If a customer has a pre-existing credit balance on their account (from an overpayment, prepay, or manual adjustment) but also has a credit card saved on file for auto-pay, the system will always prioritize and use the account credit balance first before attempting to charge the card.
The Automated Billing Workflow
When a technician completes a service in the field and the system generates the corresponding invoice, the billing engine follows this specific order of operations:
- Check for Credits: The system instantly scans the customer's profile for any unapplied account credits.
- Apply the Credit First: * If the credit covers the entire invoice balance, the invoice is marked as Paid, and the card on file is not charged.
• If the credit only covers a portion of the invoice, the entire credit is drained to lower the balance. - Charge the Remaining Balance: If there is still a remaining balance due after the credit is completely used, the system will then securely process the saved credit card for that leftover amount only.
Visual Example of the Logic
Imagine a customer receives a standard lawn or pest application totaling $100:
| Customer Account Scenario | Credit Applied | Amount Charged to Card | Invoice Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Has a $150 Account Credit | $100 | $0 (Card is skipped) | Paid ($50 credit remains) |
| Has a $40 Account Credit | $40 | $60 (Charged automatically) | Paid ($0 credit remains) |
If a customer calls wondering why their monthly credit card statement doesn't show a charge for a recently completed service, check their billing history. It is possible they had a credit balance on their account that quietly handled the balance for them!