# Payout Manager

Payout Manager adds a payout button to the Clover payment screen. Staff pick a reason, enter the amount and hand over the cash. Payouts are logged with the employee, the reason and the time.

- Price: $1.99 / month
- Platform: Clover POS (United States and Canada)
- Install: https://www.clover.com/appmarket/apps/MZEVDZFTMEWH0
- Manual: https://howto.payplaxe.com/en/payout-manager.html

- Guide — First setup: https://howto.payplaxe.com/en/payout-manager-setup.html
- Guide — How payouts work: https://howto.payplaxe.com/en/payout-manager-guide.html

## How it works

1. **You name the button** — The app registers a tender in Clover under the name you choose. It appears on the payment screen next to Cash and Card.
2. **You prepare the reasons** — A reason is a template: name, colour, an optional fixed amount, an optional barcode, and whether the drawer opens.
3. **The cashier picks a reason** — Tapping the button opens your list of templates. The cashier selects one, confirms the amount and chooses the mode.
4. **Three ways to move the money** — **Apply as payment** lowers the order total. **Remove Cash** takes money out of the drawer. **Manual refund** records a negative transaction.
5. **Everything is written down** — The log keeps the employee, the reason, the amount and the time. Depending on the receipt setting, the payout is printed too.
6. **Reports** — Filter the log by employee or reason, reprint a receipt, or email the report as an Excel file.
7. **Your own paperwork still applies** — The log records what the app did. It does not replace the rules you work under: lottery payout limits, cash handling policy and drawer counts are still yours to follow.

## What it does

- **Payout button on the payment screen** — A tender you name yourself, for example `Payouts`, next to Cash and Card in the Clover Register.
- **Three payout modes** — **Apply as payment** lowers the order total. **Remove Cash** takes money out of the drawer. **Manual refund** records a negative transaction.
- **Payout templates** — Preset the name, reason, amount, colour and whether the drawer opens. A barcode can be attached so a template is found by scanning.
- **Payouts without a sale** — **Launch Clover Register** opens the Register on a new order carrying one placeholder line priced $0.00, so a payout can be taken with nothing sold.
- **Repeat a payout** — Long-tap a template with a preset amount and enter a count — the app multiplies the preset by the count and issues one payout of the total, logged as a single record. Templates without a preset amount are not affected.
- **Logs and Excel export** — The last 10,000 records, filters by employee and reason, receipt reprint, and an emailed link to the Excel report.
- **Receipts** — **None**, **Standard** (printed inside the receipt) or **Manually**. You can decide per payout.
- **Employee restrictions** — Control per employee who may issue payouts, add or remove cash, edit templates, and open logs and reports.
- **Mobile companion** — Scan the QR code in the app to review payouts and email reports from the PayPlaxe Android companion app. The phone app cannot issue payouts.
- **Web version** — [payoutmanager.payplaxe.com](https://payoutmanager.payplaxe.com) opens `Reports`, `Payout Reasons` and `Settings` in a browser on any computer. It is the same app, not a separate product: the browser is where it is set up, with the same Clover account and nothing extra to buy. Sign in with `Login via Clover`. Payouts themselves stay on the Clover device.

## First setup

1. Open **Payout Manager** on the Clover device. The app tile and the title bar read `Payouts`.If the app says `Please login as Manager or Admin`, switch to an employee with that role.
2. Step 1 — tap the pencil next to `Tender Button Name (In Clover Register)` and type the name your cashiers will look for, e.g. `Payouts`.
3. Step 2 — open `Payout Reasons` and tap `+` to create your first template.
4. Fill in the name, leave `Preset payout amount` unticked for variable payouts (lottery) or tick it and enter a fixed value for fixed ones (bottle deposit).Turn `Open drawer` on for cash payouts, pick a colour and save.
5. Open `Settings` → `Receipt Type` and choose **Standard** so payouts print inside the receipt.
6. In `Payout Mode` choose **Issue payouts + remove cash** if the money physically leaves the drawer, or **Issue payouts only** if you reconcile cash elsewhere.
7. Open `Restrictions`, pick the cashier and tick what they must not do — usually `Edit templates` and `Open reports`. A ticked box blocks the action; unticking it grants the action back.
8. Test it: tap `Launch Clover Register`, go to the payment screen, tap your tender button, issue a $1 payout and check the log.

