# How Can We Help? Welcome to our Help Center. Find answers to common questions, step-by-step guides, and best practices. Explore the resources below or reach out directly for personalized assistance.
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# Introduction to Alternative Payments
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# Alternative Payments Introduction Alternative Payments is a billing and payments platform built for B2B service companies -- MSPs, IT service providers, and recurring-revenue businesses. We automate the accounts receivable workflow so you can get paid faster, reduce manual effort, and give your customers a modern payment experience. *** ## What the Platform Does * **Automated invoice sync** -- Connect your PSA or accounting software and invoices flow into Alternative Payments automatically. No manual uploads, no double entry. * **White-labeled payment portal** -- Your customers get a branded portal where they can view and pay all outstanding invoices in one place. * **Auto-reconciliation** -- When a customer pays, the payment status and deposit details sync back to your connected integration automatically. * **Auto-Pay** -- Set customers up on automatic payments so invoices are collected on a schedule without anyone lifting a finger. * **Pay in Installments** -- Offer your customers the flexibility to pay large invoices over time while you get paid upfront. * **Reporting and analytics** -- Track collections performance, payment trends, and outstanding AR from your partner dashboard. *** ## Who It's For Alternative Payments is designed for B2B service companies that bill on a recurring basis and want to modernize how they collect payments. Our partners typically run on a PSA (ConnectWise, HaloPSA, Autotask, SuperOps) or accounting platform (QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, FreshBooks, Sage Intacct, Business Central, Zoho Books) and need a payment solution that plugs directly into their existing workflow. *** ## What We Believe In 1. **Transparent pricing**\ No hidden fees, no surprise rate increases. You see exactly what you pay and what your customers pay. We believe transparency builds the kind of trust that long-term partnerships require. 2. **Dedicated support**\ Every partner gets a dedicated Customer Success Manager. We are partners to our customers and work together to solve real problems. 3. **No workflow disruption**\ Alternative Payments integrates into your existing invoicing and accounting process. You do not have to change how you work -- we adapt to you. To learn more, visit us at [www.alternativepayments.io](https://www.alternativepayments.io/) **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Why Alternative Payments **Here's why Alternative Payments has everything your business needs to make payments a breeze.** *** At Alternative Payments, we strive to bring you and your customers a seamless payment experience that helps improve collections and grow revenue. We are the leading, white-labeled payment solution that allows businesses to consolidate payments into one platform while providing their customers with flexible financing options. No longer do you need to rely on multiple payment providers, or collect payments manually, costing your operations and finance team hours a day. Additionally, we do not require changes to your existing billing or invoicing workflows (e.g., no major implementations). *** Here's why you should [get started with Alternative](https://www.alternativepayments.io/get-a-demo/) today: 1. **Automations:** Save time and improve collection rates with automation features such as auto-pay. You'll be able to set auto-pay rules to specific customers or your whole customer base, and charge them automatically based on the criteria outlined by you. 2. **Countless Integrations:** We're integrated with the top PSA and accounting softwares to help you keep track of payment statuses in one place and save you 10+ hours per week of manual entry. Learn more about our integrations [supported integrations](/integrations/getting-started/supported-integrations). 3. **Financing:** Make your services more affordable than competitors, get paid upfront by us, enjoy the benefits of instant cash flow, and offer your customers that financial flexibility to pay their invoices over time with our [Pay in Installments](/payments-and-invoicing/bnpl-pay-in-installments/pay-in-installments-benefits) feature. 4. **Transparent Pricing:** We believe in absolute transparency. Pay a monthly subscription fee without any hidden fees—it's really that simple! Learn more about our pricing [here](https://www.alternativepayments.io/pricing/). 5. **Dedicated Support:** Enjoy the benefits of a dedicated account executive, customer success team, and support channel, so you can get help whenever you need it. We're committed to your success! 6. **AP Module:** Access the AP Module directly from your PSA to view payment statuses, send billing links, and manage invoices without leaving your existing workflow. 7. **Insights:** Use the Insights dashboard to track collection performance, monitor aging receivables, and identify trends across your customer base. Follow this [guide](/getting-started/account-set-up-and-configuration/getting-started-on-alternative-payments) to easily get started on Alternative Payments today! # Submitting Product Feature Requests **We always love hearing from our valued partners! Here's how you can reach out to submit your product feature requests.** *** At Alternative Payments, we highly value our partners' feedback to enhance our product and make our platform the best it can possibly be. We understand that our partners' needs are constantly evolving, and we are committed to delivering a payments platform that meets and exceeds expectations. Your input is vital in shaping the future of our platform, and we truly appreciate the time and effort you invest in sharing your product feature requests. When a product feature request is submitted, rest assured that it receives careful consideration from our team. We carefully evaluate each suggestion, taking into account its feasibility, potential impact, and alignment with our overall product roadmap. Our aim is to continuously enhance the Alternative Payments experience and provide you with the best solutions that cater to your unique requirements. Your feedback not only drives innovation but also strengthens our relationship with you, our valued partners. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey. Together, we can shape a payments platform that empowers you and your business. Please keep the feedback coming—we are eager to hear your ideas and are committed to making your experience with Alternative Payments exceptional in every way. If you have an idea for a product feature currently not available, please submit in the Requests section of our [product roadmap](https://product.alternativepayments.io/).
You can also reach out to us at , over live chat or through your designated Alternative Payments Customer Success Manager. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Does Alternative Payments charge end-customers? Alternative Payments charges the following transaction fees to your end-customers based on the payment method used: * ACH: Free * Credit Card: * VISA / Mastercard: 2.9% + 30¢ * AMEX: 3.5% + 30¢ * Canada: Credit card surcharges are capped at 2.4% in compliance with Canadian regulations. * Pay in Installments: 3.0% - 7.0% for 30 - 150 day terms (1.0% increase in fee per 30 days) Partners are offered the flexibility to enable and disable passing on credit card fees to their end-customers based on their discretion. To learn more about Alternative Payments' platform fees for you, visit [www.alternativepayments.io/pricing/](https://www.alternativepayments.io/pricing/) # How to save up to 10 hours weekly with auto-reconciliation **Auto-reconciliation eliminates the manual work of matching payments to invoices by automatically syncing payment data between Alternative Payments and your connected integration.** *** ## What Is Auto-Reconciliation? Auto-reconciliation is the automatic two-way sync of invoice and payment data between Alternative Payments and your PSA or accounting software. When a customer pays through your Alternative Payments portal, the payment details are written back to your integration automatically -- no manual entry, no copy-pasting, no reconciliation spreadsheets. *** ## How It Works Step by Step 1. **Invoices sync in** -- Once your integration is connected, your open invoices are pulled into Alternative Payments automatically. New invoices sync as they are created in your PSA or accounting software. 2. **Customers pay through the portal** -- Your customers receive a billing link or invoice notification and pay using their preferred method (ACH, credit card, or Pay in Installments). 3. **Payment status syncs back** -- When a payment is processed, Alternative Payments updates the invoice status in your connected integration (e.g., marked as paid in QuickBooks, closed in ConnectWise). 4. **Deposits are recorded** -- Payment deposit details are written to the bank account you selected in your integration settings, so your books stay accurate without manual journal entries. *** ## What Syncs and in Which Direction | Data | Direction | Description | | --------------------- | ------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Invoices | Integration --> AP | Open invoices are pulled from your PSA or accounting software into Alternative Payments | | Customer/contact info | Integration --> AP | Billing contacts sync so invoice notifications reach the right people | | Payment status | AP --> Integration | Paid, partial, or failed status updates are pushed back to your integration | | Deposit records | AP --> Integration | Payment deposit details are recorded against the bank account you configure | *** ## Where the Time Savings Come From Partners report saving up to 10 hours per week because auto-reconciliation eliminates: * **Manual data entry** -- No re-keying payment amounts, dates, or reference numbers into your accounting system * **Payment matching** -- No comparing bank deposits against open invoices to figure out who paid what * **Status tracking** -- No logging into multiple systems to check whether an invoice was paid * **Error correction** -- No fixing mismatched amounts or duplicate entries caused by manual processes *** ## How to Enable Auto-Reconciliation Auto-reconciliation is enabled automatically when you connect an integration. There is no separate toggle -- once your PSA or accounting software is linked to your Alternative Payments dashboard, the two-way sync begins. To connect an integration, see: [Differences Between Integrations](/integrations/getting-started/differences-between-integrations) **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Countries Supported Alternative Payments currently supports partners in the **United States** and **Canada**. *** ### United States U.S.-based partners have access to the full Alternative Payments platform. Supported payment methods include: * **ACH (bank transfer)** - Free for customers * **Credit and debit cards** - Processing fees apply * **Pay in Installments** - Flexible financing that lets customers pay invoices over time All transactions are processed in **USD**. *** ### Canada Canadian partners operate entirely in **CAD**. Supported payment methods include: * **Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD)** - The Canadian equivalent of ACH * **Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)** * **Credit and debit cards** The following features are **not** currently available for Canadian partners: * Pay in Installments * Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) * Collections

Regional restriction: Quebec is not currently supported due to additional provincial consumer protection and language requirements. Partners with customers in Quebec should contact their account executive for guidance.

For more details on operating in Canada, see [Using Alternative Payments in Canada](/getting-started/using-alternative-payments-in-canada). *** ### International Credit Card Processing Alternative Payments supports processing transactions from major international credit cards. Partners based in the U.S. or Canada can accept credit card payments from customers located outside of North America, subject to standard processing fees. {% hint style="info" %} International credit card processing is limited to card payments only. ACH, PAD, EFT, and financing options are not available for international transactions. {% endhint %} # Account set up & configuration
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# Getting Started on Alternative Payments **Account setup takes about 10 minutes. Verification and account activation typically take 1 to 3 business days.** *** Curious about how to get started with Alternative Payments? As a first step, book a demo with a member of our sales team: [Book a demo with Alternative](https://www.alternativepayments.io/get-a-demo/). After the demo, your sales rep will introduce you to your dedicated Customer Success Manager to get your onboarding process started. *** ### **Overview of our onboarding process** 1. **Sign up for your account** -- visit [app.alternativepayments.io](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) and create your account using Social Sign On (Google or Microsoft 365) or a username and password. See below for step-by-step instructions. 2. **Complete your business profile** -- enter your company details, legal name, EIN (United States) or Business Number (Canada), address, and company representative information. 3. **Submit KYC verification** -- provide a government-issued photo ID for the company representative and any beneficial owners holding 25% or more ownership. This is required by financial regulations. 4. **Connect your bank account** -- link your bank account for payouts using Plaid or by entering your details manually. 5. **Set up your integrations** (if applicable) -- connect your accounting software (QuickBooks Online, Xero) and/or PSA (ConnectWise, Autotask, HaloPSA, SuperOps). To learn more, visit our [integration guides](/integrations/accounting-integration-guides). 6. **Account review and activation** -- your account will be in **Setup Mode** while our team reviews your verification documents. This typically takes 1 to 3 business days. During Setup Mode, you can explore the platform and configure your settings, but you cannot process live payments. 7. **Go live** -- once your account is verified, your Customer Success Manager will work with you to activate your account, complete platform training, and take your billing link live. *** ### **How to sign up** For new partners, the process to get started is easy. Visit [app.alternativepayments.io](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) and click on "Log In" located in the top right corner to initiate your account setup. From there, you have the choice to configure your account by using convenient social sign on options via Gmail or Microsoft 365, or you can opt to establish a secure password. Once your account is created, you'll be introduced to your Customer Success Manager to get your account activated. **Social Sign On:** Navigate to "Create an account" and sign up for your new account with Google or Microsoft 365. You'll be navigated to your email provider's website where you can finish the set up by entering your email credentials.
**Password Login:** Set up your Alternative Payments account by configuring an email and secure password. You'll receive an email from ** with a one-time 6-digit code to finish setting up the new account.
After signing up for your account via SSO or Password Login, you'll receive a confirmation code to your registered email. After entering the code, you'll be prompted to **Register new company**:
*** ### **Complete your business profile** 1. **Tell us about your company:** Enter your company name, legal name, EIN (United States) or Business Number (Canada), company website, phone number, company type, industry, and provide a company overview. Click "Continue." 2. **Company address:** Enter your company address and then click "Continue." 3. **Tell us about yourself:** Fill out your name and job title. Click "Continue." 4. **Company representative:** Enter the details of the individual who holds ultimate control over decision-making and is authorized to enter binding agreements on the company's behalf. You will need to upload a government-issued photo ID for this person. 5. **Ownership details:** Add any beneficial owners holding 25% or more ownership. Each beneficial owner will also require a government-issued photo ID. If there are no additional beneficial owners, select Continue. 6. **Connect your bank account:** Connect your bank account via Plaid or enter your banking details manually. 7. **Set up your integration:** Connect your accounting or PSA integration if applicable. *** ### **Business Address Requirements** Alternative Payments requires a **physical street address** for your business. PO boxes are not accepted as a business address and will be rejected at every point where an address can be entered or updated — including the onboarding form, your Company Profile, and any background sync from a connected integration. **What counts as a PO box?** The platform detects common PO box formats automatically, including variations such as "PO Box 100," "P.O.B. 100," "Post Office Box 100," and "Box 100." If your street address field or suite/unit field contains a PO box value, you will see one of the following inline error messages: * *"PO boxes cannot be used as your business address. Please enter a physical street address."* — shown when a PO box is entered in the street address field. * *"PO boxes cannot be used as your business address. Please remove the PO box from the suite or unit field."* — shown when a PO box is entered in the suite or unit field. **If your saved address is already a PO box** If the business address currently on file is a PO box, you will see a warning banner on your Company Profile page that reads: > **Your business address needs updating** The address we have on file is a PO box. Card networks require a physical street address for your business, so you'll need to replace it before you can save other changes on this page. If you see this banner, update your business address to a physical street address as soon as possible. Leaving a PO box on file may disrupt your ability to process payments. **Private mailboxes (e.g. UPS Store suite numbers)** Addresses that appear to be private mailboxes — such as a suite number at a commercial mail receiving agency — are flagged and reported internally but are not automatically blocked. If your business address uses a private mailbox of this kind, please contact your Customer Success Manager or so we can review your account. **Individual and UBO addresses** This requirement applies to your **business address** only. Residential addresses provided for individual company representatives or beneficial owners (UBOs) are governed by a separate policy and are not affected by this rule. *** ### **Setup Mode and account activation** After completing your business profile, your account will be in **Setup Mode** while our compliance team reviews your information and verification documents. During Setup Mode: * You can explore the dashboard, configure your settings, and set up integrations * You can customize your billing link, branding, and email templates * You **cannot** process live payments or accept customer payments Verification typically takes **1 to 3 business days**. Your Customer Success Manager will notify you when your account has been approved. *** ### **Pre-go-live checklist** Before taking your account live, make sure you have completed the following: * [ ] Business profile and KYC verification approved * [ ] Bank account connected * [ ] Accounting and/or PSA integration connected (if applicable) * [ ] Billing link configured * [ ] Company branding (logo) uploaded * [ ] Email notification and reminder settings configured * [ ] Customer communication sent announcing your new payment process * [ ] Previous payment platform deactivated (reminders off, auto-pay disabled) Once everything is in place, your Customer Success Manager will activate your account and you're ready to start processing payments. *** ### **Adding a Payout Bank Account** When you add a bank account for payouts, Alternative Payments verifies that the account holder name on the bank account matches your verified legal entity name on file. If there is a mismatch — for example, if your business operates under a trade name or DBA — the bank account cannot be approved until the discrepancy is resolved. **If your bank account name does not match your legal entity name, you have two options:** 1. **Provide a letter from your bank.** Submit a letter on bank letterhead confirming that the DBA name on the account is associated with your legal entity — for example, a letter stating that "Praesto Works, Inc. is a DBA of Superior Endeavors, Inc." Contact your Customer Success Manager to submit this documentation. 2. **Add a different bank account.** Add a bank account whose account holder name exactly matches your verified legal entity name on file with Alternative Payments. **If your legal entity name has recently changed:** If you have obtained new EIN documentation (such as an IRS CP 575 or equivalent) reflecting your updated legal name, contact your Customer Success Manager. AP support staff can upload the EIN document on your behalf to update the legal name on file, which will allow the bank account verification to proceed. **Once the documentation is in place:** After the name match is confirmed — whether through a bank letter, a new bank account, or an updated EIN record — the bank account will enter a standard review period. The dashboard will show the account status as **UNDER REVIEW**. No further action is required from you during this time. You will be notified once the review is complete and the bank account is active for payouts. # Getting my Customers Started on Alternative Payments **Getting started with Alternative Payments is a straightforward process for your customers. Here's how.** *** Alternative Payments is extremely easy to use for your customers and for you. Once you send your billing link to your customers, they can log in and start making payments right away. ### 1. Create the customer in your dashboard Before your customer can access the payment portal, you need to create a customer record in your Partner Dashboard (or sync them from your connected PSA/accounting integration). ### 2. Send your billing link Once the customer exists in the system, send them your billing link. ### 3. Customer completes setup and pays They will be asked to confirm their business details, link their bank account or credit card, and select an invoice to pay. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Credit card processing fees are passed through to the customer by default. Your specific rates may vary based on your plan. {% endhint %} Read more: [Settling an invoice: A step-by-step guide to making easy payments through Alternative](/end-customer-faqs/end-customer-faqs/making-invoice-payments) # Custom Billing Links **Your billing link is a unique URL that takes your customers directly to your branded payment portal, where they can view and pay outstanding invoices.** *** ## What Is a Billing Link? A billing link is a unique URL assigned to your Alternative Payments account. When a customer clicks it, they land on your white-labeled payment portal -- branded with your company name and logo -- where they can see all their open invoices and make payments using ACH, credit card, or Pay in Installments. Every partner account gets a billing link once onboarding is complete. *** ## Where to Find Your Billing Link Your billing link is displayed in your Partner Dashboard under [**Accounts Receivable > Invoices**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/invoices), in the header area at the top of the page. You can copy it directly from there. *** ## Three Ways to Share Your Billing Link 1. **Send invoices through Alternative Payments** -- When you send an invoice notification through the platform, your billing link is included automatically. Customers click through to the portal to pay. 2. **Add it to your existing invoices** -- Paste the billing link into the invoices you already send from your PSA or accounting software. Customers click the link to pay through your portal instead of mailing a check or calling in a card number. 3. **Website pay button** -- Add your billing link to a "Pay Now" button on your company website so customers can access the portal any time without searching for an email. *** ## Portal Branding Your payment portal can be customized with your company logo, colors, and branding to provide a seamless experience for your customers. To learn more about white-labeling options, see: [White-Labeling Your Portal](https://github.com/getalternative/docs/blob/main/help-center/getting-started/account-set-up-and-configuration/white-labeling-your-portal.md) *** ## Getting Started If your billing link is not yet active, complete your onboarding to get set up: [How do I get started on Alternative Payments?](/getting-started/account-set-up-and-configuration/getting-started-on-alternative-payments) **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Best Practices when transitioning to Alternative Payments **We're here to ensure you and your customers have a seamless transition to Alternative Payments.** *** Transitioning from one online payments platform to another is a critical process for any business. This guide walks you through a phased approach to ensure a smooth switch for both you and your customers. *** ## Phase 1: Shut down your old platform Before you start sending invoices from Alternative Payments, fully deactivate your previous platform to avoid duplicate charges and customer confusion. * **Turn off automatic email reminders** -- if your previous platform sends scheduled invoice reminders, deactivate them so customers are not receiving notifications from two systems. * **Disable auto-pay rules** -- ensure all automatic payment configurations on your previous platform are turned off before you begin processing payments through Alternative Payments. * **Cancel any scheduled or recurring payments** -- verify that no pending charges will process after your cutover date.

Related: How to disable QuickBooks Online Payments

\*\*\* ## Phase 2: Complete KYC and account setup Your Alternative Payments account must be fully verified before you can process live payments. * **Complete your business profile** -- enter your company details, legal name, EIN or Business Number, address, and representative information. * **Submit KYC verification** -- provide the required documentation for identity and business verification. Your account will be in Setup Mode until verification is approved. * **Connect your bank account** -- link the bank account where you want to receive payouts, either through Plaid or by entering your details manually. Your Customer Success Manager will guide you through this process and confirm when your account is ready. *** ## Phase 3: Connect your integrations Set up your accounting and PSA integrations so invoices sync automatically and payments are reconciled. * **Connect your accounting software** -- link QuickBooks Online, Xero, or your other accounting platform so invoices import and payments reconcile automatically. * **Connect your PSA** (if applicable) -- link ConnectWise, Autotask, HaloPSA, SuperOps, or your other PSA to sync invoices.

To learn more about our integrations, visit our integration guides.

\*\*\* ## Phase 4: Configure your platform settings Customize the platform to match your business workflows before going live. * **Set up your billing link** -- configure your [custom billing link](/getting-started/account-set-up-and-configuration/custom-billing-links) that customers will use to access their payment portal. * **Add your branding** -- upload your company logo and customize your payment portal so customers see a familiar experience. * **Add your billing link to your invoice memo field** -- for extra visibility, embed your Alternative Payments billing link directly in your invoice memo field so customers see it on every invoice. * **Configure auto-pay rules** -- set up [automatic payment rules](/automations/setting-up-auto-pay/setting-up-auto-pay) for customers who should be enrolled in auto-pay from day one. * **Configure email reminders** -- set up [automatic email notifications](/automations/email-notifications-and-reminders/automatic-email-notifications) so customers receive reminders about upcoming and overdue invoices.

Related: How to add your billing link to your QuickBooks Online invoice memo field

*** ## Phase 5: Communicate with your customers and go live Let your customers know about the change before you start sending invoices. * **Send an email announcement** -- as part of the onboarding process, we provide you with an email template to notify your customers about your new payment process. Send this out about two weeks before your intended go-live date, or let customers know the change is effective immediately. * **Go live** -- once your account is verified, integrations are connected, and settings are configured, work with your Customer Success Manager to take your account out of Setup Mode and begin processing live payments. * **Enable automatic email reminders** -- once you are live, turn on your configured email reminders to start notifying customers about outstanding invoices. Customers can also [enroll themselves into automatic payments](/end-customer-faqs/end-customer-faqs/enrolling-into-auto-pay) directly from their payment portal. # Recording Check Payments **Ensure your books are always up to date for customers paying via check.** *** If customers are still paying their invoices via check, it’s important to record these payments to ensure your accounts receivables are up to date. With Alternative Payments, there are a couple of ways to mark them as paid: 1. **Update your PSA or Accounting Software**\ \ When you receive a check payment, mark it as paid in your [primary integration](/integrations/getting-started). That update will sync back to your Alternative Payments partner dashboard and update the status of the invoice accordingly.

Note: Depending on your integration, it may take up to an hour for the sync to occur.

2\. **Mark the invoice as paid in your partner dashboard**\ \ If you’re using Alternative Payments for invoicing and as your source of truth with no integrations connected, you can easily record payment for an invoice paid via check by selecting the ellipses beside the applicable invoice and marking it as paid.\ \ For partners using a PSA or accounting software integration, this option is available to use as well, however, it’s important to note that this marks the invoice as paid in our system only and does not update the status in your integration.

Sync reversion warning: If you manually mark an invoice as "Paid" but do not update your connected integration, the next sync may revert the status back to outstanding.

