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Client experience with invoices

See how your clients will view your invoice and pay through a smart file.

Updated over 2 months ago

HoneyBook makes payments simple, but if your clients ever have questions about submitting a payment online (or need a quick walk-through), here's some great information to reference.

In smart files containing an invoice, your client will need to click through the preceding pages first and complete any required actions on those pages. They’ll also review their itemized list of items or services, as well as the payment schedule you’ve set up.

Then, they’ll continue to the payment screen to make their first payment, which you can allow them to do via credit card or bank transfer. Your client will not be able to proceed past the payment page until they make payment.

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Once they make their payment, they’ll select your final button to submit the smart file and complete the process.

Your client’s payment experience will vary slightly based on how you've designed the invoice and payment schedule.


First or only payments

On the payments page, your client will be able to enter their credit card information or pay by bank transfer, depending on the payment options you’ve set.

For credit card payments, they'll enter the following information:

  • Full name on card

  • Card number, expiration date, and security code (CVC)

  • Billing address

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For bank transfers, the client can select their bank of choice and follow the on-screen prompts to sign into their online bank profile, which will automatically link the rest of their information.

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Now, they can add gratuity (if you have that option turned on—if not, they will not see the option to add a tip), and if they're making future payments that they want to automate, they can check the box for autopay.

Then, they can select Pay when they're ready.

When a client enters their payment information and selects Pay, the first payment in the payment schedule will process from the client's account immediately, even if this occurs before the payment due date.

  • This also applies if autopay is turned on; if the client enters their payment information before the first payment due date, the initial payment will process from the client's account immediately, and future payments set to autopay will automatically process on the set due dates.

You'll receive the payment within the standard payment processing times.If your client encounters any trouble making payment, check out this resource on payments troubleshooting.


Second and additional payments

When a client is ready to submit their next payment, they can:

  • Reuse the original credit card

  • Add a new payment method by selecting the Add (+) button

  • Select Edit, then the trash can icon to remove the first payment method

  • Select Pay to submit their payment


Autopay

When making a payment, if the client is making future payments that they want to automate on the due dates, they can check the box for autopay.

📣 Note

If autopay was toggled on under the file’s payment settings, your client will be required to check the box for autopay before they’re able to submit payment.

If a client ever needs to change the card on file for automatic payments, they'll need to first turn off automatic payments. Then, they can manually make the next scheduled payment with the appropriate card and opt back in to autopay at that time.


Recurring invoices

Your clients’ experience with the initial recurring invoice will be nearly identical to their experience with single invoices. They’ll review the smart file, input their payment information, and submit their payment.

Your client will not be able to change, pause, or cancel their own recurring invoice (they’ll need to reach out to you to make any adjustments).

📣 Note

If a client inputs payment information before the initial payment due date, the first payment will process on the day the information is added, not on the first invoice due date. Following payments, however, will only be able to occur when the next invoice is due.


If you've enabled client selects plan

📚 Tip

Learn more about letting your client decide their payment plan here.

If you've chosen client selects plan under the payment plan settings, your client will have a few choices to make before making their first payment.

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When the client opens the invoice:

  1. They’l be prompted to choose their payment plan

    1. If they select Split payment, they can pick the number of payments they’ll make

    2. If they select Pay in full, the full amount of the invoice will be due

  2. Once they select their payment plan, they can fill in their payment details

    1. The amount due will be the total invoice amount due divided by the number of payments they selected

    2. Any future payments will be due monthly

  3. They'll then be prompted to enter payment details and submit payment

Still have questions? Feel free to send us a message by clicking the Question Mark icon on any HoneyBook page. Our team is always happy to help!

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