Direct Debit with GoCardless

What it is

Direct Debit means a customer agrees once, and you collect from their bank each time you've done a visit, with no chasing. WorkWise uses your own GoCardless account, so the money and the customers' bank details are between you and GoCardless. WorkWise tells GoCardless when to collect and keeps your books up to date.

GoCardless charges 1% + 20p per collection (maximum £4, plus VAT), even if a collection fails. WorkWise adds no fee on top.

Connecting GoCardless

1. 1Go to Settings, then the Payments tab, and find Direct Debit with GoCardless.
2. 2Already use GoCardless, for example with Squeegee or CleanerPlanner? Tick I already use GoCardless. Otherwise leave it unticked and we'll create an account for you.
3. 3Press Connect GoCardless and follow the steps on their site.
4. 4GoCardless checks your details, which can take a day or two. The card says Checking while it does. If it says Needs details, press Continue with GoCardless to finish them, then Refresh here.

When the card says it's on, you can collect. You can also connect from the phone in Profile, then Getting paid.

Setting customers up

Each customer sets up their Direct Debit once, in a couple of minutes.

• They can do it from the pay page that comes with the visit-done message.
• Or open the customer and press Send Direct Debit link (it's emailed), or Copy link to send it your own way.

The customer page shows where each one is: Setting up, Waiting for their bank (about 3 days), or active. Customers who'd rather pay straight away can use Pay by bank, or pay now and set up a Direct Debit on the same GoCardless page.

How collections work

1. 1You press Done on a visit. The customer gets a message saying it will be collected. There's no pay link, because they've already agreed.
2. 2That evening, WorkWise asks GoCardless to collect the amount. If one customer had several services that day, it's one collection.
3. 3The customer's bank takes a few days. When it clears, the payment appears in your books as a Direct Debit payment and you get a notification.

If the customer paid you cash or a cheque, mark it on the Done sheet and nothing is collected. If an old app is still collecting from the same Direct Debit, WorkWise holds off and tells you, so nobody is charged twice. Unusually large amounts are held for you to check first.

When a collection fails

You'll get a notification, and the customer is emailed. The amount is owed again. On the customer, choose:

• Collect again, to try once more, or
• Leave it, to let the normal reminders chase it (or collect another way).

WorkWise never retries on its own, so you decide.

Bringing Direct Debits from another app

If you connected an existing GoCardless account, the customers' Direct Debits are still there. In Settings, Payments, open Existing Direct Debits and use Link them to match each one to a WorkWise customer. Cancel the old app's schedule so only WorkWise collects.

Changing your mind

• Cancel Direct Debit on a customer stops collecting from them.
• Refunds are made in your GoCardless dashboard, not in WorkWise.
• Disconnect GoCardless stops WorkWise collecting. Your customers' Direct Debits stay in GoCardless, and reconnecting picks them up again.