> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.hostelmate.co/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.hostelmate.co/finance-management/finance-hub/payment-log.md).

# Payment History

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Every business needs a central source of truth for its money. The Payment Log is exactly that—a master ledger that tracks every single payment that comes in (like guest bookings) and every payment that goes out (like paying for supplies).
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## Your Financial Snapshot

Right at the top of the page, you'll see your **Net Balance** for the selected time period. This simple number instantly tells you if you're in the green or the red for the month.

## Managing the Ledger

Below the balance, you have your main transaction table. We made this as easy to read as possible:

| Column              | Description                                                                                                       |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Transaction**     | Shows the property name and the category of the payment (e.g., Booking, Maintenance).                             |
| **Amount**          | Green with a downward arrow means money came in; red with an upward arrow means money went out.                   |
| **Description**     | Any internal notes you left for yourself, plus a quick link to "View Receipt" if you uploaded an image of a bill. |
| **Date**            | The exact day the transaction happened.                                                                           |
| **Account / Guest** | Tells you how it was paid (e.g., Cash, POS, Stripe) and who paid it (the guest's name).                           |

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Looking for something specific? The **Quick Filter** search bar lets you type in a guest's name, an amount, or a description to instantly find exactly what you're looking for.
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## Manual Actions

While most bookings log payments automatically, you'll sometimes need to step in manually. Use the action buttons at the top right:

| Action                        | When to use it                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| ----------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Transfer**                  | Did you move some cash from the register to the bank? Use the Transfer button to officially record that movement between your internal accounts.                                                 |
| **Add Payment (Admins Only)** | Need to record an ad-hoc expense like buying printer ink? Use this to manually enter the amount, select an account, and even upload a photo of the receipt straight from your phone or computer. |

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If you ever make a mistake, you can always click the three little dots next to any transaction to **Edit** the details or, if you're an admin, **Delete** the record entirely.
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