This section covers how MonetizeNow handles the flow of payments. Here, you’ll find everything you need to understand how MonetizeNow manages customer payments, how payment methods work, what “Collect Automatically” really means, and how bill groups interact with accounts and gateways. Whether you’re optimizing for automation or clarity, this section will help you build a frictionless and flexible billing experience.

Understanding “Collect Automatically”

When setting up your billing workflow, one of the options you’ll come across is “Collect Automatically.” This setting allows MonetizeNow to charge your customer as soon as an invoice is generated, but for it to work as expected, a few conditions need to be in place. Let’s walk through how it works, what to expect, and what to watch out for.

What Does Collect Automatically Actually Do?

Think of “Collect Automatically” as an instruction:

| “Whenever there’s an invoice, go ahead and try to collect payment automatically.”

It’s a powerful way to streamline cash flow, especially when you’re working with credit card or direct debit ACH payments. But it’s important to note that this setting doesn’t enforce or guarantee that payment will happen, it simply signals the system to attempt collection if the necessary payment method is available.

Does Auto-Collect Require a Payment Method?

Technically, no.
You can turn on “Collect Automatically” even if no payment method has been added to the account or bill group yet. This is intentional.

For example, imagine you’re onboarding a new customer. You might configure their account and set auto-collect in advance, knowing that they’ll add their credit card later through your self-service portal. Once the payment method is added, MonetizeNow will automatically pick it up and begin collecting on any unpaid invoices, no extra steps needed from your side.

That said, a valid payment method is required for collection to actually occur. If it’s missing, the invoice won’t be collected, but nothing will break either.

How Does MonetizeNow Know Which Payment Method to Use?

When a new payment method (like a credit card) is added to an account, you can mark it as the default. This default method becomes the go-to for any newly created bill groups.

So, if:

A customer adds a credit card to their account,
And that card is marked as the default,
Any new contracts or quotes that create bill groups will inherit that payment method, and collection will just work.

However, if the payment method was added after the bill group was created, you’ll need to go in and assign it manually to that bill group for auto-collection to start.

What Happens When You Change “Collect Automatically” Later?

If you toggle auto-collect on after a bill group is already live, and there’s a default payment method on the account, the system won’t automatically attach that method to the bill group. You’ll want to update it manually to make sure collection actually kicks in.

We may add smarter prompts around this in future releases, but for now, the safest approach is to double-check that both “Collect Automatically” is on and a valid payment method is set on the bill group.

A Quick Note on Payment Methods and Gateways

Auto-collection works with Credit Cards and Direct Debit ACH.
It doesn’t apply to Wire Transfers, and those types of methods won’t be accepted on bill groups for auto-collection.

Also, every payment method needs a corresponding payment gateway (like Stripe) configured on the tenant. If you’ve added a credit card but haven’t set up a gateway, the system won’t be able to process the charge.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Question	Answer
Can I enable “Collect Automatically” without a payment method?	Yes. You can turn it on during setup, even if no payment method exists yet. Auto-collection will kick in once a valid method (e.g., credit card or ACH) is added.
Will customers be charged automatically after adding a card?	If “Collect Automatically” is already enabled and the payment method is linked to the correct Bill Group, unpaid invoices will be collected automatically.
Which payment methods support auto-collection?	Auto-collection currently supports Credit Cards and Direct Debit ACH. Wire transfers and other offline methods are not supported.
Is a payment gateway required for auto-collection?	Yes. You’ll need a configured gateway (like Stripe) for the system to process any payments.
How does MonetizeNow decide which payment method to use?	The system uses the default payment method on the Account when creating new Bill Groups via quote processing.
If I enable auto-collect after Bill Group creation, will it pick up the default payment method?	No. You’ll need to manually assign the payment method to the Bill Group to ensure collection happens.
Can accounts have multiple payment methods?	Yes, but only one can be marked as the default. That default is used automatically during new Bill Group creation.
What if a customer adds a card after billing has started?	If “Collect Automatically” is enabled, the system will collect on any unpaid invoices once the card is linked to the Bill Group, even retroactively.