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Setting Up Payment Processing (Pro Plan)

Last updated: October 20, 2018

Setting Up Payment Processing (Pro Plan)

Learn how to enable online payments so your clients can pay invoices directly through the portal using credit cards or ACH bank transfers.

Prerequisites

  • ✅ ClientSynq Pro or Enterprise plan
  • ✅ QuickBooks Online account
  • ✅ QuickBooks Payments (formerly Intuit Merchant Services) account

Note: Payment processing uses QuickBooks Payments, not a separate payment processor. This means payments are recorded directly in QuickBooks automatically!

Overview

With payment processing enabled, clients can:

  • Pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover)
  • Pay by ACH bank transfer (lower fees!)
  • See real-time payment confirmation
  • Get email receipts automatically

You get:

  • Faster payments (clients pay immediately)
  • Automatic reconciliation in QuickBooks
  • Payment notifications
  • Option to add a convenience fee to help recover processing costs

Step 1: Set Up QuickBooks Payments

If You Don't Have QuickBooks Payments Yet

  1. Log in to QuickBooks Online
  2. Click Settings (gear icon) → Account and Settings
  3. Select Payments tab
  4. Click Get Started or Connect
  5. Follow the application process:
    • Business information
    • Bank account for deposits
    • Business verification (may take 1-2 days)

Processing Fees (set by QuickBooks/Intuit):

  • Credit Cards: 2.9% + $0.25 per transaction
  • ACH Bank Transfer: 1% ($10 max) per transaction

Need help? QuickBooks Payments Setup Guide

If You Already Have QuickBooks Payments

Make sure it's active:

  1. QuickBooks → Settings → Account and Settings
  2. Click Payments
  3. Verify status shows "Connected"

Step 2: Connect in ClientSynq

Once QuickBooks Payments is active:

  1. Log in to ClientSynq
  2. Go to Settings → Payment Settings
  3. Click Enable Payment Processing
  4. Authorize ClientSynq to access QuickBooks Payments
  5. Configure your payment options (see below)

Connection is automatic - ClientSynq uses your QuickBooks connection to access payments.

Step 3: Configure Payment Options

Enable/Disable Payment Methods

In Settings → Payment Settings:

Credit Card Payments:

  • ✅ Enable to allow credit card payments
  • Fees: 2.9% + $0.25 (QuickBooks standard)

ACH Bank Payments:

  • ✅ Enable to allow bank transfers
  • Fees: 1% (max $10) - Much cheaper than cards!
  • Takes 5-7 business days to process

Recommendation: Enable both - let clients choose what's best for them.

Convenience Fee (Pro Feature)

What is a convenience fee? Automatically add a convenience fee to invoices paid with credit cards and ACH to help recover the processing costs charged by QuickBooks Payments.

How it works:

  • Client invoice: $1,000.00
  • Convenience fee (2.9%): $29.25
  • Client pays: $1,029.25
  • You receive: $1,000.00 (no fee deducted!)

To enable:

  1. Settings → Payment Settings
  2. Toggle Add Convenience Fee
  3. Choose fee structure:
    • Pass exact fee: Client pays exact processing cost
    • Flat percentage: Add a flat % to all payments
    • Per-transaction fee: Add fixed amount per payment

Transparency: Clients see the fee breakdown before paying:

Invoice Amount:     $1,000.00
Convenience Fee:       $29.25
Total to Pay:       $1,029.25

Important Considerations:

  • ✅ Pro: Helps recover processing costs
  • ✅ Pro: Clients understand the cost of instant payment
  • ⚠️ Important: Check your state and local laws - some jurisdictions restrict or prohibit convenience fees
  • ❌ Con: Some clients may prefer to pay by check to avoid fee
  • ❌ Con: May seem less client-friendly

Best practice:

  • Consult with your accountant or legal advisor about convenience fee regulations in your area
  • Be upfront about fees in your terms or initial communication
  • Clearly label it as a "convenience fee" for using instant payment methods

Step 4: Test Payment Processing

Before going live, test the flow:

Test Credit Card Payment

  1. Create a test invoice in QuickBooks
  2. Invite yourself as a test client
  3. Access the portal
  4. Try to pay the invoice
  5. Use QuickBooks Payments test mode (if available)

QuickBooks Test Cards:

  • Test Visa: 4111 1111 1111 1111
  • Test Mastercard: 5555 5555 5555 4444
  • Any future exp date
  • Any CVV

Note: Check QuickBooks Payments documentation for current test card numbers.

Test ACH Payment

ACH payments are harder to test without actual bank account. Consider:

  • Testing with a small real payment
  • Walking through the flow without completing
  • Contact QuickBooks Payments support for test capabilities

Client Payment Experience

How Clients Pay

  1. Access portal via invitation link
  2. View invoice - See amount due
  3. Click "Pay Now"
  4. Choose payment method:
    • Credit/Debit Card
    • Bank Account (ACH)
  5. Enter payment details:
    • Card number or bank account
    • Billing information
  6. Review fees (if enabled)
  7. Confirm payment
  8. Get instant confirmation + email receipt

Payment is recorded immediately in QuickBooks - No manual entry needed!

