Balance Due and Transaction Summary

Samuel

Updated August 10, 2026 18:13

Purpose	Understand how Balance Due and Transaction Summary are calculated, where to review them, and why filtered Folio totals can differ from the balance shown.
Best for	Front Desk, Night Audit, Manager/GM, and Admin users who review reservation or account balances.
Use this when	You need to explain a Balance Due, reconcile it with Folio activity, or identify transactions contributing to a reservation, Group Folio, or House Account balance.
Requirements	A reservation, Group Folio, or House Account with financial activity to review.
Expected result	You can identify which transaction categories contribute to the displayed Balance Due and understand how Folio filters affect what is visible.

Introduction

Balance Due and Transaction Summary use transaction data from Cloudbeds PMS to provide a consistent view of the amount owed. Balance Due is calculated from all applicable reservation or account transactions, even when filters hide some transactions from the current Folio view.

Transaction Summary breaks the balance into categories such as charges, payments, refunds, and Accounts Receivable transfers. Use this article to understand the calculation, find the summary, and investigate cases where the visible Folio totals do not appear to match Balance Due.

Who this affects and how
Benefits
Summary components
Where to find Balance Due and Transaction Summary
How filters affect Balance Due
Frequently asked questions

Who this affects and how

Balance Due and Transaction Summary can support different operational needs depending on the role reviewing the reservation or account.

Role	What to know
Front Desk	Use the Balance Due and Transaction Summary to review what a reservation owes. If the visible Folio totals seem different, check the Reservation ID filter and archived booking-room transactions before making adjustments.
Night Audit	Remember that Balance Due uses all applicable reservation transactions, not only the transactions visible in a filtered Folio. Use the archived booking-room guidance when reconciling Folio totals.
Manager/GM or Admin	Use Transaction Summary to understand which charges, payments, refunds, and transfers contribute to Balance Due. Review how filters affect visibility when investigating a discrepancy.

Benefits

Balance Due and Transaction Summary help property users understand what is owed and which transactions contribute to that amount across supported Folio and account views.

Reliable consistency: Balance Due and Transaction Summary use transaction data from Cloudbeds PMS for a consistent calculation across supported views.
Clear visibility in Group Folios: Transaction Summary shows the transaction types contributing to the balance.
Accurate updates: Balance Due updates when pending transactions are removed, such as after a no-show or cancellation.
Clear visibility in House Accounts: Balance Due and Transaction Summary provide visibility into the transactions contributing to the account balance.
Accurate regardless of filters: Balance Due is calculated using all applicable reservation or account transactions, even when filters hide some transactions from the current view.

Summary components

Transaction Summary groups the financial activity that contributes to Balance Due. The categories displayed depend on the transactions present in the reservation or account.

Subtotal: Base Rate and Room Revenue.
Additional Items: Items & Services and Add-ons.
Taxes and Fees: Taxes and fees grouped by individual tax or fee type.
Cancellation Fee and No Show Fee: Displayed when applicable.
Grand Total: Total of all charges combined.
Amount Paid: Total of all posted payments.
Upcoming Refund: Total of all pending scheduled refunds.
AR Transfer: Accounts Receivable balance transfer.
Refund Issued: Total of all refunds and chargebacks.
Balance Due: Grand Total - (Amount Paid + AR Transfer - Refund Issued).
Suggested Deposit: Suggested deposit amount calculated based on your Property Configuration.

Where to find Balance Due and Transaction Summary

Review Balance Due from the reservation when you need to understand what remains owed and how that amount is composed.

Open the reservation whose balance you want to review.
Click the Folio tab.
Open the Balance Due drop-down to review Transaction Summary and the amounts contributing to the balance.

The Balance Due drop-down shows the transaction categories that contribute to the reservation balance.

For a complete overview of the Folio and its filters, see Reservation Folio - Everything you need to know.

House Accounts

House Accounts can also display Balance Due and Transaction Summary. Older transactions may contribute to the balance even when the default date range does not show them.

Go to the Main Menu , and navigate to House Accounts
Select a House Account.
Review Balance Due and Transaction Summary at the top of the account.

In a House Account, the Balance Due drop-down appears above the Folio and summarizes the transactions contributing to the account balance.

House Accounts use a default date filter starting from today. If older transactions contribute to Balance Due, adjust the From date to view past activity.

How filters affect Balance Due

Filters change which transactions are visible in the current view. They do not change which applicable transactions are included in the Balance Due calculation.

Archived booking-room transactions

On reservations with archived booking rooms, transactions associated with those rooms are included in Balance Due. In the Reservation Folio, archived booking rooms can appear in the Reservation ID filter with an Archived label.

Select an archived entry in the Reservation ID filter to review the transactions associated with that booking room. Including these transactions in the visible Folio can change the Debit and Credit totals shown in the table because the totals then include those transactions.

The Reservation ID filter shows archived booking rooms with an Archived label, and the Folio table displays the transactions associated with the selected archived entries.

The fact that a transaction is associated with an archived booking room does not mean it should be removed. If a transaction is no longer needed, follow the standard process in How to void transactions.

Frequently asked questions

Use these answers when you need to explain the calculation or reconcile Balance Due with the transactions visible in a Folio or House Account.

How is Balance Due calculated?

Balance Due is calculated using all applicable reservation transactions, including pending and posted transactions.

Balance Due = Grand Total - (Amount Paid + AR Transfer - Refund Issued)

Do pending or scheduled payments count toward upcoming payments?

Yes. Failed or incomplete payments should be removed automatically once they are no longer pending or after they are posted. If they remain visible in the summary unexpectedly, contact the Cloudbeds Support Team.

Why can Balance Due differ from the transactions currently visible in the Folio?

The Folio can be filtered, while Balance Due is calculated using all applicable reservation transactions. For example, transactions associated with archived booking rooms are included in Balance Due and can be reviewed by selecting the corresponding Archived entry in the Reservation ID filter.

Why can the Folio Debit and Credit totals change when I review archived booking rooms?

The Folio totals reflect the transactions included in the visible table. When transactions associated with archived booking rooms are included in the view, the Debit and Credit totals can change to include those transactions. This does not change which transactions are used to calculate Balance Due.

Why does a House Account display a large Balance Due?

House Account Balance Due uses all historical transactions, including transactions outside the default date range. Older transactions can therefore contribute to the balance even when they are not visible in the default view.

How can I find older transactions contributing to a House Account Balance Due?

Adjust the From date in the House Account to include earlier activity.
For accounts with many records, use a custom report in Cloudbeds Insights to locate older contributing transactions more efficiently.
After identifying the transactions, determine whether any adjustments are required.

Now that you understand how Balance Due is calculated and how Folio filters affect transaction visibility, review this resource for a broader overview of reservation Folio tools and filters: