# PayDirect - Complete Platform Documentation & Knowledge Base > Smart invoicing software and payment collection platform built for Australian agencies and enterprises, with AI automation built in. PayDirect is an all-in-one business payment and invoicing platform that replaces disconnected billing tools, manual bank reconciliation, and fragmented payment gateways. Trusted by 2,400+ active businesses worldwide, PayDirect processes over A$1.4 billion annually. The platform maintains a 99.9% uptime SLA and holds a 4.9/5 customer satisfaction rating. Plans include a 14-day free trial (30 days for Enterprise) with no credit card required. --- ## Table of Contents 1. [Platform Overview & Core Metrics](#platform-overview--core-metrics) 2. [Core Features](#core-features) - [Smart Invoicing Software](#smart-invoicing-software) - [Online Payment Collection](#online-payment-collection) - [AI-Powered Invoice Automation](#ai-powered-invoice-automation) - [Revenue & Cash Flow Analytics](#revenue--cash-flow-analytics) - [Recurring Billing & Subscriptions](#recurring-billing--subscriptions) - [Enterprise Payment Security](#enterprise-payment-security) - [White-Label Option](#white-label-option) 3. [How It Works (Three-Step Workflow)](#how-it-works-three-step-workflow) 4. [Multi-Tenancy & Merchant Infrastructure](#multi-tenancy--merchant-infrastructure) - [Organizations & Tenant Isolation](#organizations--tenant-isolation) - [Pinch Payment Gateway Integration](#pinch-payment-gateway-integration) - [Fee Absorption & Surcharges](#fee-absorption--surcharges) 5. [Client Management & Payer Synchronization](#client-management--payer-synchronization) 6. [Product Catalog, Pricing & Taxes](#product-catalog-pricing--taxes) 7. [Invoicing Lifecycle & State Machine](#invoicing-lifecycle--state-machine) 8. [Subscriptions & Recurring Plans](#subscriptions--recurring-plans) 9. [Public Payment Links & Hosted Checkout](#public-payment-links--hosted-checkout) 10. [Security, Authentication & Compliance](#security-authentication--compliance) 11. [Developer API & Webhooks Architecture](#developer-api--webhooks-architecture) 12. [Key Links & Public Directory](#key-links--public-directory) 13. [Contact & Support Channels](#contact--support-channels) --- ## 1. Platform Overview & Core Metrics PayDirect is purpose-built to streamline accounts receivable (AR), direct debit processing, and automated payment retries for Australian agencies, SaaS providers, and enterprise service firms. ### Key Performance Indicators - **Annual Transaction Volume**: A$1.4 Billion+ processed annually. - **Active Businesses**: 2,400+ companies worldwide. - **Platform Availability**: 99.9% uptime SLA backed by redundant Australian infrastructure. - **Customer Satisfaction**: 4.9 / 5 rating across verified merchant reviews. - **Trial Tiers**: 14-day free trial on standard tiers; 30-day dedicated sandbox/pilot for Enterprise. No credit card required at sign-up. --- ## 2. Core Features ### Smart Invoicing Software - **Instant Creation**: Generate branded, professional invoices in seconds using configurable templates. - **Flexible Billing Modes**: Support for standard one-time invoices, milestone installments, deposits, and scheduled releases. - **Multi-Currency**: Native multi-currency support including AUD, USD, GBP, EUR, and NZD. - **Tax Configurations**: Automated calculation for GST/VAT in both tax-inclusive and tax-exclusive modes. ### Online Payment Collection - **Unified Rails**: Accept credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), Australian Direct Debit (BECS), and automated bank transfers through a single merchant interface. - **Integrated Payers**: Automatic synchronization of customer payment methods for one-click settlement. - **Automated Chase Engine**: Smart email and SMS reminders systematically follow up on overdue amounts without manual intervention. ### AI-Powered Invoice Automation - **Autonomous Follow-Ups**: Intelligent escalation cadences tailored to customer payment history and risk profile. - **Smart Retries**: Multi-factor retry logic for failed direct debits and card authorizations to maximize recovery while minimizing bank dishonour fees. - **24/7 Monitoring**: Real-time anomaly detection for uncollected invoices and payment plan deviations. ### Revenue & Cash Flow Analytics - **Live Dashboards**: Comprehensive views tracking Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR), Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR), Days Sales Outstanding (DSO), overdue balances, and collection velocity. - **Export Formats**: One-click data exports to Excel, CSV, and