PayPack offers two ways to manage scheduled installment payments in NetSuite depending on how your accounting team tracks receivables:

• PayPack Customer Installment Plan: Configured at the Customer record level using the PayPack Installment Plan custom record. Ideal when scheduling standalone future payments or recurring customer-level payment plans independent of a single upfront invoice. (See: How Customer Installment Plan Works)

• NetSuite Native Invoice Installments + PayPack Recurring Billing: Configured directly at the Transaction (Invoice) record level using NetSuite's native Installments feature. Ideal when you need to post the full Accounts Receivable (A/R) balance upfront on a single invoice while splitting payments across scheduled due dates—and automatically collect each installment via Stripe using PayPack Recurring Billing.

Customer vs. Transaction Installment

Step 1: Enable NetSuite's Native Installments Feature

Before creating installment payment terms, enable the native feature in your NetSuite environment:

1. Navigate to Setup > Company > Enable Features.

2. Click the Accounting subtab.

3. Under the Advanced Features section, check the Installments box.

4. Click Save.

Step 2: Create an Installment Payment Term

NetSuite native installments are driven by Payment Terms. Once the feature is enabled, new installment fields become available on the Term record.

1. Navigate to Setup > Accounting > Accounting Lists > New > Term.

2. Enter a descriptive name in the Terms field (e.g., 3 Monthly Installments).

3. Check the Installment box. (Note: Checking this box reveals installment-specific settings and disables unsupported term fields such as early payment discounts.)

4. Configure your schedule parameters:

   • Days Till Net Due: Enter the number of days after the invoice date that the first payment is due (enter 0 if due upon receipt).

   • Recurrence Frequency: Select Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Annually.

   • Recurrence Count: Enter the total number of payments (e.g., 3).

   • Repeat Every: Enter the interval between payments (e.g., 1 for every month).

5. Configure split and tax behavior:

   • Split Evenly: Check this box to divide the invoice amount equally across all installments. Leave unchecked if you plan to define custom amounts per installment directly on the transaction.

   • Pay Tax Upfront: Check this box to include the entire tax amount (and any shipping taxes) in the first installment. (Note: Shipping fees themselves are still split across installments.)

6. Click Save.

Step 3: View and Adjust Invoice Installment

Once your installment term is saved, you can apply it to customer transactions:

1. Open an existing Invoice, or create a new one.

2. Navigate to the Billing subtab and select your installment term from the Terms dropdown.

3. NetSuite automatically populates the Installments sublist with the scheduled dates and amounts. The header-level Due Date on the invoice automatically updates to reflect the next upcoming installment due date.

4. (Optional) Customize Specific Installments: To adjust individual installment dates or payment amounts on an invoice, check the Override Installments box under the Billing subtab and edit the unpaid installment lines. Ensure the sum of all installments still equals the total invoice amount.

5. Click Save.

How NetSuite Tracks Payments & Aging

• Partial / Overpayments: When a payment is recorded against the invoice, NetSuite applies it to the earliest open installment and updates its status to Paid or Partially Paid. Any overpayment automatically rolls over to the next scheduled installment.

• A/R Aging: Only installments past their specific due date are flagged as overdue—not the entire remaining invoice balance.

Step 4: Automate Collection with PayPack Recurring Billing

Once your invoices are configured with native NetSuite installments, PayPack Recurring Billing eliminates manual follow-up by automatically charging the customer's saved payment method on each installment due date.

• On each scheduled installment date, PayPack detects the open installment amount due and initiates the Stripe payment automatically.

• Upon a successful charge, PayPack creates the corresponding NetSuite Customer Payment and applies it directly to that installment on the invoice.

To configure your Recurring Billing rules, saved searches, and automation schedule, follow the setup guides in our PayPack Recurring Billing Documentation.