> Everything here can be changed later without affecting past payouts — including the tender button name, which you can edit any time with the pencil on the home screen.

## Setup scenarios

### Lottery and video gaming payouts

Pay a winner at the counter, with the amount typed in on the spot and the reason stored for the audit trail.

1. Open **Payout Manager** on the Clover device — the app tile and the title bar read `Payouts` — and sign in as Manager or Admin.
2. Step 1 — `Tender Button Name (In Clover Register)`: type the name your cashiers will see, e.g. `Payouts`.
3. Step 2 — `Payout Reasons`: tap `+` and create a template named `Lottery payout`.
4. Leave `Preset payout amount` empty so the cashier types the win amount, and turn `Open drawer` on.
5. Set `Receipt Type` to **Standard** so the payout prints on the receipt.
6. Set `Payout Mode` to **Issue payouts + remove cash** so the drawer total stays correct.
7. In the Register, open the payment screen, tap your `Payouts` button, choose **Lottery payout**, enter the amount and confirm.

> If the payout is larger than the order total, the app warns you and shows how much cash to give as change.

### Bottle deposit refunds by barcode

Return container deposits in one tap, or scan the returned item to pull up the right template instantly.

1. Create a template named `Bottle Refund` in `Payout Reasons`.
2. Set `Preset payout amount` to the deposit value, e.g. `$0.10`.
3. Fill `Enter barcode (optional)` with the container barcode — type it in, or scan the item while the template editor is open and the code drops straight into the field.
4. Turn `Open drawer` on so the cashier can hand over the coins.
5. At the counter: open the payout dialog and scan the bottle barcode — the template is selected automatically.
6. For several bottles, long-tap the template and enter the count — the app fills in one payout of count × the deposit.

### Cash drops and drawer management

Take money out of the drawer during the shift and keep a record of who did it and why.

1. Create a template named `Cash drop` with no preset amount.
2. In the Register payout dialog choose the template and pick **Remove Cash**.
3. Enter the amount removed and confirm — the app shows `Cash removed` and logs the record.
4. To put a float back, open `Use in the app` on the home screen and tap `ADD CASH` — the Register payout dialog has no Add cash button, only `REMOVE CASH`, `APPLY AS PAYMENT`, `MANUAL REFUND` and `CANCEL`.
5. Review the movements later in `Payout logs`, filtered by employee.

> Cash drops are recorded as drawer movements, not as sales — they never distort your revenue reports. Warning: `REMOVE CASH` takes the money out straight away and no record can be deleted in the app, so a wrong amount has to be corrected with a matching `ADD CASH`.

### Payout with no sale attached

Pay a supplier, payroll or a tip when there is nothing in the cart.

1. Open **Payout Manager** on the Clover device — the tile reads `Payouts` — and tap `Launch Clover Register`.
2. The Register opens on a new order that already holds one placeholder line priced $0.00, with the payout tender button available. The line adds nothing to the total, but it stays on the order — delete it in the Register if you go on to sell something on that order.
3. Choose the reason (for example `Vendor payment`), enter the amount and confirm.
4. Choose **Remove Cash** if the money physically leaves the drawer.

### Restrict staff and keep an audit trail

Cashiers issue payouts; only managers change templates and see reports.

1. Open `Restrictions` in the app settings.
2. Pick an employee from the list — admins can never be restricted, and a manager cannot restrict another manager. An admin can restrict managers.
3. Tick what that employee must not do — the dialog is headed `'Name' can't:`, so a ticked box blocks the action: `Issue a payout`, `Add/remove cash`, `Edit templates`, `Open reports`. Warning: unticking a box removes the restriction and grants that action back.
4. Open `Payout logs` to review activity; use `Filter by employee` and `Select reasons` to narrow it down.
5. Tap the share button at the bottom of the Logs screen, confirm `Create report?`, then tap `Send via Email` and enter your address to receive the Excel export link.

