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Payment Integration

Stripe Payment Integration

Set up secure payment processing between clients and tradies using Stripe's industry-leading payment platform.

Setting Up Stripe

Connect your Stripe account to enable payment processing. You'll need a Stripe account with Australian business verification.

Prerequisites

  • • Australian business registration (ABN)
  • • Valid Australian bank account
  • • Business verification documents
  • • Stripe account in good standing

Setup Steps

  1. Go to Settings → Payment Integration
  2. Click "Connect Stripe Account"
  3. Complete Stripe's verification process
  4. Configure your payment preferences
  5. Test with a small transaction

Payment Workflows

Smthy supports different payment workflows depending on whether you're a landscape architect working with clients or a contractor receiving payments.

Client to Landscape Architect

  • • Design fees and consultation payments
  • • Project milestone payments
  • • Final project completion payments
  • • Automated invoicing and receipts

Client to Contractor (via Platform)

  • • Secure escrow for large projects
  • • Progress-based payment releases
  • • Dispute resolution protection
  • • Automatic contractor payouts

Security & Compliance

Stripe provides enterprise-grade security and compliance for all payment processing.

Security Features

  • • PCI DSS Level 1 compliance
  • • End-to-end encryption
  • • Fraud detection and prevention
  • • 3D Secure authentication

Australian Compliance

  • • ASIC registered payment processor
  • • GST calculation and reporting
  • • ATO-compliant transaction records
  • • Privacy Act compliance

Payment Processing Fees

Transparent pricing with no hidden fees. Stripe charges are clearly itemised on all transactions.

Standard Australian Rates

Card Payments
  • • Australian cards: 1.75% + 30¢
  • • International cards: 2.9% + 30¢
  • • American Express: 2.7% + 30¢
Bank Transfers
  • • BPAY: 1.5% (max $5)
  • • Direct debit: 1.5% (max $5)
  • • PayID: 1.75% + 30¢

Fees are automatically deducted from payments. No monthly fees or setup costs.

Invoice Management

Create professional invoices that integrate seamlessly with Stripe payment processing.

Automated Invoicing

  • • Generate invoices from project milestones
  • • Include payment links for instant processing
  • • Automatic GST calculation and display
  • • Professional branding with your logo

Payment Tracking

  • • Real-time payment status updates
  • • Automatic receipt generation
  • • Overdue payment reminders
  • • Payment history and reporting

Common Issues & Solutions

Payment Failed

Most payment failures are due to insufficient funds or expired cards.

  • • Client receives automatic retry notification
  • • You get notified of failed payments immediately
  • • Stripe automatically retries failed payments

Disputed Payments

Stripe handles disputes professionally with comprehensive documentation.

  • • Automatic evidence collection from project records
  • • Professional dispute response templates
  • • Protection for legitimate transactions

Payout Delays

New Stripe accounts may have initial payout delays for verification.

  • • Initial payouts may take 7-14 days
  • • Standard payouts are 2 business days
  • • Express payouts available for 1.5% fee

Payment Best Practices

For Landscape Architects

  • • Request 25-50% deposits for large projects
  • • Set up milestone-based payment schedules
  • • Include payment terms clearly in contracts
  • • Send invoices immediately upon milestone completion

For Contractors

  • • Verify project scope before starting work
  • • Document progress with photos
  • • Submit invoices promptly upon completion
  • • Communicate any variations immediately

Tax Reporting & GST

Smthy automatically handles GST calculations and provides comprehensive reporting for your accountant.

Automatic GST Handling

  • • 10% GST added to all invoices
  • • GST-exclusive and inclusive views
  • • Automatic BAS reporting data
  • • Export GST reports for accountants

Financial Reports

  • • Monthly income summaries
  • • Transaction history exports
  • • Client payment histories
  • • Contractor payout records

Getting Help

If you need help with payment setup or processing, we're here to assist.

Smthy Support

For help with Smthy's payment features and integration setup.

Stripe Support

For account verification or payment processing issues.

What's Next?

With payments configured, you're ready to start processing secure transactions for your landscape projects.