | Void invoice amount |
Card declined | Retry, new card, or alternative method |
Need refund | Process full or partial refund |
Add note | Set invoice message |
Invoice not received | Verify email, resend |
Pre-auth failed | Contact customer, send login link |
When to Contact Support
Contact Petboost support if:
You need to modify a paid invoice (beyond refund)
Stripe transaction shows different amount than Petboost
Customer disputes payment (chargeback)
You see discrepancies in your financial reports
Technical error prevents invoice actions
Related Articles
Payment Processing - Full payment guide
Card Reader Setup - In-person payments
Sales & Payments - Package and sale payments
When to Contact Stripe Support - Stripe-specific issues