> The report link expires. If it no longer opens, open the logs and tap the share button again to create a new one. Logs load the last 10,000 records.

## Home screen

The two numbered rows are the setup; the five tiles below are day-to-day use.

| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| 1. Tender Button Name | The name of the payout button inside the Clover Register. Cashiers see exactly this text. |
| 2. Payout Reasons | Your payout templates. The row shows how many you have. |
| Reports · Payout logs | Every payout with employee, reason and amount, plus filters and export. |
| Settings · Customize the app | Receipt type, payout mode, restrictions and the companion app. |
| How the app works | Two guides built into the app — `First setup` and `How payouts work`. They open on the device without an internet connection. |
| Launch Clover Register | Opens the Register on a new order carrying one placeholder line priced $0.00, so you can issue a payout with nothing sold. |
| Use in the app | Add or remove cash from inside Payout Manager, without an order — used for drawer drops and floats. |

## Payout templates

One card per reason. The coloured stripe is the colour you picked; `Money: Custom` means the amount is typed at payout time.

| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Card colour | Helps cashiers find the right reason quickly on a busy screen. |
| Name | The reason stored with every payout and printed on the receipt. |
| Money | Either the preset amount or `Custom` when the cashier enters it. |
| Drawer icon | Solid when `Open drawer` is on for this template, faded when it is off. Tapping it only shows a message such as `Cash drawer will open after payout` — it does not open the Register. |
| ⋮ menu | **Edit** and **Delete** for the template. |
| + button | Creates a new payout template. |

## Template editor

| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Enter name | Required. Shown in the payout dialog, the log and on the receipt. |
| Enter barcode (optional) | Scan this barcode at the payout dialog to select the template instantly. Type the code in, or scan the item while the template editor is open — the code drops straight into this field. |
| Preset payout amount | Off = the cashier types the amount every time. On = a fixed amount, e.g. a bottle deposit. |
| Enter amount | Appears when the preset is on; the fixed value for this reason. |
| Open drawer | Opens the cash drawer after the payout. Leave it off for records that do not move physical cash. |
| Color | The stripe colour of the card in the list. |

## Settings

| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| 1. Receipt Type | **None** — nothing printed. **Standard** — the payout prints inside the receipt. **Manually** — the app asks after each payout whether to print. |
| 2. Payout Mode | `Issue payouts + remove cash` — the amount is recorded in the Clover Cash Log and applied to the order. `Issue payouts only` — it is applied to the order only. Default: `Issue payouts only`. |
| 3. Restrictions | Per employee: issue a payout, add/remove cash, edit templates, open reports. A ticked box blocks the action. Admins can never be restricted; a manager cannot restrict another manager, but an admin can. |
| 4. Companion App | Shows a QR code to pair the phone app; the screen says `Scan this QR-code via Payout Manager on your Android device`, and in Google Play and on the phone that app is called `Payouts Manager`. `LINK TO ANDROID APP` asks for an email address and sends the Google Play link to it. From the phone you review payouts and email reports; payouts are issued on the Clover device only. |
| 5. App version | The installed version — quote it when you contact support. |

## Logs and reports

Opens on today by default. The last 10,000 records are loaded.

| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Date range | Two fields at the top set the start and the end of the period. |
| Columns | Date/time, amount, reason, employee (ID) and details of each payout. |
| Filter icon | `Filter by employee` and `Select reasons`. Each dialog has its own `Clear filter` button that resets that filter only — clear both to see everything again. |
| Info icon (Details column) | Opens the record's details, with `Reprint Receipt`. |
| Share button | Creates the report and emails you a link to the Excel export. |
| Total | The sum of everything currently shown, respecting the filters. |

## Everyday use

- Ring up the order as usual (or leave the cart empty for a payout with no sale).
- On the payment screen tap your payout tender button, e.g. `Payouts`.
- Pick the reason, or scan the barcode attached to it.
- Enter the amount if the template has no preset; on a template with a preset amount, long-press it and enter a count — one payout of count × the preset is filled in.
- Choose the mode: **Apply as payment**, **Remove Cash** or **Manual refund**, then confirm.
- If the payout is larger than the order, the app shows how much cash to give as change.
- Hand over the money; the drawer opens if the template says so and the receipt prints according to the receipt type.

