Availability: Document payments are currently available to US, UK, and Australian accounts with Bonsai Payments enabled. For unsupported countries, a draft invoice is created when the document is completed.
You can collect payments directly through a document. When you enable payment collection, your client can sign the document and pay the required upfront amount as part of the signing process. Once the upfront payment is complete, the balance invoice is sent to the client.
You can choose whether to collect the full amount upfront or require an initial payment followed by a balance invoice.
Setting up payments
To enable payment collection before sending a document:
In the builder sidebar, open Invoice & Payments.
Turn on Collect payments. (This setting is off by default.)
Set the payment amount. You can use the total from the pricing table or enter a custom amount if the document doesn't include a pricing table.
If you want to collect an upfront payment, configure it as a percentage or fixed amount.
Choose how to handle the remaining balance invoice. It can be sent automatically when the document is completed or on a specified date. You can also turn off automatic sending to create the invoice as a draft.
Review your settings and send the document.
Once a document has been sent, you must revert it to draft before changing its payment settings.
How the payment process works
What your client experiences
Your client opens the document using the signing link.
They review and sign the document.
If an upfront payment is required, they complete the payment as part of the signing flow.
Once the upfront payment is successful, the signing process can proceed to completion.
The client receives a receipt for the payment and, when applicable, a separate balance invoice.
If your client leaves the signing flow before completing payment, they can return using the same link and continue the process.
What happens after the upfront payment
Once the document is completed, the remaining balance invoice is created according to your settings.
The balance invoice accounts for the upfront payment and includes only the pricing table items the client chose to keep. If automatic sending is disabled, the invoice is created as a draft instead.
Supported payment methods
Clients can pay using the following methods:
Credit and debit cards: Supported in the document's currency.
Bank transfer (ACH): Available for payments in USD only.
Bank transfers are marked as paid only after the funds have arrived.
Tracking payment status
You can monitor payment activity in Bonsai in the following places:
Sent document: View the payment status on the document.
Document activity: Review payment-related events in the document's activity feed.
Payment analytics: Use the available payment analytics to track payment activity.
Availability and limitations
Keep the following requirements in mind when setting up document payments:
Recurring pricing: Payment collection isn't available if any pricing table row is recurring.
Milestone payments: Milestone-based payments aren't supported.
Payment amount: You must have a pricing table or specify a custom amount to collect payment through a document.
If your client abandons the payment process
If your client doesn't complete the required upfront payment, the document remains incomplete.
If you no longer need to collect the upfront payment before completing the document, you can cancel the payment requirement and complete the document manually.
FAQs
Do I need Bonsai Payments to collect payments through documents?
Yes. Bonsai Payments must be enabled for your account. US accounts are enrolled automatically, while UK and Australian accounts must connect Bonsai Payments first.
What happens if document payments aren't supported in my country?
A draft invoice is created when the document is completed.
Can I customize invoice settings for individual documents?
No. Default invoice settings, including due dates and late fees, are inherited from your account settings and can't be overridden for individual documents.
Can I change payment settings after sending a document?
Yes, but you must revert the document to draft before changing its payment settings.
Can I use PayPal or my own Stripe integration for document payments?
No. PayPal and direct Stripe integration aren't supported as separate payment integrations.