What it is
A payment gateway lets your clients pay an invoice by card or instant EFT straight from a "Pay Online" link on the invoice. InvoiceZen uses PayFast for this, so you need your own PayFast account first. The money goes into your PayFast account, and PayFast pays it out to your bank.
Why you’d use it
You get paid sooner. Instead of logging in to their bank and typing in your account number, your client taps one link on the invoice and pays in a minute. No typing mistakes, no “what was the reference again?”
When the payment comes through, InvoiceZen marks the invoice as paid by itself.
What you need first
- A PayFast account. PayFast is a separate South African company that handles the card and EFT payment. Your InvoiceZen account does not include one. Sign up on PayFast’s website; they check your ID and bank details before you can receive money.
- Three values from your PayFast dashboard:
- Merchant ID and Merchant Key: under Settings → Developer Settings.
- Passphrase: under Settings, in Security Pass Phrase. If you have not set one, set one now. It makes your payment links harder to tamper with.
Have all three open before you start typing in the app.
How to do it
- On the InvoiceZen tab, tap the settings icon at the top right to open Business Profile.
- Tap Payment Gateway.
- Fill in Merchant ID, Merchant Key and Passphrase exactly as PayFast shows them.
- Leave Sandbox / Test Mode off. It is only for testing with pretend money.
- Tap Save Settings. This step needs an internet connection.
The screen now shows Configured. Every invoice you share from now on has a Pay Online link.
What it costs
InvoiceZen charges nothing extra.
PayFast charges a fee on each payment, depending on how the client pays, and a small fee when it pays money out to your bank. See PayFast’s fees page for current prices.
Common questions
What does my client see?
They tap Pay Online and land on PayFast’s secure payment page, showing your invoice number and the amount owing. They pay by card, instant EFT or another PayFast option. Their card details go to PayFast, never to you or InvoiceZen.
When does the money reach my bank?
PayFast holds each payment for a few days, then pays it out to your bank, when you ask or on a schedule you choose. PayFast explains the timing here.
Will invoices I already sent get the link?
No. The link is added when you share an invoice. Share an older invoice again to send it with the link.
My client already paid part of it. What will the link ask for?
Only the balance still owing. Once it is paid, the invoice changes from Part paid to Paid.