Record payments, generate shareable payment links, and monitor payment status across your caseload to keep financial records accurate and connected.

### Overview

Payment tracking in eCourtDate centralizes your agency's financial records by linking payments directly to clients, cases, and events. Instead of managing payments in a separate spreadsheet or disconnected system, you can record, search, and monitor payment activity from the same platform where you manage your caseload. The payment features include payment link generation for online collection, automated reminders, and filtering tools that let you quickly find payments by status, amount, client, or date range.

- Create and track payment records linked to clients, cases, and events
- Generate shareable payment links for online collection
- Send automated payment reminders and confirmation notifications
- Filter and search payments by status, amount, client, or date
- Export payment data for reporting and reconciliation

Finance staff, court clerks, probation officers, and agency administrators who handle fee collection, fine tracking, or payment plan monitoring will use this feature regularly.

### Prerequisites

Before you begin tracking payments, make sure you have:

- An active eCourtDate account with Admin or Officer role permissions
- Access to the **Payments** module in the top navigation bar
- Client records already created in the system ([learn how to manage clients](/how-to-manage-clients))
- For online payment collection, your agency's payment gateway configured under **Admin** > **Settings**
- Cases and events created if you plan to link payments to them ([learn how to manage cases](/how-to-manage-cases))

### How-To Steps

#### Create a Payment Record

1. Click **Payments** in the top navigation bar.
2. In the **Create Payment** form on the left side of the page, select the **Client** from the dropdown.
3. Enter the **Amount** in dollars.
4. Select the **Payment Type** from the dropdown (Fine, Fee, Restitution, Bond, or Other).
5. Select the **Payment Method** (Cash, Check, Credit Card, Money Order, Online, or Other).
6. Select the **Status** (Pending, Completed, Failed, or Refunded).
7. Optionally, link the payment to a **Case** or **Event** by selecting from the respective dropdowns.
8. Enter any **Notes** related to the payment (for example, "Partial payment on traffic fine").
9. Click **Create** to save the payment record.

> **Tip:** Always link payments to a case or event when applicable. This keeps financial records connected to the full case history and makes auditing simpler.

#### Search and Filter Payments

1. Click **Payments** in the top navigation bar.
2. Scroll to the **Search Payments** form on the left side of the page.
3. Use any combination of the following filters:
   - **Client**: Enter a client name or reference ID
   - **Status**: Select Pending, Completed, Failed, or Refunded
   - **Payment Type**: Select Fine, Fee, Restitution, Bond, or Other
   - **Amount Range**: Enter a minimum and maximum amount
   - **Date Range**: Select a start date and end date
   - **Case Number**: Enter a case number to find associated payments
4. Click **Search** to apply the filters.
5. The results table on the right updates to show matching payments.

#### Edit a Payment Record

1. From the payments results table, click the **Edit** button next to the payment you want to modify.
2. Update any fields as needed (amount, status, type, method, notes, or linked case/event).
3. Click **Save** to apply the changes.

> **Tip:** When a client makes a partial payment, update the existing payment record's notes and create a new payment record for the additional amount. This maintains a clear payment trail.

#### Generate a Payment Link

1. Click **Payments** in the top navigation bar.
2. Click the **Edit** button next to an existing payment, or create a new payment record.
3. Click the **Generate Link** button in the payment form.
4. The system creates a unique, shareable URL for the payment.
5. Copy the link and share it with the client via text message, email, or through a portal.
6. When the client completes the payment through the link, the payment status updates to **Completed** automatically.

Payment links are ideal for agencies that need to collect fees or fines remotely. Clients can pay from any device with a web browser without needing to create an account.

#### Send Payment Reminders

1. Navigate to the payment record by searching for it or finding it on the client's profile.
2. Click **Edit** next to the payment.
3. Click the **Send Reminder** button.
4. Select the notification method (Text, Email, or Both).
5. Review the reminder message preview, which includes the amount due and payment link.
6. Click **Send** to deliver the reminder to the client's primary contact.

For recurring reminders, set up an auto message through the **Auto Messages** feature that triggers based on payment status and due dates.

#### View Payment History on a Client Profile

1. Click **Clients** in the top navigation bar.
2. Search for and open the client's profile by clicking **Edit**.
3. Scroll to the **Payments** section to view all payments linked to the client.
4. Each payment displays the amount, type, status, date, and linked case or event.

### What to Expect

After creating payment records, they appear in the payments results table and on the associated client profiles. Payment links become active immediately upon generation and remain valid until the payment is completed or you deactivate the link. Automated reminders are delivered based on the client's preferred contact method. Status updates from online payments process in real time, so completed payments reflect immediately in the system.

### Best Practices

- **Link every payment to a case or event.** This creates a clear financial trail that simplifies audits and reporting.
- **Use payment links for remote collection.** Generating and sharing links reduces in-person payment processing and makes it convenient for clients to pay on their own schedule.
- **Set up automated reminders for pending payments.** Configure auto messages to send reminders at regular intervals (for example, 7 days, 14 days, and 30 days after the due date).
- **Reconcile payments weekly.** Use the date range and status filters to review completed payments and verify they match your agency's financial records.
- **Document partial payments in notes.** When a client pays in installments, add clear notes to each payment record so your team can track the remaining balance.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can I link a single payment to multiple cases?**
A: Each payment record links to one case and one event. If a payment covers multiple cases, create separate payment records for each case with the appropriate amounts.

**Q: What happens when a client pays through a payment link?**
A: The payment status updates to **Completed** automatically. The client sees a confirmation page, and your agency receives a notification. The transaction details are recorded in the payment record.

**Q: Can I issue a refund through eCourtDate?**
A: You can update the payment status to **Refunded** and add notes documenting the refund. The actual refund transaction needs to be processed through your agency's payment gateway or financial system.

**Q: Who can view payment records?**
A: Staff members with Admin or Officer role permissions can view and manage payments. Go to **Admin** > **Settings** > **Roles** to configure which roles have payment access.

**Q: Can I export payment data?**
A: Yes. From the **Payments** page, apply any filters you need, then click the **Export** button to download a CSV file of the filtered results. This is useful for reconciliation and external reporting.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** Payment link is not working for the client.
**Symptoms:** A client reports that clicking the payment link shows an error or a blank page.
**Solution:**

1. Verify the payment record still has a **Pending** status. Completed or refunded payments deactivate their links.
2. Copy the payment link again and send it to the client. The original link may have been truncated in the message.
3. Confirm your agency's payment gateway is configured and active under **Admin** > **Settings**.
4. Ask the client to try a different web browser or clear their browser cache.

**Issue:** Payment status does not update after a client pays online.
**Symptoms:** A client confirms they completed a payment, but the record still shows **Pending**.
**Solution:**

1. Wait a few minutes. Some payment processors take up to 5 minutes to send confirmation.
2. Refresh the payments page to check for updates.
3. Check the payment gateway dashboard for the transaction confirmation.
4. If the payment is confirmed on the gateway but not reflected in eCourtDate, manually update the payment status to **Completed** and add a note with the transaction reference.

> **Important:** If you continue to experience issues after following these troubleshooting steps, sign in to eCourtDate and create a ticket by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

### Related Articles

- [How to Manage Cases](/how-to-manage-cases)
- [How to Manage Clients](/how-to-manage-clients)
- [How to Manage Events](/how-to-manage-events)