# Pharmacy step 7: credit for regular patients

> Let regular patients, clinics and institutions take medicines on credit, pay in instalments, and keep their balance within a credit limit.

Source: https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/pharmacy/step-7-customer-credit/  
Last updated: 2026-10-30  
Product: SmartPOS Hub (https://smartposhub.com)

Neighbourhood pharmacies often let regular patients, elderly customers and nearby clinics pay later. In SmartPOS Hub this is an ordinary **credit sale** or **part payment** on the customer's account, with a credit limit to keep it safe.

## Sell on credit

1. At the POS, select the customer (search by name or phone, or add them with the + button). Walk-In Customer can't buy on credit.
2. Add the medicines, units and batches as usual ([step 5](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/pharmacy/step-5-sell-by-strip-and-box/)).
3. Click **Credit Sale** to put the full amount on account, or **Pay** and enter only what they pay now.
4. Complete the sale. The receipt shows paid and due.

## Collect payments

Open **Contacts › Customers**, find the patient and use **Pay Due Amount** each time they pay. Payments reduce the oldest dues first. Their **Ledger** shows every sale and payment and can be downloaded or e-mailed as a PDF.

## Credit limits

Edit the customer and set a **Credit Limit**. Leave it empty for no limit. A sale that would take the balance over the limit is stopped with a clear message; a manager can raise the limit on the customer.

The full walkthrough with screenshots (20 % now, 50 % later, then the rest): [Credit and part payments](https://docs.smartposhub.com/selling/credit-and-partial-payments/) and [Mart step 6: customer credit](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/mart/step-6-customer-credit-khata/).

## The other side: what you owe distributors

Distributors usually give you credit too. Each supplier's **Pay term** and balance show in **Contacts › Suppliers**; unpaid purchases show as **Payment due**.

![Suppliers list of a pharmacy with distributor names, pay terms of 15 to 30 days, opening balance and advance balance](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/pharmacy-suppliers.CgIiZ3kO.png) (web app page: `/contacts?type=supplier`)
*Distributors with their pay terms.*

  - [Step 8: Expiry returns and write-offs](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/pharmacy/step-8-expiry-returns-and-write-offs/)
  - [Customer credit limits and advances](https://docs.smartposhub.com/selling/customer-credit-limits-and-advances/)

## Frequently asked questions

### Can a patient take medicine now and pay at the end of the month?

Yes. Select the patient as customer and complete the sale as a Credit Sale, or take a part payment. The balance goes on their ledger.

### How do I stop a patient's balance growing too large?

Set a Credit Limit on the customer. The POS refuses a credit sale that would go over it and shows the limit and what is already due.

### How do I bill a clinic every month?

Add the clinic as a customer, sell on credit through the month, then send the ledger for the month as a PDF and collect with Pay Due Amount.

### Can I give a regular a fixed discount?

Yes. Put them in a customer group with a percentage discount, or a selling price group. See Customer groups.