How It Works
This page explains the payment flow for Stripe SEPA Direct Debit within Perfex CRM โ from the moment a customer enters their bank details to the completion of the payment.
Overviewโ
Stripe SEPA Direct Debit allows your customers to pay invoices directly from their bank accounts. The process is straightforward: customers provide their SEPA bank details once, and subsequent payments are handled automatically through Stripe. This eliminates the need for credit or debit cards and provides a familiar payment experience for European customers.
Payment Flowโ
The SEPA Direct Debit payment process involves the following steps:
Step 1 โ Customer Enters SEPA Bank Detailsโ
Customers log in to the Perfex CRM client portal and navigate to their profile tab. In this section, they will find a dedicated area to enter their SEPA bank details, including their IBAN (International Bank Account Number).
Customers only need to enter their bank details once. The information is securely stored by Stripe for future payments.
Step 2 โ Select the Proper Contactโ
When processing a charge, the correct Contact must be selected for the customer. This ensures that the payment is associated with the right person and their stored bank details.
- Navigate to the customer record in Perfex CRM.
- Confirm that the appropriate contact has SEPA bank details on file.
- Select this contact when creating or assigning the charge.
Each contact under a customer account can have their own SEPA bank details. Make sure you select the contact whose bank information should be used for the transaction.
Step 3 โ Automatic Payment Processingโ
Once the bank details are on file and the correct contact is selected, payments are handled automatically by Stripe SEPA Direct Debit. Stripe processes the bank-to-bank transfer and updates the payment status accordingly.
The typical processing timeline is as follows:
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| Payment Initiated | The charge is submitted to Stripe for processing. |
| Processing | Stripe communicates with the customer's bank to initiate the debit. |
| Confirmation | The bank confirms the debit and funds are transferred. |
| Payment Completed | The invoice in Perfex CRM is automatically marked as paid. |
SEPA Direct Debit payments are not instant. It typically takes several business days for the payment to be confirmed by the customer's bank. During this period, the payment status will show as processing.
Supported Currencies and Regionsโ
SEPA Direct Debit operates in EUR (Euro) and is available for customers with bank accounts in the SEPA zone. This covers most European countries, including all EU member states, as well as several additional countries and territories that participate in the SEPA scheme.
Only euro-denominated invoices can be paid via SEPA Direct Debit. Invoices in other currencies will not display this payment option.
Next Stepsโ
- Configuration โ Review or update your Stripe API credentials and module settings.
- Translation โ Customize the module language strings for your locale.
Supportโ
If you have questions about the payment flow or encounter any issues, please visit the Themesic Support Portal.