F-02Callout sheet
Contractor accounts at the counter: credit limits, pay terms and trade prices
Contractor accounts let trade customers buy now and pay later. In Hardware Store POS each customer can have a credit limit and pay terms (for example 30 days), belong to a customer group with its own prices, and buy on account at the till while the system tracks every unpaid invoice and its due date.
T-01Test rig
Test rig: one contractor account
Set a credit limit and terms, add a sale on account, and see whether the counter would allow it and when payment falls due.
At the till
Simulation for illustration; the live software screens differ in layout.
!The problem
Why contractor tabs go wrong on paper and in generic POS
- 1A paper card or spreadsheet does not stop the counter selling past what the contractor is good for.
- 2Contractors expect their own prices; staff guessing discounts at the till loses margin.
- 3Statements at month end take days if every sale on account has to be found again.
- 4When a builder sends a crew member, the counter needs to know which account the materials go on.
BOMParts list · the settings involved
What you can set for trade & contractor accounts
| No. | Setting | What it does at the counter |
|---|---|---|
| F-02.01 | Credit limit | The most a customer can owe. Sales on account beyond it are flagged at the till. |
| F-02.02 | Pay term | Number of days or months before an invoice falls due, set per customer. |
| F-02.03 | Customer group | Applies a percentage price change to everyone in the group (e.g. trade, builders, government). |
| F-02.04 | Selling price group | Separate price lists per item, for contractors who get set trade prices rather than a flat percentage. |
| F-02.05 | Opening balance | What the account already owes when you move from the old system. |
| F-02.06 | Ledger | Every sale, payment and return on the account, with running balance, printable or as PDF. |
| F-02.07 | Shipping / delivery fields | Delivery address and details on the sale for job-site drops. |
| F-02.08 | Reward points (optional) | Points per spend for walk-in customers, if you run a loyalty scheme as well. |
4 stepsSet-up sequence
How trade & contractor accounts is set up
Create the account
Add the contractor as a customer with company name, tax number, credit limit and pay terms in days or months.
Put them in a price group
Assign a customer group (e.g. "Trade 10%") or a selling-price group so their prices apply automatically.
Sell on account
At the till, pick the account and finalise the sale as due. The POS warns when the sale would pass the credit limit.
Collect and reconcile
Record payments against invoices, see what is due and overdue per customer, and print a ledger for the account.
⚠Field notes
Running trade accounts well
Set limits before day one
Import opening balances and limits with the customer file so nobody starts above their limit.
One account per company
Use the contact's company field and note authorised buyers, rather than one account per crew member.
Agree terms in writing
The POS enforces what you set; your trade account form should state the same terms.
Review overdue weekly
The due-payments view is quick; looking weekly keeps overdue balances small.
Parts that fit with this one
Q&ASheet set · FAQ
Trade & contractor accounts: questions owners ask
- Can I set a different credit limit for each contractor?
- Yes. The credit limit is set on each customer account. Leave it empty for no limit, or set a figure in your currency.
- What pay terms can I use?
- Any number of days or months, for example 7 days, 30 days or 2 months. Invoices on account get a due date from the term.
- How do contractors get their own prices?
- Two ways: a customer group that applies a percentage to normal prices, or a selling-price group with set trade prices per item. Both apply automatically when the account is chosen at the till.
- What happens if a sale goes over the credit limit?
- The POS warns at the till that the customer would exceed their limit, so the counter can take a part payment or ask a manager.
- Can a contractor pay off several invoices at once?
- Yes. Record one payment on the account and allocate it to due invoices, oldest first or as you choose.
- Can I print a statement for an account?
- Yes. The customer ledger shows sales, returns and payments with a running balance and can be printed or saved as PDF for the contractor.
- Does this work for khata (credit) customers in Pakistan?
- Yes. A khata customer is a customer account with a credit limit and pay terms; the same due tracking applies, and receipts can print in Urdu.
- Can I send contractors to a website for their own business?
- Yes. Our sister studio Contractor Web Studio Hub builds websites for trades. Many stores pass it on to their best accounts.
- Is there a separate fee for trade accounts?
- No. Trade accounts, credit limits and pay terms are on every plan, including Counter.
See trade & contractor accounts with your own items
Send a few rows of your item file and we set this feature up for your store on a live demo. Or start the trial and try it straight away.
21-day free trial · no card to start · no contract