---
title: Taking payment before checkout
slug: taking-payment-before-checkout
category: Payments & Billing
url: https://alaga.io/help/article/taking-payment-before-checkout
audiences: business_owner, manager, staff
updated: 2026-10-23
source: Alaga Help Center
---

# Taking payment before checkout
Some clients pay when they drop off. **Take payment** collects the money now and leaves the visit's status alone. You still complete the appointment or check the pet out at pickup as normal.

## On an appointment

**Take payment** shows on any appointment that is Pending, Confirmed or In Progress and still owes money. You can find it:

- in the appointment's side panel (click it on the calendar),
- on the appointment's own page, or
- by right-clicking the appointment on the calendar and choosing **Take Payment**.

1. Click **Take payment**.
2. Add any products sold first.
3. Click **Take Payment ($X)**. If part is already paid, the button says **Collect Remaining ($X)**.
4. Finish the payment.

The appointment keeps its status. At pickup, complete it as usual.

## On a boarding or daycare stay

**Take payment** is in the **Actions** card on the stay's page. It shows while the stay is Requested, Confirmed or Checked In and money is still owed.

1. Open the stay from **Reservations → All Reservations** or the Kennel Board.
2. Click **Take payment**. The window lists the stay, linked services and products, and the total.
3. Click **Take $X** and finish the payment.

The stay keeps its status. If the stay already has an open invoice, the payment goes against it.

You need the **Create invoices** permission. Without it, the button doesn't show.

## Several stays in one payment

If the client has other stays that aren't checked out yet, the **Take payment** window says so.

1. Click **Pay for several stays**.
2. Tick the stays to include.
3. Click **Take $X** and finish the payment.

Every stay keeps its status. Each one is checked out on its own later.

## What happens at checkout

At pickup, Alaga only charges what changed since the payment. That covers:

- extra nights, if you extended the stay,
- a late checkout fee,
- services or products added after the payment.

Those go on a follow-up invoice. If nothing changed, there is nothing more to pay.

If a stay is already paid and you need to add something mid-stay, use **Add charge** on the stay's page. It puts the charge on a new invoice.

## Several appointments for one family

To take one payment for several open appointments or invoices for the same client, open the client's profile and click **Collect Payment**. Tick what to include. Everything goes on one invoice. See [Checking out multiple pets on one ticket](/help/article/checking-out-multiple-pets-on-one-ticket).

## Related

- [Checking a pet in and out](/help/article/reservation-check-in-and-check-out)
- [Deposits for repeat no-shows](/help/article/appointment-deposits-for-repeat-no-shows)
- [Account credit and prepaid balances](/help/article/account-credit-and-prepaid-balance) — for money paid ahead that isn't tied to one visit