Working through a stack of mailed checks one client at a time slows you down, especially once you’re managing dozens of them in a single sitting.
Bulk Check Entry gives you one page to record check payments across multiple clients and invoices without leaving the screen between each one.
You can apply a check to a single invoice, split it across more than one, or let an overpayment land as an account credit automatically. Each entry shows you right away whether it paid an invoice in full or left a balance.
Before You Start
- Depending on your permissions, you may not be able to perform all of the functions listed in this article. Please reach out to your Admin if you require additional access.
- Bulk Check Entry records your check payments. It does not process or deposit the physical checks. You’ll still need to deposit your checks the way you normally do.
- A batch holds up to 100 rows in one session.
- Search works by client name or invoice number only. It doesn’t support searching by PO number, project name, or service address.
How Bulk Check Entry Works
Bulk Check Entry works as a grid, not a form. Each row represents one check applied to an invoice or a client's open invoices.
As you commit each row, Docket keeps a running tally at the top of the page so you always know where your batch stands:
- Checks: Number of distinct check numbers you’ve entered.
- Rows: Number of rows you’ve filled in, out of the 100 per session.
- Batch total: The combined amount of every row.
- Warnings: Number of rows that have a warning worth a second look before you submit.
When you enter an amount without hand-picking specific invoices, Docket allocates it automatically to that client's oldest open invoice first, working forward until the amount is used up.
Navigate to Bulk Check Entry
To get to Bulk Check Entry, follow the instructions below:
- Click into “Invoices” in the left navigation menu.
- Click on “Actions” in the top left.
- Click on “Bulk Check Entry” from the menu that appears.
You’ll now see the Bulk Check Entry grid, ready for your first row.
Record a Check Payment
To record a check payment, follow the instructions below:
- Click into the “Invoice/Client” field in the first open row.
- Type an invoice number or a client's name.
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Select the matching invoice or client from the results that appear.
Please Note: If you select a client instead of a specific invoice, Docket lists each of their open invoices as a separate row below your entry, showing the balance for each. If the client has only one open invoice, Docket treats your selection the same as picking that invoice.
Docket allocates a clients-level search to the oldest open invoices first. If you want to apply a check to specific invoices instead, you have two options: remove the invoice rows you don’t want before entering your check number and amount, so the amount only distributes across what’s left, or search by invoice number directly from the start to skip the automatic allocation entirely. Once you’ve entered an amount and Docket has distributed it across the open invoices, removing a row won’t redistribute the amount to the ones that remain. You’ll need to clear the entry and start over.
- Click into the “Check #” field and enter the check number.
- Click into the “Amount” field and enter the amount of the check.
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Add a description, if needed.
- Press Enter on your keyboard to commit the row.
You’ll now see the row’s status update to show how much of the invoice the check covered:
Paid in full: The check covers the full balance.
Partial: The check covers part of the balance. The row shows the remaining balance.
Unpaid: The check applies $0 to the invoice. This can happen on a clients-level entry once the check amount runs out before Docket reaches a later invoice.
Overpayment: The check is more than the invoice balance. See “Handle an Overpayment” below.
Handle an Overpayment
Sometimes a check pays more than what’s owed. What happens next depends on whether you entered the check against a specific invoice or searched by client name. If you select a client with only one open invoice, the entry works the same as selecting that invoice. An amount above the balance shows the Overpayment status, and the excess becomes a credit on the client's account.
Please Note: Any leftover amount is automatically recorded as an account credit. The credit’s description includes the check number so you can trace it back later.
Apply an Overpayment to a Specific Invoice
If you search for and select a specific invoice, and the check pays more than that invoice’s balance, Docket shows you the excess amount. What happens next depends on whether the client has other open invoices.
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Enter a check amount greater than the invoice’s balance. The row’s status updates to “Overpayment” and shows the excess amount.
- If the client has other open invoices, click “Leave as credit” to hold the excess as a credit on their account once the batch posts, or click “Spill to open invoices” to apply the excess toward those invoices instead.
When you select “Spill to open invoices” you’ll see the row split into as many rows as needed to apply the excess across the client's other open invoices, oldest first, until the amount is used up.
Please Note: If the client has no other open invoices, “Spill to open invoices” won’t appear and the leftover amount becomes an account credit automatically.
Apply an Overpayment Across a Client's Invoices
If you search by client name instead of a specific invoice, Docket already allocates the amount you enter across that client's open invoices automatically, oldest first. If you enter more than the total of all their open invoices combined, the row shows how much is left to apply and lets you know it becomes a credit once committed.
Split One Check Across Multiple Invoices
If a check covers more than you owe on one invoice, or a client sends one check for several invoices, you can apply the same check number across more than one row for that client. Enter it once against the first invoice, then add a new row and enter the same check number against the next invoice.
Docket will provide a warning, letting you know that the check has already been used for the client in case you are providing an incorrect check number. This can be disregarded when you have one check to spread across multiple invoices for a client.
Review Warnings Before You Submit
As you enter checks, Docket flags a couple of situations worth a second look:
- Invoice already has a payment in this batch: Appears if the same invoice appears in more than one row in your current batch.
- Check already used for this client: Appears when you manually enter a check number that’s already been applied to that client elsewhere in the batch. Doesn’t appear when Docket applies the same check across invoices for you automatically, like through an overpayment split.
Click “Show warnings” in the summary bar to filter the grid down to only the rows that have one. Click “Show all rows” to switch back to the full batch.
A warning doesn’t stop you from submitting the batch. It’s there so you can double-check the row before you do. If a row was entered by mistake, click the “x” next to it to remove it from the batch.
Review and Submit Your Batch
Once you’ve entered all your checks, follow the instructions below to finish the batch:
- Click “Review # checks” in the top right.
- Review the batch summary: the number of checks, the number of invoices, and the batch total.
- If any rows have warnings, review them before continuing.
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Click “Submit batch.”
You’ll now see a confirmation that your batch has posted, and the grid clears so you can start a new batch, if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
These FAQs address common questions and quick clarifications to help you use this feature with confidence.
Does Bulk Check Entry Process My Checks?
No. Bulk Check Entry only records that a check was applied to an invoice. You’ll still need to deposit the physical checks the way you always have.
Can One Check Cover More Than One Invoice?
Yes. Enter the same check number across more than one row for the same client, once for each invoice it covers.
What Happens If I Make a Mistake Before I Submit?
Click the “x” next to any row to remove it from the batch before you submit. Removing a row doesn’t affect anything you’ve already submitted in a previous batch.
Do I Need Bulk Check Entry for a Single Check?
Not necessarily. If you’re only recording one check for one client, click here to learn more about applying a payment directly to an invoice.
Will My Clients Get a Notification for Each Invoice I Pay?
Yes, if they have notifications turned on. Each invoice paid in a batch sends its own notification, so one check covering 10 invoices can trigger 10 separate notifications. This matches how notifications already work for single payments outside Bulk Check Entry.
If you have any questions, please reach out to our Support team through the chat widget on the bottom of this page or by sending an email to support@yourdocket.com!