How to set up salon client credit
Client credit gives each client one prepaid balance your team tops up at the till. Optional top-up bonuses reward bigger spends, credit applies automatically at checkout, and a liability report shows what you owe - split into the client’s own money and promotional bonus. Available on the Professional plan; not applied on online booking.
What client credit is
Client credit is a business-owned prepaid balance on each client profile - simpler than issuing a new gift-card code every time a regular wants to leave money on account.
- One running balance per client - top up the same balance again and again
- Bound to that client - not a bearer code anyone can redeem
- Topped up at the till (cash, manual card, other, or card on file)
- Applies automatically at checkout, capped at the bill total
- Balances do not expire
- Professional plan only
Use client credit for regulars who like a store balance. Use gift cards when the value should be giftable with a code someone else can redeem.
Client credit vs gift cards
| Client credit | Gift cards | |
|---|---|---|
| Who holds it | Bound to one client profile | Bearer code - anyone with the code |
| How it is bought | Top-up at the till | Sold online or in-salon |
| How it is spent | Applies automatically at checkout (no code) | Redeemed by code |
| Online booking | Not shown or applied online in this version | Can be purchased and redeemed online |
| Expiry | Does not expire | Optional expiry you configure |
| Best for | Regulars who leave money on account | Gifts and one-off vouchers |
You can run both. Many businesses use gift cards for seasonal gifting and client credit for loyal clients who prefer a simple wallet.
Setting up client credit
Configuration lives under Settings → Client credit.
- 1Go to Settings → Client credit and switch the feature to Active.
- 2Set top-up presets (quick-pick amounts) and optional custom min/max if you allow free-typed amounts.
- 3Optionally add top-up bonus tiers - flat amount or percentage. The highest qualifying tier applies; bonuses do not stack.
- 4Brief your team: where to top up (client Wallet → Credit), how bonuses show live before confirm, and that credit applies at checkout unless they toggle it off.
- 5Tell regulars about the option at the till - credit is till-side, so awareness comes from your team, not the booking page.
Top-up bonuses
Reward bigger top-ups with tiers such as “top up 100, get 10 extra” in your currency. Bonus credit is tracked separately from the client’s own money and is spent first at checkout. The liability report keeps promotional bonus and real money apart so you know what you truly owe.
How credit applies at checkout
When a client with a balance checks out, eligible credit applies automatically up to the bill total. Leave the “Apply credit” toggle on, or switch it off for that sale. Any remainder is taken on one other payment method.
- Spending is capped at the available balance - balances cannot go negative
- Bonus credit is spent before the client’s own money
- Refunds of credit-paid sales return spent credit to the balance
- On any sale, you can choose “Refund to credit balance” to keep the money with your business as client credit
Client credit is not shown on online booking and is not auto-applied to online deposits or prepayments. Your team applies it at the till.
Reporting liability
Outstanding stored value is a real liability. Reports → Client credit summary shows outstanding credit across clients, split into real money and promotional bonus, per currency - with an on-demand reconcile check.
Turning the feature off
If you disable client credit, new top-ups stop - but existing balances stay spendable and refundable. Client money is never stranded.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Expecting clients to spend credit when they book online - it is till-side only in this version
- Treating credit like a gift card - credit is not giftable; use gift cards for that
- Ignoring the liability report - stored-value balances are money you still owe
- Skipping a reason on goodwill adjustments - adjustments require a reason and the right permission
- Mixing currencies - a balance is held in the currency of the client’s first top-up; top-ups and spends must use a location in that same currency
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