Payments
There are two ways to collect payment on an invoice: online via Stripe Checkout or by recording a manual payment.
Online Payments via Stripe
When a customer receives an invoice, the email and public invoice page include a Pay Now button. Clicking it launches Stripe Checkout — a secure, hosted payment page.
What Customers See
Stripe Checkout handles the entire payment experience:
- Credit/debit card form
- Apple Pay and Google Pay (auto-detected)
- 3D Secure authentication when required
- Mobile-optimized layout
- Saved payment methods (if the customer has paid before)
Your customers never need to create an account. The payment link works without any login.
Payment Flow
- Customer opens the invoice via the link in their email
- Clicks Pay Now
- Completes payment on the Stripe Checkout page
- Stripe redirects them back to a confirmation page
- The invoice is automatically updated to Paid (or Partially Paid if applicable)
A processing fee of 3.4% + $0.30 applies to each online payment. This fee is deducted automatically from the payment amount.
After Payment
Once payment is confirmed:
- The invoice status updates automatically
- You receive a notification email at your invoice settings reply-to address
- The customer receives a payment receipt email with the updated invoice
Partial Online Payments
If the Stripe Checkout amount is less than the invoice balance, the invoice moves to Partially Paid status. The remaining balance is tracked automatically.
Manual Payments
For payments received outside of Stripe (cash, check, wire transfer, etc.), you can record them manually.
Recording a Payment
When recording a manual payment, specify:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Method | How the payment was made (e.g., card, check, cash, wire) |
| Amount | Payment amount (defaults to the full balance if omitted) |
| Reference | Optional reference number (e.g., check number, transaction ID) |
| Note | Optional note about the payment |
Partial Payments
The system supports multiple partial payments on a single invoice:
- Each payment is recorded separately
- The running balance updates automatically (total − sum of all payments)
- Status changes to Partially Paid after the first partial payment
- Status changes to Paid once the balance reaches zero
Example: A $1,000 invoice paid in two installments:
| Payment | Amount | Balance | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | $500 | $500 | Partially Paid |
| Second | $500 | $0 | Paid |
Payment Restrictions
- Payments cannot be recorded on cancelled invoices
- Payments cannot be recorded on credit notes
- To refund a paid invoice, create a credit note instead