---
key: add-a-payment-method-customers-can-use
title: Add a payment method customers can use
audience: staff
section: administration/billing-commerce
routes: ["/settings/org/billing/payment-methods"]
permissions: ["billing.payment_method_definitions.create"]
features: ["billing.setup"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Add a way customers can pay you, such as e-transfer, cheque or cash, give it the name customers see, and decide whether it shows on invoices and quotes by default.
keywords: [e-transfer, interac, cheque, cash, wire, payment options, how customers pay, payment instructions, accepted payment methods]
related: [choose-the-preferred-payment-method-and-order, record-a-payment, set-up-nova-payments, save-a-customer-payment-method]
---

In the sidebar, open **Settings**, then choose **Payment Methods You Accept** under **Sales & Billing**. The page address is `/settings/org/billing/payment-methods`. The page is titled **Payment Method Catalog**.

## Before you start

- Nova already includes the common methods. Open one and its **Source** reads **System** (the **Source** filter finds them too). You cannot change what kind of method those are, but you can change their names, instructions and defaults.
- Card payments through Nova Payments are set up on the **Nova Payments** page, not here. See [[set-up-nova-payments]].
- Your role needs the permission to create payment method definitions to add one, and the update permission to change one.

## Steps

1. Press **Add payment method**. A panel opens titled **Add payment method definition**.
2. Type the **Display name** customers see on invoices and in payment instructions, for example `E-transfer`.
3. Pick a **Canonical family**: the kind of payment it is, such as card, bank transfer, cheque, cash or other. The note under the list explains when to use each family.
4. Pick a **Collection mode**: whether Nova charges it online, records it after the fact, or only shows instructions for the customer to follow.
5. Leave **Status** as **Active**.
6. Add an internal **Description** for your team, and an **Instructions template** with the wording customers see when they need to send the payment themselves, such as the email address for an e-transfer.
7. Set the defaults: **Enabled by default** makes it available on every account; **Customer visible by default** shows it to customers; **Invoice enabled by default** and **Quote enabled by default** offer it on those documents; **Portal visible by default** shows it in the customer portal.
8. Press **Create definition**. The new method appears in the list.

## What you see

- Each row shows the **Method**, its **Family**, its **Defaults** as short badges (**Enabled**, **Customer**, **Portal**, **Org preferred**) or **No defaults**, its **Status** and when it was last **Updated**.
- Pressing a row opens the same panel for editing. Press **Save definition** when you are done, or **Clear selection** to close it.
- Under **Filters**, **Status** shows **Active** or **Archived** methods and **Source** shows **System** or **Custom** ones.
- To stop offering a method, open it and change **Status** to **Archived**. It stays in history but is no longer offered.

## If something looks different

- **Add payment method** is greyed out: your role cannot create payment methods. Ask your admin.
- **Canonical family** and **Collection mode** are greyed out: this is a **System** method. Change its name, instructions and defaults instead, or add a custom one.
- **Portal visible by default** seems to do nothing: it only applies when **Customer visible by default** is on as well.
- The list is empty: no methods have been set up for this organization yet.

[[route:/settings/org/billing/payment-methods|Open Payment Methods You Accept]]