---
title: "Contra Transaction"
description: "How to record internal fund transfers between accounts in NICE HMS — cash to bank, bank to bank, and other account-to-account movements."
date: 2026-07-19
lastModified: 2026-07-19
category: "billing"
author: "Dr. Umesh Bilagi"
beta: true
---

## Overview

Contra Transactions record internal fund transfers between accounts. Unlike Bill Transactions (patient-facing) and Advance Transactions (patient deposits), contra entries are purely for internal accounting — moving money from one account to another.

## When to Use Contra Transactions

| Scenario | From Account | To Account |
|----------|-------------|------------|
| Depositing cash into bank | Cash Account | Bank Account |
| Transferring between bank accounts | Bank Account A | Bank Account B |
| Moving funds to petty cash | Bank Account | Petty Cash |
| Correcting account balances | Any account | Any account |

## Creating a Contra Transaction

1. Go to **Billing > Contra Transaction**.
2. Click **New Contra Entry**.
3. Fill in:

| Field | Description |
|-------|------------|
| **Date** | Date of transfer |
| **From Account** | Source account (money leaving) |
| **To Account** | Destination account (money arriving) |
| **Amount** | Transfer amount |
| **Reference** | Cheque number, bank reference, or description |
| **Notes** | Reason for transfer |

4. Click **Submit**.

The transaction is recorded in both accounts' ledgers — as a credit (outflow) from the source and a debit (inflow) to the destination.

## Contra vs Bill vs Advance

| Transaction | Parties | Use Case |
|------------|---------|----------|
| **Bill** | Patient → Hospital | Charging for services |
| **Advance** | Patient/TPA → Hospital (deposit) | Advance payment before billing |
| **Contra** | Internal account → Internal account | Moving funds between accounts |

## Contra Reports

View contra transactions from **Reports > Contra Register**:
- Date-wise listing of all contra entries
- Filter by account
- Export to PDF or Excel

## FAQ

**Q: Does contra affect patient balances?**
A: No. Contra transactions only affect internal accounts, not patient accounts.

**Q: How many accounts can I have?**
A: You define your chart of accounts in Accounts Master. See [Accounts Master](/docs/accounts-master).