Automatic payments
Oct 25, 2026
What it does
A client can save a payment method under Payment Methods in their account (also linked from Account Settings) and switch Pay my invoices automatically on. On and after an invoice's due date, WHBMP charges what the invoice still owes to the client's default saved method, books the payment once, and the invoice is paid without the client doing anything.
Nothing is charged when a method is saved. The client first ticks a box agreeing to automatic payments, and the date they agreed is stored with the method.
Which gateways
| Gateway | What is saved |
|---|---|
| Stripe | A card, saved on Stripe's own page |
| PayPal | The client's PayPal account (the Vault feature must be switched on in your PayPal account) |
| Braintree | A card, entered on a card form on your own site and kept in Braintree's vault |
Your site never stores card numbers: only the gateway's ids and the card brand, last four digits and expiry. The other gateways cannot save a method without charging the client or a card form of their own, so their invoices are paid one at a time as before.
Turn it on
- Set up Stripe, PayPal or Braintree under Settings > Payment Gateways.
- Open Settings > Automation and switch on Charge Saved Payment Methods Automatically.
- Set Charge Attempts Per Invoice (3 by default).
The Payment Methods links then appear in the client area. The charge runs once a day, right after the daily automation run at the Time of Day set on the same page.
Which invoices are charged
An invoice is charged when it is unpaid, partially paid or overdue, its due date is today or earlier, and its client has switched automatic payment on, has a saved method they agreed to, and does not have card payments disabled on their profile. A saved card that has expired is skipped.
A payment is booked only when the gateway reports the money was taken, for exactly the amount due, in the invoice's currency. The attempt is counted before the gateway is called, so a crash cannot charge an invoice twice.
Failed charges
A declined card, or a card that needs the cardholder to confirm (3-D Secure), fails the try. The invoice is tried again the next day, up to Charge Attempts Per Invoice times in all, and the client gets an Automatic Payment Failed email after each failure asking them to check their card or pay now. Every try, paid or failed, is written to System Logs > Payment Gateway Logs. After the last try the invoice waits for the client to pay it, and the usual overdue reminders go on as before.
The client's side
Under Payment Methods a client can add a method, make another one the default, remove one, and switch automatic payment on or off. Removing the last method turns it off. Removing a method also removes it at the gateway where the gateway allows it.