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Fixed or customer-entered payment amount: when to use each
Avoid amount errors: use a fixed request for an agreed sum and a customer-entered amount only when it fits the use case.
Published · Rewritten
The essentials
A fixed amount suits an invoice, deposit or service with an agreed price. A customer-entered amount lets the payer type the sum and needs an extra check. The choice concerns who enters the amount; it does not remove the need to verify payment.
Fixed amount: reduce entry errors
Prepare the exact amount and a recognisable description. The customer checks and pays. This is particularly useful when several payments relate to different invoices or a deposit is only part of the total.
If you make a correction, do not change only the message: checkout must show the same amount. Withdraw the old request where your tool allows it.
Customer-entered amount: explain what to enter
A generic page may receive multiple payments, but the customer must know what amount and reference to enter. Include those instructions in your message. Otherwise, a typo can create a mismatch that is hard to identify.
For a genuinely voluntary amount, explain its purpose. Do not confuse a flexible amount with a donation or a tax receipt: the classification depends on your circumstances.
Check the amount actually received
Compare the confirmed transaction with the expected amount. If €90 arrived instead of €100, do not automatically mark the invoice paid. Contact the customer, clarify the difference and use an appropriate additional request or correction.
In practice
A specific deposit
Fictional example: you expect an €80 deposit on a €320 quote. A fixed €80 request reduces the risk of the customer entering the full quote or another amount. The description identifies it as the deposit.
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