# Auto-Charge Overview
**Your guide to processing payments for brand new and existing invoices.**
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Auto-Charge can be used to process payment for existing or brand new invoices upon creation. Below are the steps for each scenario.
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### **Process payment for an existing customer invoice**
1. Log in to your Alternative portal: [www.alternativepayments.io](https://www.alternativepayments.io/)
2. Go to the "Invoices" tab
3. Select the ellipses beside the invoice you wish to pay and click "Charge"
4. Select an existing payment method or add a new payment method by selecting 'Change' and entering their card or bank account details.
5. Choose "Charge now" or "Charge on due date" and click "Charge invoice"
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**Partial payments:** You can charge a partial amount on an invoice. When charging, adjust the amount to less than the full outstanding balance. The remaining balance will stay open on the invoice for future payment.
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### **Create and process payment for a new customer invoice**
1. Log in to your Alternative portal: [www.alternativepayments.io](https://www.alternativepayments.io/)
2. Go to "Customers" and select "All customers"
3. Select the ellipses beside the customer you wish to create an invoice for and click "Create invoice"
4. Input the invoice details
5. Select an existing payment method or add a new payment method by entering their card or bank account details
6. Choose "Charge later" or "Email payment link to customer" or "Charge the method on file."
1. **Charge later**: This will allow you to create the invoice.
2. **Email payment link to customer**: This will allow you to create the invoice and send an email right away to the customer
3. **Charge the method on file**: This will allow you to 'Charge now' or 'Charge on the due date' for the invoice.
The customer will be emailed a confirmation of payment and they can login to their customer dashboard to review and download a receipt.
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Want to learn more about managing your customers? Check out these helpful articles:
* [How do I add a customer to my partner dashboard?](https://help.alternativepayments.io/payments-and-invoicing/managing-customers/adding-new-customers)
* [How do I edit a customer?](https://help.alternativepayments.io/payments-and-invoicing/managing-customers/editing-customers)
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