audit-ready PDF reports. - **Predictive Cash Flow**: Inflow forecasting based on payment terms, scheduled subscriptions, and client settlement habits. ### Recurring Billing & Subscriptions - **Cadence Flexibility**: Automated billing cycles across weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual intervals. - **Metrics Tracking**: Dedicated visibility into churn rates, Expansion MRR, and Average Revenue Per User (ARPU). - **Grace Periods & Surcharges**: Configurable grace periods and merchant-defined card/bank surcharge pass-through. ### Enterprise Payment Security - **Multi-Tenant Isolation**: Strict database-level organization segregation preventing cross-tenant leakage. - **Authentication**: FIDO2 / Passkey support, Two-Factor Authentication (TOTP authenticator app & email OTP), and single-use emergency backup codes. - **Audit Logging**: Immutable activity logs tracking state transitions, administrative actions, and webhook payloads. - **Compliance & Encryption**: AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS 1.3 in transit, and GDPR-aligned data handling policies. ### White-Label Option - **Custom Branding**: Fully brand the customer checkout portal, invoice PDFs, and client notification emails under your own domain and brand identity. - **Agency Client Portals**: Allow agencies to provide their own clients with self-service invoice payment portals. --- ## 3. How It Works (Three-Step Workflow) 1. **Set Up Workspace** - Register your organization in minutes. - Configure branding (logos, brand colours, footer disclaimers, GST/ABN details). - Activate payment rails via integrated merchant verification. - Invite team members with role-based access. No specialized IT assistance required. 2. **Send Invoices and Payment Links** - Dispatch invoices through automated email notifications, SMS, or WhatsApp. - Generate hosted payment links (`/pay/...` or public payment links) to embed on proposals, emails, or digital contracts. 3. **Get Paid Automatically** - Auto-charge stored payment methods on the exact invoice due date. - Automated retry schedules recover failed card transactions or delayed direct debits. - Instant receipt generation and webhook notifications alert your team as soon as funds clear. --- ## 4. Multi-Tenancy & Merchant Infrastructure ### Organizations & Tenant Isolation PayDirect implements a multi-tenant hierarchy: - Each user account can belong to or manage multiple organizations. - Organization data (clients, products, invoices, payment methods, transaction records) is strictly scoped to the active tenant. - Role-based permissions enforce clear boundaries: **Owner** (full organization & financial control), **Administrator** (billing, product, and client operations), and **Member** (viewing and operational permissions). ### Pinch Payment Gateway Integration PayDirect natively embeds Australian payment gateway **Pinch Payments**: - **Managed Merchant Onboarding**: Creating a PayDirect organization provisions a corresponding managed merchant account. - **Compliance Synchronization**: Automated background synchronization verifies compliance statuses including document verification, bank account verification, entity verification, and submission statuses. - **Australian Direct Debit (BECS)**: Efficient direct debit collection straight from Australian bank accounts at substantially lower transaction fees than cards. ### Fee Absorption & Surcharges Merchants maintain full control over fee structures: - **Card Fee Handling**: Absorb card processing fees or pass them transparently to the customer at checkout. - **Bank Transfer & Direct Debit Handling**: Configurable percentage or fixed fee surcharges. --- ## 5. Client Management & Payer Synchronization - **Comprehensive Profiles**: Store customer entity details, contact representatives, billing addresses, Australian Business Numbers (ABN), and internal billing notes. - **Payer Sync**: Automatically creates and links a remote Payer record with the underlying payment gateway upon client creation. - **Default Terms**: Assign client-specific settlement terms (Due on Receipt, 7 Days, 14 Days, 30 Days, or custom intervals). - **Payment Preferences**: Specify preferred payment channels (e.g. forced BECS Direct Debit for retainer clients vs. card checkout). --- ## 6. Product Catalog, Pricing & Taxes - **Item Catalog**: Standardized repository of billable services, hourly retainers, software licenses, or physical units. - **Tax Modes**: - **Tax Inclusive**: GST included within unit pricing (ideal for B2C and standard Australian agency quotes). - **Tax Exclusive**: GST