Petboost takes card payments through Stripe. The Sales tab holds package purchases, product sales and service payments, each with its payment status, the method used, its transaction details and a receipt. Every payment comes with a branded invoice carrying your logo, colours and ABN.
Record a sale
Record a sale that is not an appointment, such as a product at the counter, a walk-in service or a tip.
- Open Customers & Pets and select Manage on the pet.
- Open the Sales tab and select New Sale.
- Under Sale Items, fill in the line's Item, Qty, Price and Discount.
- Optional: select + Add Item to add another line.
- Under Payment Method, choose how the customer pays.
- If you chose the customer's saved card, tick the box under Recording Sale on Behalf of Customer to confirm you have their permission.
- Optional: add Notes (Optional).
- Select the button at the foot. It names the method, such as Record Sale with Cash.
Quick Sale, under Quick Actions in the sidebar, opens the same form without Bank Transfer.
Payment methods
The methods you see depend on your plan and your setup:
| Method | What happens | Button |
|---|---|---|
| The saved card, shown by its brand, such as Visa | Charges the customer's card on file straight away | Record Sale with and the card brand |
| Card Reader | The customer taps or inserts their card on your Stripe reader | Record Sale on Card Reader |
| Secure Payment Link | Sends the customer a link to pay on their own device. The sale waits as Pending Payment until they pay | Send by SMS, Email Link or Copy Link |
| Bank Transfer | Records the sale | Record Sale |
| Cash | Records the sale | Record Sale with Cash |
| Other EFTPOS | Records a payment taken outside Petboost, such as on another card machine | Record Sale |
The saved card, Card Reader and Secure Payment Link need a Business Pro, Business Flex, Business Max or Enterprise plan. Bank Transfer, Cash and Other EFTPOS are on every plan.
The saved card
The card on file is the quickest way to take payment, with nothing to type. It needs a card the customer has added, that has not expired and has enough funds. Customer Payment Info shows the card while you record the sale. The payment goes through at once, and Petboost emails the customer a receipt when Email the customer: booking updates is on.
Card reader
The card reader needs a Stripe card reader connected to your Petboost account, and connected to the internet over Wi-Fi. When the customer taps or inserts their card, the reader takes the payment, and Petboost records the sale and opens a receipt PDF. It takes Visa, Mastercard, American Express and eftpos cards, and mobile wallets, including contactless payments. For reader setup, see Card Reader Setup.
Secure payment link
A payment link suits a customer with no card on file, a one-off purchase such as a package, a product or a service, or collecting a payment remotely. The customer pays on a secure page hosted by Stripe, with nothing to log in to, and the sale turns to Paid on its own once they do. Petboost emails the customer a receipt when Email the customer: booking updates is on.
Under Deliver Link By, choose:
- SMS: Petboost texts the link. The customer needs a mobile number on file. When the customer pays the booking fee, the total shows an SMS Fee line
- Email: Petboost emails the customer a message with a button to pay online
- Copy Link: Petboost creates the link and shows it for you to share however you like, such as on WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger
The text the customer receives looks like this:
Hi [first name], [business name] has sent you a secure payment link for [what was sold]:
[payment link]
Amount: $X.XX
(no-reply)
The last line, (no-reply), is left off when your business has its own dedicated number. A total below Stripe's minimum charge creates no link: Petboost records the sale, so take payment another way.
Bank transfer, cash and other EFTPOS
Bank Transfer, Cash and Other EFTPOS record the sale as soon as you select the button. Use Other EFTPOS for anything paid outside Petboost, such as on another card machine, and put the details in Notes (Optional). None of the three can be refunded automatically, so handle any refund yourself.
A bank transfer on an appointment invoice or a package purchase works differently: Petboost emails the customer an invoice with your bank details and the invoice number to use as the reference, and you mark it as paid when the money arrives. When you sell a package, Complimentary (no charge) records it with no payment.
Find a sale
- Open Customers & Pets and select Manage on the pet.
- Open the Sales tab.
- Type in the search box to match items, transaction IDs or payment methods, or select Filters and choose under Payment Status, Payment Method, Items, Date Range or Amount Range.
- Optional: select Sort and choose Date (Newest), Date (Oldest), Price (Low to High) or Price (High to Low).
Each sale shows how many items it holds, the payment method, a green Paid or purple Pending Payment badge, the appointment it belongs to if there is one, the total with its fee lines, the transaction ID and any notes.
