HostBill client credit is a balance available for future purchases or invoice settlement. Adding credit, applying it to an invoice and refunding money through a gateway are different actions. Record the business reason and transaction reference for each adjustment.
IN THIS ARTICLE
01 Configure credit behaviour
Open Settings > General Settings > Billing > Client balance. Review whether customers may add funds, any permitted deposit range, overpayment treatment and credit receipts. Choose when credit is automatically applied and whether customers can control that preference.
Check the customer profile for an automation override before relying on the global setting. A customer expecting to reserve funds for a domain renewal may be surprised if automatic application pays another invoice first.
02 Record and apply funds
- Verify the receipt or approved adjustment and search existing transactions to avoid recording it twice.
- For a verified payment intended as account funds, open Payments > Transactions > Add new transaction. Select the customer and Add to client credit, then enter the accurate payment details and unique reference.
- To settle a specific invoice from available credit, open it under Payments > Invoices. In Client Credit, choose Add to invoice.
- Enter the intended amount, check that it does not exceed the available balance or outstanding invoice amount, then use Apply from credit.
- Verify the invoice's remaining balance and the customer's reduced credit. Review the credit-change history and any resulting service automation.
03 Example: explain why credit paid a different invoice
A customer adds funds intending to pay a future domain renewal. A hosting invoice is generated first and the configured automatic-credit policy applies the available balance to it. Review the transaction that added the funds, the credit-change history and the invoice that received them.
Compare the global credit setting with the customer's override before making an adjustment. Explain which charge was settled and agree the intended future arrangement. A transfer between internal credit and an invoice is different from returning funds through the payment gateway.
Expected result: the balance and invoice are reconciled once, and the customer understands how the configured policy will handle later invoices.
Common questions
Does applying credit send money back to the customer?
No. It uses an internal balance to settle a charge. A gateway refund returns money through the relevant payment provider and requires a separate authorised workflow.
Why was credit applied before the due date?
Review the automatic-application setting, the customer's override and the invoice creation time. HostBill can apply credit immediately or according to configured timing, depending on the selected policy.