You want to start taking patient payments. cash at the counter, card at the terminal, payment links sent on WhatsApp, online checkout. This playbook walks the full setup, including the GL configuration that makes month-end clean. Allow half a day from start to first payment.

Phase 1. Decide which methods to enable#

Not every clinic needs all methods. Pick what fits:

Method	When to enable
Cash	Always. Patients pay in cash even when other methods are offered.
Card terminal (POS)	Almost always. Reduces cash handling, faster checkout.
Bank transfer	If you bill insurance or accept corporate accounts that pay by transfer.
Payment gateway (online + payment links)	Tap today (GCC). Enable if you send invoices remotely or want to offer "pay later via link" when the terminal is offline.
Package credit	Automatic. once you sell packages, the credit becomes a payment method at consumption.
Wallet / loyalty	If you run the loyalty program with cashback or refunded credits.

Phase 2. GL accounts#

Before adding payment methods, make sure the right GL accounts exist. Per method:

Step 1. Cash account per branch#

Accounting → Configuration → Chart of Accounts. Add (or confirm seeded) a cash-in-hand account per branch. Naming convention: Cash – Branch A, Cash – Branch B. This is what month-end reconciles to.

Step 2. Bank accounts#

Add each operating bank account you use, with the real account number. Card terminal settlements land here daily; bank transfers from patients land here.

Step 3. Card clearing account#

Optional but recommended: a clearing account for card transactions awaiting settlement. Card payments hit clearing today; settle to bank in 1–3 days.

Step 4. Gateway clearing account#

Same idea. The gateway (Tap, Stripe, etc.) holds funds for a few days before payout. A clearing account tracks the float.

Phase 3. Configure payment methods#

Settings → Sales → Payment methods.

Step 5. Cash#

Enable per branch.
GL account: the branch's Cash-in-hand.
Restrict to specific roles (reception, billing executive).

Step 6. Card terminal#

Enable per branch.
GL account: Card clearing.
If you have