Bill upfront on ID Verifications

Bill upfront lets you charge a client before they complete identity verification. When enabled, the client sees an invoice when they open the verification link and must pay before they can start or finish the check.

What you need before you start

• A Template Bill with the fee you want to charge (see below).

• An online payment provider connected in Settings: Pinch Payments or Apxium.

• Client details on the ID Verification. You can either select an existing client from your list, or enter details for a new person in Associated mode. OnboardMe creates the client record when you send the verification (if one does not already exist).

• Accounting system link (when your practice uses Xero Ledger, GreatSoft, or QuickBooks and you selected an existing client): link the client to your accounting system before you send, or create them there from the link prompt.

Xero Ledger is not required for upfront billing to work. OnboardMe creates the bill from your Template Bill when the client opens the link. Connecting Xero Ledger is still recommended so a proper tax invoice can be raised in Xero when payment is taken, and so clients can download a Xero invoice PDF where available.

Set up a Template Bill

1. Go to Templates and open Template Bills.

2. Create or edit a template for your ID verification fee. Add line items, tax, and amounts as you would for any other bill template.

3. On each invoice in the template, you can mark it Bill Upfront. When you send an ID Verification with upfront billing, OnboardMe uses the template's Bill Upfront invoice(s). If none are marked Bill Upfront, it uses the first invoice in the template.

4. Recurring Template Bills cannot be used for ID Verification upfront billing. Use a standard (non-recurring) Template Bill.

Connect Pinch or Apxium

Clients pay online through your practice's active payment provider in Settings.

Pinch Payments

• Enable and connect Pinch in your practice payment settings.

• When the client pays, they can add or use a saved card or bank account. Pinch collects the payment against the OnboardMe bill.

• If you use Xero branding themes with Pinch, use a separate branding theme for Bill Upfront bills so clients who pay by bank transfer are not debited twice.

Apxium

• Enable and connect Apxium in your practice payment settings.

• Apxium allocates payment to a Xero invoice. For online payment to work, the bill usually needs to exist in Xero (Xero Ledger connected and invoice synced). If the invoice is not in Xero yet, the client may see a message to contact the practice.

• The client must be set up for Apxium payments (linked debtor) and use a saved payment method where required.

If no payment provider is configured, the client cannot pay online and will be asked to contact your office.

Clients: existing, new, and accounting links

You do not have to pick someone who is already in your client list. You have two options on the ID Verification screen:

• Select client - choose an existing OnboardMe client.

• Associated - enter the person's name and contact details. OnboardMe creates an associated client record when you send the verification.

Before the client can pay online, there must be a client record in OnboardMe linked to the verification. That happens when you send (for new associated clients) or is already in place when you pick an existing client.

Linking or creating the client in your accounting system

If your practice uses Xero Ledger, GreatSoft, or QuickBooks, and you selected an existing client with upfront billing turned on, OnboardMe checks that the client is linked before you send.

• If they are not linked, use Link to Xero Ledger (or QuickBooks / GreatSoft) on the verification screen.

• You can link to an existing contact in your accounting system, or create a new client there without selecting an existing match.

• You must complete this step before sending when an existing client is selected.

For a new associated client, the client record is created in OnboardMe when you send. Link or create them in your accounting system when prompted, or rely on invoice sync when the bill is pushed (especially important for Apxium).

Turn on Bill upfront when sending

1. Open or create an ID Verification and enter or select client details.

2. Under billing options, turn on Bill client upfront.

3. Select the Template Bill to use. You must select a template or turn off upfront billing before sending.

4. If prompted, link or create the client in Xero Ledger, GreatSoft, or QuickBooks before you send (when an existing client is selected).

5. Send the verification as usual by email or SMS.

What the client sees

1. The client opens the link from your email or SMS.

2. They see the invoice (amount, line items, and total) and a prompt that payment is required before identity verification.

3. They may need to create a billing profile and add a card or bank account (Pinch), or use a saved payment method (Pinch or Apxium).

4. After payment is received (or if the invoice is already paid), they can Start identity verification or Continue identity verification.

5. Where Xero Ledger is connected, they can download a copy of the tax invoice PDF after payment.

After payment

• The ID Verification is linked to the bill created from your Template Bill. You can see this on the verification record.

• Payment is recorded against the bill in OnboardMe. With Xero Ledger connected, the invoice is pushed to Xero when the client pays (or when preparing the invoice for download).

• The client can complete identity verification only after the upfront amount is paid (or if the bill total is zero).

Tips and troubleshooting

• No Template Bills in the list? Create one under Templates, then return to the ID Verification and select it.

• Cannot send with an existing client? Check that a Template Bill is chosen and the client is linked or created in your accounting system if you use one.

• Payment failed? Confirm Pinch or Apxium is active, the client has a valid payment method, and for Apxium that the invoice exists in Xero.

• Verification saved but billing failed? The verification may still be saved as a draft; fix billing setup and resend or contact support if needed.

• Prefer proper tax invoices? Connect Xero Ledger so bills sync as Xero invoices even though upfront billing can run without it.

Related

• Template Bills (Templates section)

• Pinch and Apxium integration guides (Integrations section)

• Xero Ledger (Integrations section)