Looking to convert check payers to online payments? Connect with your dedicated Partner Success rep for strategies to seamlessly implement this shift and ensure a smooth transition. # 6 helpful tips for faster payments **Our partners are using these recommendations to ensure they get paid faster.** *** Make sure you follow these 7 tips to ensure you are getting paid faster through Alternative: 1. Enable Auto-Pay so your customers are charged automatically on the invoice due date, eliminating the need to chase payments. 2. Include a payment button on your website that links to your Alternative Payments billing link. 3. Share this "[How to pay an invoice](https://youtu.be/9hNQ-vPd-YE)" video with your customers. 4. Set up [automatic email reminders](/automations/email-notifications-and-reminders/automatic-email-notifications) directly from your Alternative portal. 5. Include your Alternative Payments billing link in every invoice. 6. Include a pay online button in your email signature. 7. Send an email announcement to your customers introducing Alternative Payments as your new payment platform. 🎉 **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # White-labeling your Payments Portal **Add custom branding so your customer payment portal looks like an extension of your brand.** *** White-labeling your payment portal takes just 30 seconds! Follow the steps below and provide your customers with a fully-branded payment experience: 1. Log in to your Alternative portal: [app.alternativepayments.io](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. Click [**Team Preferences**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/team/preferences) and then select [**Preferences > Branding**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/team/preferences?pageTab=branding)**.** 3. Upload your company logo from your computer by clicking on "Choose a file." 4. Next, add your main brand color by inputting the hex code or click on the circle and select a color using the color wheel. 5. Once you click "Save", the updates will be complete. 6. Navigate to the "Accounts Receivable" section, click on your billing link and paste it into your browser to see the changes.
### Help Page Under [**Preferences > Help page**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/team/preferences?pageTab=help), you can configure a custom support email address and phone number that are displayed on the customer-facing help page. ### Payment Methods Under [**Preferences > Payments**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/team/preferences?pageTab=payments), you can choose which payment options are visible to your customers (ACH, credit card, or Pay in Installments). #### Debit Card Acceptance By default, Alternative Payments accepts debit cards alongside credit cards. Debit card acceptance is controlled by a **global, partner-level setting** — it applies to all customers under your account simultaneously and cannot be toggled on or off for individual customers. If you would like to block debit cards, contact your Customer Success Manager or reach out to to request the change. Once the block is enabled, any card the system identifies as a debit card will be declined at checkout, and your customers will see the message: *"\[Your business name] doesn't accept debit cards. Add a credit card instead."* **Important — fee implication:** When debit cards are accepted, the processing fee (2.9%–3.5%) is always absorbed by the partner. Unlike credit card fees, debit card processing fees cannot be passed through to the end customer. Before requesting a change to this setting, make sure you have reviewed and accepted this cost. ### Custom Domains If you want your billing link to use your own domain (e.g., `pay.yourcompany.com`), contact your account executive or reach out to . Congratulations! You're ready to start offering your customers a fully branded and flexible payment experience. If you have any questions, reach out our team at . **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # 5 Best Practices to Set Up Your Account
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# How to White-label Your Portal **Add custom branding so your customer payment portal looks like an extension of your brand.** *** White-labeling your payment portal takes just 30 seconds! Follow the steps below and provide your customers with a fully-branded payment experience: 1. Log in to your Alternative portal: [app.alternativepayments.io](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. Click [**Team Preferences**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/team/preferences) and then select [**Preferences > Branding**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/team/preferences?pageTab=branding)**.** 3. Upload your company logo from your computer by clicking on “Choose a file.” 4. Next, add your main brand color by inputting the hex code or click on the circle and select a color using the color wheel. 5. Once you click "Save", the updates will be complete. 6. Navigate to the "Accounts Receivable" section, click on your billing link and paste it into your browser to see the changes.
Congratulations! You’re ready to start offering your customers a fully branded and flexible payment experience. If you have any questions, reach out our team at . **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Setting Up Automatic Email Notifications **Automatic email reminders will ensure customers pay invoices on time while also saving you the time from sending manual email notifications.** *** Easily automate your emails and improve your collections through invoice summaries and invoice reminders. **Set up automatic email notifications in 4 easy steps:** {% stepper %} {% step %} Go into Automations {% endstep %} {% step %} Select [Email Notifications](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications) {% endstep %} {% step %} Add Your Notifications (Invoice summaries & Invoice reminders) {% endstep %} {% step %} Add Customer Exclusions {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} *** ### **Invoice Summaries** Email your customers comprehensive invoice summaries to highlight all outstanding invoices. This serves as a gentle reminder, ensuring timely payments for the services you've delivered. Follow the [How to customize your templates for invoice reminders and summaries](/automations/email-notifications-and-reminders/creating-custom-email-templates).
*** ### **Invoice Reminders** 1. **Go into Automations**\ \ In the Partner Dashboard, select Automations from the side menu.
2. **Select Email Notifications**\ \ Select [Email Notifications](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications) from the drop-down and then navigate to the [Invoice reminders](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications?pageTab=reminders) section. Select 'New reminder' to start configuring your automatic email reminders.
3. **Add Your Reminders**\ \ Set your reminder based On the due date, After the due date, Before the due date, On creation or After creation. You can set as many reminders as you see fit, and they will apply to your entire customer base that have email notifications enabled.
{% hint style="success" %} As best practice, we recommend you set reminders for: * On due date * 3 days before due date * 7 days after due date (15 days, 30 days, 45 days) {% endhint %} 4. **Add Customer Exclusions**\ \ If you wish to exclude any customers from receiving automatic email reminders, you can exclude these customers from reminders under the EXCEPTION LIST section.\ \ Select 'Choose Customers', filter for the specific customers or select all customers that apply by selecting the checkbox next to the company names. Additionally, you can choose to 'Select All' or 'Clear Selection' to make it easy to manage your exclusion preferences. Once ready, make sure to confirm your selections by confirming the 'Select x customers' button.
Now you’re all set up to send out automatic email notifications! 🎉 For any questions, reach out to our team through the chat icon located at the bottom right corner of the screen. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Setting up Auto-Pay **Learn about auto-pay and how to set up custom rules for your customers to simplify their payment experience and automate your payments.** *** Auto-pay is a feature offered by Alternative Payments that allows your customers to automatically pay their bills or make recurring payments without manual intervention. As a partner, you can set up auto-pay rules for all customers or create customer-specific rules. There two dedicated sections available to configure your auto-pay rules: *** **Customers** {% stepper %} {% step %} Log into your Alternative Payments [Partner Dashboard](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) {% endstep %} {% step %} Navigate to [Customers](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers) {% endstep %} {% step %} Select the ellipses on the applicable customer and edit {% endstep %} {% step %} Add your rules
5. You’re all set! {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} ***AutomationsLog into your Alternative Payments Partner DashboardNavigate to Automations then Auto-pay RulesAdd your rulesYou’re all set!*** ## **Customers** 1. **Log into your Alternative Payments** [**Partner Dashboard**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. Navigate to Customers\ \ From the sidebar, select Customers then [All Customers](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers).
3. **Click into any customer profile**\ \ To add an auto-pay rule for a specific customer, click the hyperlinked customer profile name to see their profile page.
4. **Add your rules**\ \ Scroll down to the Auto-pay rules section and select ‘+Add a new rule.’

By default, the Days past due and Customer conditions will be selected. If you save this rule, this means that the customer will be charged for all their invoices on the due date. You can also choose to update the Days past due condition and also set it based on Days before due and Days past creation. You can add additional conditions based on recurring invoices/agreements and the outstanding amount. Click 'Confirm' to save the rule for the customer. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** 0 days past due means the customer will be charge on the invoice due date for all their invoices. {% endhint %}
*** ## **Automations** 1. **Log into your Alternative Payments** [**Partner Dashboard**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. **Navigate to Automations**\ \ From the sidebar, select Automations then [Auto-pay rules](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/autopay-rules) and click on 'Add a rule'.
3. **Add your rules**\ \ Create a condition by which you would like all customers or specific customers to be charged. The rule options are days past due, days before due, days past creation, agreements, amount and based on customer.
**You're all set!** Click confirm to save the auto-pay rule. {% hint style="info" %} Note: We recommend configuring auto-pay rules to be customer-specific. An auto-pay rule will only work if the customer has a payment method on file. Once the rules are set up, they will take effect immediately. {% endhint %} That's it! Enjoy payments being received on time and reduce time spent managing collections. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # How to Navigate Insights **Discover how Insights can help you reduce collection times, increase payment automation and identify at-risk customers. Learn how to leverage each dashboard to make data-driven decisions and improve your cash flow management.** *** The new [**Insights**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/insights) feature in Alternative Payments brings you advanced financial tracking directly into your partner dashboard, providing a streamlined view of essential metrics that go beyond standard statements. With Insights, you’ll have access to: * **Exclusive Metrics:** Track key data points like time-to-pay and activation rates for a clearer picture of financial performance and customer health. * **Time-Saving Visualizations:** Instantly view your financial data without the need for manual exports or spreadsheet work. Insights presents your financial health in easy-to-read visual formats. * **Platform Accountability:** Gain visibility into how effectively the platform supports your financial processes, helping you monitor results with confidence. * **Beyond Basic Statements:** Move beyond monthly statements with detailed views of DSO/time-to-pay, AR aging, cash flow, and other critical accounting metrics. * **Customer-Level Insights:** Analyze individual customer performance to identify your top payers, largest accounts, and highest adopters of automation. Here’s a breakdown of what each dashboard allows you to do: *** ### [**Overview Tab**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/insights?pageTab=overview) The Overview tab provides a snapshot of your most important account receivable metrics, including payment trends, collection times, automations and overdue invoices. It’s your one-stop shop for managing your accounts receivable at a glance.
You can also review your data within a specific time-frame by selecting the View and choosing the following options + download a report (this is applicable to all the dashboards): 1. Last 12 months 2. Last 6 months 3. Last 3 months 4. All time 5. Custom range
*** ### [**Invoices Tab**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/insights?pageTab=invoices) The Invoices tab allows you to dive deeper into your invoice metrics, helping you assess the aging of your receivables. Quickly identify which invoices are overdue and decide if they should be escalated to collections. This tab helps ensure your receivables are monitored closely for maximum AR health.
*** ### [**Payments and Collections Tab**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/insights?pageTab=paymentscollections) Leverage advanced payment analytics see the impact of payment times on cash flow. Here, you’ll find detailed data on your payment processing metrics, collection trends and daily cash flow.
*** ### [**Automations Tab**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/insights?pageTab=automations) In the Automations tab, you can easily check how well you’re using automation tools to streamline your accounts receivables. Looking to increase the percentage of automatic payments? Use this dashboard to establish goals with a set time-frame and see how you are easily progressing towards those goals here. If you need tips on how to increase automatic payments, reach out to your dedicated Customer Success Manager.
*** ### [**Customers Tab**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/insights?pageTab=customers) Your Customers tab will allow you to review all the key analytics from the other dashboards for each individual customer. You will be able to easily dive into payment trends to identify your best customers, helping you make informed decisions for better customer management. To review an individual customer’s performance, enter their name in the search bar:
Or, you can also access within the [All Customers](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers) section of your dashboard by clicking on the applicable customer’s name and navigating to their Insights tab:
Have any feedback about this feature or the platform in general? Access our [Product Roadmap](https://product.alternativepayments.io/tabs/4-requests) to submit any ideas and see what we have in the works! **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Setup Mode Setup Mode is a safe testing environment where partners can explore platform features without processing real transactions. Partners start in Setup Mode by default after onboarding and can configure settings, create test invoices, and review customer flows with no financial impact. This article explains how it works and what to expect before going live. *** ## How Setup Mode works **1. Onboarding complete** Once onboarding is finished, Setup Mode is activated by default.
**2. Safe testing environment** Partners can try out key features without affecting real data.\ Available features in Setup Mode include: * [Creating and Managing Invoices](https://help.alternativepayments.io/payments-and-invoicing/managing-invoices) * [Configuring Autopay](https://help.alternativepayments.io/automations/setting-up-auto-pay) * [Configuring Email Notifications & Reminders](https://help.alternativepayments.io/automations/email-notifications-and-reminders)

Note: Some features are only available in Live Mode and will not appear in your dashboard while in Setup Mode. These include Collections, payment processing, and payout reports.

**3. Account review** While you're in Setup Mode, your account will go through a standard review before going live. Once it's completed, you'll see the option to switch to Live Mode from your Partner Dashboard
**4. Ready to go live** Once your account is verified, the **Go Live** toggle will appear in your dashboard. Switching to Live Mode is a one-time action - once confirmed, Setup Mode is permanently disabled. Before going live, make sure the following prerequisites are in place: * **Integration connected** - Connect your PSA or accounting software * **Branding configured** - Upload your logo and set your brand color * **Autopay rules set** - Configure any Autopay rules you want active from day one * **Email notifications reviewed** - Confirm your notification schedules * **Team permissions verified** - Make sure your team members have the correct roles A confirmation message will appear to review everything before the switch takes effect.
**5. Live Mode activated** Once you confirm the switch, your account goes live right away. All invoices, payments, and notifications will be live. {% hint style="danger" %} **Warning**: Setup Mode can’t be re-enabled, so be sure everything’s set up the way you want before going live. {% endhint %} *** ## Payout Behavior in Setup Mode If your account is moved back into Setup Mode after previously being in Live Mode, any pending payouts will be automatically placed on hold. Held payouts do not appear in your **In Transit** or **Deposited** payout tabs while they are under review. **What happens to a held payout:** 1. **Automatic hold** — The payout is paused as soon as the account re-enters Setup Mode. No action is required from you to trigger this. 2. **Manual approval** — An Alternative Payments team member reviews and approves the held payout. This step is handled internally and cannot be self-served from the Partner Dashboard. 3. **Funds released the next business day** — Once approved, you can expect the funds to arrive the following business day, not on the originally scheduled payout date. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** If you notice a payout is missing or delayed, check whether your account is currently in Setup Mode. If it is, reach out to our support team to confirm the status of your payout and request approval. {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # API Introduction A brief introduction to using the Alternative Payments API to build custom payment and billing workflows. #### Introduction to the Alternative Payments API The Alternative Payments API provides a secure, standards-based interface for partners to integrate payment and billing operations directly into their own systems. Rather than clicking through a dashboard, your applications can create customers, generate payment experiences, issue invoices, track transactions, and reconcile payouts programmatically. Unlike payment gateways that only handle a single transaction flow, this API is designed for service businesses and platforms that want deeper control over how payments and billing data move through their software stack. *** #### What the API Enables At a glance, the Alternative Payments API lets you: • Create and manage customer records and associated payment methods.\ • Generate hosted payment links for one-off charges or invoice-based billing.\ • Create, retrieve, and manage invoices with line items and PDF links.\ • Track payments with filters for status, type, customer, or invoice.\ • Access payout information and reconcile which transactions were included. All interactions are done over REST with JSON, authenticated via OAuth 2.0 client credentials using API keys. This setup gives you the flexibility to automate routine billing work, bring payment workflows into internal systems, or build custom user experiences. It’s not about replacing your dashboard; it’s about extending it into the tools your business already uses. *** #### Next Steps For complete technical details including how to authenticate, example requests, available endpoints, and error handling, see the full API documentation: {% embed url="" %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Accounts Payable API Reference API Version: v1.2.0 The Accounts Payable API extends the existing Alternative Payments Partner API with endpoints for managing vendors, bills, and outbound payments. Partners can programmatically create vendors, submit bills for approval, initiate payments to vendors, and track the full bill-to-payment lifecycle. All endpoints follow the same conventions as the existing Accounts Receivable API: OAuth2 client credentials authentication, cursor-based pagination, snake\_case JSON, idempotency keys on mutating operations, and standard error responses. ## Base URL ``` https://public-api.alternativepayments.io ``` ## Authentication Same OAuth2 client credentials flow as the AR API. Authenticate with your API key and secret to `/oauth/token`, then use the returned Bearer token for all requests. ## Resource Groups | Group | Endpoints | Description | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | | [Vendors](/getting-started/accounts-payable-api/vendors) | 11 | Vendor CRUD, bank accounts, data requests | | [Bills](/getting-started/accounts-payable-api/bills) | 12 | Bill CRUD, approval workflow, OCR upload | | [Vendor Payments](/getting-started/accounts-payable-api/vendor-payments) | 4 | Payment initiation, cancellation, retry | | [Webhooks](/getting-started/accounts-payable-api/webhooks) | 14 new topics | Event notifications for all Acc Payable resources | ## Pagination All list endpoints use cursor-based pagination: | Parameter | Type | Description | | --------- | ------- | ---------------------------- | | `limit` | integer | Items per page (default 100) | | `after` | string | Forward pagination cursor | | `before` | string | Backward pagination cursor | Response includes: ```json { "data": [...], "has_next_page": true, "has_previous_page": false, "start_cursor": "abc123", "end_cursor": "xyz789" } ``` ## Error Format ```json { "code": "BILL_NOT_FOUND", "message": "Bill with ID xyz not found", "validation_errors": {} } ``` ## Idempotency Include an `Idempotency-Key` header on POST requests that create resources or initiate payments. The key must be a UUID. Duplicate requests with the same key return the original response. ## Naming Conventions * All JSON fields use `snake_case` * All IDs are UUID strings * All dates use RFC3339 format * All monetary amounts are decimal strings (e.g., `"1500.00"`) # Vendors Vendors represent entities that your organization pays. They are the Accounts Payable equivalent of Customers in the Accounts Receivable API. ## Endpoints | Method | Path | Description | | ------ | ------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | | POST | `/vendors` | Create a vendor | | GET | `/vendors` | List vendors (paginated) | | GET | `/vendors/{id}` | Get vendor by ID | | PATCH | `/vendors/{id}` | Update vendor fields | | POST | `/vendors/{id}/deactivate` | Deactivate a vendor | | POST | `/vendors/{id}/reactivate` | Reactivate a vendor | | GET | `/vendors/{id}/bank-account` | Get vendor bank account | | POST | `/vendors/{id}/bank-account` | Add or update vendor bank account | | POST | `/vendors/{id}/data-request` | Send vendor data collection request | | GET | `/vendors/{id}/data-requests` | List vendor data requests | | POST | `/vendors/{id}/data-requests/{request_id}/resend` | Resend a data request | *** ## Create Vendor ``` POST /vendors ``` Creates a new vendor. Optionally include bank account details inline. ### Request Body ```json { "name": "Acme Corp", "email": "billing@acme.com", "phone": "+1-555-0100", "category": "Software", "tax_id": "12-3456789", "street_address": "123 Main St", "city": "New York", "state": "NY", "postal_code": "10001", "country": "US", "bank_account": { "bank_name": "Chase", "routing_number": "021000021", "account_number": "123456789", "account_type": "checking" } } ``` | Field | Type | Required | Description | | ---------------- | ------ | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `name` | string | Yes | Vendor display name | | `email` | string | No | Vendor contact email | | `phone` | string | No | Vendor phone number | | `category` | string | No | Vendor category. Must be one of: `Software`, `Hardware`, `Services`, `Utilities`, `Rent`, `Insurance`, `Telecommunications`, `Office Supplies`, `Other` | | `tax_id` | string | No | Tax identification number | | `street_address` | string | No | Street address | | `city` | string | No | City | | `state` | string | No | State/province code | | `postal_code` | string | No | Postal/ZIP code | | `country` | string | No | 2-letter ISO country code (e.g. `US`, `CA`) | | `bank_account` | object | No | Inline bank account creation | ### Response (201 Created) ```json { "id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "name": "Acme Corp", "email": "billing@acme.com", "phone": "+1-555-0100", "is_active": true, "category": "Software", "tax_id": "12-3456789", "street_address": "123 Main St", "city": "New York", "state": "NY", "postal_code": "10001", "country": "US", "origin": "manual", "created_at": "2026-04-01T00:00:00Z", "updated_at": "2026-04-01T00:00:00Z" } ``` *** ## List Vendors ``` GET /vendors ``` Returns a paginated list of vendors. ### Query Parameters Standard pagination parameters (`limit`, `after`, `before`). ### Response (200 OK) ```json { "data": [ { "id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "name": "Acme Corp", "email": "billing@acme.com", "is_active": true, "origin": "manual", "created_at": "2026-04-01T00:00:00Z", "updated_at": "2026-04-01T00:00:00Z" } ], "has_next_page": false, "has_previous_page": false, "start_cursor": "abc123", "end_cursor": "abc123" } ``` *** ## Get Vendor ``` GET /vendors/{id} ``` Returns vendor details by ID. ### Response (200 OK) Same shape as the vendor object in the Create Vendor response. *** ## Update Vendor ``` PATCH /vendors/{id} ``` Updates one or more vendor fields. Only include fields you want to change. ### Request Body ```json { "name": "Acme Corp International", "email": "ap@acme.com" } ``` All fields are optional. Only provided fields are updated. *** ## Deactivate / Reactivate Vendor ``` POST /vendors/{id}/deactivate POST /vendors/{id}/reactivate ``` Toggles vendor active status. Deactivated vendors cannot receive new bills or payments. ### Response (200 OK) ```json { "vendor_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "is_active": false } ``` *** ## Get Vendor Bank Account ``` GET /vendors/{id}/bank-account ``` Returns the vendor's bank account details. Account number is masked (last 4 digits only). ### Response (200 OK) ```json { "id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440001", "bank_name": "Chase", "account_mask": "****6789", "account_type": "checking", "payment_method_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440002" } ``` *** ## Add/Update Vendor Bank Account ``` POST /vendors/{id}/bank-account ``` Creates or replaces the vendor's bank account. ### Request Body ```json { "bank_name": "Chase", "routing_number": "021000021", "account_number": "123456789", "account_type": "checking" } ``` | Field | Type | Required | Description | | ---------------- | ------ | -------- | ----------------------- | | `bank_name` | string | Yes | Bank name | | `routing_number` | string | Yes | ABA routing number | | `account_number` | string | Yes | Account number | | `account_type` | string | Yes | `checking` or `savings` | *** ## Vendor Data Requests Send a self-service data collection link to a vendor so they can submit their banking and tax information directly. ### Create Data Request ``` POST /vendors/{id}/data-request ``` ### List Data Requests ``` GET /vendors/{id}/data-requests ``` ### Resend Data Request ``` POST /vendors/{id}/data-requests/{request_id}/resend ``` ### Data Request Response ```json { "id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440003", "vendor_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "status": "requested", "created_at": "2026-04-01T00:00:00Z", "expires_at": "2026-04-15T00:00:00Z", "submitted_at": null } ``` **Data Request Statuses:** `requested`, `complete`, `email_failed`, `expired` # Bills Bills represent payable obligations to vendors. They are the Accounts Payable equivalent of Invoices in the Accounts Receivable API. ## Endpoints | Method | Path | Description | | ------ | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------- | | POST | `/bills` | Create a bill | | GET | `/bills` | List bills (paginated, filterable) | | GET | `/bills/{id}` | Get bill by ID | | PATCH | `/bills/{id}` | Update bill fields | | DELETE | `/bills/{id}` | Soft-delete a bill | | POST | `/bills/{id}/submit` | Submit bill for approval | | POST | `/bills/{id}/reject` | Reject a bill | | POST | `/bills/{id}/pay-date` | Set or update scheduled pay date | | GET | `/bills/{id}/document` | Get bill attachment download URL | | POST | `/bills/upload` | Upload document with OCR, create bill | | POST | `/bills/bulk-submit` | Submit multiple bills for approval | | POST | `/bills/bulk-delete` | Soft-delete multiple bills | *** ## Bill Lifecycle ``` draft -> needs_approval -> processing -> paid -> failed needs_approval -> draft (rejected) ``` Bills start in `draft` status. They must be submitted for approval (`needs_approval`) before payment can be initiated. Once a payment is created, the bill transitions to `processing`, and eventually to `paid` or `failed`. *** ## Create Bill ``` POST /bills ``` ### Request Body ```json { "vendor_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "number": "INV-2026-001", "issue_date": "2026-04-01", "due_date": "2026-05-01", "amount": "1500.00", "description": "Monthly hosting services", "status": "draft", "line_items": [ { "name": "Cloud Hosting", "description": "AWS monthly fee", "unit_type": "service", "quantity": 1, "unit_price": 1500.00 } ] } ``` | Field | Type | Required | Description | | ------------- | ------------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------- | | `vendor_id` | string (UUID) | Yes | Vendor to associate the bill with | | `number` | string | No | Bill/invoice number | | `issue_date` | string | Yes | Date the bill was issued (YYYY-MM-DD) | | `due_date` | string | Yes | Payment due date (YYYY-MM-DD) | | `amount` | number | Yes | Total bill amount (e.g. `1500.00`) | | `description` | string | No | Bill description | | `status` | string | No | `"draft"` (default) or `"needs_approval"` | | `line_items` | array | No | Bill line items | **Direct-to-approval:** Set `status` to `"needs_approval"` to skip the draft stage and submit the bill directly for approval in a single API call. ### Response (201 Created) ```json { "id": "660e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "vendor_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "number": "INV-2026-001", "issue_date": "2026-04-01", "due_date": "2026-05-01", "amount": 1500.00, "description": "Monthly hosting services", "status": "draft", "source": "manual", "pay_date": null, "line_items": [ { "sequence": 1, "name": "Cloud Hosting", "description": "AWS monthly fee", "unit_type": "service", "quantity": 1, "unit_price": 1500.00, "total": 1500.00, "tax": 0.00, "expense_account_id": "" } ], "vendor_payments": [], "last_status": { "status": "draft", "reason": null, "created_at": "2026-04-01T00:00:00Z", "user_id": "770e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000" }, "created_at": "2026-04-01T00:00:00Z", "updated_at": "2026-04-01T00:00:00Z" } ``` *** ## List Bills ``` GET /bills ``` ### Query Parameters | Parameter | Type | Description | | ----------------- | ------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `limit` | integer | Items per page (default 100) | | `after` | string | Forward pagination cursor | | `before` | string | Backward pagination cursor | | `vendor_id` | string | Filter by vendor ID | | `status` | string | Filter by status: `draft`, `needs_approval`, `processing`, `paid`, `deleted`, `failed` | | `bill_number` | string | Filter by bill number | | `source` | string | Filter by source: `manual`, `QuickBooks`, `ocr` | | `include_deleted` | boolean | Include soft-deleted bills (default false) | *** ## Submit Bill for Approval ``` POST /bills/{id}/submit ``` Transitions a bill from `draft` to `needs_approval`. No request body required. *** ## Reject Bill ``` POST /bills/{id}/reject ``` Rejects a bill that is in `needs_approval` status, moving it back to `draft`. ### Request Body ```json { "reason": "Amount does not match PO" } ``` *** ## Set Pay Date ``` POST /bills/{id}/pay-date ``` Sets or updates the scheduled payment date for a bill. **This is a prerequisite for initiating a vendor payment.** If `pay_date` is null when you try to create a vendor payment, the request will return 422. ### Request Body ```json { "pay_date": "2026-04-15" } ``` `pay_date` must be in `YYYY-MM-DD` format. *** ## Upload Bill Document (OCR) ``` POST /bills/upload ``` Upload a document (PDF, PNG, JPEG) as base64-encoded content. The system extracts bill data via OCR and creates a bill automatically. ### Request Body ```json { "content": "", "filename": "invoice.pdf", "content_type": "application/pdf" } ``` | Field | Type | Required | Description | | -------------- | ------ | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | | `content` | string | Yes | Base64-encoded file content | | `filename` | string | Yes | Original filename | | `content_type` | string | Yes | MIME type (`application/pdf`, `image/png`, `image/jpeg`) | ### Response (201 Created) ```json { "bill_id": "660e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "bill_number": "INV-OCR-001", "extracted_data": { "vendor_name": "Acme Corp", "vendor_email": "billing@acme.com", "invoice_number": "INV-OCR-001", "total": 1500.00, "issue_date": "2026-04-01", "due_date": "2026-05-01", "description": "Monthly services", "line_items": [ { "name": "Cloud Hosting", "description": "AWS monthly fee", "quantity": 1, "unit_price": 1500.00, "total": 1500.00 } ] }, "document_path": "/uploads/invoice.pdf", "warnings": [] } ``` *** ## Bulk Submit Bills ``` POST /bills/bulk-submit ``` Submit multiple bills for approval in a single request. ### Request Body ```json { "bill_ids": [ "660e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440001", "660e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440002" ] } ``` ### Response (200 OK) ```json { "results": [ { "bill_id": "660e8400-...-440001", "success": true }, { "bill_id": "660e8400-...-440002", "success": true } ] } ``` *** ## Bulk Delete Bills ``` POST /bills/bulk-delete ``` Soft-delete multiple bills in a single request. Same request/response shape as bulk submit. *** ## Bill Statuses | Status | Description | | ---------------- | ----------------------- | | `draft` | Initial state, editable | | `needs_approval` | Submitted for review | | `processing` | Payment in progress | | `paid` | Payment completed | | `failed` | Payment failed | | `deleted` | Soft-deleted | ## Bill Sources | Source | Description | | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------ | | `manual` | Created via API or UI | | `QuickBooks` | Synced from QuickBooks | | `ocr` | Created from document upload with OCR extraction | # Vendor Payments Vendor payments represent outbound payment execution from the partner to vendors. In the Accounts Receivable API, payments flow from customers to the partner. In Accounts Payable, payments flow from the partner to vendors. ## Endpoints | Method | Path | Description | | ------ | ---------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | | POST | `/vendor-payments` | Initiate payment for one or more bills | | POST | `/vendor-payments/cancel` | Cancel a single vendor payment | | POST | `/vendor-payments/bulk-cancel` | Cancel multiple vendor payments | | POST | `/vendor-payments/{bill_id}/retry` | Retry a failed payment | *** ## Pay Date Prerequisite A bill **must have a `pay_date` set** before a vendor payment can be initiated. If `pay_date` is null, the payment request will return **422 Unprocessable Entity**. Use `POST /bills/{id}/pay-date` to set it first: ```json POST /bills/{id}/pay-date { "pay_date": "2026-04-15" } ``` Then create the vendor payment. *** ## Create Vendor Payment ``` POST /vendor-payments ``` Initiates payment for one or more bills. Each item specifies the bill, payment method, and optional payment speed. ### Request Body ```json { "items": [ { "bill_id": "660e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "payment_method_id": "770e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "payment_speed": "standard" } ], "idempotency_key": "880e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000" } ``` | Field | Type | Required | Description | | --------------------------- | ------------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `items` | array | Yes | One or more payment items | | `items[].bill_id` | string (UUID) | Yes | Bill to pay | | `items[].payment_method_id` | string (UUID) | Yes | Payment method to use | | `items[].payment_speed` | enum | No | `standard` (default), `next_day`, `same_day`, `instant`. Invalid values return 400. | | `idempotency_key` | string | No | Idempotency key for the request | ### Response (200 OK) ```json { "results": [ { "bill_id": "660e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "success": true } ] } ``` *** ## Cancel Vendor Payment ``` POST /vendor-payments/cancel ``` Cancels a single vendor payment that has not yet been sent. ### Request Body ```json { "bill_id": "660e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "payment_id": "990e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000" } ``` ### Response (200 OK) ```json { "payment_id": "990e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "status": "canceled" } ``` *** ## Bulk Cancel Vendor Payments ``` POST /vendor-payments/bulk-cancel ``` Cancel multiple vendor payments in a single request. ### Request Body ```json { "items": [ { "bill_id": "660e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440001", "payment_id": "990e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440001" }, { "bill_id": "660e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440002", "payment_id": "990e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440002" } ] } ``` ### Response (200 OK) ```json { "results": [ { "bill_id": "660e8400-...-440001", "success": true }, { "bill_id": "660e8400-...-440002", "success": true } ] } ``` *** ## Retry Failed Payment ``` POST /vendor-payments/{bill_id}/retry ``` Retries the last failed funding attempt for a bill. No request body required. ### Response (200 OK) ```json { "bill_id": "660e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000" } ``` *** ## Payment Speeds | Speed | Description | | ---------- | -------------------------------- | | `standard` | Standard ACH (2-3 business days) | | `next_day` | Next business day delivery | | `same_day` | Same-day ACH | | `instant` | Real-time payment | ## Vendor Payment Statuses | Status | Description | | ------------------ | ---------------------------------- | | `hold` | Payment is on hold | | `waiting_pay_date` | Waiting for the scheduled pay date | | `ready` | Ready to be processed | | `processing` | Payment is being processed | | `succeeded` | Payment completed successfully | | `failed` | Payment failed | ## Vendor Payment Object (within Bill response) When retrieving a bill, vendor payments are included in the `vendor_payments` array: ```json { "id": "990e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "attempt_number": 1, "status": "processing", "hold_until": "2026-04-04T00:00:00Z", "sent_at": null, "failure_reason": null, "payment_method_id": "770e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "estimated_arrival_date": "2026-04-07T00:00:00Z", "payment_speed": "standard" } ``` # Webhooks The Accounts Payable API adds 14 new webhook topics to the existing webhook infrastructure. Partners subscribe using the same `POST /webhooks` endpoint with new topic values. No new webhook endpoints are needed. ## Subscribing to Acc Payable Webhooks Use the existing webhook subscription endpoint: ``` POST /webhooks ``` ```json { "topic": "vendor_created", "endpoint_url": "https://your-server.com/webhooks", "secret_key": "your-webhook-secret" } ``` ## New Webhook Topics ### Vendor Events | Topic | Trigger | | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | | `vendor_created` | Vendor created (manual, OCR, or integration sync) | | `vendor_updated` | Vendor details changed | | `vendor_deactivated` | Vendor deactivated | | `vendor_reactivated` | Vendor reactivated | ### Bill Events | Topic | Trigger | | ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | | `bill_created` | Bill created (manual, OCR, or integration sync) | | `bill_updated` | Bill details changed | | `bill_submitted` | Bill submitted for approval | | `bill_rejected` | Bill rejected | | `bill_deleted` | Bill soft-deleted | ### Vendor Payment Events | Topic | Trigger | | --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | | `vendor_payment_processing` | Vendor payment initiated, funds being transferred | | `vendor_payment_succeeded` | Vendor payment completed successfully | | `vendor_payment_failed` | Vendor payment failed | | `vendor_payment_canceled` | Vendor payment canceled | ### Vendor Data Request Events | Topic | Trigger | | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | | `vendor_data_request_submitted` | Vendor completed the self-service data collection form | ## Webhook Payload Format Webhook payloads follow the same format as existing AR webhooks. The `topic` field indicates the event type, and the `data` field contains the resource details. ```json { "id": "event-uuid", "topic": "vendor_payment_succeeded", "created_at": "2026-04-15T14:30:00Z", "data": { "vendor_payment_id": "aa0e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "bill_id": "660e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "vendor_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "payment_id": "990e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "partner_id": "bb0e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000", "amount": 1500.00, "payment_date": "2026-04-15T14:30:00Z" } } ``` ## Managing Webhook Subscriptions All existing webhook management endpoints work with the new topics: | Method | Path | Description | | ------ | ----------------------- | ------------------------------- | | POST | `/webhooks` | Subscribe to a topic | | GET | `/webhooks` | List subscriptions | | DELETE | `/webhooks/{id}` | Unsubscribe | | GET | `/webhooks/{id}/events` | List events for a subscription | | POST | `/webhooks/{id}/retry` | Retry failed webhook deliveries | ## Webhook Delivery * Webhooks are delivered via HTTP POST to the configured `endpoint_url` * If a `secret_key` was provided, the payload is signed using HMAC-SHA256 * Failed deliveries are retried with exponential backoff * Event history is retained for 30 days # Using Alternative Payments in Canada Alternative Payments supports both U.S. and Canadian partners. There are some important differences to be aware of when operating in Canada. This article outlines the key changes across currency, payment methods, and regional availability so you know what to expect. *** ### Currency and Invoicing Canadian partners operate entirely in Canadian dollars. All partner balances, customer payments, and invoices are processed in CAD. Multi-currency invoicing is not supported in Canada, so all invoices must be issued in CAD. *** ### Supported Payment Methods in Canada Available payment methods in Canada include: * Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD) * Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) * Credit Cards

