Skip to content

Payment Processor Setup

Updated

On this page26

Overview#

AutomateNexus CRM supports integrated payment processing, allowing you to collect payments from customers directly within your CRM workflows: invoices paid online, bookings that require payment, products that name their processor, and forms that collect a payment. Stripe is the recommended processor, and PayPal and Square are supported for invoice and booking checkout. This guide covers the setup process for each, webhook configuration for real-time payment status updates, and testing procedures to ensure everything works before going live.

Prerequisites#

Before configuring payment processing, ensure you have:

  • An active AutomateNexus CRM account with permission to change your organization's settings.
  • A verified Stripe account, a PayPal Business account, or a Square account.
  • Your business details completed in the payment processor (required for live payment processing).
  1. Log in to your AutomateNexus CRM dashboard.
  2. In the sidebar, under Administration, click Integrations.
  3. Choose Payments in the left menu of the Integrations page.

The Payments section holds the Accounting heading with the QuickBooks Online card, the Stripe card, Popular Payment Processors (Stripe, PayPal, Wise and Lemon Squeezy, each with a Configure button and a switch) and, under All payment processors, the full list. The same processors are managed under Finance → Payment Processors, whose Processors tab lets you configure each one and mark one as the Default, alongside Analytics, Sync and Security tabs.

Stripe Integration#

About Stripe#

Stripe is the recommended payment processor for AutomateNexus CRM. It processes card payments for invoices, bookings and form payments through Stripe's hosted Checkout, with webhook events keeping your records up to date.

Connecting Stripe with API Keys#

  1. Log in to your Stripe Dashboard at dashboard.stripe.com.
  2. Navigate to Developers → API keys.
  3. You will see two sets of keys: Test mode and Live mode. Start with test mode keys for initial setup.
    • Publishable key: Starts with pk_test_ (test) or pk_live_ (live).
    • Secret key: Starts with sk_test_ (test) or sk_live_ (live). This key is used server-side for processing payments. Keep it confidential.
  4. Copy both keys.
  5. In AutomateNexus CRM, navigate to Settings → Integrations → Payments and find the Stripe card.
  6. Paste your Publishable Key and Secret Key into the respective fields. The secret key is stored server-side and never shown again; leave the field blank later to keep the saved key.
  7. Click Test Connection. AutomateNexus CRM validates the keys with Stripe.
  8. Click Save Settings. The card shows Connected, and Test mode while you use test keys.

The Stripe card and the Stripe entry under Finance → Payment Processors edit the same configuration.

Configuring Stripe Webhooks#

Webhooks allow Stripe to notify AutomateNexus CRM in real time when payment events occur (a completed checkout, an expired checkout, a failed charge). This is essential for keeping your CRM records up to date.

  1. On the Stripe card, copy the Webhook URL.
  2. Go to your Stripe Dashboard → Developers → Webhooks.
  3. Click Add endpoint.
  4. Paste the AutomateNexus CRM webhook URL into the Endpoint URL field.
  5. Under Events to send, select the events AutomateNexus CRM handles:
    • checkout.session.completed
    • checkout.session.expired
    • payment_intent.succeeded
    • payment_intent.payment_failed
    Other events are ignored. This one endpoint confirms invoice, booking, form and storefront payments, so it is the only Stripe webhook you need.
  6. Click Add endpoint to save.
  7. After creating the webhook, Stripe shows a Signing secret (starts with whsec_). Copy this value.
  8. Return to the Stripe card in AutomateNexus CRM and paste it into Webhook Secret.
  9. Click Save Settings.

PayPal Integration#

About PayPal#

PayPal is supported as an alternative processor for invoice and booking payments. Customers pay through PayPal's checkout using their PayPal balance, a linked bank account, or a card.

Connecting PayPal#

  1. Log in to the PayPal Developer Portal at developer.paypal.com.
  2. Navigate to Apps & Credentials.
  3. Create a new app or select an existing one.
  4. Copy the Client ID and Secret for your desired environment (Sandbox or Live).
  5. In AutomateNexus CRM, navigate to Settings → Integrations → Payments and click Configure on the PayPal card under Popular Payment Processors (or configure it under Finance → Payment Processors).
  6. Enter the Client ID and Client Secret, and set Environment to sandbox for testing or live for production.
  7. Click Save Configuration and turn the PayPal switch on.

