What is a direct payment?
In Procountor, it is possible to make an invoicer announcement including a direct payment, to process recipient notifications with a direct payment information and to send direct payment data. Direct payment is a part of banks’ e-invoice service and using direct payment requires user having an agreement on sending electronic invoices with a bank. Technically, the direct payment is based on the same Finvoice-format with consumers’ e-invoice and electronic invoice (Finvoice) between companies.
The direct payment function is intended for invoicing consumer customers, who do not use an online bank.
The function can be activated by contacting customer service (contact form).
How does the direct payment work?
When using direct payment, the invoicing company sends the actual invoice to the customer and an electronic copy of the invoice to the bank (the direct payment data). The bank performs the automatic debiting of the invoice from the customer's account on the due date based on the direct payment data sent to the bank. The customer cannot change the sum, due date or account number of the invoice being paid as direct payment. If changes are required in invoicing, they should be agreed separately with the invoicing company well ahead of time.
In direct payments, the invoice should be sent to the payer (a paper invoice or other notification) and a copy of the electronic invoice, or the direct payment data, to the bank. In Procountor, you can select only Mail or E-mail as the invoice channel, if the payment method is direct payment. Direct payment cannot be selected as the payment method of the invoice, unless the bank has sent a recipient notification to the customer to be invoiced, with Direct payment as the type.
The direct payment data is delivered from Procountor to the bank when the user clicks the Send-button on an invoice.
Because the receipt subject to direct payment is sent twice – as an invoice to the customer and an invoice copy to the bank – two charges apply to one receipt: one for sending the electronic invoice (to the bank) and, based on the invoice channel selected, another for sending via E-mail or Mail.
Implementation of direct payment
- The invoicing company signs an agreement with its own bank concerning sending Finvoice electronic invoices, electronic invoices and direct payment data.
- The invoicing company sends an invoicing company notification through its own bank, in which it announces that it has the capability of sending consumers' e-invoices and direct payment data. The bank of the invoicing company delivers the notification to other banks as well.
- The payer asks their own bank to issue a direct payment assignment, i.e., states their willingness to use direct payment for the invoices of a certain invoicing company.
- The payer's bank forwards the payer's receiving address to the invoicing company as a recipient notification. The recipient notification contains information on the customer being a direct payment customer.
- The invoicing company processes the received recipient notification, which updates the information in Procountor's customer register. Recipient notifications can be found from Registers > Business partners. Recipient notifications regarding direct payments arrive to Procountor with a type Direct payment. After the recipient notification has been processed, customer’s payment method will be changed to Direct payment.
- The invoicing company sends the invoice to the customer and a copy of the invoice as an electronic invoice message to the bank.
- The payer's bank pays the invoice automatically on the due date in accordance with the assignment.
Direct payment in customer information
In the customer information, allocating the recipient notification changes the customer's Payment method field to Direct payment. After allocating the notification, the options available in the customer's Invoice channel field are Mail or E-mail.