Credit card surcharges in Canada are capped at 2.4% under the Code of Conduct for the Payment Card Industry.

\* Debit Cards The following features are **not** currently supported for Canadian partners: * Pay in Installments * Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) * Collections *** ### Compliance and Required Information Operating in Canada comes with additional regulatory requirements. * **Business Number (BN)** * All registered Canadian businesses must provide a valid Business Number during onboarding. This is required for KYB verification, tax reporting, and invoicing, and is the Canadian equivalent of a U.S. EIN. * **Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD) Mandate** * Before collecting payments via PAD, customers much approve PAD from the Customer Dashboard. This is a regulatory requirement and must be completed before any PAD transactions are processed.

Check out this article to learn more about Pre-authorized debit (PAD).

\* **Data Privacy (PIPEDA)** * Canadian partners must comply with PIPEDA, which requires clear disclosure of how customer data is collected and used, explicit customer consent, and the ability for customers to access and correct their personal information.

Regional Availability: Quebec is not currently supported due to additional provincial consumer protection and language requirements. Partners with customers in Quebec should contact their account executive for guidance.

**Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Referral Dashboard This article provides an overview of the Referral Partnership Program available in your Partner Dashboard. It outlines how to invite other service-based businesses to join Alternative Payments, send referral emails, and track your referral earnings. *** **About the Referral Partnership Program** The Referral Partnership Program rewards you for introducing other service-based businesses to Alternative Payments. Earn a 10% revenue share on every customer you refer, for as long as you remain an active partner. Plus, your referral will receive a 10% discount on their subscription. For full details, review the [Referral Terms of Use](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-program-terms-and-conditions/). *** #### **How to Send a Referral** 1. **Log into your** [**Partner Dashboard**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) and click on the [**Referrals**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/referral) tab. 2. **Share your referral link directly, or add a new referral** You can copy your referral link to share directly by clicking **Copy link**, or click **Add new company** to manually enter a company name or email. If you are referring an existing company, you can find a list of your current customers under the **All companies** section.
3. **Create a new referral email template, or select an existing template** Navigate to the [**Referral Templates**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/referral?pageTab=referraltemplates) section and click **Create a one-off template** to create a customized referral email, or click **Use** on any existing templates. If you would like to see a preview of the email template, click on **Preview.**
4. **Favourite your Custom email templates** Click the star icon on any custom email template to add or remove it from your **Favourites** section.
5. **Send the Referral email** Edit the customer email and other fields, then click **Save and send.**
*** **Track Your Referrals and Earnings** You can track your referrals and earnings directly in your Partner Dashboard. * [**Referral Summary:**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/referral?pageTab=overview) View all your active referrals, their current status, and the total rewards earned to date for converted referrals.
* [**Referral Payouts:**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/referral?pageTab=referralpayouts) See a history of referral payouts you've already received, along with any pending amounts. You can also add or update your bank account details for receiving referral payouts from the **Referral payout account** section.
{% hint style="info" %} Note: Payouts are generated **quarterly**. {% endhint %} **Interested in building a larger partnership with Alternative Payments?** Connect with our Partnership Manager Nicholas Reimer at . **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Managing Customers
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# Adding New Customers **Follow these steps to add new customers to your Alternative Payments partner dashboard.** *** If you're using Alternative Payments to create all your invoices and customers, here's how you can add a new customer to your partner dashboard. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** If you are using a PSA or accounting software integration, then all invoices and customer details will sync in from your integration. You do not need to create customers manually. {% endhint %} ## Creating a Customer 1. Log in to your Alternative portal: [app.alternativepayments.io](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. Go to "Account Receivable > Customers" and select ["All Customers"](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers). 3. Select "Add customer."
4. Fill in the customer details using the fields below, then click "Continue." ### Customer Fields | Field | Required | Description | | ------------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Company** | Yes | The customer's company or business name. This is the primary identifier shown throughout the dashboard. | | **Legal Name** | No | The registered legal name of the business, if different from the company name. Used on formal documents. | | **EIN** | No | Employer Identification Number. Must be a 9-digit US tax ID (format: XX-XXXXXXX). | | **Address** | Yes | Street address for the customer's primary business location. | | **City** | Yes | City for the customer's business address. | | **State/Province** | Yes | State or province. Validated against US states and Canadian provinces. | | **ZIP/Postal Code** | Yes | ZIP or postal code. Validated for US (5-digit or ZIP+4) and Canadian (A1A 1A1) formats. | | **Country** | Yes | Currently supports United States and Canada. |
5. After filling in the customer details, click "Continue" to create the customer record. ## Adding Users to a Customer After the customer is created, you can add users who will be able to access and pay invoices associated with the company profile. Adding at least one user is required to complete the setup. 1. On the user screen, enter the user's name and email address. 2. Click "Create Customer" to finalize.
If there are multiple team members that require access to a company's invoices, add those team members as users. Each user receives their own login credentials and can view and pay invoices for the company. You can also add more users later from the Customer Details page after the customer has been created. ## What Happens Next Once a customer is created, the following capabilities become available: * **Invoicing** -- You can immediately create and send invoices to the customer. * **Automation** -- The customer is eligible for automated email reminders and payment notifications. * **Portal Access** -- Users added to the customer profile can log in to the customer portal to view invoices and make payments. * **Tags** -- You can apply tags to the customer for filtering and organization across your dashboard. * **Payment Methods** -- Users can add payment methods (credit card, debit card, or bank account) through the portal, or you can add them from the partner dashboard. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)!
# Editing Customers **View and manage all aspects of a customer's account from the Customer Details page in your Alternative Payments partner dashboard.** *** ## Navigating to Customer Details 1. Log in to your Alternative Payments partner dashboard: [app.alternativepayments.io](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. Go to "Account Receivable > Customers" and select ["All customers"](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers) from your side menu. 3. Select the ellipses beside the customer you wish to edit and click "Edit customer."
{% hint style="info" %} ***Note:*** *If your customer's company info syncs in from your primary integration, then this information should be managed from there. Fields controlled by an integration sync may be locked and not editable in the dashboard.* {% endhint %} ## Customer Details View The Customer Details page is organized into several tabs, each giving you access to different aspects of the customer's account.
### Profile Tab The Profile tab contains the customer's core information and configuration settings. **Editable Company Fields:** * Company name, legal name, and EIN * Address, city, state/province, ZIP/postal code, and country * Tags for filtering and organization **Fee Rules:** * View and configure fee rules applied to this customer. Fee rules determine how credit card processing fees are handled (passed to customer, absorbed by partner, or exceptions for specific payment types). * Fee rules set at the customer level override your account-level defaults. **Auto-Pay Settings:** * View whether Auto-Pay is enabled for this customer. * When Auto-Pay is active, invoices are automatically charged to the customer's default payment method on the due date. * Auto-Pay requires the customer to have at least one payment method on file with a default selected. **Users:** * View, add, and remove users associated with this customer. * Each user has their own login credentials and can access the customer portal to view invoices and make payments. **Payment Methods:** * View all payment methods on file for this customer (credit cards, debit cards, and bank accounts). * Add new payment methods or archive existing ones. * Set a default payment method for Auto-Pay and recurring charges. ### Payments Tab View the complete payment history for this customer, including: * Payment date, amount, and status (successful, failed, pending, refunded) * Payment method used for each transaction * Associated invoice reference ### Invoices Tab View all invoices associated with this customer, including: * Invoice number, amount, and status (draft, sent, paid, overdue, void) * Due date and payment date * Quick access to send reminders or view invoice details ### Email Activity Tab View the history of all email notifications sent to this customer, including: * Invoice notifications and payment reminders * Delivery status (sent, delivered, opened, bounced) * Timestamps for each email event ### Insights Tab View analytics and trends for this customer, including: * Payment behavior patterns and average days to pay * Invoice volume and payment history over time ## Impersonate Customer The **Impersonate Customer** button allows you to view the customer portal exactly as your customer sees it. This is useful for troubleshooting issues, walking a customer through the payment process, or verifying that invoices and payment methods appear correctly from their perspective. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Approving Customers **Here's everything you need to know to approve any pending customers looking to access their Customer Dashboard to make invoice payments.** {% hint style="info" %} **Permissions:** Only users with Admin or Sub-Admin roles can approve or deny customer access requests. {% endhint %} *** Customers who use your billing link but whose email aren't in the system will appear under the Requesting Access section of your Alternative Payments Partner Dashboard . An email will be sent to the customer notifying them that they are awaiting approval and an email will also be sent to you informing you of the pending approval. #### **Follow these steps to approve this customer and set them up with the correct account:** 1. Log into your [Alternative Payments Partner Dashboard](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. In the left-hand navigation bar, click Customers. 3. Click on [Requesting access](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/requesting-access). 4. Next to the customer, click on either 'Add to customer' to associate to an existing company profile or 'New customer' to add them as a new customer. You can also choose to delete the request by clicking on the trash icon. 5. A new window will pop up asking you to confirm this. Click confirm. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Create Customer Tags **Customer tags let you categorize and segment customers for easier filtering, searching, and management. This guide covers creating, editing, deleting, and using tags.** *** {% hint style="info" %} Customers can have multiple tags assigned and you can add or update their tags at any time. {% endhint %} ## Creating a Tag 1. Log into your Alternative Payments [Partner Dashboard](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. In the left sidebar, go to **Customers** > [**Tag management**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers/tags) 3. Select **Create new tag**
4. Enter the **Tag name** (required) and **Description** (optional) 5. Select a **Tag color** (required) -- every tag must have a color assigned 6. Select the customers you want to apply the tag to, and click **Create tag**
{% hint style="info" %} **Prefer to ask Alti?** You can also ask Alti in chat to create a tag, apply it to one or more customers, or rename and delete tags. Alti asks you to confirm before it makes each change. See [Taking actions with Alti](/alti/alti/taking-actions-with-alti). {% endhint %} *** ## Editing a Tag 1. In the left sidebar, go to **Customers** > [**Tag management**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers/tags) 2. Find the tag you want to edit and click on it 3. Update the tag name, description, or color as needed 4. Add or remove customers from the tag 5. Save your changes *** ## Deleting a Tag 1. In the left sidebar, go to **Customers** > [**Tag management**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers/tags) 2. Find the tag you want to delete and select the delete option 3. Confirm the deletion When you delete a tag, it is automatically removed from all customers that had it assigned. This action cannot be undone. *** ## Using Tags ### Filtering Customers Once tags are created and assigned, you can use them to filter your customer list. In the [**Customers**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers) view, use the tag filter to show only customers with a specific tag. This is useful for quickly viewing a segment of your customer base. ### Auto-Pay Targeting Tags can be used to target specific groups of customers for Auto-Pay enrollment. Instead of setting up Auto-Pay customer by customer, you can apply it to all customers with a given tag. {% hint style="info" %} See the [**Setting up Auto-Pay**](https://help.alternativepayments.io/automations/setting-up-auto-pay/setting-up-auto-pay) section for more information on using customer tags for Auto-Pay. {% endhint %} *** ## Rules and Constraints * **Tag names must be unique** -- you cannot create two tags with the same name * **Name and color are mandatory** -- a tag cannot be created without both a name and a color * **Description is optional** -- add a description to help your team understand what the tag is for * **Tags apply to active customers only** -- tags can only be assigned to customers currently in your dashboard * **Deleting a tag removes it everywhere** -- if you delete a tag, it is stripped from every customer that had it *** **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Customer Impersonation **The Customer Impersonation feature lets you view the customer portal exactly as your customer sees it. It’s a helpful way to check their experience and guide them through questions or issues more easily.** *** **Steps:** 1. Log in to your [**Partner Dashboard**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/). 2. Go to **Account Receivable >** **Customers** > [**All Customers**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers). 3. Search for and select the customer you want to view. 4. Next to the customer name, click **Impersonate Customer**.
The impersonation session opens in a new browser tab showing a read-only view of the customer’s portal.
{% hint style="info" %} **Tip:** This gives you view-only access to the account. It’s a great way to see what the customer sees, troubleshoot issues, and provide clear guidance. {% endhint %} ### Ending an impersonation session To exit impersonation, simply close the tab. You will remain logged in to your Partner Dashboard in the original tab. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Payments and Payouts
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# How customers can make invoice payments Your customers can pay outstanding invoices through the Alternative Payments customer payment portal. There are several ways to direct customers to their portal using your [billing link](/getting-started/account-set-up-and-configuration/custom-billing-links): 1. **Send invoices through Alternative Payments** -- invoices include a direct link to the payment portal 2. **Add your billing link to your invoices** -- embed the link in your accounting software's invoice memo field 3. **Add a Pay button to your website** -- give customers a self-service way to pay at any time *** ## Available payment methods Customers can pay using any of the following methods that you have enabled: * **ACH bank payment** (United States) * **Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD)** (Canada) * **EFT bank payment** (Canada) * **Credit or debit card** * [**Pay in Installments**](/payments-and-invoicing/bnpl-pay-in-installments/pay-in-installments-benefits) -- a financing option that lets customers split their invoice into scheduled payments over 30 to 150 day terms Customers can also make **partial payments** on an invoice if they are unable to pay the full balance at once. The remaining balance will continue to appear as outstanding until the invoice is paid in full. *** ## Customer payment flow Once your customer clicks the billing link and accesses the payment portal, they will complete the following steps: 1. Enter their email address 2. Verify their identity with a one-time code sent to their email 3. Input basic business information (first-time customers only) 4. View their outstanding invoices 5. Select the invoices they wish to pay (or enter a partial payment amount) 6. Choose their preferred payment method: ACH, PAD, EFT, credit/debit card, or Pay in Installments 7. Enter bank details manually, or enter credit/debit card information 8. Review and confirm payment *** ## Pay in Installments The [Pay in Installments](/payments-and-invoicing/bnpl-pay-in-installments/pay-in-installments-benefits) option allows customers to spread their invoice payments over time with terms ranging from 30 to 150 days. When a customer selects this option, they will see available installment plans and can choose the schedule that works best for them. Payments are then collected automatically according to the agreed schedule. *** ## Payment reconciliation When you have connected an [accounting integration](/integrations/accounting-integration-guides) (such as QuickBooks Online or Xero), customer payments are automatically reconciled and marked as paid in both your accounting software and your Alternative Payments dashboard. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Auto-reconciliation requires an active accounting integration. If you are not using an integration, payments will still appear in your Alternative Payments dashboard, but you will need to manually reconcile them in your accounting software. {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Making a partial invoice payment Learn how customers can make partial invoice payments for enhanced flexibility. Here’s a step-by-step guide on making partial invoice payments through your customer dashboard. 1. **Select the invoice you want to pay**\ \ Log in to your payment portal and select the invoice you want to pay or click the payment link in your invoice email.
2. **Edit your payment amount**\ \ Click the pencil icon beside the invoice amount due.
3. **Enter the partial payment amount**\ \ Enter the amount that you would like to pay and confirm amount.
4. **Proceed to make a partial payment**\ \ Click on pay partial amount and follow the prompts on the screen to complete your payment.
That's it, you're all set to make a partial invoice payment! 🎉 {% hint style="info" %} **Remaining balance:** After a partial payment is processed, the remaining balance will continue to appear on the invoice until paid in full. {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Scheduling Invoice Payments **Scheduling payments in Alternative Payments is a convenient way for your customer to make a payment on a specified date** \*\*\* {% hint style="info" %} **Tip:** Payments won’t run unless there’s a valid payment method on file. Double-check that one has been added to the customer’s account. {% endhint %} **Steps:** 1. From your Alternative Payments Dashboard, go to [**Invoices**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/invoices) 2. Click `...` next to the invoice you would like to schedule, and select **Charge**
3. Click **Charge on future date** and **select a date** to schedule when the payment should be processed
4. Click **Charge invoice** That's it, the payment will be processed on the selected date! 🎉 {% hint style="info" %} **Date constraints:** The scheduled date must be a future date. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} **Cancellation:** To cancel a scheduled payment before it processes, navigate to the invoice, click `...`, and select **Cancel scheduled payment**. {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # How to share your billing link with customers **Our best practices for sharing your billing link with customers.** *** Below are the 3 most common ways to incorporate your billing link into your existing invoice process.
Option 1: Send through Alternative (Recommended) Create your invoice in the Alternative platform and [create automatic email reminders](/automations/email-notifications-and-reminders/automatic-email-notifications). They will receive an email letting them know they have a new invoice waiting for them based on the criteria set. Our recommendation is to set reminders before the due date, on the due date, and after the due date. If you have a PSA or accounting software integration, we import the itemized invoices so you can easily send automatic email reminders through Alternative for a seamless experience. Currently supported integrations: * ConnectWise * QuickBooks Online * QuickBooks Desktop * Xero * HaloPSA * Autotask * SuperOps * FreshBooks * Sage Intacct * NetSuite * Zoho Books * Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Option 2: Add your billing link to existing process Add your billing link to the memo field of your invoice and the email template you use to send the invoices (don't forget to add it to your reminder email!). Remember to remove or disable existing payment options to ensure they're using your billing link for payments.
Option 3: Add it to your website Pay button Give your customers easy access to their billing link by adding it to the Pay button on your website to ensure they can make payments quickly & efficiently.
**Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Payment and Payout Report Downloads **Whether you're looking to manage transactions or track payouts, this feature ensures you have all the information you need at your fingertips from your Alternative Payments dashboard.** *** Get your financial information easier than ever by downloading transaction reporting straight from your dashboard. This guide will walk you through the process of downloading your payment and payout reports from your dashboard, where you can easily export your data, receive a confirmation email with a download link, and access your reports within minutes. *** ### **How to Download Your Payments Report** In your dashboard, go to the [Transactions](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/all-transactions) section and click on the ['Payments'](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/all-transactions?pageTab=Payments) tab.\ Select the 'Export all (.CSV)' option to download your payment data. ![](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfjOgSfG4gKgm3dIidtmAY4rFe-gT-x-LWrU7L63NOx0eY4IYKuROT15g2qQS80IhpEEvDB4HwfL5SjXxeS5kb_X1a28HdF4uT6j974GhEKCJzxg_twOH2vwj3oEjOt_2DH3HuaDeG30Fka9ohQRQgT8Y7O?key=TslkJi9SBmuo_g9AAj965Q) You’ll receive a confirmation message indicating that an email with a download link for the report will arrive within the next 10 minutes. ![](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeUNvgz1t1JGBEs4-iVJ-uSusTH1M5R32rnEKMkFVI5JcZnLolgfqpkknlt-SLdcQmk6dJ7br8PM3QzSwIjX7G6wB2eOHghcqLP_F0qU-ORbqfV9VX72NB15QYMNNam8Gleil2W5-S08ou3pWrBFjHB5nTA?key=TslkJi9SBmuo_g9AAj965Q) Once you receive the email, click on ‘View Your Report’ to download the file to your browser. ![](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfaJrWtHDM5p7_bWsIVrxiKFH4qmYB8B5sCGZoSYxaSbC5onWbYQVM81TIjUxvp1i5ZFkjYGSBWud-5v4xoLi2PHd97exH9aRhyaQTGUCZqLit0ka45UIzu66me8xG69y4bQ0ocMzt6RffMqWL9lQHX4bCu?key=TslkJi9SBmuo_g9AAj965Q) {% hint style="info" %} Payment reports include transactions in **Paid**, **Refunded**, and **Failed** statuses. Transactions still in **Processing** status are excluded. {% endhint %} *** ### **How to Download Your Payouts Report** To get your payout report, navigate to the [‘Payouts’](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/all-transactions?pageTab=Payouts) section and follow the same instructions. ![](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXf6SgXYx_fKVPFljfckcFK7jAVwmxBv9YtK7JK4fY0IXO8eEkdDSjwIGIOaKQ90ZOnQkOM4nvX81bU0gE4ljomFnvSLxiSzZOaF4q7jxPKGGiYinDXwTncTvJJVCy1YvHKitYGYxFU1fHs9ZeoFGnoLb6Wk?key=TslkJi9SBmuo_g9AAj965Q) {% hint style="info" %} Payout reports include completed payouts only. Payouts still in **Processing** or **Pending** status are excluded. {% endhint %} You’re all set!
**Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # ACH Chargebacks An ACH chargeback, or ACH return, is a dispute resolution mechanism used by financial institutions that allows an account holder to request a refund for a transaction made via ACH. Financial institutions will also leverage chargebacks when an error arises with a transaction and it cannot be processed appropriately. As a result, ACH chargebacks typically fall under one of two categories: 1. Transactions rejected by your customer’s bank, and 2. Transactions disputed by your customer *** ### **Transactions rejected by your customer’s bank** Transactions rejected by your customer’s bank typically stem from errors or issues with the transaction. The most common causes are: 1. The customer has insufficient funds in their bank account (return code R01) 2. The bank account information is incorrect (return code R03) 3. The customer has not approved ACH debits from their bank account (return code R29) These chargebacks typically occur within 48 hours of the transaction and will cause the transaction to move from Processing to Failed in your admin dashboard. As a result, you will not receive a payout until the customer makes a payment that clears successfully. This is the most common type of chargeback that occurs on our platform. *** ### **Transactions disputed by your customer** Customer-initiated disputes will also lead to chargebacks, and can sometimes occur up to 60 days after the transaction date, depending on the type of ACH and bank policy. The most common reasons a customer will dispute an ACH transaction are: 1. The transaction was unauthorized 2. There was an error, such as a duplicate transaction or incorrect amount 3. Non-receipt of goods or services To reduce the risk of this type of chargeback, it is important to clearly communicate the payment process to your customers, as well as the refund and cancellation policies. Offering timely and responsive customer support to address any billing questions is also essential. Your Alternative Payments customer success rep is always available to help address any customer inquiries about a payment. *** ### Chargeback and Dispute Fees While chargebacks are rare, they can come with fees. Here’s what to expect: * **ACH Chargebacks** * Standard ACH chargebacks: $15 per return\ (e.g. insufficient funds, account closed) * Unauthorized ACH chargebacks: $25 per return\ (e.g. customer claims they didn’t authorize the payment)

