OFFICE: Authorized Payment Methods
Manage client payment options through Unificus, including credit cards and bank accounts via Stripe ACH.
What are Authorized Payment Methods?
Authorized Payment Methods is the current name for what was previously known as Authorized Credit Cards. This feature lets you store both Credit Cards and Bank Accounts (processed through Stripe ACH), offering your clients greater choice when paying recurring charges.
Within their portal, clients can access and manage their authorized payment methods by going to My Billing and selecting the Authorized Payments tab. This tab only appears for clients who have saved at least one payment method.
How do clients manage their Authorized Payment Methods?
The Authorized Payments tab in My Billing displays all saved payment methods. Each entry identifies the payment type and shows whether bank accounts have been verified.
Clients can perform these actions from this tab:
- Set Primary Method: Select the star icon next to any method to mark it as the default payment option. The star becomes gold when a primary method is chosen. Auto Pay uses this method first when it runs.
- Add New Payment Method: Select the Add New Payment Method button to access the Card-on-File authorization flow, where you can securely save a new card or bank account.
- Delete a Method: Select the delete icon to remove a saved method. Methods connected to active subscriptions cannot be removed. When you delete the primary method, that status is removed and no other method is automatically selected as the new default.
Tip: If clients plan to use AutoPay with invoices, encourage them to save a primary method for both Credit Card and Bank Account types. This gives AutoPay a backup option if their preferred type becomes unavailable.
How do I request a client’s Authorized Payment Info as a staff member?
You can generate a secure link that your client can use to add their payment method without requiring a login. In the CRM Dashboard, select the manage Profile icon and choose Request Authorized Payment Info to create and send a link to your client.
Before sending, you can customize and adjust the email message.
When the client opens the link, they go directly to the Card-on-File authorization page where they can securely add a credit card or bank account. Once saved, this method is automatically stored as an authorized payment method in their account.
Important: As a staff member processing a payment manually for a client, you can only use their existing authorized payment methods. The staff payment screen does not allow you to add a new card.
What is AutoPay on a Recurring Invoice Generator?
AutoPay is available for both Recurring Invoice Generators and Accumulating Invoice Generators. When turned on, invoices produced by the generator automatically charge the client’s authorized payment method—no manual work required.
The AutoPay checkbox appears only when the Generate As setting is set to Open. It is not available for invoices generated as Draft or other statuses.
How do I configure AutoPay on an Invoice Generator?
When you edit a Recurring or Accumulating Invoice Generator, set Generate As to Open, then check the AutoPay checkbox.
Once you enable AutoPay, these settings become available while others are hidden:
- AutoPay Preferred Payment Type: Select whether AutoPay should attempt to charge a Credit Card or Bank Account first. Credit Card is the default choice. The system uses the client’s primary authorized method of this type when the invoice comes due.
When you enable AutoPay, these fields automatically hide because they no longer apply:
- No Online Payment
- 3rd Party Link
- Available Gateways
Tip: Set AutoPay Preferred Payment Type to match the method your client typically uses. If that option is unavailable, AutoPay automatically switches to the other type.
How does AutoPay process a charge?
When an AutoPay invoice is due, the gateway attempts to charge the client using this priority order:
- First, the client’s primary authorized method of the preferred payment type (Credit Card or Bank Account, based on your configuration).
- If no authorized method of that type exists, the system uses the client’s primary authorized method of the other type.
- If the client has no authorized payment methods, the invoice is created as Open and no charge is attempted. A failure notification email goes to both the staff member and the client.
For Bank Account (Stripe ACH) charges, the invoice displays a Processing status while the payment settles. This is normal for ACH transactions, which typically take several business days to complete.
Important: If AutoPay cannot find any authorized payment method, both you and your client will get a notification email. The invoice stays Open, and you will need to collect payment manually or ask the client to add an authorized payment method.