Save a customer's card for future charges

Save a customer's card on file with their consent so Nova can charge it later for subscriptions, scheduled payments and approved invoices.

In the sidebar, open Sales & Billing, then Getting Paid, then Cards on File. The page address is /payments/payment-methods.

A saved payment method is a customer's card kept on file through Nova Payments. Nova never stores the card number itself; the customer enters it into a secure form and Nova keeps only a reference it can charge later.

Before you start

• Nova Payments has to be set up for your organization; see Set up Nova Payments. If not, the page says so and Add payment method is greyed out.
• Saved cards has to be on under Payment options on the Nova Payments page. To charge a saved card without the customer present, Charge saved cards automatically has to be on there too. See Check on Nova Payments after launch.
• Your role needs permission to manage saved payment methods.
• The customer needs to agree to having their card saved. Do this with them present or on the phone.

Steps

1. Press Add payment method. A panel opens with Setup controls.
2. Under Account, search for the customer and pick them.
3. Fill in Billing name, Billing email and Billing phone as they appear on the card.
4. Tick Save card consent once the customer has agreed. The next button stays greyed out until you do.
5. Tick Make default if this should be the card Nova charges first, and Authorize future charges if the customer agrees to be charged without being present, for subscriptions or scheduled payments.
6. Press Start secure setup. The card form appears. Have the customer enter their card details, then press Save payment method.
7. The new method appears in the list with the status Ready.

What you see

• The list shows each Method (brand and last four digits), the Account, its Status, Flags such as default or future charges, and when it was Updated.
• Open the Filters panel to show All methods, Ready only, or Action required only.
• A row's menu offers Open method, Make default and Remove.
• Pressing a row opens Method detail with the billing contact, whether it is the Default, and whether Future charges are allowed.

If something looks different

• A method shows Action required: the bank wants the customer to confirm something. Open the method and follow the message, or ask the customer to add the card again.
• A notice at the top says "Saved cards are turned off for your business.": press Turn it on. The Nova Payments page opens on Payment options with the Saved cards switch highlighted. If the notice says to ask an owner or admin instead, your role cannot change payment settings.
• Authorize future charges can't be switched on and a notice under it says charging saved cards automatically is turned off for your business: press Turn it on. The Nova Payments page opens on Payment options with Charge saved cards automatically highlighted. If the notice says to ask an owner or admin instead, your role cannot change payment settings. The same notice appears wherever you save a card for a customer, including from the customer's own page.
• Start secure setup is greyed out: Save card consent is not ticked, or Nova Payments is not ready. The button explains when you hover it.
• You need to charge the saved card for an invoice: open the invoice and take the payment there (see Record a payment), or set it up under Schedule a future payment.

Open Saved Payment Methods