Note: ACH chargebacks occur on fewer than 1% of all transactions.

If you also accept card payments through Alternative Payments: * **Credit card disputes**: $25 per dispute (these occur on fewer than 0.2% of transactions) * **Credit card transaction fee**: $0.30 per transaction (can be passed on to your customers) * **Debit card fees**: These cannot be passed through and must be absorbed by your business\ (debit card volume is under 1.5%) **Learn how to prevent and handle chargebacks:** [**Reducing Chargebacks**](https://help.alternativepayments.io/payments-and-invoicing/payments-and-payouts/reducing-chargebacks) **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Reducing Chargebacks ### Best Practices to Prevent Chargebacks When customers are charged automatically with our auto-charge or auto-pay features, and do not manually pay the invoice themselves, there is an increased risk of bank-initiated and customer-initiated chargebacks occurring. In order to mitigate ACH chargebacks when utilizing auto-charge and auto-pay, we have outlined our recommended guidelines. 1. Do not attempt to re-charge a customer after a failed ACH transaction. First, notify your customer to confirm that their bank account information is correct and that they have sufficient funds in the account. 2. Ensure you are charging your customer’s preferred payment method, and they have denoted this in their dashboard accordingly. 3. Confirm customers are aware they are being auto-charged or set up on auto-pay 4. Clearly communicate your refund policies to customers, and make it easy for them to request a refund if they are unhappy with their purchase If ACH chargebacks persist with any given customer, our team will help you develop a strategy for capturing payment without any issues. *** ### Reducing Fees from Chargebacks and Disputes If a chargeback occurs, prompt action can help resolve it and avoid future disputes. Here’s how to handle them and prevent repeated issues. * **Standard ACH Chargebacks ($15 fee):** If a chargeback occurs, contact your customer to ensure the payment is successful upon retry. * **Unauthorized ACH Chargebacks ($25 fee):** Ask your customers to whitelist Originator ID **8263863381** before initiating a payment. * **Credit Card Disputes ($25 fee):** Make sure your company name is clear on statements and invoices are detailed. * **Credit Card Transaction Fees (2.9% + $0.30):** Pass them through to your customers. * **Debit Card Fees:** Encourage ACH payments when possible. *** ### Related Articles * [ACH Chargebacks](/payments-and-invoicing/payments-and-payouts/ach-chargebacks) * [Credit Card Disputes Best Practices](/payments-and-invoicing/payments-and-payouts/credit-card-disputes-best-practices) * [Dispute Evidence Submission Requirements](/payments-and-invoicing/payments-and-payouts/dispute-evidence-submission-requirements) **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Credit Card Disputes Best Practices **Best practices for submitting evidence and responding to credit card disputes effectively.** *** ### Responding to Disputes To respond to disputes effectively and increase your chances of winning a case, you should directly address the specific reason for the dispute. Each dispute has a reason code associated with it, which tells you the specific grounds for the dispute. Below are the most common dispute reasons: 1. **“Fraudulent”** - The customer claims they didn't authorize the payment, or the issuer has picked up on the transaction in their fraud reporting. Customers can also simply forget about purchases they've made. 2. **“Unrecognized”** - The customer does not recognize the transaction on their bank statement. This usually happens because they can’t remember making the purchase, or they don't recognize your billing descriptor. 3. **“Canceled recurring payment”** - The customer claims that you’ve continued to charge them for a canceled subscription or other recurring payment.
When responding to disputes, *communicate with the customer* and make sure the evidence you provide is *addressing the specific reason* for the dispute if you challenge a dispute. *** ### Contacting the Customer When a dispute occurs, it's a good idea to contact the customer and discuss the issue before you accept or challenge it. Sometimes, they simply didn’t recognize a legitimate transaction when they looked through their bank statement. Contacting the customer will help you decide how to respond to the case, and what sort of evidence you might need to defend it successfully. *** ### Submitting Evidence If you plan to refute the dispute, you must submit evidence against the dispute. {% hint style="warning" %} Only submit evidence that satisfies the defense criteria for the specific dispute reason – less is more. {% endhint %} **Below is a list of the evidence categories. Please note that accepted formats are PDF (max 2 MB), JPG (max 10 MB), and TIFF (max 10 MB), and only one file can be submitted for each evidence category. Keep in mind you cannot submit audio or video files, links to third-party websites (a screenshot may be submitted if relevant) or file downloads.** Providing legible, succinct, and relevant evidence makes it easier for the issuer and/or card scheme to assess the situation among thousands of other cases, and increases your chances of winning the dispute. \\ \ If you have any questions or require further clarification regarding the requested documentation or the dispute itself, please do not hesitate to reach out. We value our partnership and appreciate your attention to this matter.
| Evidence Category | Evidence Description | | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Customer Communication | Communication with the customer regarding the dispute, such as a call transcript or email with the customer. | | Invoice showing distinct | | |


