What is a Payment Report?
Payment Report = Money Received Tracking
A report showing all payments collected - cash, cards, UPI, bank transfers - and how they reconcile with your revenue. Ensures every rupee earned is actually collected.
Why Payment Reports Matter
- Revenue leakage: Catch missing payments before they become losses
- Cash management: Know exactly how much cash you have
- Reconciliation: Match payments with bookings and invoices
- Fraud prevention: Detect unauthorized transactions
- Bank reconciliation: Match deposits with bank statements
- Tax compliance: Accurate records for GST and income tax
Types of Hotel Payments
💵 Cash Payments
Physical currency collected at front desk, restaurant, or other outlets.
- Must be counted and deposited daily
- Highest risk of theft or mishandling
- Needs proper shift handover
- ₹2 lakh limit per transaction (Income Tax)
💳 Card Payments (Credit/Debit)
Payments via EDC/POS machine. Settled by bank in 1-2 working days.
- MDR (Merchant Discount Rate): 0.5-2% deducted
- Must reconcile with bank settlements
- Keep all chargeslips for disputes
- Batch settlement at night audit
📱 UPI & Digital Wallets
PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm, etc. Instant transfer to bank account.
- Usually no MDR (government policy)
- Instant settlement
- Keep screenshot/notification as proof
- Most popular with Indian guests
🏦 Bank Transfers (NEFT/RTGS)
Direct bank transfers, usually for corporate bookings and advances.
- For large payments and corporate accounts
- May take time to reflect
- Clear reference needed for matching
🌐 OTA Settlements
Payments from MakeMyTrip, Booking.com, Goibibo, etc.
- Received after commission, TDS, TCS deduction
- Settlement cycle varies (weekly/fortnightly)
- Must reconcile with booking-wise details
- Use our Commission Calculator to verify
🏢 City Ledger (Corporate Billing)
Bills sent to companies for payment later (credit sales).
- Payment after 15-30-45 days
- Need to track aging of receivables
- Follow up required for collection
- Bad debt risk if not managed
Sample Daily Payment Report
DAILY PAYMENT REPORT - 06 Feb 2026
FRONT DESK COLLECTIONS
Cash₹28,500
Credit Card₹45,200
Debit Card₹12,800
UPI₹35,600
Bank Transfer₹15,000
Subtotal₹1,37,100
F&B OUTLET COLLECTIONS
Cash₹8,200
Card₹12,400
UPI₹6,800
Room Charge Posting₹15,500
Subtotal₹42,900
OTA SETTLEMENTS RECEIVED
MakeMyTrip₹85,600
Goibibo₹32,400
Subtotal₹1,18,000
CITY LEDGER RECEIVED
ABC Corp (Inv #1205)₹45,000
Subtotal₹45,000
SUMMARY
TOTAL COLLECTIONS₹3,43,000
Cash to Deposit₹36,700
Card to Settle (T+1)₹70,400
Payment Reconciliation Process
Daily Reconciliation (Night Audit)
- Count physical cash in drawer
- Match with cash transactions in PMS
- Close card batch on EDC machine
- Verify card amount matches PMS
- Check UPI receipts against PMS entries
- Investigate any discrepancies
- Prepare cash deposit for bank
Bank Reconciliation (Weekly/Monthly)
- Match bank statement with payment records
- Verify card settlements received
- Check OTA settlements against expected amounts
- Identify any missing or wrong deposits
- Follow up on outstanding city ledger
Golden Rule: Every rupee shown as revenue in your PMS should eventually appear in your bank account. If revenue is ₹10 lakh and collections are ₹9 lakh, you have ₹1 lakh problem to solve.
Common Payment Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Cash shortage at shift end | Recount, check for unposted transactions, review void/refunds |
| Card settlement doesn't match | Compare batch total with PMS, check for partial payments |
| OTA payment less than expected | Verify commission %, check for hotel-funded discounts, TDS/TCS |
| Corporate not paying | Follow up, send reminders, consider credit limit reduction |
| UPI payment not received | Check account, ask guest for screenshot, verify bank |
| Guest disputes charge | Keep signed registration, show itemized bill |
Payment Controls
- Separate cash drawers: Each cashier has own drawer
- Shift handover: Count cash at every shift change
- Daily deposits: Deposit cash daily, don't accumulate
- Void approvals: Manager must approve voids/refunds
- Audit trail: PMS should log all transactions with user ID
- Segregation: Person collecting shouldn't be person reconciling
Pro Tip: Encourage digital payments (UPI, cards). They're automatically recorded, reduce cash handling risk, and make reconciliation easier. Many guests prefer digital anyway.
Key Reports to Generate
| Report | Frequency | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Cashier Report | Every shift | Shift-wise collections by payment mode |
| Payment Summary | Daily | All collections for the day |
| Accounts Receivable Aging | Weekly | Outstanding city ledger by age |
| OTA Settlement Tracker | Weekly | Expected vs received from each OTA |
| Bank Reconciliation | Monthly | Match books with bank statement |
Warning: Never allow IOU or personal borrowing from cash drawer. This is how theft starts. All cash out must be documented as paid-out with approval.