Client can't pay online

Client Can't Pay Online

If a client tells they can't find or complete their online payment, use this guide to walk through the most common causes and fixes. This article is for caterers managing invoices and online payments in CaterCloud.

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1. Check That Your Payment Account Is Connected

Online payments in CaterCloud are processed through Stripe. If Stripe isn't connected to your account, no client will be able to pay online.

• Go to Settings → Payments and confirm your Stripe account is linked and active.
• If you see a Connect Stripe button rather than an active connection, complete the Stripe onboarding before sending any payment links.
• If your Stripe account was previously connected but now shows a warning, you may need to re-authenticate or resolve an issue directly in your Stripe dashboard.

2. Confirm the Invoice Has Been Sent

A client can only pay an invoice they've received. Even if the invoice exists in CaterCloud, it must be sent to the client.

• Open the relevant booking or client record and locate the invoice.
• Check its status — an invoice marked Draft has not been delivered.
• Use the Send Invoice option to email it to the client directly from CaterCloud.

3. Verify the Pay Online Option Is Enabled on the Invoice

Some invoices may be set up without the online payment option turned on.

• Open the invoice and check whether the Pay Online or Online Payment option is enabled.
• If it isn't, edit the invoice to enable it, then resend it to the client.

4. Share or Resend the Payment Link

If the client says they lost the email or the link isn't working:

• Locate the invoice and use the option to resend or copy the payment link.
• Share the updated link with the client directly.

5. Check Invoice Status

If the invoice already shows as Paid or Void, the payment link will no longer be active. Confirm with the client whether a payment may have already gone through.

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Tip: If payments are a regular friction point, consider enabling automatic invoice delivery when a booking is confirmed — check your Settings → Automations options.