transactions

| Itemized invoice for the goods or service. | | Transaction receipt | Receipt for the goods or service. You can download this from your Alternative Payments Portal. | | Refund / Cancellation Policy | Internal Guidelines and procedures related to refunds or cancellations that have been shared with the customer. Confirmation that the customer has seen these policies is important. | | Recurring Transaction Agreement | If relevant, a recurring transaction agreement / contract that has been executed | | Proof of delivery or service | Evidence that the customer received the goods or service | **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Dispute Evidence Submission Requirements ## Defense Requirements Learn which documents to provide to defend different types of disputes. The requirements for defending against disputes vary depending on the reason for the dispute. For all types of dispute, you must provide documents with details of transactions to help you build a strong case to challenge the dispute. > **Note:** Meeting the defense requirements does not guarantee that you will win. *** ### General Requirements When you defend a dispute, you have to upload one or more defense documents. The number of required defense documents differs per dispute type. Make sure that your defense documents do not contain sensitive data. The Merchant Acquirer will refuse defense material that contains data such as copies of passports, social security numbers, tax records, unrelated legal documents, Primary Account Numbers (PAN), and sensitive authentication data. **Accepted file formats:** | Format | Max File Size | | ------ | ------------- | | JPG | 10 MB | | TIFF | 10 MB | | PDF | 2 MB | **Additional restrictions:** * Diners and Discover: maximum file size is 3 MB * Mastercard: maximum 19 pages per chargeback defense document *** ### Fraud – Card Absent Transaction The cardholder claims that they did not authorize or participate in the transaction. You should demonstrate that the cardholder did legitimately purchase the service or merchandise. {% hint style="warning" %} Without 3D Secure liability shift, it is difficult to challenge the dispute. Defense documents should only be supplied if all requirements have been met. {% endhint %} #### Merchandise * Copy of invoice * Email conversation with cardholder * Carrier-signed proof of delivery, and AVS match * Record of previous non-disputed payments * Courier's GPS location proving delivery of the product #### Digital Goods * Confirmation email * Description of the digital goods and the date and time they were purchased and downloaded * Record of previous non-disputed payments * Evidence that the cardholder has accessed and successfully verified the profile or account before the transaction date * Cardholder's IP address and the geographical location of the device at the time of the transaction * Device ID and, if available, the name of the device * Cardholder's name and email address linked to customer profile or account #### Services * Documentation proving you provided the service to the cardholder (confirmation email, copy of invoice) * Date the cardholder began use of the service * Evidence that the cardholder used the service before * Record of previous non-disputed payments *** ### Fraud – Card Present Transaction The cardholder claims that they did not authorize or participate in the transaction in a card-present environment. #### Merchandise / Digital Goods / Services * Copy of a (signed) transaction receipt *** ### Duplicate Processing / Paid by Other Means The cardholder claims that a single transaction was processed more than once. #### Merchandise / Digital Goods / Services * Copy of invoice of two separate orders * Documentation to prove that no other form of payment was used *** ### Services Not Provided / Merchandise Not Received The cardholder claims that merchandise or services that they ordered were not received or not received on time. #### Merchandise * Description of the goods * Carrier-signed proof of delivery, and AVS match * Communication where the cardholder confirms possession of the goods * Explanation why shipment was delayed #### Digital Goods * Confirmation email * Description of the digital goods and the date and time they were purchased and downloaded * Record of previous non-disputed payments #### Services * Confirmation email * Proof that the cardholder received the service at the agreed date and time * Communication with the cardholder after the payment *** ### Canceled Merchandise / Services The cardholder's bank received a notice from the cardholder stating that they returned merchandise or canceled services, but the credit has not appeared on the cardholder's statement. #### Merchandise / Digital Goods * Copy of invoice / confirmation email * Proof that the cardholder received your cancellation or return policy and did not cancel according to the disclosed policy * Proof that the cardholder initially received the merchandise, and did not return the merchandise * Proof that the cardholder has not contacted you to solve the issue #### Services * Copy of invoice / confirmation email * Demonstrate that the cardholder received your cancellation or return policy and did not cancel according to the disclosed policy * Proof that the cardholder has not contacted you to cancel the service *** ### Canceled Recurring Transaction A recurring transaction was processed after it was canceled or after the cardholder's account was closed. #### Merchandise * Demonstrate that the cardholder received your cancellation or return policy and did not cancel according to the disclosed policy * Proof that the cardholder did not return the merchandise * Proof that notice of upcoming billing was sent to the cardholder 10 days before the transaction #### Digital Goods * Demonstrate that the cardholder received your cancellation or return policy and did not cancel according to the disclosed policy * Proof that notice of upcoming billing was sent to the cardholder 10 days before the transaction #### Services * Proof that the services were used between the billing date and the cancellation date * The cardholder requested cancellation for a different date and services were provided until this date * Proof that the cardholder is still interested in the service *** ### Goods Not as Described / Defective The cardholder claims the goods were not as described or disputes the quality of the merchandise or services. #### Merchandise * Proof that the cardholder has not contacted you to solve the issue or returned the merchandise * Evidence to prove that the merchandise was as described or was not damaged or defective * If the merchandise was replaced/repaired, provide a Carrier-signed proof of delivery * Email communication with the cardholder #### Digital Goods * Proof that the cardholder has not contacted you to solve the issue * Evidence to prove that the merchandise was as described or was not damaged or defective #### Services * Proof that the cardholder has not contacted you to solve the issue * Evidence to prove that the service was as described *** ### Counterfeit Merchandise The merchandise was identified as counterfeit by the customer or a third party, such as a customs agency. #### Merchandise / Digital Goods / Services * Copy of invoice * Neutral third-party opinion * Certificate of authenticity *** ### Misrepresentation of the Purchased Good and/or Service The cardholder claims that the terms of sale (Terms and Conditions) were misrepresented. #### Merchandise / Digital Goods / Services * Proof that your Terms and Conditions were clearly communicated before the transaction was processed * Proof that the cardholder acknowledged your Terms and Conditions (for example, a screenshot of the checkout page showing that the cardholder accepted the Terms and Conditions by selecting a checkbox before proceeding to payment) *** ### Credit Not Processed The cardholder claims that you agreed to issue a refund but it was not processed, or that you didn't process a credit when the cardholder canceled or returned merchandise, canceled services, or canceled a guaranteed reservation. #### Merchandise / Digital Goods / Services * Evidence that a credit or reversal that you issued was not addressed by the issuer * Evidence that the cardholder did not return nor attempted to return the merchandise * Evidence that the cardholder's return does not comply with your written policies *** ### Mastercard 4853 – Cardholder Dispute The Mastercard dispute reason code 4853 is raised when a cardholder contacts their issuer claiming one of the following reasons applies: * Services not provided / Merchandise not received * Canceled recurring transaction * Goods not as described / Defective * Counterfeit merchandise * Credit not processed * Addendum dispute or "no-show" hotel charge was billed * Purchase transaction did not complete * Credit posted as a purchase Because Mastercard aggregates these eight dispute reasons into a single reason code, no additional information about the underlying reason is available when a 4853 dispute is raised. We recommend identifying which dispute reason(s) might be applicable and providing as much proof as possible to ensure the defense is valid. For the first five reasons listed above, refer to the corresponding sections on this page. # Payout Transaction IDs **Learn how to easily locate and use transaction IDs in your Alternative Payments dashboard to simplify your reconciliation process.** *** Now, you can view a transaction ID associated with each of your payouts. This ID simplifies the reconciliation process and provides a clear reference for each payout batch in your Alternative Payments dashboard and your bank statements. Follow the steps below to locate the transaction ID: ### **Accessing the Transaction IDs in Your Alternative Payments Dashboard** 1. **Log in to Your Account**: Visit[ Alternative Payments](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) and log in with your credentials. 2. On the left-hand side menu, click on **Accounts Receivable**. 3. Select [**Transactions**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/all-transactions) from the dropdown menu. In the Transactions section, ensure you are on the [**Payouts**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/all-transactions?pageTab=Payouts) tab. 4. **Locate the Transaction ID**: * Each row in the transactions list represents a payout batch. * Find the column labeled **Transaction ID** to see the unique ID for each payout. ![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcMfa3vBmpP2DUuZxIChfq8wDu6ZWHYMj_oNtBlrjk_NWzM1b5rKmpAwoVNi3pDcURhzGk_L2R0aqc7iXtSXfy00ljiq5rLjhoWA9uNaYV-W6HSDEA4nf7WKIMObFNTZj2-NIJ6ZUBp5_pSWAyUYIrb3Mto?key=Jbws5i40D37IJ0eWn00KTQ) *** ### **Accessing the Transaction IDs in Payout Reports** The transaction ID is also included in your payout reports, which can be accessed and exported for your records: **To export the Payout Report**: * Click the **Export (.CSV)** button on the top-right corner of the Transactions page to download a comprehensive report. * The downloaded report will include all transaction IDs, ensuring seamless reconciliation. ![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXecc2o0AUHJa4ieOqyFmnYLxMrvtyAvb0aQQ0_ypgh8A5wXYHUOryUeDj0rG63cFa5edQsoW47qF3nUwWPjs22NugYQ56WDz7It7kDvf_UhJO_PloT0RfFGjtvsDjsV6WMziaA8aciP2DI4UfSqQ_NbBMAw?key=Jbws5i40D37IJ0eWn00KTQ) That’s it! Transaction IDs are available in your Alternative Payments dashboard, in the payout report and in your bank statements. This ensures that all payouts can be easily tracked and matched with your financial records, simplifying the reconciliation process. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact our support team at **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Refund Management **Everything you need to know about issuing a refund to your customers.** *** You can issue full refunds in your partner dashboard. Below, we’ve outlined the steps to initiate a full refund, and key details on how refunds are processed. Please note that **all refunds take 3 - 5 business days to process.** Credit card fees for refunded transactions are the responsibility of the partner, and will be added to the refund amount. You can reach out to with any questions. *** ### **Self-Service Refund Process** 1. **Log into your Alternative Payments** [**Partner Dashboard**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. **Navigate to Account Receivable** From the sidebar, go to **Account Receivable**, select [**Invoices**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/invoices), and click the invoice number you'd like to refund.
3. **Navigate to Payment Details** From the **Activity** section of the invoice page, click the arrow next to the amount paid. This will take you to the **Payment Details** page.
4. **Refund Payment** Select **Refund Payment** from Payment details, and select a reason for the refund from the dropdown, then click **Next**
5. **Review your refund** Review the refund details, and click **Apply refund t**o refund the full invoice
*** ### Refund Eligibility Rules * **Paid status only** -- Refunds can only be issued on invoices with a "Paid" status. * **Full refunds only** -- Only full refunds are supported. Partial refunds are not available at this time. * **Same currency** -- The refund must be issued in the same currency as the original payment. * **Settlement required** -- The original payment must have been fully settled before a refund can be processed. *** ### Refund Limits All partners will start with a refund limit of $10,000 (this is a limit for risk and compliance). We are able to increase the limit. {% hint style="warning" %} ***Note:** credit card fees for refunds are incurred by the partner, and will be added to the refund amount if applicable.* {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # How US Bank Holidays Affect Your Payout Timelines Bank holidays in the United States can delay your payout timelines, even if you initiate a payment on a regular business day. Here's what you need to know to plan ahead. *** When U.S. banks are closed due to a national holiday, payouts may be paused until the next business day. This means your funds might arrive later than usual, especially if your payout is scheduled near a holiday or over a long weekend. For example, if you're expecting a payout to be deposited on Thursday, but Thursday is Thanksgiving Day, a U.S. bank holiday. In this case, your payout will be deposited on the next business day -- typically the following Friday, unless it's also a bank-observed day. To view your estimated payout timeline, check your [Payouts page](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/all-transactions?pageTab=Payouts) in the dashboard. {% hint style="warning" %} **Note:** Standard processing timelines for credit cards and bank payments (ACHs) are 3 business days.\ \ If you have opted in to accelerated payouts, your standard payout time may be the next day or 2 business days. {% endhint %} *** ## **Bank holidays in the United States (2026)** | Date | Day | Holiday | | ------ | --------- | ------------------------------------ | | Jan 1 | Thursday | New Year's Day | | Jan 19 | Monday | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | | Feb 16 | Monday | Presidents' Day | | May 25 | Monday | Memorial Day | | Jun 19 | Friday | Juneteenth National Independence Day | | Jul 3 | Friday | Independence Day (observed) | | Sep 7 | Monday | Labor Day | | Oct 12 | Monday | Columbus Day | | Nov 11 | Wednesday | Veterans Day | | Nov 26 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | | Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas Day | *** ## What should you expect? * Payments initiated just before or on a holiday may be delayed by 1 business day * Auto-pay and recurring payment rules will still trigger as scheduled, but the actual fund transfer won't be completed until banks reopen {% hint style="warning" %} **Note:** If a holiday falls on a weekend, banks may observe the holiday on the closest weekday. {% endhint %} *** ## Best practices * Schedule critical payouts in advance of bank holidays * Use our payout tracking tools to monitor payment status * Communicate with your clients or vendors if you anticipate any delays due to a holiday If you have specific questions or need help adjusting your payout schedule, reach out to our support team. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # How Canadian Bank Holidays Affect Your Payout Timelines Canadian bank holidays can affect your payout timelines, even if you initiate a payment on a regular business day. Here's what you need to know to plan ahead. *** When banks in Canada are closed for a holiday, payout processing pauses until the next business day. This means your funds might arrive later than usual -- especially if your payout is scheduled near a holiday or over a long weekend. \ **Example** If your payout is expected to be deposited on Monday but Monday is Thanksgiving Day (a Canadian bank holiday), it will instead be deposited on the next business day (Tuesday), unless that day is also a bank-observed holiday. You can always view your estimated payout timelines by visiting your [Payouts page](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/all-transactions?pageTab=Payouts) in your Alternative Payments dashboard. {% hint style="warning" %} **Note:** Standard processing timelines for credit cards and bank payments (EFTs) are 3 business days.\ \ If you have opted in to accelerated payouts, your standard payout time may be the next day or 2 business days. {% endhint %} *** ## **Bank Holidays in Canada (2026)** | Holiday | Date | Observed in | | ----------------------------------------- | ----------------------- | --------------------------------------- | | New Year's Day | Thursday, January 1 | All provinces & territories | | Good Friday | Friday, April 3 | All provinces & territories | | Victoria Day | Monday, May 18 | All provinces & territories (except QC) | | Canada Day | Wednesday, July 1 | All provinces & territories | | Labour Day | Monday, September 7 | All provinces & territories | | National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | Wednesday, September 30 | Federal & some provinces | | Thanksgiving Day | Monday, October 12 | All provinces except NB, NS, NL, PE | | Remembrance Day | Wednesday, November 11 | Federal & most provinces | | Christmas Day | Friday, December 25 | All provinces & territories | | Boxing Day | Saturday, December 26 | Federal & ON, NB, NL | *** ## What should you expect? * Payments initiated just before or on a holiday may be delayed by 1 business day * Auto-pay and recurring payment rules will still trigger as scheduled, but the actual fund transfer won't be completed until banks reopen {% hint style="warning" %} **Note:** If a holiday falls on a weekend, banks may observe the holiday on the closest weekday. {% endhint %} *** ## Best practices * Schedule critical payouts in advance of bank holidays * Use our payout tracking tools to monitor payment status * Communicate with your clients or vendors if you anticipate any delays due to a holiday If you have specific questions or need help adjusting your payout schedule, reach out to our support team. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Form 1099-K: Frequently Asked Questions If you accept online payments through card processors or third-party platforms like Alternative Payments, you may receive a Form 1099-K each year. This IRS tax form is how payment networks report the money you received for tax compliance and transparency. *** ## What Is a 1099-K? **Form 1099-K** (Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions) is an **IRS** information return used to report payments received from payment cards (like Visa or Mastercard) and third-party settlement organizations (like payment processors and marketplaces). If you receive payments from customers via credit card, debit card, or through a third-party processor, the payment processor may issue a **1099-K** showing the total amount of those transactions for the year. ## Who Receives a 1099-K? Payment processors issue a 1099-K when your payment volume meets the IRS reporting threshold for that tax year. Under current IRS guidance, third-party settlement organizations are generally required to file Form 1099-K when reportable payment transactions exceed **$20,000** and **200 transactions** for the tax year. Threshold rules have changed in recent years and can change again — always confirm the current requirement with the [IRS Form 1099-K FAQs](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/form-1099-k-faqs) or your tax advisor. You may still receive a 1099-K below the federal filing threshold in some cases, and processors may send forms even when not strictly required. {% hint style="info" %} Regardless of whether you receive a 1099-K, you are responsible for reporting all income on your tax return. {% endhint %} ## What Does the 1099-K Report? A 1099-K shows the gross amount of payments processed for goods and services over the year. This amount does not account for processor fees, refunds, chargebacks, or other adjustments. That's why the 1099-K total may be higher than your actual net income. ## Why It Matters Receiving a 1099-K doesn't necessarily mean you owe more taxes. What matters is that you accurately report your total income and expenses. A 1099-K helps both taxpayers and the IRS cross-check income reporting and ensure compliance. {% hint style="info" icon="calculator" %} **For questions about how to report income on your tax return, consult a tax professional.** {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Accelerated Payouts Receive payouts faster with Accelerated Payouts. Partners can opt in to a Same-Day (T+1) or Next-Day (T+2) payout schedule. This article covers the available tiers, payout timing, and how to update payout preferences in the dashboard. *** ## Payout Tiers Accelerated Payouts are offered in two tiers: **Same-Day (T+1)** – You receive payouts one business day after the payment is processed. **Next-Day (T+2)** – You receive payouts two business days after the payment is processed. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** "T" refers to the date the payment is received. {% endhint %} \*\*\* ## Opting in to Accelerated Payouts For pricing details and to opt in, submit a request from our help center, email with your preferred payout tier or connect with us via the chatbot. *** ## Payout Time The chart below shows when payouts are sent, based on the selected payout tier and the day the payment is processed. Timing is based on business days and applies to both ACH and credit card payments. | **Payment Day** | **Same-Day (T+1)** | **Next-Day (T+2)** | **Standard (T+3)** | | --------------- | ------------------ | ------------------ | ------------------ | | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Monday | | Thursday | Friday | Monday | Tuesday | | Friday | Monday \* | Tuesday \* | Wednesday \* | | Saturday | Tuesday \* | Wednesday \* | Thursday \* | | Sunday | Tuesday \* | Wednesday \* | Thursday \* | \* Payout sent the following week {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Payments processed after 11 PM ET are considered next-day payments. Payouts are sent on business days only. Weekends and banking holidays are excluded. {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # One-Time Payments (Payment Requests) Your guide to accepting one-time payments with guest checkout and login options available. ### Overview **One Time Payments is currently available for US-based partners only.** With One-Time Payments, you can generate an instant payment link for a specific amount. No invoice required, no customer login needed, and no AP portal user relationship involved. You simply send the link to your client, they pay, and that is it. Think of it as a virtual terminal for those out-of-scope or one-off transactions. This keeps your standard billing workflow clean and separate from these edge cases. One-Time Payments are commonly used for quotes, deposits, ad-hoc charges, or any situation where you need to collect a payment without creating an invoice. *** ### When to use One-Time Payments You may want to use One-Time Payments when: * You need to collect payment for a quote or proposal * You want to accept a payment without creating an invoice * The payer should not be required to log in * You need to send a payment link manually * You are collecting a deposit or a one-off payment This flow is designed to reduce friction and allow customers to complete payments quickly. *** ### How One-Time Payments work One-Time Payments use a **Payment Request**, which generates a hosted payment page with a fixed dollar amount. When the customer opens the payment link: * The payment amount is already set * Your company branding is displayed * The customer can pay using the available payment methods * No login or account is required
After the payment is completed, the transaction will appear in the [**Transactions**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/all-transactions) section of your Alternative Payments dashboard. One-Time Payments are standalone payments and are not synced to external integrations such as ConnectWise, QuickBooks, HaloPSA, or other accounting or PSA systems.\ Payments can be viewed in the **Transactions** section of the Partner Dashboard only. *** ### Payment Request Flows #### Payment Request Creation Link This flow allows you to generate a payment link without using the API. You can create a link using the following format: `https://[billing link]/payment-request?amount=[amount]&referenceId=[reference ID]` Example: `https://pay.yourcompany.com/payment-request?amount=250.00&referenceId=QUOTE-123\` {% hint style="warning" %} **Important:** Reference id is required. If reference id is missing, the link will return an error page. The reference id can be any string, but it must be unique per payment within your account.\ Different partner accounts can reuse the same reference id without conflict. Using something meaningful, such as a quote number, customer name, or date, makes tracking payments easier. {% endhint %} When the customer opens the link: * A Payment Request is created automatically * The customer is redirected to the payment page * The amount is fixed * The payment can be completed immediately If the same link is opened again before payment is completed, the system returns the existing Payment Request and does not create a duplicate. If the payment has already been completed, the page will show: "This payment has already been completed" and no additional payment can be made. #### API Payment Request To create a payment request via API, reference our full API documentation [here](https://docs.alternativepayments.io/getting-started/quick-start). *** ### What the customer sees When the customer opens the payment link, they will see: * Your company logo and branding * The payment amount * Available payment methods After payment: * If a redirect URL was set when the Payment Request was created, the confirmation screen shows a **Return to \[Partner Name]** button * If no redirect URL was set, a generic confirmation screen is shown with no redirect button The customer does not need to log in or create an account. *** ### Supported payment methods One-Time Payments support: * Credit card * Debit card * ACH bank transfer Card payments are usually completed immediately.\ ACH payments remain pending until the bank transfer fully clears. *** ### Viewing One-Time Payments in the dashboard All One-Time Payments appear in the [**Transactions**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/all-transactions) section. You can view: * Status (pending / completed) * Amount * Reference ID * Created date * Completed date Because One-Time Payments are not linked to invoices or customers, they will appear as standalone transactions.
*** ### Processing One-Time Payments Refunds Follow these steps to process refunds for One-Time Payments: 1. Log in to your [Partner Dashboard](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. Navigate to the [“Transactions”](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/all-transactions) section 3. Locate and click on the "See details" option next to the One-Time Payment you want to refund
4. Select the “Refund payment” option from the Payment Details page
5. Enter the refund details and select “Next”
6. Review the refund details and select “Apply Refund”
7. You are all done!
{% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Refunds for One-Time Payments work the same way as refunds for any other payments made through Alternative Payments. The refunded amount will be deducted from the following payout batch. {% endhint %} *** ### Chargebacks on One-Time Payments Chargebacks are fully supported for One-Time Payments and follow the same experience as other payments made through Alternative Payments. When a customer disputes a One-Time Payment with their bank, here is how it will appear in your Partner Dashboard: 1. The payment will display in the **Transactions** section with a *Chargeback* status 1. Accounts Receivable > Transactions
2. Click **"See details"** to view the transaction details, including the chargeback reason
The chargeback will also be reflected in the **Payouts** section, where the disputed amount is deducted, just like chargebacks on invoice payments
{% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Chargebacks on One-Time Payments work the same way as chargebacks on any other payments made through Alternative Payments. The disputed amount will be deducted from the following payout batch. {% endhint %} *** ### Important notes * One-Time Payments do not create invoices * One-Time Payments are not linked to customer records * One-Time Payments are not recorded in your accounting platform * Customers do not need to log in * The payment amount cannot be edited * Partial payments are not supported * The same link cannot be paid twice * Failed payments can be retried using the same link * Partner branding is automatically shown on the payment page \ **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)!
# Display Credit Balance (Credit Memo) **View synced credit memos from your accounting system in the Partner Dashboard and Customer Portal** *** This feature allows Alternative Payments to display credit memos that exist in your accounting system. Credit memos are synced automatically and shown as read-only records in both the Partner Dashboard and the Customer Portal. This helps keep customer balances consistent between your accounting system and Alternative Payments. *** ### How it works Credit memos are synced automatically from your accounting system using scheduled sync jobs or webhooks. No manual setup is required. Once synced, credit memos are visible in the Partner Dashboard and can optionally be shown to end customers in the Customer Portal. Credit balances are calculated based on the remaining amount on the credit memo in your accounting system.
*** ### Supported integrations Credit memo display is currently supported for the following integrations: * QuickBooks Online (US and Canada) * QuickBooks Desktop * Sage Intacct * Xero (US only) *** ### Show or hide credit balance in the Customer Portal You can control whether customers are able to see their credit balance in the Customer Portal. To change this setting: 1. Log in to your [**Partner Dashboard**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. Go to **Team Preferences** > [**Preferences**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/team/preferences) 3. Locate the **Credit balance visibility** option
4. Optional: Select **Manage exceptions** to exclude specific customers from the credit balance setting.
5. Toggle the **Show balance to all customers** option When disabled, credit memos will still appear in the Partner Dashboard but will not be visible to customers. {% hint style="success" icon="comment" %} \#### Note Credit memo display is currently available as Phase 1 of this feature.\ Further improvements will be introduced in future releases. {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Managing Invoices
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# Creating an Invoice **Create invoices through your Alternative Partner Dashboard and notify your customers of pending payments.** *** If you're not using any integrations and plan to create invoices directly in Alternative Payments, this guide will show you how to create an invoice. Here's how: ## Steps to Create an Invoice 1. Log in to your Alternative portal: [app.alternativepayments.io](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. For a one-time invoice, select [**Invoices**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/invoices) from the left side of the screen and select **Create invoice**.
3. For a recurring invoice, select [**Recurring payments**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/recurring) from the left side of the screen and select **Add recurring payment**. 4. **Select a customer.** Search for an existing customer or add a new customer directly from the invoice creation screen. 5. **Set the due date.** Select a due date for the invoice. The due date cannot be set to a date in the past. 6. **Enter the amount.** Enter the invoice amount. The amount must be greater than zero. 7. **Add a memo (optional).** Include a memo or description to provide additional context about the invoice. This text is visible to the customer. 8. **Choose a payment option.** Select one of the following payment timing options: | Payment Option | Description | | ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Charge later** | Creates the invoice without charging the customer. The invoice will appear in their portal and you can send a notification or reminder to prompt payment. | | **Charge now** | Immediately charges the customer's default payment method on file when the invoice is created. The customer must have a valid payment method saved. | | **Charge on due date** | Automatically charges the customer's default payment method on the invoice due date. If Auto-Pay is enabled for the customer, this is the default behavior. | | **Email payment link** | Sends the customer an email with a direct link to pay the invoice. The customer can choose their preferred payment method at the time of payment. | | **Charge method on file** | Charges a specific payment method already saved on the customer's account. You select which payment method to use during invoice creation. | 9. Click **Create invoice**.
## Validation Rules * **Due date** must be today or a future date. Past dates are not accepted. * **Amount** must be greater than $0.00. * **Customer** is required. You cannot create an invoice without selecting or creating a customer. * **Payment method on file** is required if you select "Charge now," "Charge on due date," or "Charge method on file." The customer must have a valid payment method saved. ## Notifying Your Customer After creating the invoice, you can notify the customer in two ways: * **Manual notification** -- Click the "Send" button on the invoice to send an email notification immediately. * **Automatic reminders** -- Set up [automatic email reminders](/automations/email-notifications-and-reminders/automatic-email-notifications) so customers are notified automatically when invoices are created and reminded as the due date approaches. Customers receive a branded invoice notification in their email. To make a payment, they log into their account through the email and use a saved payment method to pay their invoice in just 2-3 clicks. Through Alternative, customers are paying in **2 minutes or less**, much faster than any other option. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Bulk Invoice Reminder Sending Bulk Invoice Reminder Sending allows you to manually send reminder emails for multiple invoices at once, directly from the Invoices page. *** #### What is Bulk Invoice Reminder Sending? **Bulk Invoice Reminder Sending** lets you select multiple invoices and send reminder emails in one action using the default invoice reminder template. Each invoice is sent as a separate email. This is useful for ad-hoc or urgent follow-ups that fall outside automated schedules and works alongside your existing reminder and summary rules without interfering with them. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Bulk reminders are only available for invoices that are **not archived** and have a status of **Overdue** or **Upcoming**. If any ineligible invoices are selected, the bulk reminder action will not be available. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} **Template behavior:** Bulk reminders use your default invoice reminder email template. To customize, update your template under **Automations >** [**Email Notifications**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications). {% endhint %} *** ### Steps to send bulk invoice reminders 1. Log in to your Alternative portal: [app.alternativepayments.io](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. Navigate to the [**Invoices**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/invoices) section 3. Select the invoices you want to send 4. Select "Send reminder"
5. Click "Yes, send reminders"
You're all set! 🎉 **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Archiving Invoices **Learn how to archive invoices directly through your Alternative Partner Dashboard.** *** In the Alternative Payments platform, archiving an invoice is a non-destructive, reversible action. It hides the invoice from the end-customer's view within their payment portal, but the invoice and its data are preserved and can be restored at any time. Please follow the steps below to archive an invoice. 1. To archive an invoice, first visit our [website](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) and log in to your account using your email address. 2. Then, go to your dashboard and select 'Accounts Receivable' followed by ['Invoices'](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/invoices). 3. Locate the specific invoice you wish to archive and click on the ellipsis located at the far right corner of the invoice. This will bring up a dropdown menu, from which you should select 'Archive.'
4. A popup window will appear, asking you to confirm this action. If you wish to proceed with archiving the invoice, click 'Confirm’.
5. If you accidentally archived an invoice, you can select the 'Unarchive' button.
**Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Sync Invoices **Sync new ConnectWise invoices into QuickBooks Online with the Sync Invoices tool (Beta).** *** Alternative Payments offers the Sync Invoice tool that detects and syncs invoices which are created in ConnectWise but not yet synced to QuickBooks Online. The Sync Invoices tool allows you to select which invoices to sync, view a history of synced items, and trigger updates only when you're ready. \*\*\* {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** If you’re using an existing sync tool like WiseSync, this will not result in duplicate data. Our system flags the invoices as synced to ensure there is no overlap. {% endhint %} \### Eligibility Before using the Sync Invoices tool, confirm the following: * Your **ConnectWise** integration is connected and active * Your **QuickBooks Online** integration is connected and active * The ConnectWise invoices you want to sync have a **Closed** status To ensure this data is synced correctly, you need to grant the following additional permissions in your **ConnectWise security role settings**. **Steps to update your permissions in ConnectWise:** 1. Go to your **ConnectWise Setup Tables** and locate the security role associated with the integration. 2. Under the **Time & Expense** matrix, expand the accordion and set the following permissions: * **Expense Report Entry**: `None, None, None, All` * **Time Entry**: `None, None, None, All`
3. Click **Save**. For a full walkthrough of setting up the ConnectWise integration, refer to the [ConnectWise help doc](https://help.alternativepayments.io/integrations/psa-integration-guides/connectwise) for more information. *** Once permissions are updated, return to your **Alternative Payments dashboard** and follow these steps: 1. Go to the [**Integrations**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/integrations) section 2. Click the three dots ... next to the **ConnectWise** integration, and select **Manage Filters**.
3. Click **Edit** or **import filters** 4. Click **Save**
You do not need to make any additional changes. This will trigger a full re-sync, and historical invoice line items tied to Services and Expenses will be populated automatically. *** #### **How to Use the Sync Tool** 1. **Log into your Alternative Payments** [**Partner Dashboard**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. **Navigate to Sync Invoices**\ From the sidebar, select [**"Sync Invoices (Beta)"**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/sync-invoices) 3. **Preferences: Navigate to the** [**Preferences**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/sync-invoices/preferences) **section on this page before running your first sync.** This is where you can choose between manual or automatic sync, set your sync schedule, and review field mappings, tax code mappings, tax display options, and time entries. Taking a moment to confirm these settings upfront helps ensure everything syncs correctly from the start.
4. **View Unsynced Invoices**\ View new invoices found in ConnectWise that haven’t yet been synced to QuickBooks Online in the [**"Unsynced"**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/sync-invoices?pageTab=unsynced) tab 5. **Select Invoices to Sync**\ Choose the invoices you’d like to sync and click the **“Sync invoices”** button at the bottom of the screen.
5. **View synced invoices** View a record of synced invoices in the [**"Previous Syncs"**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/sync-invoices?pageTab=previous) tab in your Alternative Payments dashboard.
{% hint style="info" %} \*\*Note:\*\* The synced batch will also appear in the \*\*"Batches"\*\* section of ConnectWise. {% endhint %} You're all set! **🎉** *** **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Sync External Payments This article explains how Sync External Payments helps keep your QuickBooks and ConnectWise payment records in sync. *** {% hint style="warning" %} **Prerequisite:** This feature requires **both** a QuickBooks Online integration **and** a ConnectWise integration to be connected and active. {% endhint %} ### **What is an External Payment?** An external payment is any payment recorded directly in QuickBooks Online that was not created through Alternative Payments. This can include payments entered manually by your accounting team, payments imported through bank feeds, or payments created through other integrations or accounting workflows. When these payments are created in QuickBooks, Alternative Payments automatically detects them and creates a matching payment record in ConnectWise. *** #### Sync External Payments Requirements Before using this feature, please make sure the following requirements have been met. **Both integrations are connected and active:** * QuickBooks Online integration * ConnectWise integration **Invoices are synced:** * The invoice being paid exists in both QuickBooks and ConnectWise * The invoice information is identical in both integrations * The invoice exists in Alternative Payments, either created through the Partner Dashboard or synced via the Sync Tool *** #### Setup Steps #### 1. Enable Payment Syncing If you are not using the Sync Tool, the first step is to enable the Payment Sync preference. 1. Login to your Alternative Payments [Partner Dashboard](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. Navigate to [**Integrations**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/integrations) **> Preferences** 3. Locate the **Enable external payments sync** toggle 4. Turn the toggle **ON**
{% hint style="info" %} **Note:** This global setting controls whether payment syncing is enabled for your organization. When disabled, no external payments will be synced regardless of other configurations. {% endhint %} #### 2. Configure Sync Mode (only when Sync Tool is enabled) Next, configure **how** external payments should be synced: 1. Go to **Integrations >** [**Sync Invoices**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/sync-invoices), then select [**Preferences**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/sync-invoices/preferences)
2. Find the **External Payments** section
3. Select your preferred sync mode: **Sync Mode Options** * **Disabled** – No external payments will be synced.\ Use this if you want to keep payment records separate between systems. * **All Invoices** – Syncs external payments for **all invoices** that exist in both QuickBooks and ConnectWise.\ Use this for comprehensive payment tracking across all invoices. * **Synced Invoices Only** – Syncs external payments **only for invoices** that were previously synced using the Sync Tool.\ Use this for controlled synchronization of manually-selected invoices. {% hint style="warning" %} **Synced Invoices Only** mode requires that invoices were originally synced through the Alternative Sync Tool. Invoices created through other methods will not have their payments synced. {% endhint %} #### 3. Save Your Configuration 1. Review your selected sync mode 2. Click **Save changes** Your external payment sync configuration is now active! *** ### Details Included in the Payment Sync When a payment is synced from QuickBooks to ConnectWise, the following information is transferred: * **Payment Amount** – The exact amount paid * **Payment Date** – When the payment was received * **Invoice Reference** – Links the payment to the correct ConnectWise invoice *** ### **Verifying Synced Payments** Follow these steps to confirm payments were synced successfully: 1. Log in to your **ConnectWise** account 2. Navigate to the invoice that was paid 3. Check the **Payments** section 4. You should see the payment with the amount and date matching QuickBooks *** ### **Best Practices** 1. Avoid manually entering payments in ConnectWise for invoices that also exist in QuickBooks. This helps prevent duplicate payments from being created. 2. Make sure both integrations remain connected and active. If either integration is disconnected, external payment syncing will stop. *** ### **GL Account Mapping (ConnectWise + QuickBooks Online)** This section applies to partners using the **ConnectWise + QuickBooks Online sync tool**. The sync tool offers two modes for handling time entries, and the mode you choose directly affects which GL accounts are credited in QuickBooks Online. #### The Two Sync Modes **Sync each time entry as an individual line-item (line-item mode)** In this mode, each ConnectWise time entry is sent to QuickBooks Online as a separate invoice line mapped to a QuickBooks Online product/service item (for example, "Technician"). The income account that gets credited is whatever is hardcoded on that QuickBooks Online item — the sync tool does not consult ConnectWise's GL mapping table. Board-type-based overrides configured in ConnectWise Setup Tables have no effect on where the revenue lands in QuickBooks Online. **Sync time entries grouped as GL entries (grouped GL entries mode)** In this mode, the sync tool groups invoice lines by ConnectWise's dynamically calculated GL accounts — the same logic that drives the GL Entries tab in ConnectWise (work role × board type × work type from ConnectWise Setup Tables). This effectively replicates ConnectWise's GL Account Mapping logic and produces summary entries per GL account rather than one line per time log. #### Known Limitation in Line-Item Mode The sync tool does not replicate ConnectWise's Setup Tables GL Account Mapping logic when running in line-item mode. If a QuickBooks Online item such as "Technician" is hardcoded to an income account like "Technical Services," all time entries mapped to that item will post to "Technical Services" regardless of the board type or work type on the ConnectWise ticket. This is a known platform limitation. #### Workarounds for Mismatched Accounts in Line-Item Mode If you need different ConnectWise contexts (for example, Service tickets vs. Project tickets) to post to different income accounts in QuickBooks Online while staying in line-item mode, you have two options: * **Update the QuickBooks Online item's income account directly** — change the hardcoded income account on the existing QuickBooks Online product/service item to the account you want all entries of that type to use. * **Create separate QuickBooks Online items per context** — for example, create "Technician-Project" mapped to one income account and "Technician-Service" mapped to another. This also requires corresponding product setup changes on the ConnectWise side so that the correct item is referenced per ticket type. #### Correcting Already-Synced Invoices Invoices that have already synced with incorrect GL account assignments cannot be corrected by re-syncing. The correct fix is to enter manual journal entries in QuickBooks Online to move the amounts to the right accounts. #### Recommendation Partners who use ConnectWise as their system of record for time entries and do not need individual line-item detail in QuickBooks Online should use **Sync time entries grouped as GL entries** mode. This setting matches ConnectWise's own GL Entry calculation and avoids the income-account mismatch described above. You can change the time entries sync mode in your sync tool preferences under **Integrations →** [**Sync Preferences**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/sync-invoices/preferences) **→ Time Entries**. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Payments Methods
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# Customer Payment Methods **Manage your customer payment methods from the Alternative Payments partner dashboard.** *** Managing payment methods for your customers is an important aspect of your business operations. Whether you're dealing with one-off invoice payments or recurring payments, having a streamlined process for adding and removing payment methods saves time and enhances customer satisfaction. ## Supported Payment Method Types Alternative Payments supports the following payment method types: * **Credit cards** -- Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover * **Debit cards** -- Visa Debit, Mastercard Debit, Interac (Canada) * **Bank accounts** -- ACH (US), PAD (Canada), EFT (Canada) ## Adding a Payment Method 1. **Navigate to Customers** Log into your [partner dashboard](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) account and select "Customers" and then ["All customers."](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers) Click on the hyperlinked customer profile. 2. **Add the Payment Method** Scroll down to the payment method section and proceed to add a new payment method.
3. **Select your payment method type** -- Credit Card, Debit Card, or Bank Account.
4. **Enter your payment method details and select "Add Card" (or "Add Account") to confirm.**
## Default Payment Method When a customer has multiple payment methods on file, one is designated as the **default**. The default payment method is used for: * Auto-Pay charges * "Charge now" and "Charge on due date" invoice options * Any automatic payment processing To change the default, click the ellipses next to the desired payment method and select "Set as default." ## Payment Methods Cannot Be Edited Once a payment method has been added, its details (card number, expiration date, bank account number) **cannot be edited**. If a customer's payment details change, you must add a new payment method and archive the old one. ## Removing Payment Methods There are two ways to remove a payment method, depending on where the action is taken: ### Archive (Partner Dashboard) From the partner dashboard, click on the ellipses next to the payment method you would like to remove and click "Archive." Archiving removes the payment method from active use but retains the record for historical transaction reference.
### Remove (Customer Portal) When a customer removes a payment method from their own portal, it is fully removed from their account. This action is performed by the customer, not by the partner. ## Auto-Pay Relationship Payment methods are directly tied to the Auto-Pay feature. If Auto-Pay is enabled for a customer: * The customer must have at least one payment method on file with a default selected. * If the default payment method is archived or removed, Auto-Pay will fail until a new default is set. * When adding a payment method for a customer who uses Auto-Pay, consider setting the new method as the default to avoid payment interruptions. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Managing Payment Methods **Learn how to easily enable or disable payment methods like ACH, Credit Cards, and Pay-in-Installments.** *** Alternative offers your customers three ways to pay you by default; * ACH * Credit Card * Pay-in-Installments In some cases, you may not want to offer one or more of these payment methods. The following steps will guide you through the process of disabling or enabling a previously disabled payment method. {% stepper %} {% step %} Log into your [Alternative Payments dashboard](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) {% endstep %} {% step %} Navigate to the [Team Preferences](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/team/preferences) on the left-hand side {% endstep %} {% step %} Click on [Preferences](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/team/preferences) {% endstep %} {% step %} In the [Payments](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/team/preferences?pageTab=payments) tab, under the Payment methods section, you can easily toggle ACH, Credit Cards, and Pay-in-Installments on or off. {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} No need to save. As soon as you change one of the toggles your preferences will automatically save for you. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Our Flexible Payment Options **Alternative Payments supports multiple payment methods so your customers can pay the way that works best for them.** *** ## Payment Methods Overview | Payment Method | Type | Availability | Typical Fee Structure | | ----------------------------------- | ------------- | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **ACH** | Bank transfer | United States | Low flat fee or percentage; typically the lowest-cost option | | **PAD** (Pre-Authorized Debit) | Bank transfer | Canada | Low flat fee or percentage; Canadian equivalent of ACH | | **EFT** (Electronic Funds Transfer) | Bank transfer | Canada | Low flat fee or percentage; used interchangeably with PAD | | **Credit Card** | Card payment | US and Canada | Percentage-based fee (typically 2.9%+); varies by card network | | **Debit Card** | Card payment | US and Canada | Lower percentage than credit cards; Interac Debit supported in Canada | | **Pay in Installments** | Financing | United States only | Customers split payments over time; partner receives full payment upfront | ## Credit Card Fee Handling Credit card transactions incur processing fees. Alternative Payments gives you control over how these fees are handled: * **Pass fees to the customer (surcharge)** -- The processing fee is added to the invoice total. The customer sees the surcharge as a separate line item. This is the most common configuration. * **Absorb fees** -- You pay the processing fee. The customer pays only the invoice amount. * **Exceptions** -- You can configure fee rules at the account level or per-customer to handle specific scenarios (e.g., absorb fees for certain customers while passing them to others).

