Setting up online payments
Before restaurants can pay a supplier online, the supplier connects a Stripe account (for card and bank payments). A PayPal account can be connected too, but restaurants can't pay an order with PayPal (see Known limitations). Both happen on Profile Settings → Payment Methods, where the supplier also picks which hand-recorded methods they accept and which bookkeeping account each method lands in. Stripe and PayPal each walk the supplier through their own sign-up, then send them back to Clipp.
Who uses it
- Supplier Admins. The Payment Methods tab is only shown to admins.
- Restaurants see the result: pay buttons on the pay link, or "Online payments are not available for this invoice. Please contact your supplier to enable payments on Clipp."
How it works
Open the account menu (top right) → Profile → Profile Settings → Payment Methods: "Select the payment methods you want to accept from customers."
The tab lists one card per method, each with a checkbox:
Cash · Check · Other ACH · Other Credit Card · Other · Stripe · PayPal
Tick what you accept, then Save: "Payment Methods Saved" / "Your payment methods have been updated successfully." With nothing ticked, the tab shows "Please select at least one payment method" and Save is greyed out.
Manual methods
The five manual methods decide what appears in Please select the payment method. when recording a payment, and in the refund step when cancelling an order (Store Credit is always there too). New suppliers start with all five ticked. Unticking one hides it from those forms; it doesn't affect payments already recorded.
Default bookkeeping accounts
Each manual method and Stripe has a Set default Account dropdown, listing the supplier's bookkeeping accounts. It's the account a payment of that method lands in unless the form says otherwise.
- The Stripe row covers card and bank payments made online. PayPal has no dropdown: PayPal payments use the Stripe row's account.
- The dropdown appears only once the supplier has at least one bookkeeping account.
- It saves as soon as you pick. A failure says "Failed to update the default account."
- Changing a default affects new payments only.
See Bookkeeping effects.
Connecting Stripe
- Tick Stripe. The card shows Email and Account Status Not connected, with Connect to Stripe.
- Click it. Clipp creates a Stripe account for the business, using its name, email, address and phone, and opens Stripe's sign-up in the same tab. Stripe collects everything it will eventually need up front.
- Finish on Stripe. Stripe sends the supplier back to Payment Methods.
- Stripe reviews the account, and Clipp hears about each change automatically.
| Account Status | Means | Button |
|---|---|---|
| Not connected | Never started | Connect to Stripe |
| Pending setup | Started, Stripe hasn't reported back yet | Continue Setup |
| Documents required | Stripe needs more information | Submit Documents |
| Under review | Details submitted; Stripe hasn't enabled charges and payouts yet | Complete Setup |
| Active | Charges and payouts both enabled | Manage Account, which opens the Stripe dashboard |
| Error | Clipp couldn't load the account ("Unable to load account info") | — |
Once Active, the card also lists Payment Methods (Cards, ACH Payment, whichever Stripe has switched on) and Linked Accounts (Bank, Last 4, Type, Status). While loading it shows "Loading...". If connecting fails: Connection Error, "Failed to connect to payment provider. Please try again." One common cause is a business phone number Stripe won't accept (it must be 10 digits).
Restaurants can pay by card and bank as soon as Stripe allows charges on the account. That can be before the card reads Active, which also needs payouts.
Connecting PayPal
- Tick PayPal. The card shows Not connected and Connect to PayPal.
- Click it. PayPal's partner sign-up opens with the business's details filled in.
- When PayPal sends the supplier back, the tab shows "Waiting for Paypal. This might take some time..." while Clipp saves the connection.
| Account Status | Means |
|---|---|
| Not connected | No PayPal account linked |
| Setup required | Linked, but PayPal says the account can't receive payments yet, or its email isn't confirmed. A warning reads "Please complete your PayPal setup to receive payments properly." |
| Active | Linked, can receive payments, email confirmed. Lists PayPal Merchant ID and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL). |
Disconnect opens PayPal's own "partner consents" page. Revoking Clipp there disconnects the account.
Restaurants are not shown a PayPal option on orders, even when the account is Active.
Messages
| When | Who | |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal connected | The supplier's business email | Subject "{Supplier}'s Paypal Connection Updated!". "You have successfully connected your Clipp and Paypal accounts. Please review your account management page to make sure you are able to accept payments through PayPal." |
| PayPal disconnected | The supplier's business email | Same subject. "You have successfully disconnected your Paypal account from Clipp. Please note that you will no longer be able to accept Paypal payments on Clipp unless you connect your account again." |
Stripe sends its own emails; Clipp sends none for Stripe.
Calculations
None. For fees, see Processing fees.
Settings with no screen
| Setting | Default | What it does | Who changes it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier absorbs the card fee | Off (the restaurant pays) | Drops the card fee line at checkout | Clipp |
| Clipp revenue share | none | A percentage of each card and bank payment kept by Clipp | Clipp |
| Charge saved cards | Off | Lets the supplier charge a restaurant's saved card | Clipp; see Card on file |
| Mute email, texts or push | All on | Silences every payment message for this supplier | Clipp |
Where it shows up
- Profile Settings → Payment Methods.
- The pay link and statement page: card and bank buttons, or "Online payments are not available…".
- Every Add Payment form and the cancellation refund step: the manual methods offered, and an info icon for admins on Add Payment, "Manage accepted payment methods here", linking to this tab.
- Bookkeeping: the default accounts.
Permissions
| Role | Sees the tab | Changes defaults |
|---|---|---|
| Admin | Yes | Yes |
| Clerk, Driver, Warehouse, Sales Person, custom roles | No: the tab is hidden, and its link redirects | No |
Decisions
- New suppliers start with every manual method ticked, and Stripe and PayPal unticked. The tab showed nothing accepted while every method was in fact allowed; Stripe and PayPal need a connected account first. (#2151)
- A connected PayPal account always shows as ticked. The card reflects the real connection. (#2076)
- Stripe accounts are "standard" accounts that the supplier manages in Stripe's own dashboard. (From the code; no PR found.)
- Default accounts are picked per method, with the Stripe row covering card and bank. (#2019, #2124)
- Who pays the card fee, and Clipp's revenue share, are Clipp's to set. Suppliers can't change their own share. (#2068, #2113)
Specs
No scenarios cover this page yet.
Known limitations
- Unticking Stripe doesn't turn off online payments. The pay link checks only that the Stripe account can take charges (verify intent).
- PayPal can't really be unticked while connected. The tab ticks it again on reload. Disconnect is the only way to stop PayPal payments.
- Stripe's sign-up "refresh" link lands on Profile Settings without the Payment Methods tab open. The supplier has to click Continue Setup again (verify).
- PayPal isn't usable on orders. The account can be connected and shows Active, but no pay link, statement page or app screen offers PayPal, and the server refuses it ("PayPal isn't supported for sale orders yet").
- Two PayPal "connected" emails can go out if both the return and PayPal's own notice arrive before the account is fully confirmed (verify).
FAQ
My customers can't see a Pay with Card button. Stripe isn't connected yet, or Stripe hasn't enabled charges on the account. Check Account Status on Payment Methods.
Stripe says Documents required. What do I do? Click Submit Documents to go back to Stripe and finish what it asks for.
How do I stop accepting PayPal? Click Disconnect and revoke Clipp's access on PayPal's page. Unticking the box isn't enough.
Where does card money go in my books? To the account set on the Stripe row, or Unassigned if none is set.
Can I make my customers stop paying the card fee? Yes, but Clipp has to switch it for you. See Processing fees.