# Payments

Payments is one-time money: cards through Stripe on **your** account, plus cash and checks staff record. Invoices, quote deposits, memberships, and session packs all go through this foundation. There is not a second ledger.

Ask your agent to turn `payments` on. You cannot flip that switch in admin.

![Payments list in the Brightside Studio admin](./assets/admin-payments.webp)

## Record cash or a check

Admin → **Payments**. Use **Record a payment** on the right. Choose how they paid (**Cash**, **Check**, or **Other**). Press **Record payment**. That is for money paid in person.

![Record a payment form, with the form and Record payment marked](./assets/admin-payments-record.webp)

Orange numbers:

1. The **Record a payment** form
2. **Record payment**

Online payments show as **card** or **ACH**. You do not type those in by hand. Stripe sends them after checkout.

## Refund a payment

Only an owner sees **Refund**. For a card or bank payment, Stripe refunds it. For cash, a check, or a simulated payment, the row is marked refunded. Hand the money back yourself.

## Pay links

Some features send a private link at `/pay/{token}`. The customer opens it and pays. Tips appear only when that feature allows them (invoices can turn tips on in config).

## What “Stripe is connected” means

The **Online payments** card on this page tells you the mode:

- **Stripe** — keys are set. Checkout is real (test or live, matching the keys).
- **Simulated** — no keys, and you are on a local or preview deploy. Presses succeed. Nothing is charged. Rows say **Test**.
- **Unavailable** — no keys in production. Pay links cannot take money online. Recording cash still works.

Set keys with [Stripe setup](./stripe.md). Use test keys until the account is verified and a bank is connected.

## Memberships vs this page

A membership renewal is still a Stripe subscription. You manage plans in Catalog and Memberships. This page is the payment list, including those charges once they land.