PayPal Webhook Configuration#

  1. For booking payments, open Scheduling → Booking, go to the Payments tab of the booking settings, and copy the Webhook URL shown for PayPal once it is connected.
  2. In the PayPal Developer Portal, open your app's settings and under Webhooks click Add Webhook.
  3. Enter the webhook URL and select the PAYMENT.CAPTURE.COMPLETED and CHECKOUT.ORDER.APPROVED event types.
  4. Save the webhook.

Invoice payments through PayPal are confirmed against PayPal's API using your saved credentials before they are recorded.

Square Integration#

Square is supported for invoice and booking payments in the same way: click Configure on Square under Finance → Payment Processors, enter the Access Token and Application ID from your Square developer application, set Environment to sandbox or production, and save. Booking payments show a Webhook URL for Square on the booking settings' Payments tab.

Using Payments in AutomateNexus CRM#

Invoice Payments#

AutomateNexus CRM invoices can be paid online:

  1. When creating an invoice under Finance → Invoices, choose a Payment Processor: Organization Default or one of your enabled processors.
  2. When the client opens the invoice, its Pay online link takes them to the processor's hosted checkout (Stripe, PayPal or Square).
  3. The invoice is marked paid when the processor confirms the payment through its webhook.

Booking Payments#

Under Scheduling → Booking, the Payments tab of the booking settings connects processors for bookings and holds the payment rules: Require Payment before confirming a booking, Allow Deposit, the Default Currency, a Refund Policy (flexible, moderate or strict), and whether to Collect Taxes.

Products and Forms#

A product under Commerce → Products can name its own Payment Processor or use the organization default. A form can carry a payment field that sends the visitor to Stripe Checkout when the form is submitted; see Embedded Payments on Forms.

Testing Payments#

Stripe Test Mode#

Always test your payment integration before going live:

  1. Save test keys (pk_test_ and sk_test_) on the Stripe card under Settings → Integrations → Payments; the card shows Test mode.
  2. Use Stripe's test card numbers to simulate payments:
    • Successful payment: 4242 4242 4242 4242 (any future expiry, any CVC)
    • Declined payment: 4000 0000 0000 0002
    • Requires authentication: 4000 0025 0000 3155
    • Insufficient funds: 4000 0000 0000 9995
  3. Process a test payment through an invoice's Pay online link or a test booking.
  4. Verify the payment appears in your Stripe test dashboard.
  5. Confirm the webhook updates the invoice or booking in AutomateNexus CRM.

PayPal Sandbox Testing#

  1. Set PayPal's Environment to sandbox in its configuration.
  2. Use PayPal sandbox buyer accounts (created in the PayPal Developer Portal under Sandbox → Accounts).
  3. Process a test payment and verify it is recorded.

Switching to Live Mode#

Once testing is complete:

  1. In your Stripe Dashboard, copy your Live API keys (pk_live_ and sk_live_).
  2. On the Stripe card in AutomateNexus CRM, replace the keys and click Save Settings; the Test mode label disappears.
  3. Add the webhook endpoint in Stripe's live mode if you created it in test mode; live and test endpoints are separate.
  4. Copy the live endpoint's signing secret into Webhook Secret and save.
  5. For PayPal or Square, switch Environment to live or production and enter live credentials.
  6. Process a small real transaction to verify everything works in production.

Troubleshooting#

Payments Not Appearing in CRM#

  • Verify that the webhook endpoint is correctly configured in your Stripe or PayPal dashboard.
  • Check that the Webhook Secret on the Stripe card matches the endpoint's signing secret.
  • In the Stripe Dashboard, navigate to Developers → Webhooks and check the event delivery log for failed attempts.
  • Ensure the webhook URL is accessible (not blocked by firewalls or IP restrictions).

Checkout Does Not Open#

  • Verify the processor is enabled: its switch is on and Test Connection succeeds for Stripe.
  • Check that the invoice or booking is set to a processor that is configured, or that the organization default is.
  • Check your browser console for JavaScript errors.

Webhook Signature Verification Failed#

  • This error means the Webhook Secret in AutomateNexus CRM does not match the one in Stripe.
  • Go to Stripe Dashboard → Developers → Webhooks, click on the endpoint, and copy the signing secret again.
  • Paste it into Webhook Secret on the Stripe card and click Save Settings.

Test Payments Work but Live Payments Fail#

  • Confirm you have switched from test to live API keys in AutomateNexus CRM.
  • Verify your Stripe account is fully activated (business verification complete).
  • Check that a live webhook endpoint is configured (separate from the test endpoint) and its signing secret is saved.

Was this page helpful?