FieldCampAuto-Pay & Recurring Payments | FieldCamp
Set up auto-deducting payments for invoices and recurring jobs in FieldCamp, with full retry, failure, and Stripe charge tracking.
Under the hood — see how Estimates & Invoices work in the FieldCamp data model: the fields they hold, how they connect to your other records, and how to customize them.
Auto-deducting payments for invoices and recurring jobs let FieldCamp charge a client's default card the moment an invoice is generated, then track every attempt, success, and failure end-to-end. You set it up once on a recurring job and FieldCamp handles billing, retries, error notifications, and a full Stripe charge audit trail on your schedule. See the Payments overview for how auto-pay fits into the broader payment workflow.
AI-powered auto-pay: Open the Command Centre and type "Set up auto-pay for ABC Plumbing", "Show failed auto-pay charges this month", or "Which clients have auto-pay enabled?" to manage the entire lifecycle from one place.
How Auto-Pay Works
When auto-pay is enabled on a recurring job, FieldCamp follows this cycle every billing period:
- An invoice is generated on your configured schedule.
- FieldCamp automatically charges the client's default payment card.
- The payment is processed through Stripe, which returns a unique charge ID.
- The attempt is recorded on the invoice and recurring job with status, timestamp, charge ID, and (if applicable) error message.
- On success, the invoice is marked Paid and the client receives a confirmation email.
- On failure, both you and the client are notified immediately and the system schedules a retry.
Every charge attempt — whether it succeeds or fails — appears in the invoice's attempt history with the Stripe charge ID, so you can cross-reference any transaction directly in your Stripe Dashboard.
Two Payment Options for Recurring Jobs
When you configure invoicing on a recurring job, you choose one of two options:
Option 1 -- Automatically Charge (Auto-Pay)
The client's default card is charged the moment an invoice is generated. No action needed from you or the client.
Best for:
- Subscription services (monthly maintenance plans)
- Predictable recurring work (weekly lawn care at a fixed price)
- Long-term contracts where clients expect automated billing
- Reducing accounts receivable and collection effort
Option 2 -- Just Send the Invoice (Manual Collection)
FieldCamp generates and emails the invoice, but the client pays manually through the Pay Now link.
Best for:
- Variable-price jobs where the final amount changes
- Clients who prefer to control when payments are taken
- New clients where you want to build trust before enabling auto-pay
How Often Are Clients Charged?
The charge frequency depends on how you configure invoicing for the recurring job. Auto-pay runs every time an invoice is generated.
Visit-Based Billing
| Invoice schedule | When the client is charged | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Per visit | After each visit is marked complete | Lawn care completed Monday -- charged Monday |
| Weekly | Once per week on your chosen day | Every Monday for all visits that week |
| Monthly | Once per month on your chosen day | 15th of each month for all visits that month |
| Annual | Once per year on your chosen date | January 15th for all visits that year |
| Custom groups | Per your configured schedule for each group | Group 1: per visit; Group 2: monthly on the 1st |
Only completed visits trigger invoicing and auto-pay. Draft or scheduled visits are not charged until marked complete. See Job & Visit Statuses for the full lifecycle.
Fixed-Price Billing
| Billing schedule | When the client is charged | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | Every week on your chosen day | Every Monday at the same fixed amount |
| Monthly | Every month on your chosen day | 1st of each month at the same amount |
| Annual | Once per year on your chosen date | January 1st for the annual service fee |
| Once when job closed | Single charge when the job is marked complete | One-time payment when the project finishes |
Real-World Examples
Weekly lawn care, per-visit billing: Three visits per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). Each visit generates an invoice and charges the card immediately. Result: up to 3 charges per week.
Monthly pest control, fixed price: $300 per month, invoiced on the 1st. FieldCamp generates the invoice and charges $300 on the 1st of each month. Result: 1 predictable charge per month.
Custom configuration: First service visit invoiced immediately (per visit). Follow-up visits invoiced monthly on the 15th. Result: 1 immediate charge plus 1 monthly charge.
Setting Up Auto-Pay
Open the recurring job
Navigate to the recurring job you want to configure. For multi-day work, see Multi-Day Jobs.
