> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.paintscout.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.paintscout.com/support/invoicing-and-payments/payments/paintscout-payments.md).

# PaintScout Payments

PaintScout Payments is a built-in payment processor that lets you accept credit card and ACH payments directly on estimates and invoices, with support for deposits and surcharging.

{% hint style="info" %}
Some payment updates are rolling out in stages. Depending on your account, you may see refunds, **Processing** and **Failed** statuses, and additional payment emails.

See [What’s New in Payments](/support/invoicing-and-payments/invoices/whats-new-in-payments.md) for rollout details.
{% endhint %}

## How to Set Up PaintScout Payments

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Go to Account Settings > Integrations

Find **PaintScout Payments** and toggle it on.

<figure><img src="/files/cgljOYzNhQwFWwO1roUP" alt="Screenshot showing the PaintScout Payments toggle in the Account Settings Integrations section"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="warning" %}
If you're currently connected to **Stripe**, switching to PaintScout Payments will **automatically disconnect** your Stripe integration.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Fill out the application form.

You will be redirected to an application form. Fill it out and submit it.

<figure><img src="/files/3JwrW9rlfLjabS0xNpfY" alt="Screenshot showing the PaintScout Payments application form to fill in and submit"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Adjust your payment settings

Head back to PaintScout and click the **Settings** dropdown to adjust your payment settings.

<figure><img src="/files/cHttYg9Fv2ZvlQIDOFt7" alt="Screenshot showing the PaintScout Payments settings dropdown with deposit, invoice payment, and surcharging options"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

* **Collect a deposit payment when estimates are accepted** – Enable this option to require deposit payments via credit card or ACH (or EFT for Canadian users).
  * You can set a default deposit amount as a percentage (%) or a fixed dollar ($) amount.
  * Once enabled, customers will be prompted to pay the deposit immediately after accepting an estimate.
* **Allow payments on invoices** – Enable these options to accept credit card or ACH payments for invoices.
* **Enable surcharging** – Open **Edit Surcharge Settings** to pass credit card processing fees to customers.
  * Select **Apply surcharge to deposit payments** if you want the surcharge to apply to deposits too.
  * Choose whether the setting applies only to new estimates and invoices, or also to existing ones that *haven't been accepted* and *don't have a payment yet*.
  * Select “**Allow debit card payments**” if you want to accept debit transactions — just note that surcharges won’t apply. Due to legal restrictions, debit payments can’t be surcharged.
  * If unchecked, customers won’t be able to pay with debit while surcharging is enabled.
    {% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Log in to the portal

Once you have adjusted your settings, you can log in to your [payments portal](https://payments.paintscout.com/login). Use it to review transactions, payouts, disputes, and account settings.

You can also click the **Open Payments Portal** button to log in.

<figure><img src="/files/hFrMIMUmj7KnajKB1j0T" alt="Screenshot showing the Open Payments Portal button in PaintScout Payments integration settings"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

***

## How Do Customers Make a Payment?

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Click Pay Now

On the estimate or invoice, the customer clicks the **Pay Now** button to make a payment. This button only appears after the customer has accepted the estimate.

<figure><img src="/files/MoMr3LmrOfVKW7mvtPf5" alt="Screenshot showing the Pay Now button on a customer-facing estimate or invoice"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Make a payment

The customer can choose to pay via Credit Card or ACH (or EFT for Canadian customers).

<figure><img src="/files/6VezrwnlhbvmmvPpiX4T" alt="Screenshot showing the payment method selection dialog with Credit Card and ACH options"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

***

## Customizing Payment Email Templates

You can enable PaintScout to automatically send an email to your customer when a payment is recorded, failed, refunded, or when an ACH payment is stilll processing.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Go to your account settings

Go to your Account Settings > Communications > Email Templates > **Emails Sent Automatically** section. Select the preferred email template.

<figure><img src="/files/qktGloxBUnYc4tY4bkMM" alt="Screenshot showing the Payment Received email template in the Emails Sent Automatically section"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Edit the email template

Adjust the verbiage in your email and make sure the **Enabled** checkbox is on.

<figure><img src="/files/qV05PWUkxiA5rUZSCBFe" alt="Screenshot showing the Payment Received email template editor with the Enabled checkbox"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

***

## Payment Settings on Estimates/Invoices

Sometimes you may want to adjust payment settings for a specific project — like if you don't want to take a deposit payment automatically, or turn off surcharging fees. You can edit these options per project right from within the estimate or invoice.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Open the sidebar menu

Go to an estimate or invoice and click the **sidebar** on the right. Open the **Payments & Lending** section.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Edit settings if needed

Turn off ACH or credit card payments, adjust the deposit amount, or change or remove the surcharge before sending.

