> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.athelas.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Take Payments

### At a Glance

Whether you're collecting a copay at check-in, taking payment toward an outstanding balance, or selling a product to a non-patient, payments in Insights all run through the same **payment flow**. This guide covers how to take a payment, distribute a receipt, and handle quick (non-patient) purchases.

*You can manually download, print, and send receipts via text or email for any current or past transaction. Note that you cannot automatically send receipts for past transactions.*

### Here's How to Do It

#### Take a Payment and Create a Receipt

You can collect a payment from several places — the **Charge** button on the [Appointments](https://insights.athelas.com/appointments) page, the [Patient Responsibility page](/insights_front_desk/patient_responsibility/patient_responsibility_page), or a patient's profile. The flow is the same in each case.

Select the charge(s) to collect, then choose a **Payment Method**:

* **Send Payment Link** — email or text the patient a secure link to pay
* **Pay via Credit Card** — use a saved card or add a new one
* **Athelas card reader** — charge an in-person Athelas card reader
* **Record Payment** — log a payment taken outside Insights: **By Cash**, **By Check**, a **Non-Athelas card reader**, or a **Custom** method
* **Add to Patient's Balance** — leave the charge outstanding to collect later
* **Pay with Credits** or **Pay with Gift Card** — when the patient has an available balance

You can also **Add a Discount** or **Apply Credits**, and — if the account has a guarantor — choose who to bill using the **Pay As** selector.

<Warning>
  If you take an external payment and don't record it in Insights, future patient-responsibility collection will be inaccurate, because Insights won't know what has already been paid. Always record external payments.
</Warning>

Once payment is confirmed, you'll see a **Payment Successful** screen with the option to **Send Receipt** (by email or text), **Download Receipt**, or **Print Receipt**.

#### Find Receipts for Previous Payments

Go to the patient's profile and open the **Charges** tab. Find the date of service you need and click **View Details**, then **Download** or **Print** the receipt. You can filter by date of service, provider, or paid status to narrow your search.

#### Take a Quick Purchase (Non-Patient) Payment

For a sale to someone who isn't a patient — or a one-off product sale — click **Quick Purchase** on the [Appointments](https://insights.athelas.com/appointments) page.

In the window that appears, check **Sell to non patient** and fill in the customer's information (or leave it unchecked to charge an existing patient). Add the line items, choose a payment method, and confirm. You'll be able to print or send a receipt.

Non-patient payments appear in the **Quick Customer View** on the [Patient Responsibility page](/insights_front_desk/patient_responsibility/patient_responsibility_page) alongside other non-patient transactions, where you can download or print a receipt or refund the payment.

### FAQ

<Accordion title="Can I operate the Athelas card reader with different computers?">
  Yes. You can move the Athelas card reader between computers in your office that meet the [minimum system requirements](https://docs.stripe.com/terminal/payments/setup-reader). The reader just needs internet access to work.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="How are partial payments applied?">
  A partial payment toward an outstanding balance is applied to the largest individual charge first.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="What if my card reader is down?">
  You can still collect a card payment. Choose **Pay via Credit Card** and enter the patient's card details manually.
</Accordion>

#### Integrations

* **Stripe** — including support for in-person card reader terminals and charging saved cards for faster checkout