Configure invoicing
Go to the Invoicing section and click Configure Recurring Invoices. Select how you want to group and invoice visits (per visit, weekly, monthly, annual, or custom).
Enable auto-pay
In the Payment Collection section, select Automatically Deduct Payments instead of "Just Make the Invoice".
Verify the client's default card
Open the client profile, go to Payment Methods, and confirm a card is marked as Default. If no default exists, add one or invite the client to add theirs.
Save
Click Save. Auto-pay begins with the next scheduled invoice and starts logging attempt history.
Payment Attempt Lifecycle & Statuses
Every auto-pay run creates a payment attempt record that you can review on the invoice or from the recurring job's payment history.
| Status | What it means | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| Pending | Attempt queued and about to be sent to Stripe | Invoice header + attempt history |
| Processing | Stripe is authorizing/capturing the charge | Invoice header |
| Succeeded | Charge captured. Invoice automatically marked Paid | Invoice + recurring job timeline |
| Failed | Stripe declined or errored on the attempt | Attempt history with error message |
| Retry Scheduled | A future automatic retry has been queued | Attempt history with next retry date |
| Retries Exhausted | All automatic retries failed. Manual follow-up required | Invoice status = Payment Failed |
Click any attempt to expand the full record — Stripe charge ID, attempt number, timestamp, last 4 of the card used, decline code, and the raw error message returned by the bank.
When a Payment Fails: Retry Behavior
Even with auto-pay enabled, payments can fail due to expired cards, insufficient funds, soft declines, or bank-level fraud rules. FieldCamp's retry engine handles transient issues automatically.
What Happens on a Failed Attempt
- Stripe returns a decline or error code; FieldCamp captures the error message verbatim.
- The attempt is logged with status Failed, attempt number, and Stripe charge ID (if one was created).
- Both you and the client receive an immediate email notification with the failure reason.
- The system queues a retry after a short delay (typically a few days) — the next retry date is visible in attempt history.
- If the retry succeeds, the invoice flips to Paid. If all retries fail, the invoice is marked Payment Failed and removed from the auto-pay queue.
Common Decline Reasons & Error Messages
| Error message you may see | What it usually means | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
card_declined | Generic bank decline | Ask client to update the card or use a different one |
insufficient_funds | Not enough balance | Reschedule the retry or request manual payment |
expired_card | Card past expiry date | Have client add a new default card |
incorrect_cvc / invalid_cvc | CVC mismatch on file | Client must re-enter card details |
do_not_honor | Bank-level block, often fraud-related | Client contacts their bank, then retry |
processing_error | Temporary Stripe/network issue | FieldCamp auto-retries; no action needed |
authentication_required | 3DS challenge needed | Client must complete authentication via secure link |
What the Client Receives
A failure email with:
- A clear notice that the payment was declined
- The reason (expired card, insufficient funds, etc.) when available from Stripe
- Instructions to update their payment method via the Customer Portal
- The invoice number, amount, and a secure Pay Now link
What You Receive
An ops alert with:
- Client name and invoice number
- The amount that failed to process and the attempt number (1st, 2nd, final)
- The failure reason and Stripe decline code
- A deep link to the invoice's attempt history and Stripe charge ID
Viewing Charge IDs and Attempt History
Every recurring job and every invoice keeps a running log of auto-pay activity so you can audit a charge end-to-end without leaving FieldCamp.
From the invoice
Open any auto-paid invoice and scroll to Payment Activity. You will see:
- Each attempt with timestamp, attempt number, and status
- The Stripe charge ID (
ch_...orpi_...) for any succeeded or failed attempt - The raw error message for failed attempts
- The card brand and last 4 digits used
From the recurring job
Open the recurring job and click Payment History to view a rolling list of every auto-pay attempt across every generated invoice — useful for monthly reconciliation or troubleshooting a client whose card has been failing repeatedly.
From the Command Centre
Use the Command Centre to pull reports across all auto-paid jobs:
- "Show all failed auto-pay charges this week"
- "List clients with retries exhausted in the last 30 days"
- "What's the success rate of auto-pay on the Acme HVAC contract?"
Stripe charge IDs are read-only references. To issue refunds, disputes, or chargeback responses, use the link FieldCamp surfaces alongside each charge ID to jump directly into your Stripe Dashboard.
