External Credit Card Processing

Found a non-integrated card processor that works for you?

It doesn't integrate with our system, but you still need to record the fact that a patient paid their session fee/copay in order to keep accurate accounting records for the client and your business!

Please read on to follow how to perform this!

While many of our providers prefer the advantages of an integrated card processing option, we know that it may not work for everyone, or perhaps you have a preferred or existing card processor that you'd rather use.

⚠️ Important Note

Recording payments via this method does not charge a card within the system
That will need to be done with your external card processor in a separate outside step

🔎 PCI Compliance

This is an extremely important note: though it may be tempting for convenience, for your client's security and safety, please do NOT make a note of the client's card details on the alert or memo fields within the system. Client card details should also NOT be collected from custom online forms.

If you use an external card processor, you should collect that information securely outside TherapyAppointment, and only enter and save those details within your card processor's secure portal or application to ensure PCI compliance. NEVER store card data in plaintext where it can be read in full in any application, including ours. This specifically goes against PCI compliance, and securely storing cardholder data.

With integrated card processors, we allow you to collect and store these details securely and safely within the take payment or add card methods in the system as either a client or staff member, since we never actually store that cardholder data (the integrated card processor does).

Enable External Card Processing

Note: This requires the Owner or Manager role

To enable, navigate to:

Practice Settings (left menu)
Billing & Insurance (top tab)
Find the section Payment Processing (bottom)
Find the option External Card Processing and click Enable (far right):

You'll then see a green checkmark on the left indicating it's enabled:

Record the External Credit Card Payment

When you swipe or chip a credit card through a system that does not integrate with TherapyAppointment, you then need to record the payment amount in TherapyAppointment in order to maintain accurate record keeping.

If you are recording payment for today’s session, start at any of the following points:

On the Schedule, click the client’s name / appointment to open up the summary page
On the Dashboard, click on the client’s name to open up the appointment summary page
On the Today view, click on the client’s initials to open up the appointment summary page
From the Billing & Insurance menu → [Take Payment] → enter the client name and click search

Then select the button and continue on for the remaining steps.

That will bring you to this screen, numbers explained below:

After:

1. Ensure External Credit Card is selected at the top right
2. Enter payment amount to document
3. Enter the unique reference number for the transaction, many card processors refer to this as a "reference #" (optional)
4. Click Continue, then save payment on the next screen to document the payment

🎉 Success! Your payment has now been recorded in the system!

After this, the payment will:

Be documented and show up on both the client's billing tab (including for this appointment)
Show up on reports for collected payments
Show up on the client portal that clients can view & print as a receipt