Money
Activating a payment gateway with its fields named the way it names them
Every gateway names its keys in its own way. Where to find each key, and the difference between a test key and a live key.
7 minOpen lesson
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Tracking payments: sent, overdue and expired links
The payment ladder, the state of each link, and why a payment needs the gateway's confirmation even if the customer says “I transferred it.”
Money · 6 min read
The dashboard is in development.
This lesson shows how the dashboard will work once it reaches subscribers. Until then we handle the setup for you, and you get escalation and payment alerts on your WhatsApp plus a monthly report.
The payments screen shows the payment schedule for each contract, and every payment link issued with its status: paid, awaiting payment, pending, or expired unpaid. Every status is shown, because if the screen were entirely green, that would mean something was being hidden.
Here you'll learn how to read the statuses, and what to do when a customer says they paid and the status hasn't changed.
Confirmation comes from the gateway
A payment is only recorded after confirmation from the gateway, and then the system asks it a second time before recording, because a confirmation can arrive forged or duplicated.
The states
Four statuses for a payment link
| Case | Means | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Awaiting payment | Reached the customer, not opened yet | Nothing, the reminder is automatic |
| Pending | Opened it, but the transaction wasn't completed | Ask them, their card may have been declined |
| Paid | The gateway confirmed and the system verified a second time | Nothing, it's been recorded |
| Expired unpaid | Expired without payment | Issue a new link for the same instalment |
An expired link stays in the list and isn't deleted, because if it disappeared, the payment would look like it's no longer due.
The common case
The customer says “I've sent the transfer” and the status hasn't changed
- 1Wait a few minutes.
Gateway confirmation usually arrives within a few minutes, not instantly.
- 2Ask: did they pay through the link or by bank transfer?
A bank transfer doesn't go through the gateway, so the link's status won't change no matter how long you wait.
- 3Open the link on the screen and check its state with the gateway.
The customer's bank may have declined the transaction without sending them a clear message about it.
- 4If it was a bank transfer, record it yourself after verifying.
A bank transfer still needs a receipt and your confirmation. The gateway is an extra route, and the old route is still there.
Reminders
A restriction on Instagram and Messenger you need to know about
The payment reminder is sent automatically on time. But on Instagram and Messenger, Meta only allows messaging the customer within twenty-four hours of their last message, and after that the message is rejected.
If the reminder were sent after that window, the log would show “Sent” without it ever arriving. So the system checks the window before sending, and if it has passed, it alerts you so you can message the customer yourself, and the send isn't logged as done.
Where the link comes from is covered in activating a payment gateway, and what precedes it in approving the document.
Frequently asked
The customer says they paid but the status hasn't changed. What do I do?
The system marks a payment as paid when the gateway itself confirms it, even if the customer says they’ve paid. Confirmation usually arrives within minutes. If it’s late, open the link on the screen and check its status with the gateway.
What if the link expires?
It stays in the list with the status “Expired” and isn't deleted, because if it disappeared, the payment would look like it's no longer due. You issue a new link for the same payment, and the first one is canceled automatically.
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Money
Daily work
Approving a quote or contract: a step that stays with you
The system prepares the document and waits for your approval before sending it. Why approval is always manual, and how to approve from WhatsApp with a single message.
7 minOpen lesson