What Clients See

Before payment:

  • Invoice amount
  • Processing fee (if applicable)
  • Total to pay
  • Payment method options

After payment:

  • Confirmation number
  • Receipt (downloadable PDF)
  • Email confirmation
  • Invoice marked as paid in portal

Payment Notifications

You Get Notified When:

  • ✅ Client makes a payment
  • ✅ Payment succeeds
  • ❌ Payment fails
  • ⚠️ Chargeback initiated

Notification methods:

  • Email from QuickBooks Payments
  • Dashboard notification in QuickBooks
  • (Optional) ClientSynq can send additional notifications

Client Gets Notified When:

  • ✅ Payment is processed successfully
  • ✅ Receipt is generated
  • ❌ Payment fails (with reason)

Managing Payments

View Payments

In QuickBooks:

  • All payments sync to QuickBooks automatically
  • Go to Transactions → Sales → Payments
  • See all payment details, methods, and fees

In ClientSynq:

  • Go to Clients → Select client
  • View payment history
  • See which invoices are paid

Refunds

To refund a payment:

  1. Log in to QuickBooks Online
  2. Go to Transactions → Sales → Payments
  3. Find the payment
  4. Click Refund
  5. Enter refund amount (full or partial)
  6. Confirm

Refund shows automatically:

  • In QuickBooks (instant)
  • In client portal (within 1 hour)

Processing time:

  • Credit cards: 5-10 business days
  • ACH: 5-7 business days

Failed Payments

Common reasons:

  • Insufficient funds
  • Incorrect card information
  • Card expired
  • Bank declined

What happens:

  • Client sees error message
  • You get notification
  • Client can try again with different method

Best practice: Follow up with client via email or phone if payment fails.

Security & Compliance

PCI Compliance

You don't need to worry about PCI compliance!

Why? Because:

  • Payments are processed by QuickBooks (PCI Level 1 certified)
  • ClientSynq never stores card numbers
  • All payment data is encrypted end-to-end

Your responsibility:

  • Keep your QuickBooks and ClientSynq accounts secure
  • Use strong passwords
  • Don't share login credentials

Fraud Protection

QuickBooks Payments includes:

  • Real-time fraud detection
  • Address verification (AVS)
  • CVV verification
  • 3D Secure for cards

Chargeback protection (varies by QuickBooks account):

  • Some plans include chargeback protection
  • Check your QuickBooks Payments agreement
  • Proper documentation helps win disputes

Troubleshooting

"Payment Processing Not Available" in Portal

Possible causes:

  1. QuickBooks Payments not set up
  2. QuickBooks Payments not connected to ClientSynq
  3. Payment settings not enabled

Solution:

  1. Check QuickBooks → Settings → Payments (should show "Connected")
  2. Check ClientSynq → Settings → Payment Settings (should be enabled)
  3. Try syncing QuickBooks (Settings → QuickBooks → Sync Now)

"Client Can't See Pay Button"

Check:

  • ✅ Is client on Basic plan? (Payments are Pro only)
  • ✅ Is payment processing enabled in settings?
  • ✅ Is the invoice synced and unpaid?
  • ✅ Does invoice have amount due > $0?

Solution: Verify all above, then have client refresh the portal.

"Payments Not Showing in QuickBooks"

This should be automatic, but if payments aren't appearing:

  1. Check QuickBooks Payments dashboard (separate from QBO)
  2. Verify payment actually succeeded
  3. Check if there's a sync delay (can take up to 1 hour)
  4. Contact QuickBooks Payments support if issue persists

"High Processing Fees"

QuickBooks sets the fees, not ClientSynq.

To reduce costs:

  • ✅ Encourage ACH payments (1% vs 2.9%)
  • ✅ Enable convenience fee so you don't absorb costs (check local regulations)
  • ✅ Consider volume discounts (contact QuickBooks for large businesses)

Alternative:

  • Some businesses offer discount for check/ACH vs card
  • Example: "Pay by bank transfer and save 3%!"

Best Practices

1. Communicate Clearly

Tell clients:

  • "You can now pay online through our secure portal"
  • "We accept credit cards and bank transfers"
  • "You'll get instant confirmation and receipt"
  • (If applicable) "Processing fee of X% applies to card payments"

2. Promote ACH

ACH costs you much less (1% vs 2.9%):

  • "Save on fees by paying via bank transfer"
  • "ACH payments save you 2-3% in processing fees"
  • Make ACH the default or highlighted option

3. Set Payment Expectations

In your terms or client onboarding:

  • Payment due date
  • Available payment methods
  • Processing fees (if applicable)
  • Refund policy

4. Follow Up on Failed Payments

Don't assume client knows:

  • Send friendly email: "We noticed your payment didn't go through"
  • Offer to help: "Need a different payment method?"
  • Provide alternative: "You can also mail a check if preferred"

5. Monitor Payment Activity

Weekly review:

  • How many clients are using online payments?
  • What payment methods are most popular?
  • Any failed payments to follow up on?

Additional Resources

QuickBooks Resources

ClientSynq Resources

Still Have Questions?

Need help setting up payment processing? Contact our support team - We'll walk you through it!

Last Updated: October 26, 2025
Applies to: Pro and Enterprise plans

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