Payments and Billing
What to know
Payments and billing in Order Management cover payment authorization, capture, invoicing, and credit/refund flows. Understand the distinction between authorization (reserving funds) and capture (actually charging). Know that Order Management integrates with a payment provider/gateway and stores payment records tied to orders.
Know the billing objects and concepts: Invoice, Invoice Line, Payment, Payment Authorization, and how they relate to orders and fulfillment. Understand that invoicing can be triggered by fulfillment events depending on configuration, and that credit memos/refunds handle returns and cancellations after capture.
Traps
- Confusing authorization with capture - an authorization does not move money.
- Assuming a refund is automatic on cancellation; if funds were captured, a credit/refund process is required.
- Mixing up invoice (billing document) with payment (money movement).
- Forgetting that partial shipments can generate partial or multiple invoices.
Rule of thumb
Follow the money sequence: authorize → capture → invoice → (return/cancel) → credit/refund. Each step maps to distinct records, and skipping a step signals a wrong answer.
Worked example
An order is authorized for $200. The warehouse ships half the order; a partial invoice for $100 is generated and $100 is captured. The customer returns the shipped items; a credit memo for $100 is issued and a refund processed against the captured payment. The remaining authorization is voided or adjusted.