# Choose invoice or account ledger

> Bill members with a new invoice for each booking, or with a prepaid account balance (auto-refill, late fees, book/dispatch gates). Guests always get a pay-this-visit invoice.

Source: https://www.aerscheduler.com/docs/billing/choose-invoice-or-account-ledger
Section: Billing and payments. For: Owners.

On `Settings → Billing` (web console), under **How members pay**, choose
**Invoice each booking** (the default) or **Account ledger**. Only the organization
owner can change it. Guests always get a pay-this-visit invoice either way.

**Who can do this:** Owners

## What the choice means

AerScheduler can bill members in two ways. Pick one for the school; you can switch later.

| Mode                     | What members see                                                                                                                                         |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Invoice each booking** | A new invoice for each billable visit or fee: flights, sims, ground lessons, manual invoices, and similar. They pay that invoice by card or at the desk. |
| **Account ledger**       | A running account balance. Members add funds (or the desk credits cash/check). Member flights, fees, and similar charges draw the balance down.          |

Guests are never on the ledger. A discovery or guest visit still gets a normal pay-this-visit invoice.

## Choose a mode

1. **Open Settings and choose Billing**

2. **Turn on Billing enabled**

   On the Payouts card, after Stripe is connected. The toggle stays off until payouts are
   connected. It saves as soon as you flip it.

3. **Under How members pay, pick Invoice each booking or Account ledger**

   The cards explain the difference. Switching after setup asks you to confirm once.

![How members pay: Invoice each booking or Account ledger](https://www.aerscheduler.com/docs/ledger-mode-card.png)

_Pick invoice-per-booking or an account ledger. Guests always get a pay-this-visit invoice._

**Billing enabled** is what actually starts charging. Stripe still has to be connected
for card charges. See
[Turn on invoicing and card payments](https://www.aerscheduler.com/docs/billing/turn-on-invoicing-and-card-payments).

## Switching later

- **To ledger:** existing unpaid invoices stay as they are. New member flights and fees
  post to the account balance. See
  [Charge a flight to the account ledger](https://www.aerscheduler.com/docs/billing/charge-a-flight-to-the-account-ledger).
- **Back to invoices:** existing ledger balances stay on the account until you refund or
  adjust them. They are not deleted. New member billing raises Stripe invoices again.

Only the organization owner can change this. Other roles can read the setting.

## Day to day on the ledger

The school-wide call list is
[Review account balances and who owes](https://www.aerscheduler.com/docs/billing/review-account-balances-and-who-owes)
on Operations Billing (Accounts tab). Work one person from
[Manage a member's account ledger](https://www.aerscheduler.com/docs/billing/manage-a-member-account-ledger): Add funds,
desk credit, receipts, refunds, reassigning a flight charge, auto-refill, and statements.

Owners can also set:

- A [card fee on top-ups](https://www.aerscheduler.com/docs/billing/set-a-card-fee-on-account-top-ups)
- [Late fees](https://www.aerscheduler.com/docs/billing/manage-a-member-account-ledger#late-fees) (percent and/or flat,
  plus grace)
- [Book and dispatch balance gates](https://www.aerscheduler.com/docs/scheduling/booking-rules-and-settings#account-ledger-booking-gates)
  under Booking preferences

## Card fees on top-ups

If you use the ledger, you can optionally recover card processing cost when members add
funds. That is separate from this choice. See
[Set a card fee on account top-ups](https://www.aerscheduler.com/docs/billing/set-a-card-fee-on-account-top-ups).

## Related

- [How billing works](https://www.aerscheduler.com/docs/billing/how-billing-works): The full path from booking to bill in both modes.
- [Charge a flight to the account ledger](https://www.aerscheduler.com/docs/billing/charge-a-flight-to-the-account-ledger): What close-out looks like when Account ledger is on.
- [Manage a member's account ledger](https://www.aerscheduler.com/docs/billing/manage-a-member-account-ledger): Auto-refill, late fees, statements, receipts, and desk tools.