Note: Credit card surcharging regulations vary by state and province. Some US states restrict or prohibit surcharges. Alternative Payments handles compliance automatically based on the customer's billing address.

## Pay in Installments Alternative Payments offers a proprietary [Pay in Installments](/payments-and-invoicing/bnpl-pay-in-installments/pay-in-installments-benefits) financing solution for US customers. Key details: * Customers can split invoice payments into multiple installments over time. * Partners receive the full invoice amount upfront -- there is no payment delay. * Installment plans and terms are configured at the account level. * Available for US customers only. Not available in Canada. ## Canada-Specific Notes Canadian partners and customers should be aware of the following: * **Credit card surcharge cap** -- Canadian regulations cap credit card surcharges at 2.4% of the transaction amount. * **No Pay in Installments** -- The Pay in Installments financing option is not available for Canadian customers. * **Quebec exclusion** -- Credit card surcharging is not permitted in the province of Quebec. Customers with Quebec billing addresses will not be charged a surcharge. * **PAD/EFT processing** -- Canadian bank transfers use Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD) or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) rather than ACH. * **Interac Debit** -- Interac Debit is supported as a payment method for Canadian customers. ## Configuring Available Payment Methods You can control which payment methods are available to your customers from your partner dashboard settings. This allows you to: * Enable or disable specific payment types (e.g., accept only ACH and credit card) * Set default payment method preferences * Configure fee rules for each payment type Contact your Alternative Payments account manager or visit your dashboard settings to configure payment method availability. ## Related Articles * [How to make invoice payments](/end-customer-faqs/end-customer-faqs/making-invoice-payments) * [Pay in Installments benefits](/payments-and-invoicing/bnpl-pay-in-installments/pay-in-installments-benefits) * [Customer payment methods](/payments-and-invoicing/payments-methods/customer-payment-methods) * [Automatic email notifications](/automations/email-notifications-and-reminders/automatic-email-notifications) **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # BNPL (Pay in Installments)
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# Pay in Installments Overview **Get the flexibility to make invoice payments over time with our Pay in Installments feature.** *** Alternative Payments offers flexible financing (30 – 150 days) at checkout to allow you to break up your invoice into monthly installments over your desired term. Once you select your preferred duration and connect a bank account, we will complete a very brief underwriting process before approving the request. {% hint style="warning" %} **Availability:** Pay in Installments is currently available to **U.S.-based businesses only**. {% endhint %} *** **Here are the top reasons our customers are using flexible financing:** 1. Manage cash flow 2. Pay over time 3. Gain payment flexibility 4. Align capital spend with ROI 5. Avoid credit card interest or business loans To learn more about our Pay in Installments payment option, visit [alternativepayments.io/financing](https://www.alternativepayments.io/financing/). *** **To toggle the Pay in Installments option on or off for all customers, follow these steps:** 1. Login to the [Partner Dashboard](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. Navigate to Team preferences > [Preferences](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/team/preferences) and select the [Payments](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/team/preferences?pageTab=payments) tab 3. Toggle the "Pay in Installments" option under the Payment methods section
**Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Pay in Installments Terms Alternative Payments offers the flexibility to pay an invoice over 30-150 days, with equal installment payments due each month until the invoice is paid in full. {% hint style="warning" %} **Availability:** Pay in Installments is currently available to US-based customers only. {% endhint %} \*\*\* **Below is a breakdown of the duration options we offer, with the associated fees:** | Term | Fee | Payments | | -------- | ---- | ---------- | | 30 days | 3.0% | 1 payment | | 60 days | 4.0% | 2 payments | | 90 days | 5.0% | 3 payments | | 120 days | 6.0% | 4 payments | | 150 days | 7.0% | 5 payments | Regardless of the terms selected, the first payment is not due until day 30 and repeats every 30 days until fully repaid. It's that simple! {% hint style="info" %} Learn more about Pay in Installments: [Pay in Installments Benefits](/payments-and-invoicing/bnpl-pay-in-installments/pay-in-installments-benefits) {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Pay in Installments Benefits Alternative Payments offers invoice financing (Pay in Installments) at checkout to allow your customers to break up invoices into smaller payments to better manage cash flow. {% hint style="warning" %} **Availability:** Pay in Installments is currently available to **U.S.-based customers only**. {% endhint %} If your customers elect to take advantage of this offering, you are still paid the full amount of the invoice upfront, regardless of their chosen duration, and we handle collections. The guide below will provide an overview of our Pay in Installments offering to allow you to effectively communicate the details to your customers. *** ### **Pay in Installments Terms** The below schedule outlines the duration options we offer, ranging from 30 - 150 days with equal installments due every 30 days. The fee ranges from 3.0% - 7.0% depending on the duration selected. Here’s the table recreated in text format: | Term | Fee | Payments | | -------- | ---- | ---------- | | 30 days | 3.0% | 1 payment | | 60 days | 4.0% | 2 payments | | 90 days | 5.0% | 3 payments | | 120 days | 6.0% | 4 payments | | 150 days | 7.0% | 5 payments | *** ### **Instructions for Submitting a Pay-in-Installments Request** You can send the below instructions to any customer interested in submitting a Pay in Installments request to walk them through the process. Your customer success rep can provide assistance if they experience any issues. 1. Use your email to login to our payment portal: \[insert billing link] 2. In "Outstanding invoices", locate the invoice you want to pay and select "Pay", or select "Pay other invoice" and enter the invoice details 3. On the "Choose your payment methods" screen, select Pay in installments and toggle the net terms slider to your preferred duration 4. Confirm your business details 5. Review and confirm the Alternative Payments agreement 6. Add a bank account and click "Continue" to submit your request 7. The Alternative team will reach out to you for financials once the request is submitted. *** ### **Alternative Payments Diligence Process** Alternative Payments conducts a light diligence process on your customer before approving a Pay in Installments request. This process typically takes less than 24 hours and approval rates are 90+%. For customers wondering about the diligence process, we typically require additional financial information, which includes: 1. Bank statements for the last 12 months. 2. Financial statements (Income Statement and Balance Sheet) for the last 24 months, quarterly or monthly, in Excel if available If you have any additional questions on our diligence process, our underwriting team can walk you through the process in more detail. *** ### **Customer Pre-Approval Process** To expedite the approval process once an invoice is submitted, many partners utilize the pre-approval process in order to get customers approved before they submit the Pay in Installments request. If you are interested in pre-approving customers for financing, we recommend your sales team follow the below steps as the sale is being finalized. 1. Provide customers with a list of required financial information, which includes: 1. Bank statements for the last 12 months, and 2. Financial statements (Income Statement and Balance Sheet) for the last 24 months, quarterly or monthly, in Excel if available 2. Connect your customer with your Alternative Payments customer success rep 3. Forward customer financial information if provided to you directly; otherwise, the customer will send financial information to the customer success rep 4. Your customer success rep will loop in the Alternative Payments underwriting team to review the financial information and ask any questions that arise. This is a light due diligence process and may involve follow-up questions over email or a quick phone call. 5. Once the diligence process is complete, the underwriting team will provide an approval or rejection 6. If approved, your customer can follow the Instructions for Submitting a Pay in Installments Request above. *** ### **Sales Team Training** Alternative Payments offers sales team training to walk your sales team through our offering and provide strategies and talking points for how to communicate Pay in Installments to customers. If you would like to set up a training session, please contact your customer success rep. To learn more, visit [www.alternativepayments.io/financing](https://www.alternativepayments.io/financing/) **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Email Notifications & Reminders
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# Automatic Email Notifications **Automatic email reminders help customers pay invoices on time and save you from sending manual notifications.** *** Easily automate your emails and improve collections with invoice summaries and invoice reminders. **Set up automatic email notifications in 4 easy steps:** {% stepper %} {% step %} Go into Automations {% endstep %} {% step %} Select [Email Notifications](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications) {% endstep %} {% step %} Add Your Notifications (Invoice summaries & Invoice reminders) {% endstep %} {% step %} Add Customer Exclusions {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} *** ## Invoice Summaries Email your customers comprehensive invoice summaries to highlight all outstanding invoices. This serves as a gentle reminder, ensuring timely payments for the services you've delivered. Follow [How to customize your templates for invoice reminders and summaries](/automations/email-notifications-and-reminders/creating-custom-email-templates).
*** ## Invoice Reminders 1. **Go into Automations** In the Partner Dashboard, select Automations from the side menu. 2. **Select Email Notifications** Select [Email Notifications](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications) from the drop-down, then open the [Invoice reminders](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications?pageTab=reminders) section. Select [New reminder](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications/new-reminder) to start configuring automatic email reminders.
3. **Add Your Reminders** Set reminders based on the due date, after the due date, before the due date, on creation, or after creation. You can set as many reminders as you need; they apply to your full customer base with email notifications enabled.
{% hint style="success" %} As best practice, we recommend you set reminders for: * On due date * 3 days before due date * 7 days after due date (and optionally 15, 30, and 45 days) {% endhint %} 4. **Add Customer Exclusions** If you want to exclude any customers from automatic email reminders, use the **Exception List** section. Select **Choose Customers**, filter for the customers you want, and select the checkboxes next to the company names. You can also **Select All** or **Clear Selection**. Confirm with the **Select x customers** button when you are ready.
Now you're all set up to send automatic email notifications. For questions, use the chat icon at the bottom right of the Partner Dashboard. *** ## Email Sending Domain Invoice notification emails are sent from one of two addresses, depending on whether your account has a custom email domain configured: * **Custom email domain configured:** Notifications are sent from your custom sending address (for example, `billing@yourcompany.com`). This keeps your brand front and center in your customers' inboxes and helps with deliverability. * **No custom email domain:** Notifications are sent from Alternative Payments' default email address on your behalf. ### Setting up a custom email domain Custom email domain configuration requires DNS verification (DKIM and return-path records) and is set up by the Alternative Payments team. To get started, contact your Customer Success Manager or email . For more context on white-labeling and branding options, see [White-labeling your Payments Portal](/getting-started/account-set-up-and-configuration/white-labeling-your-payments-portal). ### Confirming which domain is active Once your custom email domain is configured and verified, confirm the from-address used on sent notifications in your [Email Activity](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-activity) log. Each entry shows the sending address used for that notification. For a full walkthrough, see [Tracking Email Notifications](/automations/email-notifications-and-reminders/tracking-email-notifications). *** ## Limitations ### File Attachments in Email Notifications Attaching files — such as worksheets, PDFs, or other supporting documents — to AP invoice reminder or summary emails is not currently supported. Only the invoice itself is included in the email notification. **Recommended workaround:** If you need to send a worksheet or other attachment alongside an invoice, use this two-step approach: 1. **Send the first invoice email through QuickBooks Online.** In your QuickBooks Online email template, include both the file attachment and your AP custom billing link (the unique URL from your Alternative Payments account that takes customers directly to your payment portal). This ensures the customer receives the attachment and can still pay through AP. 2. **Use AP for all subsequent reminders.** Once the initial email has gone out via QuickBooks Online, configure remaining reminders in Alternative Payments as normal. AP continues automated follow-ups with the billing link included. To find your custom billing link, see [Custom Billing Links](/getting-started/account-set-up-and-configuration/custom-billing-links). {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** An API-based approach to including attachments may be possible for partners with custom integrations, but this is not an officially supported workflow. Contact your customer success representative for guidance. {% endhint %} *** {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Invoices enrolled in Auto-Pay are marked with an Auto-Pay icon in the Invoice Reminder email. {% endhint %}
Invoice reminder email showing the Auto-Pay icon on enrolled invoices
**Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Automated Invoice Summaries Invoice summaries are sent to your customers by email and include an overview of all their outstanding invoices. The goal is to remind customers about their outstanding invoices to ensure you are paid for the products and services you have provided and improve your collection rates. To create invoice email summaries for any outstanding invoices, follow these simple steps: {% hint style="warning" %} **Important:** Invoice summaries and reminders are only sent when a customer has an outstanding balance. If a customer's balance is zero, no summary or reminder email will be sent — there are no outstanding invoices to display. {% endhint %} *** 1. Log in to your [Alternative Payments Dashboard](https://app.alternativepayments.io/). 2. Click on Automations and then [Email Notifications](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications). 3. Select the [Invoice Summaries](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications?pageTab=summaries) option. 4. Click on [+ New summary](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications/new-summary). 5. Choose the frequency at which you want the invoice summaries to be sent. 6. Set the starting date of your invoice summaries and either use the Default template or [create a new template](/automations/email-notifications-and-reminders/creating-custom-email-templates). 7. That's it! You're all set with your invoice summary. Feel free to add any exceptions. *** {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Invoices enrolled in Auto-Pay are marked with an Auto-Pay icon in the Invoice Summary Email {% endhint %}
**Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Creating Custom Email Templates **Add custom text to your invoice summaries and reminders to make your invoices an extension of your brand.** *** Creating **custom email templates** for your **invoice summaries** and **reminders** allows you to enhance the white-labeling experience and ensures that every communication with your customers reflects your unique company identity. Follow the steps below to provide your customers with a fully-branded payment experience: *** ### **Invoice Summaries** 1\. From your Alternative Payments Dashboard, navigate to the Automation section: * Select the [**"Email notifications"**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications) option. * You will see two tabs: "Invoice summaries" and "Invoice reminders." Click on the [**"Invoice summaries"**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications?pageTab=summaries) tab.
2\. In the "Invoice summaries" tab, click on [**"+ New summary"**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications/new-summary) to create a new email summary rule.
3\. In the **"New summary"** section, select the frequency for the email summaries. This can be daily, weekly, or monthly depending on your preference. 4\. Select the start date for when the email summaries should begin.
5\. Under the **"Email template**" section, you can either select the default template or create a new template. * If you select to use the **"Create a new template"** option, you will have the option to customize the template name, subject, heading, main text and secondary text.
6\. After configuring the summary rule and selecting an email template, save your settings. 7\. You can manage any exceptions by clicking on the **"+ Exception list"** button. *** ### **Invoice Reminders** Click on [**"Invoice reminders"**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications?pageTab=reminders) and follow the same instructions as above to customize your reminders.
You're all set to send out custom email summaries and reminders for your customer's invoices!\ If you need any additional information or further customization, feel free to reach out to . *** ### **Troubleshooting** #### New custom invoice reminder template not appearing in the platform After creating a new custom invoice reminder template, it may take up to **10–15 minutes** for the template to become visible in the platform. This is a known propagation delay that can affect newly saved templates. {% hint style="warning" %} **Hard refresh does not resolve this delay.** Pressing Ctrl+F5 (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac) will not make the template appear sooner. {% endhint %} **Workaround:** If your newly created template is not visible after saving, follow these steps: 1. Log out of the Alternative Payments Dashboard. 2. Wait a few minutes. 3. Log back in — your new template should now appear. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** This delay has been patched. However, if you encounter template visibility issues after creating a new custom reminder template, the log-out/log-in workaround above will resolve it. If the problem persists, contact . {% endhint %} *** **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Tracking Email Notifications **Here’s how you can keep track of the emails that are sent out from Alternative Payments to your customers in your partner dashboard.** *** The Email Activity tab allows you to view the status of all emails sent through Alternative Payments including: * The date the email was sent * The user who received the email * The subject of the email * The status of the email There are three ways to access the Email Activity tab from within your partner dashboard: 1. Email Activity main page 2. Email Activity within Invoices 3. Email Activity within Customer Profile *** ### **Email Activity in the sidebar menu** From your dashboard, navigate to the side menu and select [Email Activity](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-activity).
From here, you can easily view the email notification history of all customers with the email address associated with their customer profile within the Alternative Payments system. Additionally, you can enter in the email address to search for a specific user’s email notification history.
You can also filter by date sent, status, customer and invoice number by selecting the filtering icon
*** ### **Email Activity within Invoices** * Go to Accounts Receivables and select [Invoices](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/invoices) from your side menu * Select the ellipses beside the invoice you wish to see the email activity and click "See details” * Scroll down to see the Email activity tab.
*** ### **Email Activity within Customer Profile** Within “[Customers](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers),” click into any customer name to view their profile page.
Select “Email Activity” to view all emails sent by our system to your customer
*** ### **Email Statuses** The following email statuses are available: * **Delivered** -- The email was successfully delivered to the recipient's mail server * **Opened** -- The recipient opened the email * **Pending** -- The email is queued and has not yet been sent * **Bounced** -- The email could not be delivered to the recipient's address * **Blocked** -- The email was blocked by the recipient's mail server or spam filter * **Failed** -- The email failed to send due to a system or configuration error

Want to learn more about managing your emails in Alternative Payments? Check out these helpful articles:

