How payments work

5 min readUpdated 31 Oct 2026Basics

Where are you working?

Customers pay online or at the register through Shopify. Staff can also record money received another way, such as cash, check or bank transfer.

Recording that money in OrderPilot does not charge the customer. Choose the action according to whether you need to collect money or record an existing payment.

How it works

A customer's payment link leads to the relevant Shopify checkout. Pay buttons on documents use the sale's payment link, so the customer reaches the payment route for that record.

Payments made through Shopify update OrderPilot when Shopify reports the result. Read the payment badge and summary to confirm the received amount.

1Prepare the saleCreate the quote or order and check its total.
2Choose the payment routeSend a payment link, use POS or record money already received.
3Check Shopify placementThe main draft becomes an order through its placement and payment route.
4Track the balanceRead payments, refunds and the remaining amount on the sale.

A separate deposit-order link is a special route. It creates another Shopify order for the deposit, then credits that paid amount against the main draft.

Card refunds and returns happen in Shopify and sync back. Refund Payment in OrderPilot records a cash refund; it does not send money back to a card.

How it works at the register

POS prepares the sale before opening Shopify's own collection screen. It saves unsaved edits and waits for Shopify's tax calculation.

1Take PaymentBegin the payment route from the order.
2Choose handoverReview Pickup or Delivery and what leaves today.
3Get the required signatureComplete the signature step when an item requires it.
4Collect through ShopifyThe draft is placed as an unpaid order and Shopify POS opens Collect payment.

When a draft has no payment terms, the route adds Due on receipt. It opens the placed order's collection screen, rather than adding the draft to a new cart.

The button changes with the task. Take Deposit appears when only the deposit is due now; goods leaving in full can make it Take Payment.

Create Order indicates payment due later without a deposit. Paid in full and Calculating tax… indicate that collecting a new amount is not the current action.

Where you'll see it

In the app, the quote or order shows its payment badge and summary. Payments and Invoices provides the detailed records.

The list's Payment filter helps locate paid, partial and unpaid work. Its groups are broader than the individual badges.

Filter	Included payment states
Paid	Fully paid
Partial	Partially paid, refunded or partially refunded
Unpaid	Unpaid, authorized or voided

On POS, look for the balance, amount paid, payment button and Payment History. Shopify's collection screen and receipts show the checkout side of the transaction.

Payment rows on a partly paid order — The summary separates money received from the amount still due.

The choices you have

Route	Use it for	What to check
Request payment	Customer checkout by link	Customer address and amount due
Collect payment or Mark as paid	Money already received	It records payment without charging
Create order (pay later)	An agreed deferred payment	Due date and terms
Apply store credit	Existing customer credit	Available balance and placement limits
Take Payment on POS	Register checkout	Tax, signature and handover
Refund Payment	A cash refund	Refundable amount and history

The action name Collect payment can sound like a charge. Read its explanation: the app's recording action confirms money already received elsewhere.

Deposit choices

Deposit route	Availability	Relationship to requirements
Separate deposit order	Any Shopify plan; app before placement	Does not satisfy a minimum-deposit rule
Percentage in payment terms	Shopify Plus	Used for native deposit requirements
Take Deposit on POS	Shopify Plus	Amount comes from payment terms
Partial store credit on a draft	Any plan	Review the resulting draft balance

Separate deposit orders start off in settings. Take a deposit explains enabling and using them.

Shopify Plus

Native percentage deposit terms, POS Take Deposit and partial manual payment recording on placed orders need Shopify Plus. Minimum-deposit rules also depend on the native deposit capability.

Store credit works on any plan. On a placed order without Plus, it must cover the whole balance.

Payment badges and amounts

Label	Meaning
Paid	The sale is fully paid.
Partially Paid	Some payment has been received and a balance remains.
Unpaid	Payment has not been completed.
Authorized	A payment authorization is recorded; do not read this as fully paid.
Refunded or Partially Refunded	A refund is recorded against the payment.
Voided	The recorded payment state is voided.
Paid	In the summary, this is the recorded amount received.
Refunded	The amount recorded as returned.
Net payment	Payments after recorded refunds.
Refund Owed	Payments exceed the current sale total.
Balance Due	The displayed amount still owing on the sale.

The available payment badge states — Read the exact payment state, not color alone.

The Payments tab can show PENDING, PAID, EXPIRED, CANCELLED, PARTIAL and SETTLED. It also identifies Store credit and deposit rows.

Customer payment says whether the customer payment route is enabled. It is separate from whether money has already arrived.

Example: a sofa deposit and bank transfer

Harlow & Finch Interiors can request Olivia Bennett's sofa deposit using a separate deposit order on any Shopify plan.

With Shopify Plus, the store can instead set a native percentage deposit and take it on POS. Those routes have different effects and requirements.

Priya Shah pays for Mira Dining Chairs by bank transfer. Staff record the received amount; the app does not collect the transfer again.

Do it

Use Collect a payment, Take a deposit, or Payment terms and paying later for the chosen route.

Refunds and payment history covers corrections. Signature and deposit requirements explains placement restrictions.