Stripe for Payments & Autopay
Stripe can be connected to Rillet to allow customers to pay invoices online and to enable automatic payments. Once connected, customers can use Stripe checkout links for manual payments or register a default payment method for autopay.
To Enable Stripe Payments:
Connect or create a Stripe account via Integrations.
Once connected, each customer can pay invoices via Stripe checkout links by default.
To Disable Stripe Payments for an Individual Customer:
Go to Accounts Receivable > Customers.
Select the Customer Profile.
Toggle off Online Payments.
Disabling this removes all active links from open invoices.
To Enable Autopay in Rillet:
Complete the steps in Enable Stripe payments above.
In Stripe, activate the Billing Portal and update the settings: ● Customer Info: On ● Payment Methods: On ● Cancellation: Off ● Subscriptions: Off
To Set up a Customer Profile for Payments:
Go to Accounts Receivable > Customers.
Select the Customer Profile.
Review the Online Payments settings: ● Online Payments: Stripe checkout links are available for manual payments. ● Autopayment: Requires a default payment method; invoices are automatically charged to this method.
When a customer registers a default payment method, the autopayment toggle is active in their profile. The Customer List and Invoices List will also display the Autopayment icon.
To Turn On Online Payments by Default for all Customers:
Click your company’s icon in the lower-left corner.
Go to Organization Settings > Invoices.
In the Appearance tab, click Edit in the Invoicing Account section.
Check the box for Enable online payments for new customers (requires Stripe integration).
Click Save to apply the change.
Once enabled, all new customers will have online payments turned on by default.
To manage payment failures:
On the Invoices List, an icon displays next to invoices with failed autopayments. Customers are not automatically notified of the failure.
Rillet will attempt to charge the default payment method three times before disabling autopay for the customer:
0 hours – Initial attempt
+1 hour – Second attempt
+24 hours – Final attempt
A record of failed autopayment attempts is also available in the Invoice History.
To Pay Via Stripe Link:
When receiving an invoice, customers with online payments enabled see two options in both the invoice email and the PDF:
Pay Online – Use this option to make a manual, one-time payment.
Set up automatic payments – Use this option to pay the invoice and register a default payment method for future invoices.
To make a one-time payment, the customer clicks Pay Online, which opens a Stripe checkout session.
To Sign Up for Autopayment:
On the invoice or in the email, the customer selects Set up automatic payments. They are directed to the Billing Portal, where they can manage default payment methods. To register a new card, the customer selects + Add Payment Method.
Once registered for autopay:
All future communications include only the Billing Portal link.
Invoice payment instructions state that invoices will be automatically paid.
Autopay Invoice Email Example
Autopay Invoice PDF Example
To Disable Autopay for a Customer:
Autopay can be disabled in two ways:
The customer removes their default payment method in the Billing Portal.
In Rillet, turn off Allow Autopayments in the Customer Profile.
To Update a Customer’s Default Payment Method:
For customers with online payments enabled, every invoice includes a link to the Billing Portal:
Set Up Automatic Payments – if no autopayment method exists.
Go to Billing Portal – if an autopayment method is already active.
Customers can use this link at any time to update their payment preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are there no payment links on the invoice?
Payment links only appear if Stripe is connected and online payments are enabled for the customer.
Why did my customer’s Stripe link expire?
When editing or updating a contract or invoice amount, the invoice will receive a new Stripe checkout link, therefore disabling a previous link. To prevent this, make sure to send your customer a new copy of the invoice after making edits.
How long does it take for a Stripe payment to register on a Rillet invoice?
Rillet syncs all Stripe payments every 2 hours.
When is a customer charged?
By default Rillet will charge when the invoice is sent (if not sent, no charge will happen). Invoice payments will be processed every 2 hours in a batch.
Note: Manually marking an invoice as sent will not trigger an auto-charge.
What if I want to charge my customer without sending the invoice?
To enable charging automatically, there is a setting under Invoice set up to Charge automatically on the due date (regardless of invoice sending). It is recommended to also turn on automatic invoice sending with this to ensure customers receive the invoice when charged.
My customer just set up automatic payments but the invoice is still showing as unpaid. What do I need to do?
Rillet will automatically charge the card on file in the next payment run (every 2 hours).
If there are multiple payment methods in Stripe, which one will be used?
Customers can designate their default payment method within the billing portal. If there is only one payment method, Rillet will assume that is the default.
In the case where there are multiple payments methods and none are defaulted, Rillet will not automatically charge. Please reach out to your customer to have them select the default.
See Also
To learn more about managing Stripe payments and autopay in Rillet, review these articles:
Last updated