AdvicePay Financial Advisor Community Blog

How to be AdvicePay Happy: Client Payments

February 11, 2019 By Erika Madden
Erika Madden

Hi there! Erika here. :) I’m the Happiness Hero for AdvicePay -- which means that I’m here for any and all questions about the AdvicePay system. Consider me your personal consultant on how to get most out of our amazing tool!

Thanks to some smart questions from our users, I’ve gathered a number of tips and reminders (I call them “HAPPINESS HINTS”) that can make using AdvicePay a breeze.

Today’s topic: Client Payment Workflow. It’s a big deal to understand this process so that you can be confident in your billing -- and set your clients’ questions at ease immediately. I’m here to help, so let’s do a quick review on how this works. It’s as easy as 1...2...3!

Happiness to your day,

Erika Signature


How a Client Makes a Payment: 3 Simple Steps

Step 1: Click on “Make Payment”

After you’ve set up your client and sent them an invoice, your client will see their unpaid invoices when they log into their AdvicePay account. From here the client will simply click the “Make Payment” button next to the invoice they want to pay!

 

Step 2: Choose How to Pay

This part is determined a bit by you. For example, if you’ve set your client’s invoice to accept ACH only,  then the option to add a debit or credit card won’t be displayed. Clients select what type of account they’d like to use for payment from the options available and enter their account information (while you kick back, sip a tasty beverage, and avoid custody).

Can clients pay from a savings account?

Afraid not! Only U.S.-based bank checking or ACH-enabled brokerage accounts can be processed in AdvicePay. All major credit cards are accepted, too!


HAPPINESS HINT :)

If a client ever wishes to pay with a different bank account or credit card after they have set up their subscription, they can do so easily through their Wallet. We will bill the default account they have on file, so by adding a new payment method and then deleting the other, their subscription will bill the new account on the next due date!


 

Step 3: Authorize the Payment

Once the client has selected the account they’d like to use for payment, they click the checkbox for Payment Authorization and then click the Pay Now/Activate Subscription button. Now, they’re all set! One-time invoices will bill immediately, while subscriptions will bill on the start date you indicated.

“Inactive” vs. “Active” Subscriptions

When a client’s subscription shows “inactive” this means that they have not yet approved payment for that fee. Once a client enters a payment method and completes the authorization process (Step 3 above), the subscription invoice is then labeled as “active.” This tells you and your client that the subscription is ready to bill automatically and no further action is needed!


HAPPINESS HINT :)

All one-time payments or subscription invoices that have been billed are easily viewed by your clients under the Payment History table on their Client Dashboard. They can also download or print their invoices anytime they wish!


Want to learn more about the Client Experience?

For more detailed insight, take a glance at the Client Experience content available in our Help Desk Knowledge Base.

Posted by Erika Madden

Erika is the reason you’ll keep smiling, even in the (rare) event you have an issue with AdvicePay. As a mom of three kids with a Journalism degree, a long history of leading customer service, and a mild obsession with Lord of the Rings (extended version), you know Erika has the patience and tenacity to stick with whatever challenge comes up. Her problem-solving and communication skills are amazing, but honestly, it’s her volunteer advocacy work with victims of domestic abuse that makes her our real hero.

Topics: User Experience