One Place for Every Payment: Why Pros Are Centralizing Their Accounting

As a beauty or wellness professional, you know how much hard work it takes to not only get, but keep things up and running. One of the most important tasks for managing a successful business is tracking your payment info – how much you’re owed, who owes what – and it can become a big headache when all of that information is scattered across various systems. Toggling between multiple apps and spreadsheets to track income and transferring that data across systems can easily lead to missing information, reconciling mistakes, reporting errors, and wasted time – all of which can cost you. 

This is where centralized accounting comes into play: one system to manage all of your payments, bookings, reporting, and client info so everything syncs automatically. No manual tracking or inputs required. 

This article will cover the benefits of investing in a unified management system for your payments, including how invoicing can strengthen your payment tracking and improve your client relationships. 

The chaos of scattered payments: How disorganization slows down growth

You don’t have time to deal with administrative busywork when you’ve got precious revenue on the line. Using various disparate systems for things like bookings and payments (such as Venmo, Cash App, PayPal) can lead to operational chaos that disrupts your day and ultimately hinders your ability to grow and flourish. Here, we detail exactly what can happen without a centralized system: 

1. Fragmented reporting

When bookings and payments run through separate systems, you can’t get a full view of your revenue or performance in one place. Having incomplete business insights means you end up manually cross-referencing spreadsheets or switching tools to piece together the data you need, which can paint an inaccurate picture of your profitability, slow down decision-making, and make it harder to spot growth opportunities.

2. Missed client history

If a client purchases a product or add-on at checkout, but the payment happens outside your system, that purchase may never make it into their profile. Weak personalization creates blind spots when trying to recommend services or products in the future, or when you’re trying to target clients with campaigns based on their past behavior – hurting both the client experience and your sales potential.

3. Lost rebooking revenue 

Without integrated checkout tools that prompt clients to rebook, busy teams may forget to ask – especially when juggling back-to-back appointments. If your checkout isn’t tied to your booking system, there’s no automatic rebooking flow, resulting in fewer clients locked in for their next visit.

4. Lower ticket sizes 

Built-in flexibility during the checkout process makes it easier for clients to choose their preferred payment methods and decide how they spend their money. When Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) isn’t connected to your booking site, clients don’t see the option upfront, so they’re less likely to commit to high-ticket services. And at checkout, using third-party BNPL providers adds friction. That disconnect can cost you both convenience and sales.

5. More admin work

Using separate tools for payments and bookings often means entering the same info multiple times, creating more manual work and increasing the chances something may slip past your attention. Whether it’s syncing payment totals or tracking deposits, inefficiency adds up. Especially when it comes to tax season, having to fix previous errors and dig through different reports across tools is an avoidable nightmare if you sync everything through one unified system.

6. Wasted time and money

Chasing after payments not only wastes valuable time, but also leaves money on the table. Whether that’s profit lost due to spending more time on minutiae than your client services, missing out on opportunities, or unpaid balances falling through the cracks, you can’t afford to make those kinds of mistakes when you’re trying to grow your business. 

What clean, centralized payment tracking looks like (with fewer surprises at tax time)

Rest assured, there’s a better way to manage your payment tracking. What if there was a single system that could provide clear, real-time financial insights? That automatically tracked whole income streams – from bookings and invoices to sales tax and tips – and simplified the reconciliation process so that you don’t need to break a single sweat come tax time?

Centralized accounting can give you a clear view of revenue, costs, and profitability, plus valuable business insights on top clients, spending habits, and more. And with payment data that automatically syncs across booking, reporting, client profiles, and other data, you know you’re always getting the most accurate, up-to-date look at the financial health of your business. 

How having invoices, bookings, checkout, and tips in one place saves you time and money

With all of your data in one place, you can facilitate faster checkouts and improve the overall customer experience. Automated payment processing and tracking reduces manual data entry and human error, streamlining your financial operations and lessening administrative overhead. Fewer mistakes means improved cash flow management, as well as a lower risk of lost revenue from missed payments or forgotten invoices. Plus, with features like payroll included in your system, you can track employee commissions and pay out self-employed staff members without needing to switch to another app or check a spreadsheet. 

GlossGenius has everything you need to accommodate your booth-renters and pay them out accurately and on time. 