calculated dynamically on top of the subtotal (ideal for enterprise B2B billing). - **Categories**: Organize products into logical business categories for granular revenue breakdown. --- ## 7. Invoicing Lifecycle & State Machine PayDirect manages invoice state transitions with strict accounting consistency: ``` [Draft] ---> [Scheduled] ---> [Sent] ---> [Processing] ---> [Paid] | | | +----> [Cancelled] +-> [Overdue] +-> [Failed] -> [Partial] ``` - **`draft`**: Invoice is editable; calculations can be previewed. - **`scheduled`**: Staged for automated emission at a future date/time. - **`sent`**: Finalized, assigned a sequential invoice number, and delivered to the payer. - **`processing`**: Direct Debit or card batch clearing is currently underway. - **`paid`**: Transaction settled successfully; invoice locked against further edits. - **`overdue`**: Due date elapsed without settlement; triggers automated AI reminders. - **`failed`**: Charge attempt declined; triggers automated retry logic and dunning notifications. - **`partial`**: Partial installment or deposit received. - **`cancelled`**: Voided invoice with recorded audit reason. --- ## 8. Subscriptions & Recurring Plans - **Recurring Plans**: Create recurring templates with defined frequencies (days, months, years) and billing amounts. - **Automated Sourcing**: When clients lack an active funding source, PayDirect issues a secure, self-service payment attachment link. Once attached, recurring charges execute automatically without client or admin intervention. - **Dunning & Failure Handling**: Automatic retries spaced out over configurable intervals to recover declined recurring charges before initiating account suspension. --- ## 9. Public Payment Links & Hosted Checkout - **Shareable URLs**: Distribute branded payment checkout pages for one-off charges, deposits, or event registrations. - **Amount Customization**: Choose between fixed pricing or open customer-specified amounts (e.g. invoice balance settlement or donations). - **Custom Fields**: Capture purchase order numbers, client reference codes, or customized intake data directly at checkout. - **Mobile Responsive**: Fully optimized checkout interface supporting Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit cards, and direct debit. --- ## 10. Security, Authentication & Compliance - **Authentication Framework**: Powered by Better Auth with session management and tokenized API access. - **Passkeys (FIDO2)**: Hardware security keys, Touch ID, Face ID, and Windows Hello support for passwordless authentication. - **Multi-Factor Security**: Time-based One-Time Passwords (TOTP via Google Authenticator, Authy) and time-limited Email OTP. - **Anti-Abuse**: Protected by Google reCAPTCHA v3 and enterprise rate limiting. - **Audit Logging**: Comprehensive internal tracking of all invoice transitions, merchant changes, and payment events. --- ## 11. Developer API & Webhooks Architecture PayDirect offers a modern REST API for seamless enterprise integration: - **Authentication**: Bearer tokens scoped by organization. - **Endpoints**: Full programmatic access to `/api/invoices`, `/api/clients`, `/api/products`, `/api/subscriptions`, and `/api/payment-links`. - **Webhooks**: Real-time event notifications for `invoice.created`, `invoice.sent`, `payment.processing`, `payment.succeeded`, and `payment.failed`. --- ## 12. Key Links & Public Directory - [PayDirect Homepage](https://paydirect.au): Main product overview, pricing, and feature tours. - [About Us](https://paydirect.au/about): Company overview, team, and Australian payments mission. - [Enterprise Security](https://paydirect.au/security): Security standards, bank-grade encryption, and compliance details. - [Integrations Directory](https://paydirect.au/integrations): Payment rails, Direct Debit, accounting tools, and API connectors. - [PayDirect Blog](https://paydirect.au/blog): Invoicing strategies, cash flow advice, and product releases. - [Contact Sales & Support](https://paydirect.au/contact): Enterprise inquiries and technical support. - [Sign Up / Free Trial](https://paydirect.au/signup): 14-day free trial with full feature access. - [Privacy Policy](https://paydirect.au/privacy-policy): Privacy commitments and data stewardship. - [Terms of Service](https://paydirect.au/terms): Service terms, payment regulations, and user agreement. --- ## 13. Contact & Support Channels - **Official Website**: [https://paydirect.au](https://paydirect.au) - **Twitter / X**: [@paydirect](https://twitter.com/paydirect) - **Support & Sales**: [https://paydirect.au/contact](https://paydirect.au/contact)