Payment Method Setup Checklist
How to set up the ways a new customer can pay you so the first invoice clears fast — offering the right methods, showing them clearly and reconciling without guesswork.
What this checklist covers
- Choose payment methods that suit the customer and your costs
- Display payment details clearly so paying is effortless
- Set up reconciliation so payments match invoices
- Reduce friction that delays the first and every payment
6 min
Before you start
The easier you make paying, the faster you get paid. Decide which methods you will offer and how each is reconciled before the first invoice goes out.
- Your bank account details for electronic transfer.
- Any card or online payment facility you use, and its fees.
- A unique reference scheme so payments can be matched to invoices.
- The customer's preferred way to pay, asked during onboarding.
Step 1 — Choose the methods to offer
- Offer electronic bank transfer as a baseline — low cost and widely used.
- Consider card or online payment for speed and convenience, weighing the fees.
- Decide whether to support direct debit for recurring or regular customers.
- Ask the customer how they prefer to pay and enable that method.
- Avoid relying on cheques, which are slow and increasingly impractical.
Step 2 — Make paying effortless
- Show all accepted payment methods clearly on every invoice.
- Include complete bank details and a unique payment reference.
- Add a pay-now link if you use online payments.
- State the due date prominently so there is no ambiguity.
- Confirm the customer's accounts team has what they need to load you as a payee.
Step 3 — Reconcile cleanly
- Use a unique reference per invoice or customer to match incoming payments.
- Reconcile receipts against invoices promptly so arrears are visible.
- Flag short or partial payments for follow-up.
- Confirm any card or facility fees are accounted for correctly.
- Send a receipt or confirmation so the customer knows payment landed.
Common mistakes
- Offering only slow methods that delay every payment.
- Leaving bank details or the reference off the invoice.
- No unique reference, so payments are hard to match.
- Ignoring the fee impact of card or online payments.
- Not reconciling promptly, so overdue accounts go unnoticed.
Frictionless payment setup is one of the simplest ways to get paid faster. The Merion tools can help streamline how you invoice and collect. This is general information, not financial advice — choose methods that suit your business and costs.
Key takeaways
- Offer fast, low-friction methods customers actually use
- Put complete bank details and a reference on every invoice
- Use a unique reference so payments reconcile cleanly
- Reconcile promptly so arrears never hide
Frequently asked questions
Which payment methods should I offer?
Electronic bank transfer is the dependable baseline. Adding card or online payment can speed things up if you accept the fees, and direct debit suits regular customers. The right mix is whatever makes it easiest for your customers to pay you.
Should I pass on card payment fees to customers?
You can in many cases, but a surcharge must not exceed your actual cost of acceptance and should be disclosed. Weigh the goodwill cost against the fee; sometimes absorbing a small fee to get paid faster is worth it.
How do I match payments to invoices?
Use a unique reference for each invoice or customer and ask payers to quote it. Then reconcile receipts against your ledger promptly. Clear references turn reconciliation from guesswork into a quick, reliable task.
Work the checklist, then get paid
Use the free Invoice Generator, then let Merion recover anything that goes unpaid — commission-only.