Setting Up Billing &
Stripe Connect
Configure your company's billing defaults, tax settings, and connect to Stripe for seamless online payment processing. This is a one-time setup that will automate your financial workflows.
Duration
25 minutes
Category
Billing & Finance
Part 1: The Foundation of Your Financials
Before you can send your first invoice or accept a payment, you need to tell Upbuoy how your business handles billing. The Billing Settings page is where you define the rules for invoicing, payments, and taxes.
Why Proper Configuration Matters
Properly configuring these settings ensures that:
Your invoices are professional and contain all the necessary information.
Your billing is consistent and predictable.
You are correctly applying sales tax.
You can securely accept online payments from your customers.
Part 2: A Guided Walkthrough of Billing Settings
Navigate to Settings > Billing from the sidebar to get started.
💳 Section 1: Stripe Connect Integration
This is the most important step for modernizing your cash flow. By connecting a Stripe account, you can accept credit card and ACH payments directly through Upbuoy's customer portal.
Click "Connect Stripe Account"
This will redirect you to Stripe's secure website.
Create or Connect an Account
If you have a Stripe account:
Simply log in to authorize the connection.
If you are new to Stripe:
You'll go through their quick and secure onboarding process. You will need:
Your business details
Your tax ID (or SSN for sole proprietors)
The bank account information where you want to receive customer payments (payouts)
Return to Upbuoy
Once you complete the process, Stripe will redirect you back to Upbuoy. The status on the Billing Settings page will now show as "Connected".
🔒 Security Note
Upbuoy uses Stripe Connect, which means we never see or store your customers' full credit card numbers. All sensitive payment data is handled directly by Stripe, one of the most secure payment processors in the world.
📄 Section 2: Invoice Defaults
This section controls the default information that appears on every invoice you create.
🔢 Next Invoice Number
Upbuoy automatically increments your invoice numbers. You can adjust this starting number if you're migrating from another system.
📅 Payment Due
Set your default payment terms (e.g., "Net 15" means payment is due 15 days after the invoice date).
📋 Default Line Items
Customize the default text for your standard pool service line item.
Item Name:
"Weekly Pool Service"
Description:
"Includes chemical testing, balancing, skimming, and equipment check."
💬 Default Invoice Message
This is the memo that appears at the bottom of your invoices (e.g., "Thank you for your business!").
💰 Section 3: Sales Tax Configuration
Properly setting up your sales tax is crucial for compliance.
Create Tax Rates
First, create the individual tax rates you need to collect (e.g., "State Tax," "County Tax," "City Tax"). For each rate, you'll enter the name and the percentage.
Create Tax Groups
A Tax Group is a combination of one or more tax rates that applies to a specific area.
Example:
You might create a group called "Main Service Area" that combines your State and County tax rates for a total combined tax.
Set a Default Tax Group
Choose the tax group that applies to most of your customers. This will be the default for all new service locations, but you can override it on a per-location basis.
Define What's Taxable
Use the checkboxes to specify which categories of charges are taxable in your region (e.g., Routine Service, Chemicals, Labor).
⚠️ Disclaimer
Upbuoy is not a tax advisor. Please consult with a local accountant to ensure your tax settings are configured correctly according to your state and local laws.
Part 3: Automating Your Billing
This is one of Upbuoy's most powerful time-saving features. It automatically generates your recurring monthly invoices so you don't have to.
🤖 Auto-Invoicing Configuration
✅ Enable Auto-Invoicing
Toggle the switch to turn it on.
📅 Generate Invoices On
Choose the day of the month you want invoices to be created (e.g., "1st" or "Last Day of Month").
⚡ Action
Create as Draft (Recommended to start):
The system will create the invoices but wait for you to review and send them manually.
Send Automatically:
For the truly hands-off approach, the system will create and email the invoices to your customers automatically on the selected day.
🗓️ Next Scheduled Run
This read-only field shows you the exact date the next batch of auto-invoices will be generated.
Key Takeaways
Connect Stripe Early: Connecting to Stripe is the key to unlocking online payments, AutoPay, and a more professional billing experience for your customers.
Set Your Defaults: Taking a few minutes to configure your invoicing and tax defaults will save you significant time in the long run.
Automate with Confidence: Start with Auto-Invoicing set to "Create as Draft." Once you're comfortable that everything looks correct, you can switch to "Send Automatically" to fully automate your monthly billing process.
Next Steps
Your billing system is now configured and ready to go. It's time to learn how to use these settings to create and manage quotes for new work.
Ready to learn about quotes?
Proceed to Module 17: Creating & Sending Quotes