> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.tabs.com/collect-payments/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.tabs.com/_mcp/server.

# Collect payments

Tabs collects payments from your customers and matches them against open invoices. This section covers connecting a payment processor, recording payments that arrive outside one, matching bank deposits, and chasing what's overdue.

How the money reaches you depends on which processor you use. What happens on the invoice is the same either way.

## How collection works

Tabs sends an invoice to your customer carrying a payment link. The customer pays—through the payment portal by card or bank account, through recurring "Autocharge" payments set by you, or outside Tabs entirely by check or wire. Tabs records a payment against the invoice and updates the invoice status. If you've connected your bank, Tabs matches the deposit to that payment once the cash lands. Either way, Tabs writes the journal entry to your ERP.

The part worth knowing up front is that an invoice can be settled before the cash arrives, and that the status you see depends on whether you run cash application.

> **Note**
>
> With cash application enabled, an invoice paid through a processor moves to "pending" rather than "paid", and stays there until Tabs confirms the matching bank deposit (or your payout lands). This is when the payment syncs to your ERP. Dunning pauses while an invoice is pending. Without cash application, the invoice moves straight to "paid" instead.

## Choose how you collect

| If you want to                                                        | Start with                                               |
| :-------------------------------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------- |
| Process digital payments directly on Tabs                             | [Set up Tabs Pay](/tabs-pay)                             |
| Keep collecting through your existing Stripe account                  | [Set up Stripe](/stripe)                                 |
| Record payments that arrive by check, wire, or customer-initiated ACH | [Mark invoices as paid](/collect-payments/mark-invoices) |
| Match bank deposits to open invoices automatically                    | [Set up Plaid](/plaid)                                   |

You run one payment processor at a time—Tabs Pay and Stripe aren't used side by side. Plaid is separate and works alongside whichever processor you use, since it reads your bank feed rather than collecting payments.

#### [Review outstanding collections](/collect-payments/collections)

Track unpaid invoices and monitor aging receivables across your customer base

#### [Match payments to invoices](/collect-payments/match-payments)

Reconcile incoming payments against open invoices

#### [Mark invoices as paid](/collect-payments/mark-invoices)

Record payments made outside Tabs, like wire transfers or checks

#### [Create and apply credit memos](/collect-payments/credit-memos)

Issue credits against existing invoices to correct billing errors or apply discounts

#### [Tabs Pay](/collect-payments/tabs-pay)

Accept card and ACH payments and receive payouts directly in Tabs

> API docs and guides for Tabs — billing, contracts, payments, revenue recognition, and integrations.

## Docs

- [Mark invoices as paid](https://docs.tabs.com/collect-payments/mark-invoices.md)
- [Match payments to invoices](https://docs.tabs.com/collect-payments/match-payments.md)
- [Review outstanding collections](https://docs.tabs.com/collect-payments/collections.md)
- [Create and apply credit memos](https://docs.tabs.com/collect-payments/credit-memos.md)
- [Tabs Pay](https://docs.tabs.com/collect-payments/tabs-pay.md)
- [Migrate payment methods](https://docs.tabs.com/collect-payments/tabs-pay/migrate-payment-methods.md)
- [Payment processing](https://docs.tabs.com/collect-payments/tabs-pay/payment-processing.md)
- [Respond to a dispute](https://docs.tabs.com/collect-payments/tabs-pay/disputes.md)
- [Issue a refund](https://docs.tabs.com/collect-payments/tabs-pay/refunds.md)
- [Balance accounts and payouts](https://docs.tabs.com/collect-payments/tabs-pay/balance-accounts-and-payouts.md)