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4.205. How do I use EstiMate to accept payments?

My customer is paying for their signage over time and I need to accept payments, how do I do this in EstiMate?

Disclaimer: EstiMate is an Estimating and Job Management system and was not originally designed for accounting functions like taking payments. However due to customer request methods were created to "take payments" in EstiMate. The methods below should be seen as suggestions only and may not apply to all situations. EstiMate software, its agents, employees, and representatives assume no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any adverse outcomes you may experience through implementation of the instructions below. The instructions are provided on an "AS-IS" basis in courtesy to our customers.

Procedure summary:

There are three separate procedures that are needed depending on what sort of taxation is being done.

1. Procedure for accepting payments when all line items are taxable.
2. Procedure for accepting payments in a mixed taxable-non-taxable line item quote.
3. Procedure for accepting payments when all line items are non-taxable.

Preliminary steps (applies to ALL procedures).

Click Management > Configure EstiMate > Preferences. Change the minimum to take per order to zero and click the green OK checkmark.

Detailed instructions:

Procedure for accepting payments when all line items are taxable.

1. Click Open and select the job you want to take a payment on.
2. Click add item > free form. Input a description like "payment 1"; "customer payment" or other description of your choice.
3. Input the amount of the payment as a negative dollar figure i.e. -500.00.
Important: Make sure the tax box is checked then click the calculate total button and the green check mark to save and add to the job.

4. Repeat steps 1-3 as necessary until all payments have been applied.

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Procedure for accepting payments in a mixed taxable-non-taxable line item quote.

The key to accepting payments when a quote has a mix of taxable and non taxable line items is to make one of the payments equal to the amount of the non taxable item(s).
When indicating the payment using free-form make sure the tax box is unchecked for that payment only.

Example: Lets say an estimator creates a quote that for a vinyl sign that includes the finished sign, posts, concrete and installation.
In this example the signs and, posts are all taxable items but the installation is non-taxable labor.
The total amount of the sign is $574.50 and the customer has an agreement with the sign shop to pay the balance due in 4 payments.

Solution: $159.47 for the first 3 payments and $65.00 for the 4th and final payment.

Procedure for payments 1-3:

1. Click Open and select the job you want to take a payment on.
2. Click add item > free form. Input a description like "payment 1"; "customer payment" or other description of your choice.
3. Input the amount of the payment as a negative dollar figure i.e. -159.47
Important: Make sure the tax box is checked then click the calculate total button and the green check mark to save and add to the job.

Procedure for 4th and final payment:

1. Click add item > free form. Input a description like "payment 4"; "final payment" or other description of your choice.
2. Input the amount of the payment as a negative dollar figure i.e. -65.00
Important: Make sure the tax box is un-checked then click the calculate total button and the green check mark to save and add to the job.

The key to taking payments in a mixed quote is to make one of the payments equal in dollar amount to the non-taxable item(s) on the quote and to uncheck the tax box
when taking that payment using the free-form plugin.

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Procedure for accepting payments when all line items are non-taxable.

1. Click Open and select the job you want to take a payment on.
2. Click add item > free form. Input a description like "payment 1"; "customer payment" or other description of your choice.
3. Input the amount of the payment as a negative dollar figure i.e. -100.00.
Important: Make sure the tax box is un-checked then click the calculate total button and the green check mark to save and add to the job.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 as necessary until all payments have been applied.

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Q & A:

Q: After I am done taking payments in EstiMate, can I then export my job into QuickBooks?

A: No, absolutely not. Quickbooks will not know what to do with the negative dollar amounts and may prevent you from importing the records. If you want to export your job to
QuickBooks, export it *before* taking payments in EstiMate and instead take the payments directly in QuickBooks.

Q: What reports can I run to tell me what accounts have been paid.

A: Two choices are available. (1) Print the work-in-progress report if you are using the job status to mark jobs "paid". (2) Mark jobs as completed and run the transactions by date report.