The part payment arrives with a message saying full and final

The bank entry is only part of the communication

A hypothetical customer pays half an invoice and emails that the payment is in full and final settlement. The supplier sees the receipt first and prepares a routine reminder for the remainder. Before responding, preserve the complete communication and obtain legal advice about its effect. The remaining ledger balance does not by itself answer whether a settlement issue has arisen.

Keep the sequence intact

Collect the payment record, remittance, email and any earlier discussions about a discount or compromise. Record when each was received and any response already sent. Do not delete the settlement wording from a forwarded message because you disagree with it. The lawyer needs to assess what was actually communicated and done, including any conditions attached to the proposal.

Check the underlying account

Business.gov.au recommends checking the contract and payment conditions when an account remains unpaid. Reconcile invoices, credits and receipts so the factual balance is clear. This accounting exercise is separate from the legal effect of the customer's wording. Do not describe the balance as legally settled or unquestionably recoverable until the relevant communications have been reviewed appropriately.

Source: business.gov.au: What to do when you haven't been paid

Avoid an automatic legal conclusion

In the hypothetical example, neither the customer typing full and final nor the supplier keeping a ledger open supplies the complete answer. Ask the lawyer what response is appropriate and whether any immediate action concerning the payment is needed. Do not assume a standard email reservation, a refund or silence produces a particular legal outcome in every situation.

Coordinate the business response

Tell the relevant accounts and sales staff that the communication is being reviewed so they do not issue conflicting statements. Preserve any automated reminder already sent and provide it to the adviser. Keep the cash receipt accurately recorded while the account's legal status is assessed. Avoid changing records retrospectively to make it appear that the business responded differently.

Proceed from the advised position

Once the effect is clarified, update the collection plan and internal account status consistently. CRP can help organise the commercial records for the discussion. The useful next step may involve clarification, negotiation or recovery advice, depending on the facts. Reading the message attached to a part payment matters as much as noticing the amount that arrived.