Follow up a payment link
A payment link does not expire, and a sale paid by link shows Pending Payment until the customer pays.
- Open Customers & Pets and select Manage on the pet.
- Open the Sales tab and find the sale marked Pending Payment.
- Choose what to do:
- Send Link from My SMS App opens your own SMS app with the link ready to send. Petboost does not send this text, so no SMS credit is used and no SMS fee is charged
- Complete Payment opens the payment page, such as to take payment with the customer beside you
- Cancel Payment Request removes the pending sale and deactivates the link. Confirm with Yes, Cancel Payment Request
Once the customer pays, the sale shows View Payment Link, to open the link for reference, and Generate Receipt.
Void a sale
Void a completed cash, bank transfer or other EFTPOS sale, such as a duplicate or a mistake, so it no longer appears in sales history or reporting totals.
- Open Customers & Pets and select Manage on the pet.
- Open the Sales tab and find the sale.
- Select Void Sale.
- Select Yes, Void Sale.
The sale is removed from the customer's records and from reporting. This cannot be undone. A sale still at Pending Payment is cancelled with Cancel Payment Request instead. Card, card reader and paid payment link sales cannot be voided this way.
Get a receipt
Select Generate Receipt on a paid sale. Petboost builds the receipt as a PDF.
Payments on appointments
Appointment invoices are paid from the appointment, not the Sales tab. There, the card on file button reads the amount followed by Charge Card on File. See Payment Processing.
When Pre-hold funds is on, Petboost places a hold on the customer's card 72 hours before the appointment. The hold reserves the money without charging it. Charging the card on file when the service is done captures the hold, and cancelling the appointment releases it. A hold cuts no-shows, because the customer has committed, and it makes sure the money is there at checkout.
For payments that repeat, use the card on file with automatic actions rather than payment links.
Fees
Three separate fees can apply to a card payment, and each is its own line:
- SMS Fee: added to the Petboost booking fee only when Petboost texts a Secure Payment Link. It covers SMS delivery, and it is not added for Email or Copy Link. It shows as an SMS Fee line in the total when the customer pays the booking fee
- Petboost Fee: 1.4% (Pro), 1.4% (Flex) or 1.2% (Max) of the transaction, on all card-based payments
- Stripe Fee: 1.7% + $0.30 per transaction, on all card-based payments
For example, a sale sent as a Secure Payment Link by SMS on Business Pro shows an SMS Fee line, a Petboost Fee line at 1.4% and a Stripe Fee line at 1.7% + $0.30.
Choose a payment method
- The saved card for regular customers with a card on file
- Secure Payment Link for customers without a card, one-off purchases or payments from a distance
- Cash for walk-in customers or anyone who prefers cash
- Bank Transfer for large invoices or corporate clients
Before you text a payment link, check the customer's mobile number. If a customer asks about the SMS Fee, it covers sending the text. Keep an eye on sales at Pending Payment and follow them up.
Common questions
Can I resend a payment link if the customer didn't receive it?
Yes. Find the pending sale on the Sales tab and select Send Link from My SMS App. Your SMS app opens with the link ready to send. Petboost does not send this text, so no SMS credit is used and no SMS fee is charged.
What happens if the customer doesn't pay via the payment link?
The sale stays at Pending Payment. You can send the link again, contact the customer directly, or select Cancel Payment Request and record the sale again with a different payment method.
Can I see what the customer received in the SMS?
Yes. The text follows the standard shown under Secure payment link: your business name, what was sold, the link and the amount. On the Sales tab, Complete Payment or View Payment Link opens the link itself.
Are there any limits on payment link amounts?
Payment links work for small purchases and large package sales alike. A total below Stripe's minimum charge creates no link, and Petboost records the sale, so take payment another way.
Can I use payment links for recurring payments?
Payment links are for one-off payments. For recurring payments, use the card on file with automatic actions.
How do I void a duplicate or incorrect quick sale?
- Open Customers & Pets and select Manage on the pet.
- Open the Sales tab and find the sale.
- Select Void Sale, then Yes, Void Sale.
Only completed cash, bank transfer and other EFTPOS sales can be voided. See Void a sale.
Related articles
- Payment Processing: taking payment on appointments
- Payment Settings: payment methods and fees
- Packages: selling and managing packages
- Managing Customer Profiles: customer and pet profiles
Need help? Contact support or select Get Help in your dashboard to chat with our team.