Creating Customers
Required fields
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Name | Full name |
| Valid email address |
Optional fields
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Reference | Your internal identifier — max 60 chars, unique per account |
| Business name | Trading name if different from contact name |
| Billing email | Separate email for invoices and receipts |
| Timezone | IANA timezone — defaults to account timezone if blank |
| Currency | ISO 4217 — defaults to account currency if blank |
| Phone (mobile) | With country code |
| Phone (home) | With country code |
| Phone (work) | With country code |
| Billing address | Country, line1, line2, city/suburb, state/region, postal code |
| Shipping address | Same structure as billing address |
Notification preferences
| Preference | Description |
|---|---|
send_payment_emails | Send email receipts for successful payments |
send_sms_reminders | Send SMS reminders before scheduled payments |
send_sms_failures | Send SMS notifications on payment failure |
SMS notifications require a valid mobile phone number.
Fee preferences
| Preference | Description |
|---|---|
customer_pays_transaction_fees | Pass transaction fees to the customer |
customer_pays_setup_fee | Charge a setup fee on plan creation |
These override the account-level fee settings for this customer.
Consent
The Authorised checkbox records that the customer has given consent for direct debit or recurring payments. Checking this field sets the consent_authorised_at timestamp. This timestamp is set once and is never overwritten on subsequent edits.
Collecting a payment method
When creating a customer you choose how to collect their payment method:
- Customer is with me — collect the card or bank account immediately via the hosted payment form.
- Email the customer — send the customer a secure link to enter their own details.
If the method isn’t collected during creation (you chose Email the customer, or deferred), the customer is placed on hold with the reason waiting for payment method. You can collect it later from the customer detail page with Collect Payment Details. Once a method is successfully collected, the customer returns to active automatically.
Adding a payment plan on creation
Enable the Set up payment plan toggle during customer creation to add a plan and collect a payment method in the same flow. The plan is created in draft state; if the payment method is deferred, the plan activates automatically once the method is collected (see Creating Plans).
Custom attributes
If your account has custom attributes configured (see Custom Attributes), they appear at the bottom of the form. Required attributes must be filled in before saving.