Table of Contents
2. Set up Instant Bank Payments
2.1 Set up instant bank payments from a bank account
2.2 Set up instant bank payments when creating an invoice
2.3 Disabling the instant bank payments feature
3.3 Importing a bank statement via bank feeds
1. Introduction
Instant Bank Payments helps you get paid faster by making it easier for your customers to pay you directly.
Instant Bank Payments enables you to:
- Get paid in just 3 simple steps, directly from your invoices
- Allow your customers to quickly and easily pay you directly via bank transfer
- Improve your cash flow by making it easier for your customers to pay you instantly – no more waiting for your customers to make payments
- Save time and automate your bookkeeping admin
- Offer another safe and secure method of payment for your customers
This feature is not currently available on Partner/Client accounts and businesses with a ‘Bundled plan with 1 free employee’ subscription2. Set up Instant Bank Payments
To use this feature you will need a valid payment method on the Home > Subscription > Payment Method menu. You will then be able to set up the feature on a bank account or when creating an invoice.
A low, pay-as-you-go fee of 1.3% + 20p (+VAT) per transaction is collected at the end of the billing month.
2.1 Set up instant bank payments from a bank account
To set up the instant bank payments from a bank account, head to the Money > Bank accounts menu and click on the ‘Edit’ icon beside any appropriate bank account (you can set this up on more than one bank account).
You can also create a new bank account from the Money > Bank accounts menu and then go through these same next steps.
Click on the link to ‘Set up instant bank payments’.
Read the information on screen and click 'Continue' once understood.
You will now need to update the ‘Account number’, ‘Sort code’ and ‘Name on account’ fields, these will all be required before you can hit ‘Save’.
2.2 Set up instant bank payments when creating an invoice
As you create an invoice from the Sales > Invoices menu, you will also have the option to enable the instant bank payments feature.
Click on the link to ‘Accept Instant Payment to’.
This will open up a pop up. First, read the information on screen and click 'Continue' once understood.
You will now be able to select the bank accounts you would like to use (you can select more than one using the appropriate check boxes). You can also create a new bank account using the ‘Add new bank account link’ and then go through these same next steps below.
You will now need to update the ‘Account number’, ‘Sort code’ and ‘Name on account’ fields on any bank accounts you have selected using the check boxes, these fields will all be required before you can hit ‘Save’.
2.3 Disabling the instant bank payments feature
If at any point you would like to disable the instant bank payments feature for a bank account, head to the Money > Bank accounts menu and click on the ‘Edit’ icon beside any appropriate bank account.
Now uncheck the ‘Use with Instant bank payment’ option.
Disabling the instant bank payment feature will mean customers who have been sent an invoice with a configured bank account will no longer be able to see this payment option. 
3. Taking Payment
Taking instant bank payments is just a case of creating an invoice, selecting the instant bank payment account and then sending the invoice to your customer.
Once your customer makes payment using the instant bank payment button, Clear Books will record the invoice as paid and, if you import statements via bank feeds, Clear Books will also automatically explain these instant bank payments on the statement.
3.1 Create Invoice
As you create an invoice from the Sales > Invoices menu, you will now have the option to select any of the banks you have set up with the instant payments feature. The minimum payment for instant bank payments is £1.
Multi currency invoices are not supported with instant bank payments
Once the invoice has been saved a payment button will appear on the payment advice split of the PDF invoice. You can send this invoice to your customer via Clear Books. The ‘Review and pay’ button will allow them to pay for the invoice via Open Banking.
3.2 Receipt of payment
Once your customer has made payment for an invoice, the invoice in Clear Books will automatically record a payment against it and mark it as paid.
3.3 Importing a bank statement via bank feeds
If you use our automatic bank feeds feature to import statements, any instant bank payments that appear on the statement will be automatically explained.
Automatic bank feeds guide4. Reports
To view a list of payments that have been triggered by your customers for the invoices you have sent to them, head to Money > Bank accounts menu and click on the ‘View instant bank payments’ button at the top of the page.
The payment statuses are shown on this menu. They are also displayed on the PDF of a paid invoice.
Clicking on the link under the ‘Transfer ID’ will show you a full summary of the payment including the details of the fee.