[How to create automatic email invoice reminders to save time and increase collections](/automations/email-notifications-and-reminders/automatic-email-notifications) [Creating Invoice Email Summaries: A Step-by-Step Guide](/automations/email-notifications-and-reminders/automated-invoice-summaries) You're all set! 🎉 **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Create Email Audiences Here’s how you can target reminders to specific audiences only to ensure your messages stay relevant and your customers receive the right communication at the right time. You can now target reminder emails to specific audiences for more relevant communication. Send reminders only to customers with past-due invoices, create separate cadences for recurring or high-value clients, and exclude those you manage manually. Use customer tags to group customers by payment habits, industries, or billing frequency to keep reminders focused and effective. *** 1. Create your [email summary or reminder](https://help.alternativepayments.io/automations/email-notifications-and-reminders/automatic-email-notifications). 2. Toggle off "Send to all customers." 3. Select to send by [tag](https://help.alternativepayments.io/payments-and-invoicing/managing-customers/create-customer-tags) or customers to select the specific customers to send this notification to.
You're all set! 🎉 # One-Off Email **Send a custom, one-time email to specific customers or groups — outside your automated reminder and summary flows.** *** ## What is a one-off email template? A **one-off email template** is a reusable message you write once and then send to a specific audience on demand or at a scheduled date and time. It is separate from your automated invoice reminder and invoice summary rules, which run on a recurring schedule for your full customer base. Use one-off emails when you need to communicate something that falls outside your normal billing cadence — for example, a service announcement, a payment plan update, or a follow-up for a specific group of customers. | | One-off email template | Automated reminder / summary template | | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Trigger** | You choose when to send it | Fires automatically based on invoice due date or creation date | | **Audience** | You pick specific customers or tags each time you send | Applies to all customers (with optional exclusions) | | **Recurrence** | Single send (or scheduled once) | Repeats on the cadence you configure | | **Found in** | **Email notifications → One-off emails** tab | **Email notifications → Invoice reminders** or **Invoice summaries** tab | *** ## Required permission The **One-off emails** tab is only visible to users with the `InvoiceRemind` permission. If you do not see the tab, contact your account administrator to confirm your user role has this permission enabled. *** ## How to create a one-off email template 1. In the Partner Dashboard, go to **Automations →** [**Email notifications**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-notifications). 2. Click the **One-off emails** tab. If the tab is not visible, see the permission note above. 3. Click **New email** (the button with the mail icon in the top-right of the One-off emails section). 4. On the template picker screen, you can either: * Select a **ready-made model template** and click **Use** to pre-populate the form, or * Click **Create a one-off template** on the blank card to start from scratch. 5. Fill in the template fields: * **Template name** — an internal label for this template (e.g., `"Important update about your account"`). * **Subject** — the email subject line your customers will see (up to 100 characters). You can insert dynamic variables such as customer name using the mention picker. * **Email content** — the body of the email (up to 3,000 characters), written in the rich-text editor. 6. A live **preview** panel on the right updates as you type so you can see how the email will look to recipients. 7. When you are satisfied, click one of the two action buttons at the bottom of the page: * **Save template** — saves the template and returns you to the **One-off emails** tab without sending. * **Choose audience** — saves the template and immediately moves you to the audience step so you can send or schedule the email right away. *** ## Where to find a template after saving After you click **Save template**, you are returned to **Email notifications → One-off emails** tab. Your saved template is not stored as a standalone library entry on this page — instead, it is available as a selectable template the next time you click **New email** and reach the template picker. Previously saved one-off templates appear as cards alongside the model templates and the blank "Create a one-off template" card. > **Tip:** If you saved a template and do not see it on the picker screen, try logging out and logging back in. A propagation delay of up to 10–15 minutes can affect newly saved templates in some cases (see [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting) below). *** ## How to send or schedule a one-off email Whether you clicked **Choose audience** during template creation or you are starting from the **New email** button and selecting an existing template, the sending flow has three steps: ### Step 1 — Pick a template From **Email notifications → One-off emails**, click **New email**. Select the template you want to use and click **Use**. ### Step 2 — Select audience and send time On the **Select audience** screen, choose who receives the email: * **By tag** — select one or more customer tags to target a group. * **By customer** — select individual customers from the list. You can also add **CC** and **BCC** recipients for additional visibility. Under **Select send time**, choose when the email goes out: * **Send immediately** — the email is dispatched as soon as you confirm on the review screen. * **Schedule for later** — pick a date, hour, and timezone. The email is queued and appears in the **Scheduled emails** table on the **One-off emails** tab until it is sent. Click **Review** when your audience and send time are set. ### Step 3 — Review and confirm The review screen shows a summary of the template, audience, and send time. Confirm to send or schedule the email. * If you chose **Send immediately**, the email is sent and you are returned to the **One-off emails** tab. * If you chose **Schedule for later**, the email appears in the **Scheduled emails** table with columns for **Created on**, **Template name**, **Send time**, and **Applies to**. *** ## Managing scheduled emails Scheduled one-off emails that have not yet been sent appear in the **Scheduled emails** table on the **One-off emails** tab. Use the actions menu (⋮) on any row to: | Action | What it does | | ------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Send now** | Sends the email immediately and removes it from the schedule. You will be asked to confirm before the email is dispatched. | | **Preview** | Opens a preview of the email template without sending. | | **Edit** | Opens the template and audience editor so you can change the content, audience, or send time before it goes out. | | **Delete** | Permanently deletes the scheduled email. This action cannot be undone. | *** ## Editing and deleting one-off templates ### Editing a template before sending If you have not yet sent or scheduled an email, click **New email**, find your template card on the picker screen, and click **Use** to open it in the editor. Make your changes and click **Save template** or **Choose audience**. ### Editing a scheduled email To change the content, audience, or send time of an email that is already scheduled, find it in the **Scheduled emails** table and select **Edit** from the actions menu (⋮). This opens the full template and audience editor. Save your changes to update the scheduled email. ### Deleting a scheduled email To remove a scheduled email before it sends, select **Delete** from the actions menu (⋮) in the **Scheduled emails** table. Confirm the deletion in the dialog. This permanently removes the scheduled email and it cannot be recovered. > **Note:** Deleting a scheduled email does not delete the underlying template. The template remains available on the picker screen for future use. *** ## Troubleshooting ### Template not appearing after creation After saving a new one-off template, it may take up to **10–15 minutes** for the template to appear on the picker screen. This is a known propagation delay. {% hint style="warning" %} **A hard refresh does not resolve this delay.** Pressing Ctrl+F5 (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac) will not make the template appear sooner. {% endhint %} **Workaround:** 1. Log out of the Alternative Payments Dashboard. 2. Wait a few minutes. 3. Log back in — your template should now appear on the picker screen. If the template still does not appear after logging back in, contact . ### One-off emails tab not visible The **One-off emails** tab only appears for users with the `InvoiceRemind` permission. If you cannot see the tab, ask your account administrator to review your user permissions. ### Scheduled email not in the table If you scheduled an email but it does not appear in the **Scheduled emails** table, try refreshing the page. If it still does not appear, log out and log back in. If the problem persists, contact . *** **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Setting up Auto-Pay
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# Setting up Auto-Pay **Learn about auto-pay and how to set up custom rules for your customers to simplify their payment experience and automate your payments.** *** Auto-pay is a feature offered by Alternative Payments that allows your customers to automatically pay their bills or make recurring payments without manual intervention. As a partner, you can set up auto-pay rules for all customers or create customer-specific rules. There two dedicated sections available to configure your auto-pay rules: *** **Customers** {% stepper %} {% step %} Log into your Alternative Payments [Partner Dashboard](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) {% endstep %} {% step %} Navigate to [Customers](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers) {% endstep %} {% step %} Select the ellipses on the applicable customer and edit {% endstep %} {% step %} Add your rules 5. You're all set! {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} ***AutomationsLog into your Alternative Payments Partner DashboardNavigate to Automations then Auto-pay RulesAdd your rulesYou're all set!*** {% hint style="info" %} Note: We recommend configuring auto-pay rules to be customer-specific. An auto-pay rule will only work if the customer has a payment method on file. Once the rules are set up, they will take effect immediately. {% endhint %} \## **Customers** 1. **Log into your Alternative Payments** [**Partner Dashboard**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. Navigate to [Customers](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers)\ \ From the sidebar, select Customers then All Customers.
3. **Click into any customer profile**\ \ To add an auto-pay rule for a specific customer, click the hyperlinked customer profile name to see their profile page.
4. **Add your rules**\ \ Scroll down to the Auto-pay rules section and select '+Add a new rule.'
By default, the Days past due and Customer conditions will be selected. If you save this rule, this means that the customer will be charged for all their invoices on the due date. You can also choose to update the Days past due condition and also set it based on Days before due and Days past creation. You can add additional conditions based on recurring invoices/agreements and the outstanding amount. Click 'Confirm' to save the rule for the customer. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** 0 days past due means the customer will be charge on the invoice due date for all their invoices. {% endhint %}
*** ## **Automations** 1. **Log into your Alternative Payments** [**Partner Dashboard**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. **Navigate to Automations**\ \ From the sidebar, select Automations then [Auto-pay rules](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/autopay-rules) and click on '[Create new](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/autopay-rules/new)'.
3. **Add your rules**\ \ Create a condition by which you would like all customers or specific customers to be charged. The rule options are days past due, days before due, days past creation, agreements, amount and based on customer.
4. **Review the new rule** \ Review the details of the new rule, including the affected customers and invoice. You can exclude specific invoices from autopay if needed.
**You're all set!** Click **Create rule** to save the auto-pay rule. *** ## Customer Tags 1. **Log into your Alternative Payments** [**Partner Dashboard**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. **Navigate to Automations** From the sidebar, select Automations then [Auto-pay rules](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/autopay-rules) and click on 'Customer tags', then '[Create new](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/autopay-rules/new)'
3. **Select customer tag(s), and Add your rule** Select the customer tags that you would like to apply the rule on. Create a condition by which you would like all customers with this tag to be charged. The rule options are days past due, days before due, days past creation, agreements, and amount.
4. **Review the new rule** Review the details of the new rule, including the affected customers and invoice. You can exclude specific invoices from autopay if needed.
That's it! Enjoy payments being received on time and reduce time spent managing collections. {% hint style="info" %} **Tip**: Auto-Pay rules follow **AND/OR** logic. Within a single rule, **all** conditions must be met for auto-pay to trigger (**AND logic**). If you have multiple rules, the system checks each one separately and will trigger auto-pay if at least one rule meets **all** of its conditions (**OR logic**). This means auto-pay won't trigger if only some conditions of a rule are met, but as long as one rule is fully met, auto-pay will be triggered. {% endhint %} *** ## ACH Payment Processing Timeline When auto-pay triggers an ACH payment, the transaction moves through a multi-day clearing process governed by the ACH network. Understanding this timeline helps you interpret payment statuses in the Partner Dashboard and set accurate expectations with your customers. ### The ACH lifecycle ACH payments follow a standard three-business-day clearing window: | Day | What happens | | ------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **T+0** | The transaction is initiated and submitted to the ACH network. The payment status in the dashboard moves to **Processing**. | | **T+1** | Funds are pulled from the customer's bank account. | | **T+3** | The bank-initiated chargeback window passes and the transaction clears. The payment status updates from **Processing** to reflect the final outcome. | A payment showing a **Processing** status for up to three business days is expected behavior — it does not indicate a stuck or failed payment. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Weekends and federal holidays do not count as business days. An ACH payment initiated on the last business day before a holiday will not begin its T+1 funds pull until the next business day. {% endhint %} ### Partner payout timing Partner payout timing is separate from — and in addition to — the ACH clearing timeline above. Once a transaction clears, partners receive funds in their bank account according to their individual payout agreement with Alternative Payments: T+1, T+2, or T+3 from the point of clearing. If you are unsure of your payout terms, contact your Alternative Payments account manager. ### Returned or held debits Once an ACH debit has been transmitted to the ACH network, Alternative Payments cannot resubmit that same debit request. * **If a receiving bank holds the debit** (for example, for manual authorization), the clearing timeline continues as normal. No action is required. * **If a receiving bank returns the debit** (a formal ACH return), the transaction will reflect a failed or chargeback status in the dashboard. The original debit cannot be resubmitted. To collect payment, the partner must initiate a new payment attempt through the Partner Dashboard. Alternative Payments must wait for any potential chargeback to be resolved before a retry can be considered. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** A bank return is different from a bank hold. A return is a formal rejection by the receiving bank that closes the original transaction. A hold is a temporary delay that does not change the clearing timeframe. {% endhint %} *** ## Payment Method Expiry Notifications Automatic credit card expiry notifications to customers are not yet available as a native feature in Alternative Payments (as of June 2026). A dedicated feature — scheduled expiry reminder emails sent directly to customers when their card is about to expire — is actively in development. In the meantime, partners can use [**Alti**](/alti/alti/meet-alti) to set up a workaround that achieves a similar result today. ### Workaround: Scheduled Routine via Alti Alti supports scheduled routines that can target customers with expiring payment methods and notify them on a recurring basis. To configure this: 1. **Open Alti** from your [Partner Dashboard](https://app.alternativepayments.io/). 2. **Create a new scheduled routine** and provide an instruction that targets customers whose credit cards are expiring within your chosen timeframe (for example, within the next 30 days). 3. **Set the schedule** (for example, weekly) so the routine runs automatically and reaches affected customers on an ongoing basis. 4. **Review and confirm** the routine. Alti will execute it on each scheduled run and send the relevant customers a notification. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** This workaround requires Alti to be enabled for your account. Contact the Alternative Payments team via the chat icon in your dashboard if you need access. {% endhint %} ### What's Coming The long-term approach for credit card expiry notifications is two-pronged: 1. **Platform-level expiry emails** — a native platform feature that will automatically send scheduled reminder emails to customers when their credit card is approaching its expiration date. 2. **Alti configurability** — partners who want custom control over the timing, frequency, or messaging of expiry notifications will continue to be able to configure this through Alti scheduled routines. Once the native feature ships, you will be able to track all outgoing expiry notification emails from the [Email Activity](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/email-activity) tab in your Partner Dashboard — the same place you monitor invoice reminders and other automated emails today. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Auto-Pay Permissions **Manage your customers' ability to opt in and out of auto-pay from their payment portal straight from your partner dashboard.** *** Auto-pay is a handy tool that allows customers to automatically pay their invoices or make recurring payments without manual intervention. You have the option to configure auto-pay rules for your customers from your partner dashboard or customers have the option to opt-into auto-pay from their payment portal, however, you may want to manage this permission on their behalf. {% hint style="warning" %} **Role requirement:** Only users with **Admin** or **Sub-Admin** roles can manage Auto-Pay permissions and create or modify Auto-Pay rules from the partner dashboard. {% endhint %} *** **To enable or disable your customers’ ability to manage their auto-pay permissions, follow these simple steps:** 1. Navigate to Automations 2. Select [Auto-Pay](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/autopay-rules) 3. Toggle on ‘Allow customers to create Auto-Pay rules’
Enabling this permission will allow [customers to enroll in auto-pay](/end-customer-faqs/end-customer-faqs/enrolling-into-auto-pay) straight from their payment portal.
When this permission is disabled from your partner dashboard, your customers will need to contact you directly to enroll in auto-pay and will have view-only access to the conditions applied.
You're all set! 🎉 **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Invoice Creation Date Auto-Pay Rules **Here’s how you can set up auto-pay rules for your customers based on the invoice creation date.** *** You now have more flexibility in [setting up auto-pay rules](/automations/setting-up-auto-pay/setting-up-auto-pay) based on when the invoice was created. This configuration is particularly useful for customers who have invoices with net terms to make arrangements to pay their invoices. You can set this auto-pay rule within the Customers or Auto-pay sections of your Alternative Payments dashboard. *** ### **Customers** In the [Customers > All customers](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers) section, click the customer profile you wish to edit. Scroll down to the Automation section and select “+Add new rule.” From the conditions dropdown, select “Days past creation” and then select the number of days. Click on “Confirm” to save the rule.
*** ### **Creating Auto-pay Rules** Within the [Automations > Auto-pay](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/autopay-rules) section, select “[Create new](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/autopay-rules/new)” We always recommend making auto-pay rules customer-specific. Go to the "Customer specific" section, and Select the applicable customer(s). From the conditions dropdown, select “Day past creation” and then select the number of days. Click “Review” to see the affected invoices.
Review the details of the new rule, including the affected customers and invoices. You can exclude specific invoices from autopay if needed. Click "Create rule" to save the rule for the customer.
{% hint style="info" %} **NOTE:** Auto-Pay rules are evaluated nightly. Once a rule is created or updated, it takes effect on the next nightly processing cycle. {% endhint %} You’re all set 🎉! {% hint style="info" %} **Tip**: Auto-Pay rules follow **AND/OR** logic. Within a single rule, **all** conditions must be met for auto-pay to trigger (**AND logic**). If you have multiple rules, the system checks each one separately and will trigger auto-pay if at least one rule meets **all** of its conditions (**OR logic**). This means auto-pay won’t trigger if only some conditions of a rule are met, but as long as one rule is fully met, auto-pay will be triggered. {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Agreements-Based Auto-pay Rules **Refine your auto-pay collections to an even greater extent by implementing agreements-based rules.** *** Alternative Payments provides you with the functionality to establish auto-pay rules tailored to specific agreement types synced in from your PSA or accounting software integration. {% hint style="info" %} Note: Agreements-based auto-pay rules are only applicable for ConnectWise, HaloPSA and QuickBooks Online partners. {% endhint %} There two dedicated sections available to configure your agreements-based auto-pay rules: *** **Customers** {% stepper %} {% step %} Log into your Alternative Payments [Partner Dashboard](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) {% endstep %} {% step %} Navigate to [Customers](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers) {% endstep %} {% step %} Select the ellipses on the applicable customer and edit {% endstep %} {% step %} Add your rules {% endstep %} {% step %} You’re all set! {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} *** **Automations** {% stepper %} {% step %} Log into your Alternative Payments [Partner Dashboard](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) {% endstep %} {% step %} Navigate to Preferences then [Auto-pay Rules](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/autopay-rules) {% endstep %} {% step %} Set your agreements-based auto-pay rule {% endstep %} {% step %} You’re all set! {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} *** ### **Customers** 1. **Log into your Alternative Payments** [**Partner Dashboard**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. **Navigate to** [**Customers**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers)\ \ From the sidebar, select Customers then All Customers.
3. **Select the ellipses on the applicable customer and edit**\ \ To add an agreements auto-pay rule for a specific customer, select the ellipses next to the customer profile and select ‘Edit Customer’
4. **Add your rules**\ \ Under ‘Auto-pay rules’, select ‘Add a new rule.’

Add a condition and select your integration agreements in the drop down. Apply all applicable agreements for the customer and select ‘Confirm’ to save the rule. 