Recovery Options When Retries Are Exhausted
If automatic retries run out and the invoice is marked Payment Failed, choose how to recover:
| Option | What to do |
|---|---|
| Update the card | Ask the client to add a new card or update their default card, then trigger a manual re-charge from the invoice |
| Record a manual payment | Accept payment by cash, check, or bank transfer and record it on the invoice |
| Pause auto-pay | Temporarily disable auto-pay while payment issues are resolved |
| Arrange a payment plan | Work with the client on alternative arrangements; you can also collect a partial deposit |
| Escalate via workflow | Use Workflows to auto-create a task or email when an invoice hits Retries Exhausted. See Workflow Examples for ready-made automations. |
Switching Between Auto-Pay and Manual Invoicing
Turn On Auto-Pay
- Open the recurring job.
- Click Configure Recurring Invoices.
- Select Automatically Deduct Payments.
- Confirm the client has a default card on file.
- Click Save. Auto-pay applies to the next scheduled invoice.
Turn Off Auto-Pay
- Open the recurring job.
- Click Configure Recurring Invoices.
- Select Just Make the Invoice.
- Click Save. Future invoices are generated but not automatically charged.
Changes apply to future invoices only. Previously processed payments and any pending retries on existing invoices are not affected.
Related FieldCamp Tools
Required for auto-pay and charge ID tracking
Store and reorder client cards
Collect upfront before recurring work starts
Create, customize, and reconcile invoices
Troubleshooting
Auto-pay didn't run on the expected date. Check that the recurring job's invoice was actually generated (only completed visits trigger visit-based invoices). Then confirm the client still has a default payment card. If both are fine, open Payment Activity on the invoice to see whether an attempt was created and what status it returned.
The invoice shows "Payment Failed" but Stripe shows a successful charge. This usually means a retry succeeded after the initial failure but the webhook was delayed. Refresh the invoice and check the attempt history — the most recent attempt's Stripe charge ID should match the successful charge in your Stripe Dashboard.
A client's card was replaced — will auto-pay use the new one? Yes. Auto-pay always uses whichever card is currently marked Default in the client profile. The next scheduled attempt will charge the new default automatically.
Retries seem to happen too quickly / too slowly. Retry cadence is set globally to balance recovery rate against client experience. If you need different behavior for a specific client (e.g., immediate retry after a card update), trigger a manual re-charge from the invoice rather than waiting for the next scheduled retry.
Can I disable retries entirely for one job? Not at the job level today, but turning off auto-pay converts the invoice flow to manual collection, which skips retries altogether.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often will my clients be charged? It depends on your invoice schedule. Per-visit billing charges after each completed visit. Weekly, monthly, or annual billing charges once per that period. Check your recurring job setup for specifics.
Where do I find the Stripe charge ID for a specific auto-pay attempt?
Open the invoice, scroll to Payment Activity, and expand the attempt. The charge ID (ch_... or pi_...) is shown alongside status, timestamp, and any error message, with a direct link into your Stripe Dashboard.
Are failed payments retried automatically? Yes. FieldCamp queues automatic retries after a short delay. The retry date is visible in the attempt history. If all retries fail, the invoice moves to Payment Failed and exits the auto-pay queue.
Will my client see the raw Stripe error message? Clients see a friendly explanation (e.g., "Your card was declined"), while your ops alert includes the technical Stripe decline code and full error message so your team can troubleshoot precisely.
Can I set up auto-pay before the client has a card on file? You can configure the setting, but auto-pay attempts will be skipped until a default card is added to the client profile.
What if a client disputes a charge? Use the Stripe charge ID surfaced on the invoice to locate the charge in your Stripe Dashboard and respond through Stripe's dispute flow. Document all payment communications and keep a record of the client's consent to recurring charges.
Related articles
Client Payment Methods | FieldCamp
Store and manage credit cards on client profiles in FieldCamp. Add cards, set a default, remove old ones, and keep payment methods ready for auto-pay.
Products & Services Overview | FieldCamp
Understand how products and services work in FieldCamp. Build your price book, add line items to jobs, estimates, and invoices, and enable online booking.