Expand your flexible payment options with GlossGenius Invoices

Invoices are a critical tool for payments outside the traditional booking flow. Some clients prefer a more flexible payment method – one where they can pay from anywhere using their own device rather than through hardware or card readers. 

GlossGenius’ Invoicing feature lets you send an invoice in seconds through text or email to let customers prepay, pay in full, or settle balances after their appointment. Say goodbye to awkwardness or passive aggressive messages – with GlossGenius, you can set up automated reminders to handle payment follow-ups, so you always get paid on time while maintaining a polished, client-friendly experience.

GlossGenius has 100+ features to help beauty and wellness businesses grow more with less busy work. Simply set your own payment schedule with your clients and let GlossGenius do the work of tracking it for you. 

How GlossGenius Invoicing works: A simple step-by-step guide

GlossGenius Invoicing is simple and straightforward, and all it takes is a few seconds of your time. To create an invoice using the GlossGenius software: 

• Go to the Invoices page
• Click “Create invoice”
• Fill in all the required information: 
  
  • Client name
  • Items/services to be charged 
  • Deposit info 
  • Due date
  • Total cost

Take advantage of GlossGenius’ flexible sending options by saving your invoice as a draft to finish at another time, or by sending right away to the client (via text or email). The client then receives a notification where they can pay securely via a secure, GlossGenius-hosted invoice link. 

GlossGenius provides effortless management and tracking, allowing beauty and wellness business owners the ability to see all of their invoices from one place. You can also filter by status to quickly find any overdue invoices that need a follow-up, or pending invoices with money on the way so you have a better idea of when it’ll land in your account. And, you can do more than just view – you can take action. Like sending payment reminders to clients or voiding invoices. GlossGenius makes it easy to track every invoice at a glance and get paid on time, every time. 

Examples of where GlossGenius Invoices can shine

Wondering where invoices come to play at your beauty and wellness business? Read on for a list of examples where an invoice can help streamline your billing. 

Custom jobs or services where payment isn’t collected on the spot

Whether you’re a bridal makeup artist charging for weddings or a yoga teacher running retreats for corporate events, GlossGenius provides a professional alternative to informal apps and awkward requests, allowing you to comfortably bill after service or up front for large events that require a prior deposit or retainer. 

When custom materials require upfront payment

In some instances, custom materials may require an upfront deposit, such as hair extensions or bridal accessories. GlossGenius makes it easy to collect payment in advance to cover material costs, which can protect your business against no-shows, cancellations, or otherwise flaky clients. 

To charge no-show fees without a card on file

Not every client will agree to store their payment details with you, and that’s okay – as long as you have a reliable way to collect payments owed to your business. But what if one of these clients doesn’t show up for their appointment? You’re looking at wasted time, supplies, and revenue. With GlossGenius Invoicing, you can professionally and securely bill clients for their no-show fees even without their card-on-file, further protecting your bottom line. 

To sell products between appointments

If you sell products at your service-based beauty or wellness business (such as haircare or skincare), you’ll want clients to have a way to purchase these goods remotely. Invoices allow you to charge clients from afar so they can receive their much-needed products and pay for them securely without physically visiting your business.

To maintain a smooth client experience

No business owner wants to bog down the client experience by talking about payments, especially with your regulars. Invoicing gives customers the flexibility to pay after their services for a smoother process and speedier checkout, allowing them to get on with their day while you take comfort in knowing your bills will still get paid. 

Invoicing also helps with transparency, giving clients the opportunity to view a detailed breakdown of all charges before they pay. 

Centralize your accounting, grow your business

Centralizing your accounting is a necessary step to maintaining your financial health and turning your beauty and wellness business into a thriving success. By using one system to manage your administrative tasks, you can save yourself time, reduce stress, and get the most accurate view of your profits to help foster business growth. 

GlossGenius provides a comprehensive solution for managing bookings, payments, and client care, all from one platform. Plus, you can give clients the flexibility to pay however they want – whether that's using a card-on-file for ease, tapping their card, splitting payments over time with BNPL, or paying via an invoice. GlossGenius enables it all with smart payments that help you grow your business with every transaction, and keeps your business looking professional, no matter how clients pay. 

Ready to transform your financial management? Discover the power of centralized accounting with GlossGenius. Start your free trial today and experience the ease of managing every payment in one place!

Disclaimer: This information is provided for general educational purposes only. For legal, cybersecurity, or compliance advice specific to your business or situation, please consult a professional.