When SEPA payments are handled via XML export, you collect payments outside of Stripe. If Stripe’s payment links are still active, a customer could pay both via the link and is charged via your bank - resulting in a duplicate charge. This is why certain settings need to be in place in order to provide a smooth customer experience.
Required Steps Before Activation
Step 1: Deactivate the Stripe Payment Link for Invoices and Emails
Stripe automatically adds a payment link to invoices and related email communications. If you're adding SEPA via XML Export as a payment option, this link must be turned off.
How to do it:
Go to your Stripe Dashboard:
https://dashboard.stripe.com/settings/billing/invoiceFind the section for payment links in invoices called "Default payment terms"
Toggle the option off to remove payment links from PDFs and emails
Don't forget to click on "save".
This ensures customers will no longer receive Stripe-hosted payment options for invoices.
Step 2: Switch Off Payment Reminders in Stripe
A) Setting: Advanced invoicing features
Go to Stripe: https://dashboard.stripe.com/settings/billing/invoice
Switch off payment reminders under "Advanced invoicing features" as they no longer will include the payment links (step 1).
Don't forget to click on "save".
B) Setting: Manage invoices sent to customers
Go to Stripe: https://dashboard.stripe.com/settings/billing/automatic
Switch off payment reminders under "Manage invoices sent to customers" as they no longer will include the payment link either.
Don't forget to click on "save".
Step 3: Set Up a New Email with the Payment Link in Kinnovis
Once the Stripe link is disabled, Stripe's emails to pay invoices (independent of the payment option) won't include payment links any more. Thus, you must configure an alternative email template inside Kinnovis to send customers payment links for your manual payment options (and first auto-card payments).
Steps:
In the Kinnovis Manager, go to Emails
Create a new email and chose the trigger "New Invoice: Manual or First Auto-Card Payment"
Select all locations for which are connected to your Stripe account for which you completed Step 1 & 2
Set up the email instructing your customers to pay their invoice (incl. invoice reference) and include the merge tag Payment URL (under Invoice)
Make sure to include the Payment URL as a merge tag in all your "x days after invoice is due" emails.
This will allow you to send payment links through your own communication flows (instead of Stripe).
It is crucial to set up this email for customers to receive a payment link for invoices with the payment method manual payments. In addition, it is triggered for payments with payment method "auto-card" if no payment information is added. This email is not sent for invoices with the payment method "SEPA Direct Debit via XML" as payments are handled via the flow discussed in the next article.