How to charge credit cards

In this article, you'll learn how to charge a customer's credit card from a job or an invoice, at your desk or out in the field. The money goes into your own Stripe account and lands on the invoice by itself, so there's nothing to record by hand afterward.

Every card payment runs through Stripe. Until you've connected it, the card options are replaced by a single Set up Stripe button that takes you to Settings › Payments. See Connecting Stripe to take online payments.

Note: You don't need a card reader. On the web you can charge a saved card or type the card number in. In the phone app you can also use Tap to Pay.

Charging a card on the web

On the web, every card option lives in the Collect payment panel.

To open Collect payment:

  1. Open the job and click Create Invoice at the top right. If the job already has an invoice, the button says View Invoice.
  2. Or click Invoices in the menu, open the invoice, and click Collect payment. The button is greyed out once nothing is owed.

The panel shows the invoice number, the total and a Listening for payment… badge. When the payment goes through, the badge changes to PAID ✓ by itself. A part payment shows as Partially paid with the amount so far.

Opening Collect payment from an invoice
Note: Collect payment only shows on an invoice that belongs to a job. A stand-alone invoice, such as an estimate deposit, has Add payment instead, which records a payment by hand.

Charge the card on file

If the customer has saved a card, the panel opens with a Card on file section showing the card's brand and last four digits.

  1. Under Card on file, click Charge card ending XXXX.
  2. Wait for the badge to change to PAID ✓.
Warning: Sometimes the customer's bank wants them to approve the charge themselves. The charge doesn't go through, and you'll see a message telling you to send them the invoice link instead. Click Send invoice in the same panel so they can pay it themselves.

To save a card for a customer in the first place, see How to add a card on file for clients.

Type the card in

Use this when the customer reads you their card number over the phone.

  1. Under Pay by credit card, click Pay by credit card. Our secure card page opens, headed Card payment with the invoice number.
  2. Type in the card details.
  3. Click Charge $X. The button shows the amount owed.

The page shows Payment approved — booking it…, then Paid once the payment lands on the invoice. Go back to the job and click View Invoice. The panel shows PAID ✓ and asks whether to send a receipt.

Tip: On a monthly rental, the card page also has a box that saves the card and charges it each month. It starts ticked. Only leave it ticked if the customer has agreed to the monthly charge.

Send the invoice instead

If the customer isn't with you, use the Remote — send the invoice section.

  1. Click Send invoice. If it's already gone out once, the button says Send invoice again.
  2. Pick Via SMS or Via email at the top of the drawer.
  3. Check the number or address, then click Send text or Send email.

They pay from the link, and the panel changes to PAID ✓ the moment they do. Leave Credit card ticked under Let client pay with: so the link offers a card. See Sending payment links.

Sending the invoice from Collect payment
Tip: If you've added a Sunbit link under Settings › Financing, the panel also has an Offer financing (Sunbit) section with a Text financing link button. See Offering Sunbit financing to your clients.

After the payment

Once the money lands, the CRM asks Send a receipt? Click Yes, then Text, Email or Both. Or click Not now. Then click Done — refresh job to close the panel.

Note: On some rental jobs, the panel asks you to sort out the rental's billing or get its contract signed before the card options show.

Charging a card on the phone app

To open Collect payment on the app:

  1. Open the job and tap the Finance tab.
  2. Tap Add payment. On an invoice, tap Collect payment instead. It only shows while something is owed.

At the top you'll see Amount due over the job total. Tap Edit to change the amount, but the card buttons always charge the full balance. Only cash, check and the other methods you record by hand take part payments.

Card on file

If the customer has a saved card, the first button reads Charge card ending XXXX. Tap it, and the screen shows Paid once the charge goes through. If their bank wants them to approve it, you'll see a message saying so. Tap Send payment link instead.

Tap to Pay

  1. Tap Tap to Pay on iPhone, or Tap to Pay on Android.
  2. Check the amount and tap Approve Amount.
  3. If you take tips, the customer picks a percentage, Custom tip amount or No tip, then taps Add tip or Continue.
  4. Under Add your signature, the customer taps the box to sign, then taps Pay $X.
  5. They hold their card or phone to the top of your iPhone, or the back of your Android phone.

The screen reads Approved. Tap Done, and the Collect payment screen shows Paid. See Using Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android for more detail.

Type card manually

  1. Tap Type card manually. A screen headed Card payment opens. Tap Approve Amount, and pick a tip if you take them.
  2. The customer signs, then taps Continue to card · $X.
  3. The card page opens inside the app. Enter the card and tap Charge $X.

The page shows Payment approved — booking it…, then Paid. Tap Done to go back to the job.

After a card on file charge or a tap, the app asks Send a receipt? just like the web.

Note: In the app, the card buttons only show for people whose role has the Charge Credit Cards permission. The Tech role has it by default. To change it, go to Settings › Users & roles › Roles & permissions on the web.

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