> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://q.odontox.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installment Plans

> Split treatment costs into scheduled monthly payments with auto-generated term invoices, cascade payment tracking, and patient self-acceptance.

# Installment Plans

Not every patient can pay for treatment in full upfront. Installment plans let you break a treatment cost into monthly terms, each with its own invoice and due date. the platform generates all the invoices automatically and keeps everything in sync as payments come in.

<Note>
  **Admins & Doctors** can create installment plans.
</Note>

***

## Prerequisites

Before you can create an installment plan, the treatment plan must meet these requirements:

* The treatment plan has an **estimated cost greater than zero**.
* The treatment plan status is one of: **Proposed**, **Approved**, or **Pending**.

If the treatment plan does not meet these conditions, the installment plan option will not be available.

***

## Creating an installment plan

<Steps>
  ### Open the treatment plan

  Navigate to the patient's treatment plan and click **Create Installment Plan**.

  ### Configure terms

  | Setting             | Description                     |
  | ------------------- | ------------------------------- |
  | **Number of terms** | How many installments (1 to 12) |
  | **Frequency**       | Payment schedule — **Monthly**  |

  ### Review the calculated breakdown

  The system computes:

  * **Total amount** — the treatment plan's estimated cost
  * **Tax amount** — based on your clinic's VAT configuration
  * **Grand total** — total amount plus tax
  * **Per-term amount** — grand total divided evenly across the number of terms

  <Tip>
    If the grand total does not divide evenly, the system applies an even split to all terms except the last one. The **last term absorbs the rounding difference** — it may be slightly higher or lower by a few cents.
  </Tip>

  ### Confirm and create

  Click **Create**. The system generates the full set of invoices and the installment plan record in one operation.
</Steps>

***

## What gets created automatically

When you confirm an installment plan, the platform creates the following:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Term invoices" icon="file-invoice">
    One invoice per term — each with its own sequential invoice number, amount, and due date based on the monthly frequency. These are the invoices you collect payments against.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Parent invoice" icon="file-lines">
    A single "parent" invoice with the **grand total** of the entire treatment. This invoice tracks the overall payment progress and is updated automatically as term invoices are paid.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

All invoices use your clinic's [document numbering](/finance/document-numbering) format and are assigned sequential numbers within the same batch.

***

## Installment plan statuses

| Status        | Description                                                |
| ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Pending**   | Plan created, awaiting first payment or patient acceptance |
| **Active**    | At least one term payment has been received                |
| **Completed** | Every term invoice is fully paid                           |
| **Cancelled** | Plan has been voided                                       |

***

## Payment cascade

When you record a payment against a term invoice, the system triggers a chain of automatic updates:

<Steps>
  ### Term invoice updated

  The receipt is applied to the specific term invoice. Its balance decreases, and its status moves to **Partial** or **Paid**.

  ### Plan totals recalculated

  The installment plan's overall paid amount is recalculated by summing payments across all term invoices.

  ### Parent invoice synced

  The parent invoice's balance is updated to reflect the total of all term payments received. Its status changes to **Partial** or **Paid** accordingly.

  ### Completion check

  Once every term invoice reaches **Paid** status, the installment plan automatically moves to **Completed**.
</Steps>

<Tip>
  You never need to manually update the parent invoice or the plan status. Just record payments against individual term invoices, and the cascade handles the rest. See [Receipts & Payments](/finance/receipts) for the payment recording workflow.
</Tip>

***

## Patient self-acceptance

Patients can accept a treatment plan — and trigger installment plan creation — through a **public link**, without needing to log in.

<Steps>
  ### Share the treatment plan

  Send the patient the treatment plan's public link via email, WhatsApp, or any other channel.

  ### Patient reviews and accepts

  The patient views the treatment details and clicks **Accept**. No account or login is required.

  ### System creates the plan

  Upon acceptance, the platform:

  * Creates the installment plan with the configured terms
  * Generates all term invoices and the parent invoice
  * Applies your clinic's tax settings to the calculations
  * Sends a notification to your clinic staff
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Once a patient accepts a treatment plan via the public link, the resulting invoices and installment plan are created immediately. Make sure the treatment plan details and pricing are finalized before sharing the link.
</Warning>

***

## Managing an installment plan

From the installment plan detail page, you can:

* **View all term invoices** — see each term's amount, due date, payment status, and balance
* **Track overall progress** — a summary shows total paid, total remaining, and completion percentage
* **Navigate to receipts** — click any term invoice to see its payment history or record a new payment
* **Cancel the plan** — if the patient decides not to proceed, cancelling the plan voids all unpaid term invoices

***

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I change the number of terms after creation?">
    No. Once an installment plan is created and term invoices are generated, the number of terms is fixed. If you need a different schedule, cancel the existing plan and create a new one.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if a term invoice becomes overdue?">
    Overdue term invoices follow the same logic as regular invoices — the status changes to **Overdue** once the due date passes. They appear in the Revenue Recovery report under "Needs Attention." See [Financial Reports](/finance/reports).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can the patient make a lump-sum payment to close the plan early?">
    Yes. You can record larger payments against individual term invoices. As long as each term invoice is paid in full, the plan moves to **Completed**. Record a payment equal to the remaining balance on each outstanding term to close them out.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does the installment plan respect clinic tax settings?">
    Yes. When the plan is created, the system reads your clinic's current VAT rate and applies it to the total. Tax is included in the grand total and distributed proportionally across term invoices.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Related articles

* [Invoices](/finance/invoices) — term invoices and parent invoices follow the same rules
* [Receipts & Payments](/finance/receipts) — record payments against term invoices
* [Quotations](/finance/quotations) — quotations can be converted to invoices that feed into installment plans
* [Discounts & Taxes](/finance/discounts-and-taxes) — tax settings applied during plan creation
* [Financial Reports](/finance/reports) — track installment collection in the Revenue Recovery report