Processing Payments Manually (Online & Offline Charges)

Subtitle: Process credit cards on demand, register cash and bank transfers, and keep reservation invoices perfectly balanced.

CRITICAL RULE:

• Online Charges: Execute transactions through your payment gateway (e.g., Stripe) and process real money.
• Offline Charges: Are records for your accounting and reporting only. No actual money is moved through Hostaway.

1. Online vs. Offline Payments (The Financial Difference)

Understanding the difference between payment methods prevents reporting errors and dual-charging issues:

2. Step-by-Step: Processing an Online Charge (Card on File)

If you need to process a payment manually for a guest:

1. Go to Reservations and open the booking.
2. Scroll to the Guest Payments section.
3. Click Add Transaction.
4. Fill in the required fields:
   • Name: Enter a clear identifier (e.g., "Manual Deposit" or "Extra Guest Fee").
   • Amount: Specify the sum to collect.
   • Payment Method:
     • Option A (If a card is already saved on file): Select the guest's saved card from the dropdown (it will display with its brand and last 4 digits, e.g., Card · 4242 or Default method).
     • Option B (If no card is saved): Select Payment Link.
5. Under Schedule:
   • If you selected a saved card, select Charge Now to process the transaction immediately.
   • If you selected Payment Link, the schedule defaults to generating a link.
6. Click Add Charge.
   • If a saved card was charged, the status will update to Paid upon success.
   • If you generated a Payment Link, copy the link from the charges table and send it directly to your guest.
     
     

3. Step-by-Step: Recording an Offline Charge (Cash, Check, Transfer)

Use this option when a guest pays you via bank transfer, check, or cash at the property, and you need to record it for reporting:

1. Open the specific reservation and go to Guest Payments.
2. Click Add Transaction.
3. Enter the Name (e.g., "Bank Transfer Receipt") and Amount.
4. Under Payment Method, select the matching offline category (e.g., Cash, Check, or Bank Transfer).
   
   
    
5. Set the Status:
   • Paid: Select this if you have already received the funds.
   • Due: Select this if you are still waiting for the transfer. You can manually mark it as Paid once the bank confirms.

6. Click Add Charge. 

    

4. Managing Payments: Due vs. Paid

Once a manual charge is added, you can manage it based on its current status:

• If the charge is "Due": You can click the three dots (...) next to it to Edit details, Cancel the transaction, or click Charge Now to process it online.
• If the charge is "Paid": You can download the PDF payment receipt. If you need to make changes or correct a mistake, click the three dots (...) and select Refund.
• If the charge is "Failed": If the guest has updated their card details, click the three dots (...) and select Retry Now to attempt the collection again.

5. Troubleshooting Common Issues

Error: "No payment profile available"

• Why this happens: This error occurs when you try to process a Credit Card (Online) charge, but there is no card securely saved or connected to the guest's profile in Stripe.

• The Solution: Open the reservation, copy the Guest Portal Link from the upper right corner, and send it to the guest. Once they securely input their card details in the portal, the profile is created, and you can successfully run the manual charge. 

  
  

Can I charge a Booking.com VCC for extra manual charges?

• The Rule: No. A Virtual Credit Card (VCC) provided by Booking.com is pre-authorized strictly for the exact reservation amount. It will decline any manual attempt to charge extra fees or damages. You must request a personal card from the guest via the Guest Portal to charge for incidentals.