Managing Cases
Once a collection case is open, you have full control over how it progresses. Pause cases when a customer is negotiating, register payments received outside PayRequest, or waive remaining balances when you’ve agreed on a settlement.These features work for both invoice-based cases and external debt cases. You can manage any active or paused case from the case detail page.
Key Capabilities
Pause & Resume
Temporarily suspend automated escalation while you negotiate with the customer
Partial Payments
Register payments received via bank transfer, cash, or other channels
Waive Balance
Write off the remaining balance when you’ve agreed on a settlement (kwijtschelding)
Activity Timeline
Every action is logged in a unified timeline — emails, letters, payments, stage changes
Pause & Resume
Sometimes you need to put a case on hold — for example, while negotiating a payment arrangement, waiting for a customer response, or during a dispute review.Pausing a Case
What happens when a case is paused:
- Automated escalation is suspended — the case won’t progress to the next stage
- Daily processing skips the case entirely
- The customer portal shows a “Case On Hold” message
- You can still send reminders, register payments, and add notes
- The payment link remains active — the customer can still pay at any time
Resuming a Case
Click Resume on the purple banner (or from the paused case list). The case returns to Active status and:- Days overdue are recalculated based on the current date
- If enough time has passed, the case may automatically escalate to the next stage
- Automated processing resumes from the next daily run
Filtering Paused Cases
On the Debt Collection overview, use the Status filter and select Paused to see all cases currently on hold.Registering Payments
When a customer pays outside of PayRequest — via direct bank transfer, cash, or another channel — you can register the payment manually to keep the case up to date.Register a Payment
Below the amount breakdown, you’ll see the Register Payment form (only visible for active or paused cases with a remaining balance).
Amount Breakdown
When partial payments are registered, the case detail page shows a clear breakdown:| Line | Example |
|---|---|
| Original Amount | EUR 1,000.00 |
| Collection Fee | EUR 40.00 |
| Total Due | EUR 1,040.00 |
| Amount Paid | - EUR 500.00 |
| Remaining | EUR 540.00 |
Automatic Case Closure
When the total amount paid reaches or exceeds the total due, the case is automatically marked as paid. No manual action needed.Payment History
All registered payments appear in the Payment History table on the case detail page, showing the date, amount, method, and any notes for each payment.Waiving the Remaining Balance
Sometimes you agree to accept less than the full amount — a settlement, goodwill gesture, or recognition that the full debt won’t be recovered. In Dutch collection practice, this is called kwijtschelding (remission).Register any actual payments you’ve received. The remaining balance will be calculated automatically.
Below the Register Payment button, click Waive Remaining. You’ll see a confirmation dialog showing the exact amount that will be waived.
Pre-Collection Stage (Pre-Incasso)
Before starting formal debt collection, you can send a free, informal reminder — the Pre-Collection stage. This is a soft first step that often resolves the payment without any formal collection process.How It Works
When creating a new collection case, toggle Pre-Incasso on. The case starts at Stage 0: Pre-Collection instead of Stage 1. Stage 0 characteristics:- Softer, more friendly communication tone
- No collection fees added
- Gray/neutral color in the portal (less alarming for customers)
- Emails and letters use gentle reminder language
- After 14 days without payment, the case automatically escalates to Stage 1
Stage Overview (Including Pre-Collection)
| Stage | Name | Tone | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Pre-Collection | Gentle, assumes oversight | None |
| 1 | Friendly Reminder | Polite, clear request | None |
| 2 | Formal Notice | Professional, sets deadline | None |
| 3 | Collection Fees | Firm, fees applied | Yes |
| 4 | Final Warning | Urgent, final chance | Yes |
Activity Timeline
Every action on a case is recorded in a unified timeline on the right sidebar of the case detail page. The timeline combines:- Stage changes — When the case moves to a new stage (with colored badges)
- Emails sent — Each reminder email, with timestamp
- Letters sent — Postal letters uploaded to Pingen
- Payments registered — Manual payment registrations
- Balance waived — Remission entries
- Case created, paused, resumed, cancelled, closed — All status changes
- Notes added — Internal notes you add to the case
Best Practices
Use pre-incasso for first-time late payers
Use pre-incasso for first-time late payers
If a customer has a good payment history and is late for the first time, start with pre-incasso. A gentle nudge is usually enough.
Pause before escalating to Stage 3
Pause before escalating to Stage 3
Before adding collection fees, pause the case and reach out to the customer directly. Many disputes and arrangements happen at this stage.
Register all payments, even small ones
Register all payments, even small ones
Tracking every payment builds a clear record. If you ever need to involve a legal advisor, a complete payment history is invaluable.
Use notes to document agreements
Use notes to document agreements
When you agree to a payment arrangement or partial settlement, document it in the case notes. This protects both you and the customer.
Consider remission for uncollectable amounts
Consider remission for uncollectable amounts
If recovery costs would exceed the remaining balance, it’s often more practical to waive the amount and close the case. Focus your energy on cases with better recovery potential.
FAQs
Can I register a payment on a paused case?
Can I register a payment on a paused case?
Yes. You can register payments on both active and paused cases. If the registered amount covers the full balance, the case is automatically marked as paid regardless of its current status.
What happens to the payment plan when I pause a case?
What happens to the payment plan when I pause a case?
The payment plan continues independently — pausing the case only stops automated escalation. If you need to pause the plan too, cancel it separately.
Can customers still pay when a case is paused?
Can customers still pay when a case is paused?
Yes. The payment link remains active and the Pay Now button is visible in the customer portal. Pausing only affects automated processing, not the customer’s ability to pay.
Is the waived amount shown to the customer?
Is the waived amount shown to the customer?
The customer sees the case as paid. The internal payment history (visible only to you) shows the breakdown of actual payments versus waived amounts.
Can I skip pre-incasso and start at Stage 1?
Can I skip pre-incasso and start at Stage 1?
Yes. Pre-incasso is optional. When creating a case, simply leave the Pre-Incasso toggle off. The case will start at Stage 1 (Friendly Reminder) as before.