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom | What to do |
|---|---|
| `Payout is more than the order amount` appears. | That is a warning, not an error. Confirm it and the app shows `Give $X cash as change` — the difference to hand over. |
| A cashier sees `You can't issuing payouts` or `You can't open logs`. | The employee is restricted. Open `Settings` → `Restrictions`, tap the employee and untick the actions in the `'Name' can't:` list. Ticking a box adds a restriction — it does not remove one. |
| The emailed report link no longer opens. | Report links expire. Open the logs, tap the share button and create a new one. |
| `Register not found` when using Launch Clover Register. | The Clover Register app is missing or disabled on the device. Install or enable it from the App Market. |
| The drawer does not open after a payout. | Open the template and turn `Open drawer` on — it is a per-template setting. |
| Payouts do not appear in the log. | Check the date range at the top of the Logs screen; it defaults to today. The list also loads only the most recent 10,000 records. If the device was offline at the moment of the payout, the record never reaches the log — check the connection before a busy shift. |
| The app's dialog never appears on the payment screen; Clover shows "Customer is choosing payment method". | Open the Clover **Setup** app → `Payments` and uncheck `Automatically take payment on Connected Device`, so payment is taken on the primary device. |
| Settings cannot be opened or changed. | Sign in with an employee whose Clover role is **Manager** or **Admin**. Some apps also have their own `Restrict access` switch that locks the configuration. |
| The app works erratically, or stops reacting after the device has been idle. | Turn off Battery Saver in the device's Android settings and keep the device online. |
| A change made on one device is not visible on another. | Settings sync through the cloud; give it a minute and make sure both devices have a network connection. |

## FAQ

**What kinds of payouts can I record?**

Lottery and video gaming payouts, bottle deposit refunds, cash drops, vendor payments, payroll, tips, rewards — or any custom payout with its own reason and an amount entered on the spot.

**Does it keep an audit trail?**

Yes. Payouts are logged with reason, employee and time as long as the device is online at the moment of the payout — a payout made offline never reaches the log. Reports export to Excel by email; payouts print on receipts; and restrictions control what each employee can do.

**Can I issue a payout without a sale?**

Yes — **Launch Clover Register** opens a new order carrying one placeholder line priced $0.00, with the payout tender ready.

**Does the cash drawer open automatically?**

Per template. Turn `Open drawer` on for cash payouts and off for records that do not move physical cash.

**Can I do this from a computer?**

Partly. [payoutmanager.payplaxe.com](https://payoutmanager.payplaxe.com) opens in any browser and signs in with one button, `Login via Clover` — there is no password and no QR code. If the app has never been opened on the Clover POS, the page answers `Open Payout Manager on your Clover POS, then try again`. In the browser you get `Reports` with the date range, `Filter by employee`, `Select reasons` and the emailed report; the full `Payout Reasons` editor; and `Receipt type`, `Payout settings` and `Restrictions` under `Settings`. Everything that happens at the register stays on the Clover device: issuing a payout, **Apply as payment**, **Remove Cash**, **Manual refund**, `Use in the app`, `Launch Clover Register`, barcode scanning and receipt reprint. `Merchant ID`, `Tender Button Name` and `Companion app` are read-only there. One difference to know: in the browser an employee who carries any restriction at all cannot edit payout reasons, while the Clover app blocks only the action that is ticked.

**What is the difference from Deposits Manager?**

Payout Manager moves money **out** (payouts, refunds, cash drops). [Deposits Manager](deposit-manager.html) collects deposits **in**, assigned to items.

**How much does it cost?**

$1.99 per month, with a 30-day free trial. Install and cancel any time from the Clover App Market.

**Is PayPlaxe an ISO?**

No. PayPlaxe is an independent software vendor and does not sell payment processing, so agents and ISOs can recommend the app without risking the merchant relationship.

---

Support: contact@payplaxe.com · answers in 5-15 minutes.
This portal is in beta.