*** ### **Automations** 1. **Log into your Alternative Payments** [**Partner Dashboard**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. **Navigate to Preferences then** [**Auto-pay Rules**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/autopay-rules)\ \ From the sidebar, select Automations then Auto-pay rules and select [Create new](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/autopay-rules/new).
3. **Set your agreements-based auto-pay rule**\ \ You can apply the rule to specific customers, all customers, or customer tags. Add a condition and select your integrations agreements in the drop down. Apply all applicable agreements. Click “Review” to see the affected invoices.
4. Review the new rule Review the details of the new rule, including the affected customers and invoices. You can exclude specific invoices from autopay if needed. Click "Create rule" to save the rule for the customer.
You're all set! **🎉** {% hint style="info" %} **Tip:** Auto-pay rules follow **AND/OR logic**. Within a single rule, **all** conditions must be met for auto-pay to trigger (**AND logic**). If multiple rules are set, the system checks each one separately and will trigger auto-pay if **any** one rule meets all of its conditions (**OR logic**). Agreements-based auto-pay rules operate differently—they trigger as soon as **any one condition is met** (**OR logic**), rather than requiring all conditions to be satisfied. This means a single matching condition is enough to activate auto-pay for Agreements-based rules. {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Billing Terms Auto-Pay Rules **Refine your auto-pay collections to an even greater extent by implementing auto-pay based on billing terms.** *** Alternative Payments provides you with the functionality to establish auto-pay rules tailored to specific billing terms synced in from your PSA or accounting integration {% hint style="warning" %} *Billing terms-based auto-pay rules are available for ConnectWise-integrated partners. Billing terms are synced from your ConnectWise integration and can be used as a condition alongside other Auto-Pay conditions.* {% endhint %} There two dedicated sections available to configure auto-pay for your customers based on billing terms from your Alternative Payments partner dashboard: *** ### **Customers** 1. Navigate to Customers\ \ From your side menu, go to [**Customers > All Customers**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers). Find the relevant customer profile and click on their name to view their profile details.
2. Set the auto-pay rule based on billing terms\ \ In the **Automations** section of the customer profile, click **+Add new rule**. Then, choose **+Add condition**, select **ConnectWise billing terms**, and specify the relevant terms for your rule. {% hint style="info" %} *Ex: If your customer’s invoices are set to Net 30 terms, the Days past creation date should be set to 30 days.* {% endhint %}
4. Select **Confirm** to save your rule. *** ### **Automations** 1. **Navigate to** [**Auto-pay Rules**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/autopay-rules)
\ \ From the side menu, select **Automations** then **Auto-pay rules** and select [**Create new**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/autopay-rules/new).
2. **Set the auto-pay rule based on billing terms**\ \ You can apply the rule to specific customers, all customers, or customer tags. Click **+Add conditio**n, select **ConnectWise billing terms**, and define the relevant terms for your rule. Click “Review” to see the affected invoices.
3. Review the new rule Review the details of the new rule, including the affected customers and invoices. You can exclude specific invoices from autopay if needed. Click "Create rule" to save the rule for the customer.
You’re all set **🎉**! {% hint style="info" %} **Tip**: Auto-Pay rules follow **AND/OR** logic. Within a single rule, **all** conditions must be met for auto-pay to trigger (**AND logic**). If you have multiple rules, the system checks each one separately and will trigger auto-pay if at least one rule meets **all** of its conditions (**OR logic**). This means auto-pay won’t trigger if only some conditions of a rule are met, but as long as one rule is fully met, auto-pay will be triggered. {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Using Auto-charge
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# Auto-Charge Vs. Auto-Pay **Auto-Charge & Auto-Pay are important features that will help improve collections on Alternative Payments. Here's what differentiates these two features.** *** While Auto-Charge and Auto-Pay do similar things, there are some differences that you should be aware of. [**Auto-Charge** ](/automations/using-auto-charge)is an action you take to charge a customer invoice as long as payment information has been put into the system. [**Auto-Pay**](/automations/setting-up-auto-pay) is a set of rules you define to charge invoices, to all your customers or to specific customers, as long as the invoice meets the criteria of the rule set. You can set rules based on the amount, the past due date, or the customer. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)!
# Auto-Charge Overview **Your guide to processing payments for brand new and existing invoices.** *** Auto-Charge can be used to process payment for existing or brand new invoices upon creation. Below are the steps for each scenario. *** ### **Process payment for an existing customer invoice** 1. Log in to your Alternative portal: [app.alternativepayments.io](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. Go to the "[Invoices](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/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"
{% hint style="info" %} **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. {% endhint %} *** ### **Create and process payment for a new customer invoice** 1. Log in to your Alternative portal: [app.alternativepayments.io](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) 2. Go to "Customers" and select "[All customers](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/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. {% hint style="info" %} Want to learn more about managing your customers? Check out these helpful articles: * [How do I add a customer to my partner dashboard?](/payments-and-invoicing/managing-customers/adding-new-customers) * [How do I edit a customer?](/payments-and-invoicing/managing-customers/editing-customers) {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Batch Charging Invoices **Select multiple invoices simultaneously to streamline and process payments in a single action.** *** With Alternative Payments, you can effortlessly select multiple invoices and process batch payments directly from your partner dashboard. Follow our step-by-step guide below to streamline your billing process. {% hint style="info" %} Note: Please ensure payment methods are on file before proceeding with a batch payment for the applicable customers. {% endhint %} *** 1. **Select the invoices**\ \ From within the [Invoices](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/invoices) section, select the checkboxes next to the applicable invoices for which you wish to process a batch payment. Select “Charge later” or “Charge now.”
2. **Confirm the batch payment**\ \ Proceed to confirm the batch payment to process the transactions.
3. **Payment processing**\ \ You’ll receive a pop-up that says “Payments processing.”
4. **View the batch payment status**\ \ Navigate to [Batch Payments](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/batch-payments) to review the batch's status and select “See details” for more information about the individual invoice payments.
5. **Batch payments details**\ \ On the details page, you can see a list of any failed transactions and those that were successfully processed as part of the batch.
You’re all set to start processing batch payments from your dashboard 🎉! **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Collections Assist
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# Collections Assist Overview **Getting paid for overdue invoices just got easier with our new Collections Assist feature. Here's how it works.** *** Say hello to Collections Assist — a handy tool to help you get paid for overdue invoices. Leverage this feature for those sticky situations when customers are unwilling to pay their long overdue invoices. We believe in putting powerful new tools in your hands, and Collections Assist puts money in your pocket instead of writing off an invoice. ***
How does Collections Assist work? If invoices are lingering past 30 days overdue, Collections Assist will be unlocked in your partner dashboard. From there, you will be able to submit overdue invoices to collections — it's that simple!
Are there any fees associated? Collections Assist fees are all success-based, with only a 1% service fee upfront to process the initial transaction per invoice. A third-party team will handle collections and if they are successful in collecting the overdue invoice, a 20% - 25% fee is applied and the remaining amount is paid out to you.
How will Alternative Payments collect on overdue invoices? Our third-party team employs a multi-channel approach and gets into contact via text, calling, emailing or in-person. While we handle the intricacies of collections, you can focus on running your business without the worry of overdue invoices.
*** ### **How do I use Collections Assist from my partner dashboard?** 1. **Log into your** [**Alternative Payments dashboard**](https://app.alternativepayments.io/)\ \ From your dashboard, navigate to [Collections](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/collections) and click on 'Submit for collection' next to the applicable invoice.
2. **Fill out Collection Form**\ \ Enter in notes about the invoice and the customer information as this is required for the collection process. Click on 'Continue to review.'
3. **Submit for Collection**\ \ Review the information to ensure it is accurate and accept the terms and conditions. Click on 'Finish & submit.'
4. **Collection Request Details**\ \ To review progress on the collection submission, simply click on 'Go to collection.'
This will pull up your collection request details, including relevant updates that Alternative Payments will post pertaining to the request in the "Request activity" section.
*** ### **Limitations / What Collections Assist Does Not Cover**
Does Collections Assist handle bankruptcy cases? No. Collections Assist does not handle any bankruptcy-related collections. If a customer has filed for bankruptcy, our third-party collections agency will not pursue the claim on your behalf. If your customer has filed for bankruptcy, you will need to coordinate directly with the debtor to be added to the list of creditors. This is a separate legal process — known as filing a proof of claim — that falls outside the Collections Assist workflow.
Can I get a refund on my Collections Assist placement fee if my customer files for bankruptcy? Refund eligibility depends on the timing of the bankruptcy filing relative to your collection request: * **Refund available:** If the customer was already in bankruptcy at the time you submitted the collection request, a refund of the placement fee can be issued. In this case, the placement should not have proceeded, and we can make it right. * **No refund available:** If the customer filed for bankruptcy after you had already submitted the collection request, the fee is non-refundable. To avoid non-refundable fees, we recommend verifying a customer's bankruptcy status before submitting a Collections Assist placement.
**Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Collections Assist Best Practices **We make it quick and easy to get money in your pocket. Here's how.** *** We know that getting money in your pocket as fast as possible is a top priority. That’s why we prioritize simplicity and ease of use for your customers. We also use proprietary data and customer feedback to influence product features and upgrades, with collection speed top of mind. *** **Here are some tips our partners are using to speed up collections:** 1. Include your Alternative Payments Billing Link in every invoice 2. Add a pay online button to your website 3. Include a pay online button in your email signature 4. Send an email announcement to your customers introducing Alternative Payments **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Insights
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# Insights Overview **Discover how Insights can help you reduce collection times, increase payment automation and identify at-risk customers. Learn how to leverage each dashboard to make data-driven decisions and improve your cash flow management.** *** The new **Insights** feature in Alternative Payments brings you advanced financial tracking directly into your partner dashboard, providing a streamlined view of essential metrics that go beyond standard statements. With Insights, you’ll have access to: * **Exclusive Metrics:** Track key data points like time-to-pay and activation rates for a clearer picture of financial performance and customer health. * **Time-Saving Visualizations:** Instantly view your financial data without the need for manual exports or spreadsheet work. Insights presents your financial health in easy-to-read visual formats. * **Platform Accountability:** Gain visibility into how effectively the platform supports your financial processes, helping you monitor results with confidence. * **Beyond Basic Statements:** Move beyond monthly statements with detailed views of DSO/time-to-pay, AR aging, cash flow, and other critical accounting metrics. * **Customer-Level Insights:** Analyze individual customer performance to identify your top payers, largest accounts, and highest adopters of automation. Here’s a breakdown of what each dashboard allows you to do: *** ### **Overview Tab** The Overview tab provides a snapshot of your most important account receivable metrics, including payment trends, collection times, automations and overdue invoices. It’s your one-stop shop for managing your accounts receivable at a glance.
You can also review your data within a specific time-frame by selecting the View and choosing the following options + download a report (this is applicable to all the dashboards): 1. Last 12 months 2. Last 6 months 3. Last 3 months 4. All time 5. Custom range
*** ### **Invoices Tab** The Invoices tab allows you to dive deeper into your invoice metrics, helping you assess the aging of your receivables. Quickly identify which invoices are overdue and decide if they should be escalated to collections. This tab helps ensure your receivables are monitored closely for maximum AR health.
*** ### **Payments and Collections Tab** Leverage advanced payment analytics see the impact of payment times on cash flow. Here, you’ll find detailed data on your payment processing metrics, collection trends and daily cash flow.
*** ### **Automations Tab** In the Automations tab, you can easily check how well you’re using automation tools to streamline your accounts receivables. Looking to increase the percentage of automatic payments? Use this dashboard to establish goals with a set time-frame and see how you are easily progressing towards those goals here. If you need tips on how to increase automatic payments, reach out to your dedicated Customer Success Manager.
*** ### **Customers Tab** Your Customers tab will allow you to review all the key analytics from the other dashboards for each individual customer. You will be able to easily dive into payment trends to identify your best customers, helping you make informed decisions for better customer management. To review an individual customer’s performance, enter their name in the search bar:
Or, you can also access within the [All Customers](https://app.alternativepayments.io/dashboard/customers) section of your dashboard by clicking on the applicable customer’s name and navigating to their Insights tab:
Have any feedback about this feature or the platform in general? Access our [Product Roadmap](https://product.alternativepayments.io/tabs/4-requests) to submit any ideas and see what we have in the works! **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Alti **Meet Alti, your AI assistant inside Alternative Payments. Ask about your account, get instant answers, and take everyday actions in plain English.** *** Alti is your AI teammate, right inside your dashboard. Alti can answer your questions, look up your customers, invoices, payments and payouts, explain how features work, and even take common actions for you, all from a simple chat. The guides below walk you through everything Alti can do.
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# Meet Alti **Say hello to Alti, your AI assistant inside Alternative Payments. Ask a question in plain English and get an answer in seconds.** *** Alti is an AI assistant built right into your Alternative Payments dashboard. Instead of clicking through reports or exporting spreadsheets, you can just ask. Alti understands questions about your account, pulls answers from your live data, walks you through how features work, and can even take everyday actions for you when you ask. ## What Alti can do Alti helps you in three main ways: * **Answers questions about your account.** Ask things like "who owes me the most right now?" or "which customers don't have a payment method on file?" and get an instant answer from your live data. * **Explains how things work.** Ask "how do I set up Auto-Pay?" or "why didn't this invoice import from QuickBooks?" and Alti walks you through it. * **Takes actions for you.** Ask Alti to tag a customer, send a reminder, or charge an invoice. Alti always shows you exactly what it is about to do and waits for your confirmation first. Actions are available on eligible accounts and depend on your access level. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Alti only ever works with your own account's data. It cannot see any other partner's information. {% endhint %} ## How to open Alti 1. **Log in to your dashboard**\ Head to your [Alternative Payments dashboard](https://app.alternativepayments.io/). 2. **Open Alti**\ Click on "Ask Alti" at the top right corner of your screen. 3. **Ask a question, or use a quick action**\ Type your question in the message box, or pick one of the one-click quick actions (such as top debtors, overdue invoices, or customers missing a payment method) to get started without typing. Alti also suggests prompts to get you going, from common tasks to new features you can try. Alti replies right in the chat, usually within a few seconds. {% hint style="warning" %} **Don't see Alti?** Availability depends on your plan and your access level. If it isn't showing up, check with your account admin. {% endhint %} ## A few things to try * "Who are my top five overdue customers?" * "How do I turn on Auto-Pay for a customer?" * "Give me a summary of what happened this week." Ready for more? Head to [Asking About Your Data](/alti/alti/asking-about-your-data) next. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Asking About Your Data **Get instant answers about your customers, invoices, payments and payouts, just by asking Alti in plain English.** *** One of the most useful things Alti can do is answer questions about your own account. There is no need to build a report or export a spreadsheet. Ask Alti the way you would ask a teammate, and it pulls the answer from your live account in seconds. ## What you can ask about Alti can answer questions about your: * **Customers**, including their tags and whether they have a payment method on file * **Invoices**, including overdue, upcoming, paid, and outstanding balances * **Payments and payouts**, including how a customer paid and your payout amounts and status * **Payment trends**, such as whether a customer pays on time and whether that is improving or slipping * **Reminders, Auto-Pay rules, tags, and email history** ## Example questions Try asking: * "Who owes me the most right now?" * "Which invoices are more than 30 days overdue?" * "Which customers don't have a payment method on file?" * "Has Acme Corp been paying on time lately?" * "List everyone tagged VIP." * "Who paid with a credit card versus a debit card last month?" {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Alti answers using your own account's data only. It never has access to any other partner's information. {% endhint %} ## Quick actions Not sure where to start? Alti offers one-click **quick actions** at the top of the chat for common questions, such as your top debtors, overdue invoices, and customers missing a payment method. Click one and Alti runs it for you, no typing needed. ## Daily, weekly and monthly summaries Alti can also give you a rolled-up summary of your account. Just ask: * "Give me my summary for today." * "What happened this week?" * "Give me a monthly report for last month." {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** For very large questions, Alti shows you the first batch of results and tells you how many more there are, so you always know whether you are seeing everything. Ask it to keep going to see the rest. {% endhint %} Next, see how Alti can [answer how-to questions and troubleshoot your integrations](/alti/alti/getting-answers-and-troubleshooting). **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Getting Answers and Troubleshooting **Ask Alti how a feature works, or why an invoice or customer did not come through from your accounting or PSA system.** *** Beyond your data, Alti can explain how Alternative Payments works and help you sort out integration hiccups, so you can get unstuck without leaving the dashboard. ## How-to questions Ask Alti how to do almost anything in Alternative Payments, and it will walk you through it: * "How do I set up Auto-Pay for a customer?" * "What does the scheduled status on a payment mean?" * "How do I white-label my payment portal?" Alti answers using the same help articles you are reading now, so you get accurate, up-to-date steps. ## Troubleshooting your integrations Connected an accounting system such as QuickBooks or Xero, or a PSA such as ConnectWise, Autotask or HaloPSA? Alti can help you figure out why something did not sync the way you expected: * "Why wasn't invoice INV-2048 imported from QuickBooks?" * "Is my ConnectWise invoice matched to its accounting copy?" * "What integrations do I have connected, and when did they last sync?" {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Alti can see the status of records coming from your connected systems, so it can often tell you exactly what is holding an invoice or customer up. {% endhint %} ## When you need a person If Alti cannot resolve something, ask it to get you help, for example "open a support ticket, I can't figure out why a payment failed." Alti creates a support ticket for you so our team can pick it up. {% hint style="info" %} **Tip:** Alti will usually try to help you directly first, and open a ticket only when that is the best next step. {% endhint %} Next, learn how Alti can [take actions for you](/alti/alti/taking-actions-with-alti). **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Taking Actions with Alti **Ask Alti to tag customers, send reminders, mark invoices paid, or charge a card, and approve each action with a single click.** *** Alti does more than answer questions. On eligible accounts, Alti can take real actions for you, such as tagging customers, setting up reminders, sending emails, or charging an invoice. You stay in control the whole time. Alti shows you exactly what it is about to do and waits for your approval before anything happens. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Which actions are available depends on your account and your access level. If an action isn't available to you, Alti will let you know. See [Access Levels and What Each Role Can Do](/alti/alti/access-levels-and-permissions). {% endhint %} ## How approvals work Every action follows the same simple, safe pattern: 1. **You ask.** Tell Alti what you want, for example "tag Acme Corp as VIP" or "charge invoice INV-1042 to their card on file." 2. **Alti shows you a confirmation card.** Before doing anything, Alti displays a plain-language summary of the exact action. For a charge, for example, that includes the invoice, the customer, the amount, and the payment method it would use. 3. **You approve or decline.** Click to confirm and go ahead, or decline to cancel. Nothing happens until you confirm. 4. **Alti carries it out** and tells you the result. {% hint style="warning" %} **Heads up:** A confirmation card stays open for about 90 seconds. If you step away and it times out, nothing happens. Just ask again when you are ready. {% endhint %} ## What Alti can do for you Depending on your access level, you can ask Alti to: * **Manage customers and tags.** Create or archive a customer, add a contact, and tag or untag customers, one at a time or in a batch of up to 100. Admins can also create, rename, or delete tags. * **Work with invoices.** Create an invoice, archive one, or mark an invoice as paid when it was paid off-platform. * **Collect payments.** Charge an invoice, or up to five at once, to a customer's payment method on file, or create a payment request to send out. * **Send emails.** Send a one-off email to a customer, or reach out to everyone who is missing a valid payment method. * **Set up reminders and summaries.** Schedule, update, or delete invoice reminders and recurring email summaries. ## Good to know A few things keep actions safe and predictable: * **One thing at a time.** Alti focuses on one request at a time and asks you to approve each change, so you always know exactly what you are confirming. When you charge several invoices at once, it confirms them one at a time. * **A decline is final.** If you decline an action, Alti will not quietly retry it. Just ask again if you change your mind. * **Some actions cannot be undone from chat.** Marking an invoice paid, archiving records, and deleting a tag, reminder, or summary are permanent. Alti calls these out before you confirm. * **Charging is not instant settlement.** When you charge an invoice, Alti submits the payment for processing. Card payments are quick and bank payments can take a few business days to complete, so a successful charge means the payment is on its way, not that the money has landed. {% hint style="info" %} **Tip:** For a large send, such as emailing everyone without a payment method, Alti confirms the size of the group first and may ask you to narrow it if it is very large. {% endhint %} Want to know exactly what your team can do? See [Access Levels and What Each Role Can Do](/alti/alti/access-levels-and-permissions). **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Working with Agents and Context **Bring in a specialized agent with @, and point Alti at the exact invoice or customer you are asking about.** *** Most of the time, you talk to Alti directly. As your workspace grows, Alti can also work alongside specialized agents and focus on the exact records you care about. Here is how to make the most of both. ## Talking to Alti, or to an agent By default, you are talking to Alti. Some workspaces also have specialized agents built for a specific job. Agents are not always present, so when you want one, bring it in by typing **@** and choosing it from the list. When no agent is involved, Alti handles your request itself. {% hint style="info" %} **New to an agent?** The easiest way to start is to ask it what it does, then build the workflow together. You set the pace: keep it slow with a confirmation at every step, or let it move faster once you have seen its work and trust it. {% endhint %} ## Adding context with @ You can also type **@** to point Alti at a specific record, such as an invoice or a customer, so your question is about exactly the right thing. For example, bring in an invoice with **@** and ask, "why is this one still unpaid?" ## Alti knows the page you are on When you open Alti from a customer or invoice details page, it automatically knows which record you are viewing and adds it as context. That means you can ask about "this customer" or "this invoice" right away, without looking anything up. If you would rather ask about something else, you can remove that context. {% hint style="info" %} **Tip:** Giving Alti the right context, whether an agent, a specific record, or the page you are on, helps it give you a precise answer instead of a general one. {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Access Levels and What Each Role Can Do **Alti respects your dashboard access level, so Alti can only do what you are already allowed to do.** *** Everyone on your team can use Alti to ask questions and look things up. The actions Alti can take on your behalf depend on your dashboard role. This keeps Alti in line with the permissions you already have in Alternative Payments. ## What each role can do | Role | Ask questions & view data | Everyday actions | Sensitive actions | | ----------------- | ------------------------- | ---------------- | ----------------- | | **Administrator** | Yes | Yes | Yes | | **Sub-Admin** | Yes | Yes | Yes | | **Member** | Yes | Yes | No | | **Read-Only** | Yes | No | No | * **Everyday actions** include tagging customers, creating and archiving customers and invoices, marking invoices paid, and managing email templates. * **Sensitive actions** include charging invoices, creating payment requests, sending customer email outreach, and scheduling reminders and summaries. {% hint style="info" %} **Note:** Everyone, including read-only users, can ask questions, look up data, get summaries, and open a support ticket. Only the ability to make changes varies by role. Administrators and Sub-Admins have the same access to Alti. These are the same team roles you manage under [User Roles](/preferences/user-roles-and-team/user-roles). {% endhint %} ## If an action isn't available to you If you ask Alti to do something above your access level, it will not do it. Instead, Alti explains that the action isn't available at your level and suggests asking a workspace admin to take it from there. {% hint style="info" %} **Tip:** Need a different level of access? Your account admin can update team roles in your dashboard settings. See [User Roles](/preferences/user-roles-and-team/user-roles). {% endhint %} Some actions may also depend on whether they are enabled for your account. If you expect to see an action and it isn't there, check with your admin or our team. **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Your Data, Privacy and Safety **Alti is built so you stay in control of your data and your account at every step.** *** Alti is only useful if you can trust it with your account. Here is how Alti connects to your data, what keeps that data protected, and how those protections hold as Alti grows. ## How Alti connects to your data When it comes to your data, Alti works only with Alternative Payments' own systems. It does not connect to any outside service, plugin, or open API to read or act on your data, and there is no separate endpoint that exposes your information. * **To answer questions,** Alti reads from a secured, read-only view of your account and nothing else. * **To take actions,** Alti uses the very same secured Alternative Payments connection your dashboard already uses, acting on your behalf under your account's own permissions. It is not a special or separate access path built for the AI. ## Your data stays yours * **Alti only ever works with your own account's data.** Every lookup is automatically restricted to your account by the system itself, not just by a setting in the software, so it cannot be bypassed. Alti cannot see or reference any other partner's information. * **Answering questions is read-only.** When Alti looks something up, it reads from a curated view of your business data (invoices, payments, customers, and the like), never your raw underlying systems, and it cannot change anything just by answering a question. * **Every question is checked before it runs.** Before any lookup happens, it is automatically inspected to confirm it is a safe, read-only request. Anything that could change data or reach an outside system is blocked. * **Alti filters incoming data for hidden instructions.** If a customer record or invoice field ever contained text designed to manipulate an AI, that content is detected and removed before Alti processes it. ## You approve every change * **Nothing changes without your confirmation.** Every action Alti takes, such as charging an invoice or sending an email, requires you to approve an on-screen confirmation first. See [Taking Actions with Alti](/alti/alti/taking-actions-with-alti). * **Your access level is respected.** Alti can only do what your dashboard role already allows. See [Access Levels and What Each Role Can Do](/alti/alti/access-levels-and-permissions). * **Every action is recorded.** Each confirmed action is logged with who approved it and what was done, so there is always a clear trail. ## Built to stay safe as Alti grows Alti will keep gaining new features and agents over time. Every new capability runs through the same protections above: it only ever works with your own account's data, reads stay read-only by default, any action is governed by your team's permissions and, for anything higher-impact, your confirmation, and everything is logged. New features do not get a shortcut around these controls. {% hint style="info" %} **Have a detailed security or data-handling question?** Reach out through the [Help page](https://app.alternativepayments.io/) or ask Alti to open a support ticket, and our team will be glad to help. {% endhint %} **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Tips, Limits and FAQ **Get the most out of Alti with a few simple tips, and find answers to the questions partners ask most.** *** Alti works best when you talk to it naturally. Here are some tips, the limits worth knowing, and answers to common questions. ## Tips for great answers * **Be specific.** "Which invoices are more than 30 days overdue?" works better than "show me invoices." * **Name the customer.** Mention the customer by name when your question is about one account. * **Use quick actions.** For common questions, the one-click quick actions at the top of the chat are the fastest way to start. * **Ask follow-ups.** Alti remembers the current conversation, so you can refine an answer, for example "now just the ones based in Texas." ## Limits worth knowing * Alti shows large results in batches. If there is more, it tells you how much and you can ask it to continue. * You can tag or untag up to 100 customers in a single request, and charge up to five invoices at once. * For very large email sends, Alti confirms the size of the group first and may ask you to narrow it. * A confirmation card stays open for about 90 seconds before it times out. Nothing happens if it does, so just ask again. * If you send a lot of messages in a short time, Alti may ask you to slow down for a moment. ## Frequently asked questions
Is Alti available on my account? Alti rolls out to eligible accounts, and what you can do depends on your access level. If you don't see Alti, or an action you expected, check with your account admin or our team.
Can Alti change something without asking me? No. Alti answers questions freely, but any action that changes your account requires you to approve an on-screen confirmation first.
Can Alti see other partners' data? No. Alti only ever works with your own account's data.
What if Alti gets something wrong? Alti is a helper, not a replacement for your judgment. Always review the confirmation card before approving an action. If something looks off, decline it and rephrase your request, or ask Alti to open a support ticket.
Does charging an invoice mean I have been paid? Not quite. When you charge an invoice, the payment is submitted for processing. Card payments are quick, and bank payments can take a few business days to complete, so a successful charge means the payment is on its way.
**Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! # Analytics FAQs This FAQ covers the most common questions about Analytics. ### General
What is Analytics? Analytics is a financial and operational intelligence product for MSPs. It connects your PSA and QuickBooks Online data to power pre-built dashboards for revenue, cash flow, AR, client profitability, and technician utilization. It lives inside the Alternative Payments portal. There is no separate login, no extra vendor, and no manual export workflow.
Who is it for? Analytics is built for MSP owners, operators, and finance leaders. It is most useful when you need client profitability, technician efficiency, and AR visibility in one place.
What makes it different from BrightGauge, MSP CFO, or Cognition 360? * **BrightGauge** requires custom report building and lacks embedded payment context. * **MSP CFO** is PSA-only. Analytics combines PSA and QuickBooks Online automatically. * **Cognition 360** is powerful, but requires Power BI and more setup. Analytics also includes actual payment data from Alternative Payments. That makes the Payments dashboard uniquely useful for collections and DSO analysis.
Do I need separate software? No. Analytics is included in the portal you already use.
### Integrations and requirements
What integrations are required? Analytics requires: * A supported PSA — ConnectWise Manage, HaloPSA, or Autotask * QuickBooks Online The PSA supplies operational data such as agreements, time entries, tickets, clients, and billing context. QuickBooks Online supplies financial data such as invoices, payments, AR, and financial reporting. Both integrations must be active. One integration alone is not enough to populate the dashboards correctly.
I use a different accounting system. Can I still use Analytics? Today, Analytics supports ConnectWise Manage, HaloPSA, and Autotask when paired with QuickBooks Online. Planned accounting support for V2 includes: * QuickBooks Desktop * Xero If you use an unsupported accounting platform, tell your account manager. Demand drives prioritization.
Will Analytics change my existing ConnectWise integration? No. Analytics only needs additional read-only permissions. It does not change your AR, invoicing, or sync workflows.
What ConnectWise permissions are required? Update the security role used by the Alternative Payments integration. Add **Inquire** access where needed. 1. Go to **System → Security Roles**. 2. Open the security role tied to the Alternative integration. 3. In **Service Desk**, set: * **Service Tickets**: `Inquire` 4. In **System**, set: * **Member Maintenance**: `None, None, None, All` * **Member Maintenance - Finance**: `None, None, None, All` 5. In **Time & Expense**, set: * **Expense Report Entry**: `None, None, None, All` The Alternative Payments team can walk through this during onboarding.
What HaloPSA permissions are required? Update the Application used by the Alternative Payments integration. 1. Go to **Configuration → Integrations → HaloPSA API**. 2. Open the Application tied to the Alternative integration. 3. Open **Permissions**. 4. Click **Edit**. 5. Enable: * `Read:timesheets` * `Read:tickets` 6. Save the changes.
What Autotask permissions are required? No additional Autotask permissions are required.
How long does setup take? After PSA permissions are confirmed and the initial data upload runs, dashboards usually begin populating within 24 hours. Payment data becomes more useful over time as your payment history grows.
How often does data refresh? Data refreshes automatically. QuickBooks Online and ConnectWise currently sync hourly. If something looks stale, wait 24 hours before reporting it as a data issue.
Will a multi-company ConnectWise setup cause issues? It can. Multi-company setups that rely on **Locations** or similar separation can add sync complexity. If you operate several companies in one ConnectWise instance, contact your account manager before onboarding. That helps plan the data pull correctly.
### Dashboards and metrics
What does the Overview dashboard show? Overview is the Analytics home page. It combines: * Profitability from QuickBooks Online * AR and collections from Alternative Payments * MRR and operational efficiency from your PSA
What does Client Trends show? Client Trends shows per-client profitability. It combines recurring revenue from your PSA with labor and service cost data. Use it to: * Find your most and least profitable clients * Track MRR changes over time * Spot accounts that need pricing or delivery review Key metrics include **Avg MRR**, **MRR Change**, **Profit Margin**, and **Labor Cost Impact**.
How is MRR calculated? MRR is calculated from recurring service agreement invoices in your PSA. It is meant to represent predictable contracted revenue. It should not include: * One-time projects * Equipment sales * T\&M invoices * Down payment invoices
Why does MRR look too high or too low? Common reasons: * Non-recurring revenue was included by mistake * Annual contract revenue was spread across the contract period * The current month is partial, so comparisons look artificially lower If MRR looks inflated, share one example with your account manager.
Why is my client count lower than expected? Client Trends only includes clients with active recurring agreements. A client may be missing because: * They only have project or T\&M work * Their name does not match between PSA and QuickBooks Online * A parent-child agreement structure is not fully captured yet If one client looks wrong, send the client name from both systems.
What is Labor Cost Impact? Labor Cost Impact is a relative signal of how labor affects client profitability. * **Low** means labor is proportionate to revenue * **Moderate** means it is worth monitoring * **High** means labor is heavy relative to MRR High Labor Cost Impact usually points to underpricing or inefficient delivery. This metric depends on accurate technician cost rates in the PSA.
What do the MRR Change tags mean? * **Net-New** — the client contributed MRR for the first time * **Expansion** — the client increased MRR * **Contraction** — the client reduced MRR * **Churn** — the client dropped to zero MRR
What does the Utilization dashboard measure? Utilization shows how technical team time is used. It includes: * Team utilization rate * Individual technician utilization * Overloaded agents * Underused agents * Labor Cost Impact
My utilization is very low. Is that a bug? Not always. Very low utilization is usually caused by: * Non-service staff included in the agent list * Missing time entries * Missing or incorrect burden rates in ConnectWise Start by filtering to service-only roles. If the result still looks wrong, report it with one example.
Why do non-service staff appear in Utilization? Utilization pulls all active ConnectWise members. If titles or member types are not set correctly, non-technical staff can appear. Use the **Agent Title** filter or a preset to exclude them. You can also correct the member settings in ConnectWise.
What is a healthy MSP utilization rate? As a rule of thumb: * Below **50%** usually needs investigation * **65% to 80%** is a healthy range * Above **80%** may signal overload and burnout risk
Can I drill into technician work? Yes. You can drill down from team view to agent, then client, then individual tickets. When a ConnectWise ticket ID is available, it links directly to the ticket.
What are presets? Presets are saved filter sets. They let you switch quickly between common views. Examples: * `Service Team Only` * `Q2 Client-Facing` * `Top 20 Accounts`
What does the Payments dashboard show? Payments combines: * Overdue invoice and AR data * Payment activity from Alternative Payments Key metrics include: * Invoice Volume * Overdue Invoice Volume * Overdue Invoice Count * AR Aging Buckets * DSO * Activation Rate
What is DSO? DSO measures how long clients take to pay after invoices are issued. It only counts invoices that have already been paid. Lower is better: * Under **30 days** is healthy * Over **45 days** is worth investigating * Best in class is around **5 days**
What is Activation Rate? Activation Rate is the percentage of paid invoices processed through Alternative Payments. As a guideline: * **70%+** is strong * **90%+** is best in class Higher Activation Rate usually correlates with lower DSO.
Can I see which clients are furthest past due? Yes. Use the AR Aging Buckets to drill into specific overdue periods. From there, you can review invoice and client detail, then jump into Client Trends to understand profitability before acting on collections.
### Using the dashboard
How do I filter to one client? In **Utilization**, use the client filter at the top of the page. In **Client Trends**, use the search field below the MRR chart. This is especially useful for QBR prep, client reviews, and pricing discussions.
Can I change the date range? Yes. Every dashboard supports date filtering. You can use: * Current month * Previous quarter * Year to date * A custom range
Can I export reports? Yes. You can export dashboard views as PDF or CSV, depending on the page. Exports keep the active filters and date range.
Can I give my CFO access without exposing everything? Not yet. Analytics currently follows existing Alternative Payments permissions. Today, only **Admins** and **Sub-admins** can access Analytics. Granular analytics-only access is planned for Q3 2026.
Why does MFA keep asking me to verify again? Sessions currently time out after about two hours of inactivity. This protects sensitive financial and operational data.
### Onboarding
What does onboarding look like? Onboarding has three phases: 1. **PSA permissions** — for ConnectWise and HaloPSA only 2. **Initial data upload** — usually completed within 24 hours 3. **Training call** — a 30-minute walkthrough with your Alternative contact In most cases, Analytics goes live in under 48 hours after permissions are confirmed.
Why does data look incomplete right after onboarding? This is normal during the first sync window. Current-month data and some history may look incomplete at first. Wait 24 hours after the initial upload before reporting an issue.
We migrated from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online. Will history carry over? Not always. Pre-migration QuickBooks Desktop history may not transfer automatically into QuickBooks Online-backed Analytics. If you migrated in late 2025 or early 2026, ask your account manager to review the available history.
### Troubleshooting
My dashboards are empty. What should I check? Work through these steps: 1. Confirm your PSA and QuickBooks Online integrations are both active. 2. Verify the required PSA permissions are set. 3. Wait up to 24 hours after initial setup. 4. If the dashboards are still empty, contact your account manager or email . Include your account name and the date permissions were enabled.
Why do I see duplicate clients or No trend data? This usually means the company name in the PSA does not match the display name in QuickBooks Online. If names differ, mapping can break. Update one system so both names match.
How should I report a data issue? The best reports include: * A screenshot * The dashboard name * The exact metric * The date range * What you expected to see * One client or invoice example, if relevant Send it to your account manager or email .
### Data sources and calculations
Where does Analytics data come from? Analytics uses three source groups: * **PSA** — MRR, service margin, labor cost, utilization, tickets, and client-level reporting * **QuickBooks Online** — Gross Revenue and Net Profit * **Alternative Payments** — payment timing, collections, AR, and Activation Rate
Which charts come from QuickBooks Online versus the PSA? **Overview** * **Gross Revenue** — QuickBooks Online Profit & Loss, `Total Income` * **Net Profit** — QuickBooks Online Profit & Loss, `Net Income` * **Current MRR**, **MRR Change**, **MRR Trend** — PSA recurring invoice lines * **Utilization %** — PSA time entries and configured capacity * **Ticket Load** — PSA ticket count divided by active agent count * **Labor Efficiency Ratio** — PSA MRR divided by PSA labor cost **Client Trends** * **MRR**, **Service COGS**, **Most/Least Profitable Clients** — PSA invoice lines and agreements * **Labor COGS** — PSA time entries multiplied by hourly cost * **Profit** — `MRR - Service COGS - Labor COGS` * **Margin** — `Profit / MRR` **Utilization** * All utilization metrics come from PSA time entries and agent cost data. * **Hours Available** uses Analytics capacity settings. It is not pulled directly from the PSA. * **Labor Cost Impact** compares PSA time cost to PSA invoice MRR. **Tickets** All ticket data comes from PSA ticket records joined to time entries. **Payments** Payment timing and collection behavior come from Alternative Payments billing and reporting services.
How is MRR calculated for reporting? MRR is built from PSA invoice line items marked as MRR-eligible. These are recurring lines tied to managed-services agreements or contracts. Projects, equipment, and T\&M work are excluded.
How is Utilization calculated? Use this formula: ``` Utilization % = Hours Worked / Hours Available ``` Hours Worked comes from PSA time entries. Hours Available comes from each agent's configured daily capacity multiplied by working days in the selected period. The top-level Utilization KPI reflects the whole company, not a filtered subset.
A number looks wrong. How do I debug it? First, identify the source system for that chart. Then compare the same period in that source. * **Gross Revenue** or **Net Profit** — compare against the QuickBooks Online Profit & Loss report * **MRR** or **client profitability** — check recurring PSA invoice lines * **Utilization** or **hours** — review PSA time entries and agent capacity settings If source data matches, the chart is likely correct. If not, the issue is usually in sync timing, source configuration, or mapping.
### Roadmap
What is not in V1? Current V1 limitations: * No custom dashboards * No peer benchmarking * QuickBooks Online is required as the accounting system Supported combinations today are: * ConnectWise + QuickBooks Online * HaloPSA + QuickBooks Online * Autotask + QuickBooks Online
Is benchmarking coming? Yes. Benchmarking is the main V2 feature and is targeted for July or August 2026. It will compare your KPIs against anonymized peers and is expected to launch with about 100 pre-defined KPIs.
Will there be an AI assistant? Yes. Natural-language analysis is on the roadmap. We're actively testing this capability, but there is no committed launch date yet.
Which PSAs are supported? Analytics currently supports: * ConnectWise Manage * HaloPSA * Autotask All three require QuickBooks Online.
Will there be role-based Analytics access? Yes. Granular analytics-only permissions are targeted for Q3 2026. This should also include the ability to share and lock presets for specific users.
### Pricing
How is Analytics priced? Pricing is based on the number of PSA users in your PSA instance: * Up to 10 PSA users — **$299/month** * Up to 20 PSA users — **$399/month** * Unlimited PSA users — **$699/month** There is no per-seat viewer pricing.
Is there a beta discount? Yes. Beta participants receive **$100/month** off the standard price. Beta pricing is: * Up to 10 PSA users — **$199/month** * Up to 20 PSA users — **$299/month** * Unlimited PSA users — **$599/month**
### Beta notes
Why is some data still inaccurate during beta? Analytics is still being refined for the Alternative Payments environment. Some data gaps are expected during beta while edge cases are resolved across different PSA and QuickBooks Online configurations.
What should I do when I find a beta issue? Please send: * A screenshot * The dashboard and metric * What you expected * One specific client, invoice, or amount Specific examples are much easier to debug than general reports.
Questions not covered here? Contact your Success Manager or email . **Love our platform?** Rate us on [Channel Program](https://channelprogram.com/v/alternativepayments) and check out our [Referral Program page](https://www.alternativepayments.io/referral-partners/)! --- [Next Page](/llms-full.txt/1)