In addition to being able to take mobile payments on site with the ServiceM8 app, you can also email and/or SMS invoices to your clients with the option for them to pay by card, online. This is great for when the client isn't present on job completion, or you're not in a position to finalise the invoice on site.
To give clients the ability to pay their invoices online, you'll need to activate the ServiceM8 Pay add-on. If you haven’t done so already, see How to get started with ServiceM8 Pay.
First, check your templates
Once you've activated ServiceM8 Pay, review your invoice template/s, and the Email & SMS templates you use when you send your invoices to clients through ServiceM8.
Look for the {document} merge field code:
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When you generate a PDF invoice, then email and SMS it to a client, the {document} field code automatically converts into a unique link for the client to view their invoice online:
NOTE
- The {document} field code is included by default in many of the standard email, SMS and invoice templates pre-populated in new ServiceM8 accounts, so you may not need to do anything.
- You must generate the invoice PDF, then email it to the client, before it will be accessible to view online.
- When ServiceM8 is connected to ServiceM8 Pay & Stripe, the online invoice portal accessible via the special {document} link will always include the button to 'Pay Now' by card i.e. where the ServiceM8 Pay or Stripe Payments add-on is activated in an account, all online invoices will present the option to pay by card. This cannot be switched on and off, on a "per-job" basis.
- If you don't want clients to be able to pay online, remove the {document} field from the relevant email template/s (Account > Settings > Email Templates), SMS Templates (Account > Settings > SMS Templates) and your invoice template/s (Account > Settings > Document Templates) See here for guidance on editing invoice templates.
How to send invoices for online payment, from the app
To send clients their invoice to pay online, Check Out of the job, finalise the billable items in the Billing page, the tap 'Finish' in the top-right, to generate the PDF invoice:
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Review the PDF invoice, then tap the email icon to draft your email to the client, keeping in mind the {document} field code will automatically convert to a unique online invoice link after sending:
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How to send invoices for online payment, from the office
To send clients their invoice when using the ServiceM8 desktop app:
- Ensure the job's status is updated to Completed;
- Finalise your billable items;
- Click 'Produce Invoice' and review;
- Click 'Email' — this will automatically insert your default invoice email template, and attach the invoice PDF; then
- Review your email, and Send.
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How customers pay online
Your customers will only be able to pay their invoice by card, when they click/tap the link to view it online in the web browser on their mobile or computer i.e. when they click the unique link to view their invoice, included in your email/SMS, or in the invoice PDF itself:
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When a client taps 'Pay Now', they'll be prompted to enter their card details. Depending on the device they're using, they may also be presented with the option to pay via Apple Pay, or Google Pay:
