Advanced Payments, also known as virtual terminal, is an add-on that can be purchased at an additional cost for your FreshBooks subscription. If you're on a Select plan, this add-on may be automatically included. Advanced Payments includes the following features:
- Virtual Terminal - Add and store clients’ credit cards by manually keying in card details, and pay invoices using Charge Card
- AutoCollect - Require clients to opt into AutoPay, and/or add clients’ saved credit cards to a recurring template
Details
- Purchase the Advanced Payments add-on by upgrading your subscription, and review reasons why Advanced Payments may not be available
- All payments charged through manually entered and saved credit cards are an additional 0.60% on top of your usual transaction fee through FreshBooks Payments and Stripe Standard
- Advanced Payments works with Stripe Standard for international businesses
- Payment information is always protected with FreshBooks' Security and Reliability Safeguards
- Can be used by business owners, admins, and managers only, based on permissions
Virtual Terminal and Charge Card
Use virtual terminal to add and store clients’ credit card information in person, over the phone, or from your computer to get paid quickly. You can also use Charge Card to proactively charge your clients with their credit card information. This can also be used on recurring templates to set up recurring payments using AutoCollect.
Client Profile
If you want to save the client’s credit card information without making an invoice or recurring template first, you can add it to the client’s profile as a saved payment option. Use the below steps to add a new payment option for your client:
- Select the Clients section
- Then select the client you'd like to add a saved credit card to
- Under Payment Options, select the plus + button
- Then select Add a credit card
- Enter the credit card details
- Select Save to finish. The client will now have a saved card that can be used to pay for future invoices and recurring templates.
Saved Payment Options Notes:
- To save a card to the client profile while using Charge Card on an invoice or recurring template, check off the checkbox next to Save this card for future charges when entering in credit card information
- When using Charge Card, any saved cards for that client will become available to select to pay the invoice
Invoices
Charge Card can be used on any invoice, including those generated from retainers, with these steps:
- Select the Invoices section
- Then select an invoice you want to pay
- Select the Charge Card button
- If applicable, under Payment Options, select either Charge full amount ($xx.xx) or Charge a different amount
- If Charge a different amount is selected, specify the total you'd like to charge as a partial payment
- Next, enter the credit card details
- If you'd like to save the card to the client's profile for future invoices, check off the box next to Save this card for future charges
- Select the Charge Now button to process the payment. The invoice will now be fully or partially paid with the payment details entered.
Multiple Invoices
If you'd like to pay multiple outstanding invoices at once with the saved payment information, use these steps instead:
- Select the Invoices section
- Then select an invoice to be paid with a client's card
- If there are any other outstanding invoices for the same client, select the x outstanding invoices link at the top of the invoice
- Then select the Pay Outstanding Invoices link above the list
- Enter the credit card details
- Then select the Charge Now button to finish and all the selected outstanding invoices will be paid simultaneously.
Manage Saved Credit Cards
Remove saved credit cards if they’re no longer needed, or if you need to replace an existing saved credit card with updated information in either the client profile or the recurring template:
Remove Saved Card From Client Profile
Deleting a saved credit card from a client profile will also remove it from any active recurring templates. As a result, any generated invoices after removal will not be auto-paid. To delete a saved card from a client profile, use these steps:
- Select the Client section
- Then select the client that has the saved card(s) you want to delete
- In the Saved Credit Cards area of the client's profile, hover over the right side of the card and select the trash can icon
- In the pop-up, select Remove Credit Card to confirm. The card will now be deleted from the client profile.
Remove Saved Card From Recurring Template
Deleting a saved credit card from a recurring template will only remove it for that particular recurring template. Any other recurring templates using the same saved credit card will still continue to generate auto-paid invoices. To delete a saved card from a recurring template, use these steps:
- Select the Invoices section
- Then select the Recurring Templates sub-tab
- Select the recurring template that has a saved card you want to remove
- Next, select Edit
- Under Settings, select Recurring Schedule
- In the Payment Options area, hover over the right side of the saved card and select the trash can icon
- Select OK to confirm. The card will now be deleted from the recurring template.
AutoCollect
AutoCollect, as part of Advanced Payments, works in two ways:
- If you don’t have your clients’ credit card information, you can require clients to opt into AutoPay on recurring templates
- If you have your clients’ credit card information, you can add their payment information to new and existing recurring templates to collect payments automatically
Require AutoPay on Recurring Templates
If you don’t have the client’s credit card information, use these steps to require AutoPay on a recurring template:
- Select the Invoices section
- Then select the Recurring Templates section, or select New Invoice and then select Make Recurring
- While on the recurring template, under Payment Options, check off the box next to Require credit card for automatic payments
- Finish with the rest of your recurring template and save it.
Once your client receives the generated invoice and opens it to pay, the Pay Now button will then prompt them to set up recurring payment by entering their credit card details for future generated invoices:
Your clients will always have the option to update their saved payment details anytime after you've set up a recurring template on AutoCollect.
Add Card to Recurring Template
If you already have the client’s credit card information, you can set up AutoCollect on a recurring template with these steps:
- Select the Invoices section
- Then select the Recurring Templates section, or select New Invoice and then select Make Recurring
- On the new recurring template in Settings, select Recurring Schedule
- Under Payment Options, check off the box next to Require credit card for automatic payments
- Then select the Add credit card link
- Enter the credit card details
- Select the Save Card button
- Finish with the rest of your recurring template. Once saved, it’ll now generate invoices that will have recurring payments activated automatically.
FAQs
I want to purchase the Advanced Payments add-on but it's not available in my Billing and Upgrade page?
The option to add Advanced Payments will only be available after your FreshBooks Payments or Stripe Standard account is fully connected and set up first. Once set up, return to the Billing and Upgrade page and the Advanced Payments add-on will be available to add to your subscription.
Can I charge a card that my client has entered and saved themselves?
You'll only be able to charge cards and use saved credit cards that you have been provided by the client and entered yourself. Any credit cards that have been entered in by your client on their end will not be accessible to you.
