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Portal payments

The customer portal lets your customers view outstanding invoices and make payments directly — without calling your office. This guide covers the payment experience from your customer's perspective, so you know exactly what they see and how the process works.

Pro feature

The customer portal and portal payments are available on the Pro plan and above. Compare plans to see which features are included in each tier.

Customers access the portal through a secure login link sent to their email address. There are no passwords, usernames, or accounts to manage.

Your customers receive a portal login link when:

Event What the customer receives
You send an invoice An email with a link that opens directly to the invoice in the portal
You invite them to the portal A welcome email with a link to their portal dashboard
They request access A fresh login link sent on demand by your team

Each login link is:

  • Single-use — The link becomes inactive after it is used.
  • Time-limited — Links expire after a short window for security.
  • Tied to one customer — Links cannot be shared or forwarded to access another customer's data.

No passwords for your customers

Your customers never need to create an account or remember a password. A secure login link is all they need.

The customer payment experience

Here is what your customer sees when they open a payment link and pay an invoice.

The customer clicks the link in their email. They are taken directly to the portal — either to their dashboard or straight to the specific invoice, depending on the link.

Step 2: View the invoice

The invoice page shows:

Section Details
Invoice number The unique identifier for this invoice (e.g., INV-0042)
Date and due date When the invoice was created and when payment is expected
Line items Each service or part listed with description, quantity, and price
Tax Applicable tax amount
Total amount due The final balance after taxes
Payment status Unpaid, Partially paid, or Paid

Customers can also download a PDF copy of the invoice for their records.

Step 3: Make a payment

  1. The customer clicks Pay now on the invoice.
  2. They are redirected to a Stripe-powered secure checkout page.
  3. They enter their payment details — all major credit and debit cards are accepted (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and more).
  4. They click Pay to complete the transaction.
  5. After the payment processes, they are returned to the portal with a confirmation.
  6. The payment is automatically reconciled in your FSM Navigator account — no manual entry needed.

Secure checkout

Card details are entered on a PCI-compliant checkout page powered by Stripe. Customer payment information is never stored in FSM Navigator.

Step 4: Payment confirmation

After a successful payment:

  • The invoice status updates to Paid in the portal.
  • The customer sees a confirmation message on screen.
  • A receipt is sent to the customer's email automatically.
  • The payment is recorded in your FSM Navigator account immediately.

Transaction fees

When your customers pay through the portal, Stripe's standard payment processing fees apply. These are deducted by Stripe before the funds reach your connected bank account.

Detail Description
Who charges the fee Stripe charges standard processing fees. FSM Navigator adds a 1.5% platform fee per transaction.
Typical rate Varies by region and card type. See Stripe's pricing page for current rates.
Who pays The fee is deducted from the payment amount before settlement to your bank account. Your customer pays the full invoice amount.
Where to see fees Stripe Dashboard → Payments. Each transaction shows the gross amount, fee, and net deposit.

Transparent fee structure

Stripe's standard processing fees apply to all customer portal payments. FSM Navigator adds a 1.5% platform fee per transaction — no hidden charges, no monthly minimums, no surprises.

What customers can see in the portal

Beyond paying invoices, the portal gives your customers a self-service view of their service history:

Capability Description
Invoice list All invoices — paid, unpaid, and overdue — in one view
Service history Completed and upcoming jobs with dates and descriptions
PDF downloads Download any invoice as a professional PDF
Payment history View past payments and their dates

The portal is read-only for all records except payments — customers cannot edit jobs, change schedules, or modify invoices.

Managing portal payments from your side

As the service provider, you can monitor and manage portal payments from FSM Navigator.

Track payment status

When a customer pays through the portal:

  1. The payment is automatically recorded under the invoice — no manual entry required.
  2. The invoice status updates to Paid (or Partially paid for partial payments).
  3. Payment details, including the Stripe transaction reference, appear under Invoicing → Payments & Refunds.

Send payment reminders

If an invoice is overdue, you can resend the invoice email from Invoicing → Invoice Details. The customer receives a fresh login link that opens directly to the unpaid invoice.

Refund a portal payment

To process a refund for a portal payment:

  1. Go to Invoicing → Invoice Details for the relevant invoice.
  2. Click Refund and enter the refund amount (full or partial).
  3. The refund is processed through the payment provider and the invoice status updates accordingly.

Enabling the customer portal

If you have not set up the customer portal yet, follow these steps:

  1. Confirm you are on the Pro plan or higher — the portal is available on Pro and Enterprise.
  2. Navigate to Settings → Customer Portal to enable the portal for your company.
  3. Start sending invoices with portal links, or invite existing customers to the portal.

For full setup instructions, see Customer portal.

Frequently asked questions

Do customers need to create an account to pay?

No. Customers access the portal through secure login links sent via email. There are no accounts, usernames, or passwords to manage.

What payment methods can customers use?

Customers can pay with all major credit and debit cards — including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express — through the Stripe-powered secure checkout page.

Can customers make partial payments?

Partial payments depend on your invoice configuration. If partial payments are supported, the customer can enter a custom amount on the checkout page.

Is the customer's payment information stored?

No. All card details are processed through Stripe's PCI-compliant infrastructure. FSM Navigator never stores customer card numbers.

What if a customer's payment fails?

The customer sees an error message on the checkout page and can retry with a different card. You are notified of the failed attempt in your FSM Navigator account.

Can I disable portal payments but keep the portal active?

The portal and payments are managed together. If you want customers to view invoices without paying online, contact support to discuss your options.

Are there fees when customers pay through the portal?

Yes — Stripe's standard payment processing fees apply to each transaction. These are deducted from the payment before it reaches your bank account. FSM Navigator does not charge any additional transaction or platform fees. For current rates, visit Stripe's pricing page.