Steps for invoice payment
- 01
Open the invoice and check the balance and due date.
- 02
Choose to pay by card.
- 03
Complete the payment on Stripe’s checkout page.
- 04
Return to the invoice and check that the payment shows.
What the finished work leaves you with
A payment record linking the invoice, open balance, checkout attempt, Stripe result, and final invoice status.
What to do when the review finds a problem
The invoice status and amount are confirmed
Pay only when the invoice is open and the balance makes sense.
The payer is ready to pay by card
Start checkout from the right invoice and keep its number with the payment.
Checkout was interrupted or abandoned
Treat the payment as unresolved and check the invoice status again.
The payer returned from checkout or Stripe reported a result
Close it only when the invoice shows the result Stripe reported.
A common mistake to avoid
Treating a return from checkout as proof that the invoice was paid.
Franchise invoice payment checklist
Use this checklist when someone is ready to pay an open franchise invoice by card. It confirms the invoice and balance, checks the amount on the Stripe checkout page, returns to the invoice afterward, and records the payment status instead of assuming the payment went through.
Before you start
- Open the invoice and confirm the open balance and due date.
- Have the person paying ready to use the invoice’s card payment link.
- Decide who follows up if the payment status is unclear or delayed.
When a franchise invoice payment fails or stays open
A card payment can fail at checkout, after the payer returns from checkout, or while the invoice is still updating. Keep the invoice number with the attempt and check the payment status before asking the franchise to try again.
The card is declined or the payment cannot be processed.
Check first
- Read the failure message without copying card details into notes.
- Confirm the invoice is still open and the amount has not changed since checkout started.
- Check whether the card or payment method can be used for this invoice.
Next action
Give the payer the next step from the message, such as using another card or calling their bank, and keep the invoice open until a payment completes. Do not record a failed attempt as paid.
Confirm the result
The invoice shows a confirmed payment, or an unchanged balance with the failed attempt and the next owner noted.
Checkout finishes, but the invoice does not change.
Check first
- Compare the checkout time with when the invoice status last changed.
- Check whether the payment is pending, failed, reversed, or complete.
- Refresh the invoice and its history rather than relying on the return page.
Next action
Treat the payment as pending until Stripe and the invoice agree. Report a missing status update with the invoice number and checkout time, and do not start a second payment until the first is settled.
Confirm the result
The invoice status and payment history show the same outcome, or someone owns the pending payment.
The payer is unsure whether paying again would charge them twice.
Check first
- Look for an earlier payment attempt on the same invoice and amount.
- Check the status and time of that attempt.
- Confirm whether the balance has changed.
Next action
Hold off on a second attempt until the first is final or the payment owner confirms it failed. Use the earlier attempt to reconcile rather than creating a duplicate record.
Confirm the result
The invoice history shows one settled payment, or one clearly failed attempt, before another is started.
The invoice closes or changes while the payer is in checkout.
Check first
- Compare the status and balance before checkout with what the invoice shows now.
- Check for another payment, adjustment, or cancellation during the attempt.
- Confirm the checkout belongs to this invoice.
Next action
Stop and check the invoice’s current state with the payment owner. Do not ask the payer to finish an old checkout for an invoice whose balance or status has changed.
Confirm the result
The invoice and payment records show whether the attempt was cancelled, applied, reversed, or still pending.
When you need to hand it on
- Include the invoice number, open balance, attempt time, Stripe payment reference, and failure message.
- Never include full card, bank, or login details in the note.
- Ask the payment owner to sort out a pending or conflicting payment before anyone tries again.
Link to the record instead of copying passwords or unrelated personal details into your note.
A situation to work through
A franchise asks whether its recent card payment cleared an invoice. The reviewer checks the invoice and its latest payment status, then notes the next step if the payment is still pending or failed.
Match the payment to the right invoice and confirm its status before telling anyone the balance is paid.
This is a planning example, not a customer result.
How does a franchise pay an open invoice?
Open the invoice, check the amount and due date, choose to pay by card, and finish on Stripe’s secure checkout. Back in Granite, the invoice shows the payment once Stripe confirms it.
Put the workflow into practice
In Granite, franchisees pay invoices by card on Stripe-hosted checkout, straight into the franchisor’s own Stripe account.
Set it up in Granite with your own franchises, reporting periods and billing rules.