# Record payment

Record payment is a command in the HeadHoncho API. Record money the customer paid on a job. A payment that covers the price closes the job, as it does in the app.

Page: https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/record_payment | Part of the HeadHoncho API docs: https://headhoncho.app/docs/api | Machine-readable: https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/openapi.json | Everything in one file: https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/llms-full.txt

## The request

Reference for **Record payment**, HeadHoncho API v1. It is a command, sent to the base address `https://api.headhoncho.app`.

`POST /api/v1/commands/record-payment`

The key needs the **Money** area at **do**. An answered call costs 1 credit; a refusal costs nothing. See [credits](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#credits).

It runs the app's own command `record-payment`. Send an `Idempotency-Key` header with every call: the same key with the same body returns the first answer and runs nothing twice. See [the model](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/model#idempotency).

## Parameters

| Name | Kind | Required | Description | Example |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `job_id` | id, in the JSON body | Yes | The job id, or its number. | `job_1138` |
| `amount` | money, in the JSON body | Yes | What was paid, a number. | `1450` |
| `method` | text, in the JSON body | Yes | cash, card, zelle, check or other. One of `cash`, `card`, `zelle`, `check`, `other`. | `card` |
| `received_at` | datetime, in the JSON body | No | When. Default: now. | `2026-10-16T11:40:00-05:00` |
| `collected_by_id` | id, in the JSON body | No | The technician who took the money, if one did. | `wrk_7a12` |
| `processing_fee` | money, in the JSON body | No | What the card processor kept, if anything. | `42.35` |
| `processor_reference` | text, in the JSON body | No | The processor's id for the charge. | `ch_3P1x...` |
| `memo` | text, in the JSON body | No | Anything to remember. | `Paid at the door` |

## Try it with your key

Paste your key and change the values. The box builds the call as a cURL line and a fetch line, ready to copy. It never sends anything itself.

Paste your key on the web page and it fills a cURL line and a fetch line with your key and the example values. The page never sends the key anywhere. The same lines with a placeholder key are under Examples below.

## What comes back

accepted, job_id, number, payment_id, amount, position, and closed: whether the payment closed the job. close_gaps names what kept it open, when something did.

It never deletes anything. It changes only what the command names, and it writes the change to the job's history with who asked for it.

## Every field in the answer

Types are read from the example answer. Money is a plain number in the company's currency. A time carries its offset from UTC (`Z` is UTC). Ids are opaque text. A field with no line of its own here has its name spelled out; the common fields mean the same on every page.

| Field | Type | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `accepted` | true or false | True when the command ran. A command that cannot run is an error instead. |
| `job_id` | id (text) | The id of the job. |
| `number` | whole number | The number people say out loud, such as the job number. |
| `position` | whole number | Where the change landed in the event log. Pass it as `after` on a read to see your own write. |
| `payment_id` | id (text) | The id of the payment. |
| `amount` | money (decimal as text) | The amount. In the company's currency. |
| `closed` | true or false | True when the job is closed. |

## Errors that apply

| Code | Status | What it means |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [`missing_key`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#missing_key) | 401 | Send your key as Authorization: Bearer hh_live_... |
| [`unknown_key`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#unknown_key) | 401 | That key is not one we issued, or it was revoked. |
| [`no_access`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#no_access) | 403 | This credential does not reach that. Ask the person who made it for access. |
| [`read_only`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#read_only) | 403 | This credential may read this area but not change it. |
| [`not_found`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#not_found) | 404 | No such record in the companies this credential reaches. |
| [`invalid`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#invalid) | 422 | Some fields were refused. See fields. |
| [`missing_idempotency_key`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#missing_idempotency_key) | 400 | Send an Idempotency-Key header on every command. |
| [`idempotency_mismatch`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#idempotency_mismatch) | 409 | This Idempotency-Key was used with a different body. |
| [`idempotency_in_progress`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#idempotency_in_progress) | 409 | A command with this Idempotency-Key is still running. Wait a moment and send it again. |
| [`no_credits`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#no_credits) | 402 | Out of credits. Top up on Settings › Credits, or turn on auto top-up. |

## Related

- [Void payment](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/void_payment): Stop a payment entered wrong from counting. It stays on the job's money, marked voided, with why.
- [Record expense](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/record_expense): Record a cost on a job: parts, a rental, fuel. Paid by a technician, it is paid back to them on top of their share.
- [Void expense](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/void_expense): Stop an expense entered wrong from counting. It stays on the job's money, marked voided, with why.
- [Book field report](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/book_field_report): Book what a technician reported: the payment, the parts and the job's price, as sent or as you correct them. The job closes when nothing is missing.
- [Dismiss field report](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/dismiss_field_report): Not this: book nothing from a technician's report. What they said is kept on the job.
- [Add expense type](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/add_expense_type): Add a kind of cost the company records, such as Parts or Truck rental. A name already in use is refused, so sending it twice adds one.
- [Update expense type](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/update_expense_type): Rename an expense type, or retire it so new expenses cannot pick it. Old expenses keep it either way.
- The same records in the app: [the Finance panel](https://headhoncho.app/docs/finance).
- How the API fits together: [the model](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/model), [API keys](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/keys), [errors](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors) and [the MCP server](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/mcp).

## Examples

### Answer

```json
{
  "accepted": true,
  "job_id": "job_1138",
  "number": 1138,
  "position": 88502,
  "payment_id": "pay_91c0",
  "amount": "1450.00",
  "closed": true
}
```

### cURL

```bash
curl -X POST "https://api.headhoncho.app/api/v1/commands/record-payment" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer hh_live_..." \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: 6f1d2c9e-1b7a-4c1e-9a52-0d3f8e4b7a10" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "job_id": "job_1138",
  "amount": 1450,
  "method": "card",
  "received_at": "2026-10-16T11:40:00-05:00",
  "collected_by_id": "wrk_7a12",
  "processing_fee": 42.35,
  "processor_reference": "ch_3P1x...",
  "memo": "Paid at the door"
}'
```

### Python

```python
import requests
import uuid

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.headhoncho.app/api/v1/commands/record-payment",
    headers={
        "Authorization": "Bearer hh_live_...",
        "Idempotency-Key": str(uuid.uuid4()),
    },
    json={
        "job_id": "job_1138",
        "amount": 1450,
        "method": "card",
        "received_at": "2026-10-16T11:40:00-05:00",
        "collected_by_id": "wrk_7a12",
        "processing_fee": 42.35,
        "processor_reference": "ch_3P1x...",
        "memo": "Paid at the door",
    },
)
response.raise_for_status()
print(response.json())
```

### JavaScript

```javascript
const response = await fetch("https://api.headhoncho.app/api/v1/commands/record-payment", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    Authorization: "Bearer hh_live_...",
    "Idempotency-Key": crypto.randomUUID(),
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    "job_id": "job_1138",
    "amount": 1450,
    "method": "card",
    "received_at": "2026-10-16T11:40:00-05:00",
    "collected_by_id": "wrk_7a12",
    "processing_fee": 42.35,
    "processor_reference": "ch_3P1x...",
    "memo": "Paid at the door"
  }),
});
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);
```

### Your AI

```text
Tool: record_payment
Arguments: job_id (id, required), amount (money, required), method (text, required), received_at (datetime, optional), collected_by_id (id, optional), processing_fee (money, optional), processor_reference (text, optional), memo (text, optional)
Access: do on Money
Hints: readOnly=false, destructive=false, idempotent=false, openWorld=false
Try asking: "Using HeadHoncho, record payment with job_id job_1138 and amount 1450 and method card and received_at 2026-10-16T11:40:00-05:00."
```