Would be nice if there was a way to post a co-pay (or other payment) before initiating a note.

For example, the ability to select an appointment and initiate a note, assign a payment, and then forward that to the next person in the workflow (e.g. nurse, provider, etc.) to be reconciled at checkout after the note/superbill is complete.

Well, if you could start the superbill you could put it in there. Or,they could make a spot on the note where the MA could insert it at the beginning. When you get ready to do the superbill, it automatically fills it in.

I think they will work on this with PM, but there is no work around at this time

I had to write an application to keep track of co-pays (and other pt. payments), and to give the pts. a dated receipt. Unfortunately, this means an additional, unrelated-to-AC database of our patients' accounts.
In the not-too-distant future we will need ICD and CPT codes for the current OV to be placed on the payment receipt (for pts. who have ins. that we don't accept).
I'm not sure how and whether such a receipt could be generated ahead of the signed encounter note.

It seems like it would be fairly simple to give permission to the reception staff to start a superbill, for that date, posting only payments, and not allowing the function of adding cpt/icd codes at their levels.