How Do I Charge A Patient's Card?

For offices using FlexPayments powered by Stripe. 

Legacy Payments users may notice differences in functionality, layout, terminology, and workflow steps.

This guide explains how to process a credit card payment directly from the patient's profile in Flex. Whether the patient is at the front desk using the terminal or providing card details over the phone, these steps will help you process the payment.

Charging Cards Present and Not Present

1. Access the patient's profile in Flex.
   • Log into Flex and select your patient from the schedule or use the search bar to locate them. Click their name to open their profile.                                                                                              
2. Select the charge card icon from the sidebar menu.                                                                                         
3. Click a procedure to select it for payment, or click and drag to choose multiple codes at once.
   • Flex allocates payment to the codes selected after the payment is processed. See 'Payment Allocation Notes' below for details on how Flex allocates payments in Open Dental.                                           
4. Review the payment amount. Enter a new amount if changes are needed.
5. Review the selected terminal. Choose a different terminal if needed.
   • For cards not present, click the drop down menu and choose Manual Entry to key in card details manually.                                                                                                                                                       
   • Note: If your terminal is offline, the virtual terminal payment option will appear.

6. Click Pay to finish processing payment on the terminal.                                                                                   

   • To go back to the payment window, select Cancel Payment in the bottom right corner of the transaction screen.

7. Choose email receipt or done to exit the payment confirmation window.                                                          

Charging a Stored Card

If the patient has a stored card on file, it will appear as a payment option. 

1. Complete steps 1 - 4 above.
2. Select the default card or choose a different one from the drop down menu. To learn more about stored cards in Flex, see: 
   • How Do I Manage Stored Cards?↗️
   • Set Up Payments and Automatic Billing↗️Step 4 in Statement and Billing Preferences
3. Choose Confirm Charge to finalize payment. 
   • Selecting Cancel Payment will return you to the payment window.                                                            
4. Choose how to handle the receipt:
   • Use the Email Receipt option to instantly send a copy to the patient's email on file in Open Dental.
   • Select Done to close the window without sending a receipt.                                    

Payment Allocation Notes:

• When the payment amount equals the selected items, allocation in Open Dental matches the items selected.

• If the payment amount is less than or greater than the selected items, allocation follows the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method.

• Admin users can change the default allocation behavior in Flex settings. For instructions, see: Set Up Payments and Automatic Billing↗️, Payment Posting Preferences, Steps 3 and 4.

 

You're all set!

If you found this information helpful, please like and/or comment below!

If you have questions, please contact Flex Support.

Thank you!