# Buy on credit and pay suppliers in parts

> Record supplier bills on credit in SmartPOS Hub, pay one purchase or the whole balance in instalments, and see what you owe each supplier.

Source: https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/supplier-payments-and-credit/  
Last updated: 2026-10-30  
Product: SmartPOS Hub (https://smartposhub.com)

Most shops don't pay suppliers on delivery. SmartPOS Hub lets you record a purchase **on credit**, pay it later in as many parts as you like, and always see what you owe each supplier. This page is for owners and accountants who handle supplier bills.

## How supplier credit works

| Payment status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| **Paid** | The full purchase total has been paid. |
| **Partial** | Part has been paid; the rest is still owed. |
| **Due** | Nothing has been paid yet. |

Every unpaid amount is added to the supplier's **Balance due**. If you set a **Pay term** on the purchase (for example 30 days), the purchase also counts towards the overdue figures in **Reports › Payment by Age**.

## Before you start

- Your role needs **Add purchase payment** (and **Edit purchase payment** / **Delete purchase payment** to correct mistakes), in **User Management › Roles**, group **Purchase**.
- If you track money per bank or cash box, create them in **Payment Accounts › List Accounts** first so you can pick a **Payment Account**.

## 1. Record a purchase on credit

When you [add the purchase](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/purchases/), go to the **Add payment** section and enter **0** (nothing paid) or the part you paid today, for example 20 % of the bill. Save. The purchase shows **Due** or **Partial** in **Purchases › List Purchases**, with the open amount in **Payment due**.

![Purchases list showing a Partial payment status and the purchase amount still due](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/purchases-list.DYgFSMev.png) (web app page: `/purchases`)
*The Payment due column shows exactly what is still owed on each purchase.*

## 2. Pay one purchase in instalments

1. In **Purchases › List Purchases**, open **Actions** on the purchase and choose **Add payment**.
2. The window shows the supplier, reference, location, **Total amount** and the supplier's **Advance Balance**. **Amount** is filled with what is still due; change it to what you are paying now (for example the next 50 %).
3. Choose the **Payment Method** (cash, card, cheque, bank transfer…), check **Paid on**, and pick a **Payment Account** if you use one.
4. Attach the receipt under **Attach Document** and add a **Payment Note** if useful.
5. Click **Save**. Repeat for every later instalment.

![Add payment window for a purchase with payment method Cash, paid on date, amount and payment account](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/purchase-add-payment-modal.Dd1P_tOv.png) (web app page: `/purchases`)
*Add payment on a purchase. The amount starts at the remaining balance; type a smaller figure to pay in parts.*

To check or fix earlier instalments, choose **Actions › View payments**. Each payment has edit, delete and view buttons, and **Add payment** is available there too.

![View Payments window listing a bank transfer instalment with Partial status and buttons to edit, delete or view it](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/purchase-payments-view.6fLu-XPh.png) (web app page: `/purchases`)
*View Payments shows every instalment made against one purchase.*

## 3. Pay the supplier's whole balance at once

When you settle several bills together, pay from the supplier instead of bill by bill:

1. Open **Purchases › Suppliers** and click the supplier's name.
2. The page shows **Total purchases**, **Balance due** and **Advance Balance**. Click **Pay Due Amount**.
3. The window lists **Total Purchase**, **Total Paid**, **Total Purchase Due** and any opening balance. Enter the **Amount** you are paying, the **Payment Method** and **Paid on**.
4. Click **Save**. The amount is applied to the oldest unpaid purchases first.

![Supplier contact page with total purchases, balance due, advance balance and the Pay Due Amount button](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/supplier-contact-page.BdL7olVx.png) (web app page: `/contacts`)
*The supplier page shows what you owe and the Ledger, Purchases and Payments tabs.*

![Add payment window for a supplier showing total purchase, total paid, total purchase due and the amount to pay](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/supplier-pay-due-modal.JUqpheG6.png) (web app page: `/contacts`)
*Pay Due Amount pays across all open purchases of this supplier.*

**Note:** 
Paying more than the balance keeps the extra as the supplier's **Advance Balance**, which you can use on later purchases by choosing the payment method **Advance**.

## See what you owe

- **Home** dashboard: the **Purchase due** card and the purchase payment due widget.
- Supplier page › **Ledger**: every purchase, payment and return in date order. Download it as **PDF** or send it by **E-mail** to agree balances with the supplier.
- **Reports › Supplier & Customer Report**, **Purchase Payment Report** and **Payment by Age** (see [Reports overview](https://docs.smartposhub.com/reports/reports-overview/)).

## Tips and mistakes to avoid

- Always pay against the purchase (or with **Pay Due Amount**), not as an expense. Expenses do not reduce what you owe the supplier.
- Returns lower the balance too: a [purchase return](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/purchases/) is deducted from what you owe.
- Use **Payment Account** consistently, otherwise bank balances in **Payment Accounts** won't match your bank statement.

## Related pages

  - [Record a purchase](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/purchases/)
  - [Customer credit and part payments](https://docs.smartposhub.com/selling/credit-and-partial-payments/)
  - [Payment accounts](https://docs.smartposhub.com/reports/payment-accounts/)
  - [Contacts](https://docs.smartposhub.com/customers/contacts/)

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I buy stock on credit?

Save the purchase with a payment amount of 0, or with only the part you paid. The purchase gets the payment status Due or Partial, and the unpaid amount is added to the supplier's Balance due.

### Can I pay one supplier bill in several instalments?

Yes. Open the purchase, choose Actions › Add payment, and enter the instalment. Repeat whenever you pay again. The status changes from Due to Partial and then to Paid.

### How do I pay several open bills at once?

Open the supplier from Purchases › Suppliers and click Pay Due Amount. The payment is applied to the oldest unpaid purchases first.

### What happens if I pay the supplier more than I owe?

The extra is kept on the supplier as an advance. It shows as Advance Balance on the supplier's page and can be used against later purchases.

### Where can I see everything I owe?

The Purchase due figure on the Home dashboard, the Payment due column in List Purchases, the supplier's Ledger tab, and reports such as Supplier & Customer Report, Purchase Payment Report and Payment by Age.

### Can I correct or delete a supplier payment?

Yes, from View payments on the purchase, if your role has Edit purchase payment or Delete purchase payment. The purchase status and supplier balance update straight away.

### Does a supplier payment come out of a bank account?

Only if you pick a Payment Account when you pay. Then the payment also shows in that account's statement under Payment Accounts.