# Auto-pay and saved cards

> Save client payment methods, record auto-pay consent, charge a saved card with Process Payment, and handle failed payments.

- URL: https://tillage.ai/docs/invoices/autopay-and-saved-cards
- Section: [Invoices and payments](https://tillage.ai/docs/invoices)

When a client saves a card or bank account, Tillage can charge it for you: automatically for recurring invoices, or on demand with **Process Payment**. This page covers how payment methods get saved, the consent that controls auto-pay, and what happens when a charge fails.

Saved payment methods are stored by Stripe, not Tillage. Tillage only sees the brand, last four digits and expiry.

## How payment methods get saved

A client's payment method is saved to their Stripe customer in one of these ways:

- **At checkout**: when a client pays an invoice online, Stripe offers to save the card or bank account for future payments.
- **With a payment method link**: you send a secure link and the client adds or updates a payment method without paying anything. See [Send a payment method link](#send-a-payment-method-link).
- **From an existing Stripe account**: if you connected your own Stripe account and [imported from Stripe](https://tillage.ai/docs/integrations/stripe-import), your existing customers and their saved methods come with them.

Each Stripe customer linked to a client is a billing profile. Most clients have one; a client with several paying contacts can have more.

## Manage a client's saved payment methods

1. Open the client and go to the **Payment** tab.
2. Under **Saved payment methods**, you'll see each billing profile and its cards and bank accounts, with the **Default** one marked.
3. Use the star button to make a method the default, or the remove button to detach it from the Stripe customer.

If you see **No Stripe Customers**, the client hasn't paid online or saved a method yet.

## Set auto-pay consent

Consent decides which invoices Tillage may charge without asking the client first.

1. Open the client and go to the **Payment** tab.
2. Under **Auto-Payment Consent**, choose:

   | Option | Tillage can auto-charge |
   |---|---|
   | **Never** | Nothing. The client always pays manually. |
   | **Recurring Only** | Invoices from recurring billing schedules, and usage invoices created through the [API](https://tillage.ai/docs/integrations/api-and-webhooks#create-a-usage-invoice). This is the default. |
   | **All Invoices** | Everything above, plus payment plan installments. |

3. Optionally set **Max Auto-Payment (Optional)**. Invoices above this amount are skipped and left for the client to pay.

Clients can also give consent when they sign a contract whose payment schedule has auto-charge turned on. They see **Automatic Payment Authorization** and choose **Yes, authorize automatic payments** or **No, I will pay invoices manually**. Yes sets the client to **All Invoices**; No sets **Recurring Only**.

> **Important:** Only charge clients who've agreed to it. Record their consent here, and keep your own agreement with the client on file.

## What gets charged automatically

Tillage checks for invoices to charge every hour. An invoice is charged once it's due and all of these are true:

| Requirement | Recurring invoices | Payment plan installments |
|---|---|---|
| Client's **Auto-Payment Consent** | **Recurring Only** or **All Invoices** | **All Invoices** |
| Stripe customer | Chosen as the schedule's **Stripe Customer** | Set on the plan |
| Payment method | The customer's default, or their only saved method | A specific method chosen when the schedule was set up |
| Auto-charge | On whenever a Stripe customer is chosen | Turned on in the contract's [payment schedule](https://tillage.ai/docs/contracts/payment-schedules) |

The invoice must also be issued, not a draft, with online payment allowed and the amount within the client's **Max Auto-Payment** if one is set. For recurring invoices, use **Automatically issue invoice without email (auto-charge)** with **Payment Terms** of 0 to charge on the issue date. See [Billing schedules](https://tillage.ai/docs/invoices/billing-schedules#delivery-options).

If a customer has several saved methods and none is the default, Tillage doesn't guess. The invoice is skipped until you set a default.

Your fee settings apply to auto-charges the same as any online payment. See [Processing fees](https://tillage.ai/docs/invoices/processing-fees).

## Charge a saved card with Process Payment

Use **Process Payment** to charge a saved method yourself, for example when a client asks you to put an invoice on their card on file.

1. Open the invoice and choose **Process Payment** from the actions menu. In the invoice list, it's in the row's menu.
2. If the client has more than one billing profile, choose which one to charge.
3. Choose a saved card or bank account.
4. Check the amount. If your client pays fees, the platform and processing fees are added to the **Total to Charge**.
5. Click the **Charge** button, which shows the total, for example **Charge $250.00**.

A card payment marks the invoice **Paid** right away. A bank payment moves it to **Processing** and usually completes in a few business days.

**Process Payment** appears only for unpaid, issued invoices whose client has a Stripe customer in Tillage.

## Send a payment method link

When a card expires or a client wants to switch accounts, send them a link to update it.

1. Open the client and go to the **Payment** tab.
2. Next to the billing profile, click **Send link**.
3. In **Send payment method link**, check the **Recipient email** and **Email subject**, and add an **Email message (optional)**.
4. Click **Send email**, or **Copy link** to share it yourself.

The link expires in 30 days. Your client sees their current methods, adds a new one and clicks **Save payment method**. The new method becomes the default for that billing profile, so future auto-charges use it.

## When an automatic payment fails

If an auto-charge on a recurring invoice fails, the invoice's payment status shows **Failed** and Tillage retries:

| Attempt | When |
|---|---|
| First charge | When the invoice is due |
| First retry | About 1 day after the failure |
| Second retry | About 2 days after the first retry |

Retries run once a day. After the second retry fails, Tillage stops and the invoice waits for you. To collect it:

1. [Send a payment method link](#send-a-payment-method-link) so the client can update their card.
2. Once they have, use **Process Payment**, or let the client pay from the invoice link.

Retries apply only to recurring invoices. A failed charge on a payment plan installment or one you started with **Process Payment** isn't retried; try again yourself or send the client the invoice link.

> **Note:** Tillage doesn't email you or your client when an automatic payment fails. Check invoices showing **Failed**, or subscribe to the `invoice.payment_failed` [webhook](https://tillage.ai/docs/integrations/api-and-webhooks#webhooks).

## Related

- [Billing schedules](https://tillage.ai/docs/invoices/billing-schedules)
- [Clients and contacts](https://tillage.ai/docs/clients/clients-and-contacts)
- [Processing fees](https://tillage.ai/docs/invoices/processing-fees)

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