---
title: GoCardless - Introduction
description: Set up direct debits using our integration with GoCardless and simplify your payments.
---

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# GoCardless - Introduction

## Set up direct debits using our integration with GoCardless and simplify your payments.

GoCardless allows your customers to automatically pay their invoices via direct debit, helping you save time and ensuring timely payments.

### Enabling GoCardless

To set up GoCardless:

1. Click `<` to the right of `Billing`.
2. In the expanded menu click `Settings`.
3. Select `Payment Methods`.

Here, you'll find the GoCardless option. Click `Activate` to start the setup process. You’ll be redirected to the GoCardless website to register for an account and provide your details.

### Inviting Your Customers to Setup Direct Debits

Once your GoCardless account is linked, a new `GoCardless` tab will appear under `Billing` **>** `Settings`. This section provides an overview of your direct debit customers, their payments, and your GoCardless settings.

To invite customers to set up direct debits:

1. Click `<` to the right of `Billing`.
2. In the expanded menu click `Settings`.
3. Select `GoCardless`.
4. Navigate to the `Direct Debits` tab.
5. Click on `Setup Direct Debits`.
6. On the next page, you can select customers to invite for direct debit setup—either individually or all at once.
7. After selecting, click `Send Direct Debit Invites`.

Your customers will receive an email to complete their direct debit setup by providing their bank details. 

You can monitor the status of these invitations in the `Direct Debits` tab, where invited customers are listed on the right and active direct debit customers are shown on the left.

### Syncing GoCardless Mandates

If your customer already has an active GoCardless mandate, you can sync or import it into Class Manager. This process ensures that you don’t have to create new mandates for customers who already have one set up.

Here’s how you can import existing mandates:

1. Click `<` to the right of `Billing`.
2. In the expanded menu click `Settings`.
3. Select `GoCardless`.
4. Click on the `Import Customers` button.
5. Ensure that the email addresses in both GoCardless and Class Manager match so the system recognises the existing mandates.
6. On the right-hand side, you’ll see a list of customers ready to be imported.
7. To complete the process, click on the **`Import Direct Debits`** button.

 

📝 Important Information About Mandates

If you make any changes to your GoCardless account, like upgrading your GoCardless account, it may disrupt the processing of ongoing mandates. In such cases, you will need to cancel the current mandates and set them up again to ensure uninterrupted payment processing.

### Configuring Payment Timing

Under the `Settings` tab in the GoCardless section, you can control when payments are taken from customers. Once an invoice is approved, you can specify how many days before the invoice due date the payment will be collected.

### Setting Up Individual Direct Debit Preferences for Customers

To ensure proper billing, configure direct debit settings for individual customers by following these steps:

1. Click `<` to the right of `Customers`.
2. In the expanded menu click `View All`.
3. Select the customer and navigate to the `Settings` tab.

In the **Direct Debit Settings** section:

- If you're not using payment plans and want to automatically trigger payment when the invoice is approved: 
    - *Allow automatically create payment once invoice is approved* - set to `Yes`
    - *Allow automatically create payment for payment plans* - set to `No`
- If you are using payment plans, as below. This ensures that payments are collected in instalments rather than all at once. 
    - *Allow automatically create payment once invoice is approved* - set to `No`
    - *Allow automatically create payment for payment plans* - set to `Yes`

### Issuing Refunds from GoCardless

If you’ve triggered duplicate payments by mistake, you can issue refunds through the GoCardless dashboard. Currently, Class Manager does not support direct refunds, so you'll need to log in to GoCardless to process these.

GoCardless recommends waiting at least 7 days after a charge before issuing refunds to ensure the payment is settled and received in your account.

### Turning Off GoCardless

You can enable or disable GoCardless at any time. To globally disable it for all customers:

1. Click `<` to the right of `Billing`.
2. In the expanded menu click `Settings`.
3. Select `Payment Methods`.
4. Select `Disable` in the GoCardless widget.

For further support, feel free to contact our customer service team, who can guide you through any step of the process. 🙌

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