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Payouts and reconciliation
Knowing what has reached your bank makes it easier to plan the week ahead. This guide helps you follow a client payment through Stripe to your bank and keep it alongside your accounting records.
Follow a payment to your bank
Stripe manages payment settlement and bank payouts for connected accounts. Payout timing depends on the account's verification and schedule; it is not guaranteed to be instant.
An accepted enquiry, appointment or quoted value is not proof that money was collected. Settings → Plan & billing shows your InkWell subscription billing, not client receipts or studio payouts.
Check balances in Studio
Owners and admins open Payments & payouts → Balances & bank payouts. Check the connected account's current available balance, pending settlement, payout schedule and ten most recent payouts.
Available means funds may be eligible for payout; it does not mean they have reached your bank. Pending settlement funds cannot be paid out yet. If Stripe payouts are disabled, complete its verification or bank-detail requirements. Use Open Stripe Dashboard for the account's full records and bank settings.
Request a bank payout
Where manual payouts are available, enter Payout amount (£) within the displayed available GBP card balance and choose Request bank payout. Stripe sends eligible funds to your default GBP bank account. Check payout history after requesting; arrival remains subject to your bank.
If confirmation is interrupted, check history or use Retry same payout for the existing request. Avoid creating a second request while its result is uncertain. When manual controls are unavailable in InkWell, manage payouts in Stripe instead.
Reconcile actual payments
- Identify payments and refunds in the connected Stripe account.
- Compare gross amounts, fees and net payouts with your bank and accounting records.
- Match payment references to the relevant client work.
- Investigate differences before treating them as settled income.
Payment dates, session dates and bank payout dates can differ.
Keep your accounting records separate
Studio analytics helps you review enquiries and scheduled work. Quotes and appointment totals are separate from actual money received.
Use your existing accounting process, original Stripe payment and refund records, and your bank statements to check income and expenses.
Keep payments processed through InkWell separate from cash, bank transfers or money received through your own terminal. If a historical record has no fee details, check the original provider record rather than assuming there were no fees. InkWell payment requests are not VAT invoices; keep your existing invoicing process.
Handle uncertain outcomes
Avoid duplicate attempts. Check the provider's current payment and refund state, then report the reference and timestamp through Support if you need help.