Accepting Payments

Overview

Getting paid should be easy. BlueClerk integrates with Stripe, Square, and Venmo to accept payments directly on your invoices. Customers can pay online with one click, and the money goes straight to your bank account. The system automatically picks the best payment method you've configured - prioritizing Stripe for the best customer experience, falling back to Square, and finally to Venmo.

Payment Methods

Credit/Debit Cards (via Stripe or Square)

If you've connected Stripe or Square:

• Customers see a "Pay with Card" button on invoices
• They enter card details securely through your connected processor
• Payment processes instantly
• Invoice status updates to Paid automatically
• BlueClerk automatically uses Stripe if available, otherwise Square

Why Stripe is preferred:

• Best customer experience - no separate Venmo account needed
• Instant bank transfers to your account
• Lower friction checkout flow

Venmo Payments

If you've enabled Venmo in Settings → Payments:

• Customers see a Venmo QR code or deep link on invoices
• The amount and invoice note are pre-filled automatically
• Customer opens Venmo on their phone to complete payment
• You confirm receipt manually in BlueClerk

In-Person Payment Collection (Take Payment Dialog)

For field techs collecting payment on-site:

1. Open the invoice from a completed job
2. Click "Take Payment" button
3. BlueClerk generates a payment link using your best configured method:
   • Stripe (if connected) - Customer pays in browser, instant transfer
   • Square (if connected) - Same QR/browser flow
   • Venmo (if enabled) - Opens Venmo app with amount pre-filled
4. Show the QR code to the customer to scan with their phone
5. Customer completes payment on their device
6. Payment automatically syncs to the invoice

The dialog shows which payment provider is being used and adjusts helper text accordingly - Venmo says "opens Venmo on their phone" while Stripe/Square say "pays in their browser".

Manual Payment Recording

For checks, cash, or other offline payments:

• Go to Finance > Receive Payment
• Select the customer and invoice
• Enter payment amount and method
• Payment is recorded and syncs to accounting software

Payment Tracking

All payments are tracked automatically:

• Payment date - When the payment was received
• Payment method - Card, Venmo, check, cash, etc.
• Amount - How much was paid
• Accounting sync - Payments sync to QuickBooks, Xero, or FreshBooks if connected

Setting Up Payment Methods

Connect Stripe

1. Go to Settings > Payments
2. Click "Connect Stripe"
3. Follow the Stripe setup (create account or link existing)
4. Complete verification (identity and bank info)
5. Invoices now show "Pay with Card" buttons

Connect Square

1. Go to Settings > Payments
2. Click "Connect Square"
3. Sign in to Square and authorize BlueClerk
4. Select your location where payments should be processed
5. Invoices now show "Pay with Square" buttons

Enable Venmo

1. Go to Settings > Payments
2. Enter your Venmo username
3. Toggle "Enable Venmo" to ON
4. Venmo QR codes appear on invoice PDFs for balances > $0

Tips

• Connect at least one payment method to get paid faster
• Stripe offers the best customer experience - prioritize connecting it first
• Square works well if you already use Square POS hardware
• Venmo is great for customers who prefer person-to-person payments
• Take Payment works with any method you've configured - same experience whether you use Stripe, Square, or Venmo
• Payments sync automatically to your accounting software if you've connected QuickBooks, Xero, or FreshBooks

Questions

Q: Which payment method should I set up first? A: Stripe - it offers the best customer experience with instant bank transfers and no requirement for customers to have a separate Venmo account.

Q: Can I use multiple payment methods? A: Yes! Connect Stripe and/or Square, enable Venmo, and let customers choose. BlueClerk automatically picks the best method when using Take Payment.

Q: Do I need to do anything when a customer pays? A: No - Stripe and Square payments update the invoice automatically. For Venmo, you'll need to confirm receipt manually.

Q: What if the Take Payment dialog picks the wrong payment method? A: It follows this priority: Stripe → Square → Venmo. To change the priority, disconnect payment methods you don't want used in Settings → Payments.

Q: Can customers pay multiple invoices at once? A: Yes - use batch invoicing to send multiple invoices together with one payment link. See the Batch Invoicing help article.