<div align="left"><figure><img src="/files/iB2cSMicJqZk8WJBjNZe" alt="Screenshot showing the Payments and Lending section in the estimate sidebar with options to toggle payments, adjust deposits, and change surcharge" width="177"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

***

## Frequently Asked Questions

<details>

<summary><strong>Once I apply for PaintScout Payments, how long does it take to get approved?</strong></summary>

Most applications are approved instantly. If additional information is needed, you will receive an email with instructions to complete the onboarding process.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>What are the processing fees?</strong></summary>

* **Credit card:** 3.15% per transaction
* **ACH:** 1% per transaction (capped at $25)
* **Payout fee:** $0.35 per payout

Certain credit cards incur additional fees on top of the 3.15% base rate:

* AMEX: +0.35%
* Commercial / Business Cards Fees: +0.75%
* International Transaction Fees: +1.75%

For example, an AMEX transaction costs 3.15% + 0.35% = 3.5% total.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Why don't the transactions in my portal match what I was paid out?</strong></summary>

Transaction amounts show the total paid by the customer. Payout amounts show the total after processing fees are deducted. To see the fee breakdown, go to **Payouts > Payout History > Payout Details** in the PaintScout Payments portal.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>How long does a payment take to get to me?</strong></summary>

Credit card payments typically arrive within 1 business day. ACH payments take 1-5 business days. The default payout schedule is daily, but you can customize it:

1\. Go to the [Payments Portal](https://payments.paintscout.com/login) and click **Payouts** in the left navigation panel.

2\. Click **View Schedules** to see all payout schedules.

3\. Click **Edit Schedule** to change the payout frequency.

Some transactions may take longer to review before they are fully cleared.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>How can I issue a refund?</strong></summary>

* PaintScout Payments refunds can be issued in PaintScout when refund tools are available
* Full and partial refunds are supported
* Only payments with a **Successful** status can be refunded
* You can also refund from the [payments portal](https://payments.paintscout.com/login) under **Payment History**
* Stripe refunds are handled in Stripe

Refund fees:

* **Standard refund:** $0.04
* **ACH refund:** $15.00

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>How do I handle a dispute?</strong></summary>

1. Click the **Respond** button in the dispute email notification.
2. Review the **dispute details** page for the current stage and next steps.
3. In the **Representment** stage, either submit evidence to overturn the claim or accept liability (which refunds the cardholder and marks the dispute as lost).
4. You will receive an email notification with the final dispute resolution status.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>I was previously connected to Stripe, how does this affect my outstanding estimates and invoices?</strong></summary>

You can still accept payments on your *previous* estimates and invoices; however, ACH will not be available until you manually enable it.

* To enable ACH, go to the **Sidebar > Payments & Lending > Select ACH as an option.**

<div align="left"><figure><img src="/files/cuVUTwGQVv8QJA7A9EzW" alt="Screenshot showing the Payments and Lending sidebar with ACH payment option enabled on an estimate" width="228"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Can I add a surcharge to Debit and ACH payments?</strong></summary>

Surcharging only applies to credit card payments. It does not apply to ACH or debit transactions.

If you enable **Allow debit card payments**, customers can still pay with debit, but no surcharge is applied. If you leave it off, customers cannot use debit while surcharging is enabled.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Can I set up a Webhook that triggers when a payment is made via PaintScout Payments?</strong></summary>

Yes, you can use the following resource and event to enable a Webhook that triggers when a payment is made through PaintScout Payments.

<figure><img src="/files/wio2j7PvHlG0bAZcXh5i" alt="Screenshot showing the webhook configuration resource and event settings for PaintScout Payments"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>My authenticator app gives an 8-digit code, but PaintScout Payments only accepts 6 digits. What do I do?</strong></summary>

Microsoft Authenticator generates both 6 and 8-digit codes depending on your account setup. Set up **Two-Step Verification** in your account, or use a separate authenticator like Google Authenticator that generates 6-digit codes.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Why is there extra information added to my terms and conditions when using PaintScout Payments?</strong></summary>

In order to use PaintScout Payments, certain information regarding payment processing must be included in your terms and conditions for customers making payments.

A brief section about Payment Processing will be automatically added to the bottom of your terms. This section will only appear when the customer clicks the "Terms" button during the payment process and will not be visible in the terms section of your estimate or invoice at other times.

<figure><img src="/files/QZnzinWMOIwoMBaUpbWd" alt="Screenshot showing the payment processing terms added during the customer checkout flow" width="375"><figcaption><p>Payment processing terms will only appear during checkout.</p></figcaption></figure>

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>An error occurred on an invoice and now payments are temporarily disabled. How do I fix this?</strong></summary>

Please reach out to <support@paintscout.com> for further assistance.

</details>

&#x20;&#x20;

***

## Related articles

* [Adding Payment Methods](/support/invoicing-and-payments/payments/adding-payment-methods.md) — Choose which payment methods appear on invoices
* [Payment Requests Report](/support/dashboard-and-reports/reports/payment-requests-report.md) — Monitor open and paid payment requests
* [Payments Report](/support/dashboard-and-reports/reports/payments-collected-report.md) — Review payments received across your account


---

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