Payment & Financial Configuration

 

Organization Settings

Use the links below to jump to the setup area you need.

1. Identity & Branding
2. Payment & Financial Configuration
3. Understanding the Billing Page
4. Users & Permissions
5. Organization-Wide Advanced Settings
6. Messaging Defaults
7. Connected Apps

8. Microsite Configuration & IFRAME Integration
   
   

This article walks you through the payment and financial configuration options available in Activity Messenger. These settings define how money moves through the platform—from checkout to invoicing to reporting—and apply consistently across all sales channels.

Proper configuration ensures accurate invoices, reliable payment workflows, compliant tax handling, and clean financial reporting for both online and in-person transactions.

 

Open Payment & Financial Configuration settings

From the top navigation bar:

1. Click the cogwheel beside your Organization name.
2. Select Modify Organization Settings.

Covered in this Guide:

1. Stripe (online credit card payments)
2. Interac e-Transfer
3. Taxes
4. Ledger codes
5. Point of Sale (POS)

 

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1. Stripe

Stripe is the payment processor used to accept online credit card payments in Activity Messenger. Once connected, Stripe allows clients to pay securely through forms, invoices, online stores, and staff-assisted checkout flows.

For Canadian organizations, Stripe can also support direct bank transfers, depending on your Stripe account configuration.

Section Outline
Click a title to jump to that section.

A. What you can do with Stripe
B. Connecting your Stripe account
C. Jurisdiction & currency
D. Allow credit card payments on invoice balance pages
E. Bank transfers in Canada (optional)
F. Credit card convenience fee (optional)
G. Email templates (Stripe-related)
H. Failed payments daily digest
I. Stripe Terminal readers (advanced)

 

A. What you can do with Stripe

Using Stripe in Activity Messenger allows you to:

• Accept online credit card payments

• Automatically charge invoices and registrations

• Record payments in real time for reporting and reconciliation

• Use the same payment method across forms, invoices, POS, and microsites

All Stripe transactions flow into Activity Messenger’s centralized invoicing engine, ensuring consistent tracking and reporting.

 

B. Connecting your Stripe account

To connect Stripe:

1. Go to Organization settings >  Stripe

2. Click Create/connect Stripe account

3. Sign in to an existing Stripe account or create a new one

4. Complete Stripe’s onboarding steps

Once connected, Stripe becomes available as a payment method across the entire platform.

Stripe Account Details
Once Stripe is connected, this panel displays the current Stripe account linked to your Activity Messenger organization, along with its operational status.

This section provides a quick, read-only overview of your Stripe configuration

Test mode
By default, Stripe is connected in Test mode.
Test mode allows you to fully simulate credit card transactions and validate your payment workflows without processing real payments.

Use Test mode to:

• Test payment forms

• Validate invoice payments

• Verify POS and checkout behavior

Test mode can be toggled on or off directly from the Stripe configuration screen once onboarding is complete.

📎 For a step-by-step guide on building and launching payment forms, refer to [Create Your First Payment Form].

 

                     
C. Jurisdiction & currency

After connecting Stripe, Activity Messenger automatically pulls in the jurisdiction information defined during account creation in the Billing section. You can update this setting here if adjustments are needed.

You can also select the currency used for Stripe transactions (for example, CAD or USD).

 

D. Allow credit card payments on invoice balance pages

This setting controls whether clients are allowed to pay outstanding invoice balances by credit card.

When enabled:

• Clients can pay unpaid invoice balances by credit card directly from the invoice

• This applies primarily to invoices created and sent manually

 

E. Bank transfers in Canada (optional)

For Canadian organizations, Stripe can support bank transfers (pre-authorized debit) as an alternative to credit cards.

• This feature requires additional setup

• Clients authorize debits directly from their bank account

• Settlement can take up to 5 business days

For more information, visit Stripe's Pre-authorized debit payments in Canada article.

 

F. Credit card convenience fee (optional)

You can configure a credit card convenience fee that is applied when a client pays online by credit card.

When enabled:

• A separate invoice line item is automatically added

• You can define:

  • The label (for example, Credit card convenience fee)

  • The percentage to apply

  • Applicable taxes

  • An associated ledger code

Important behavior notes

By default, this fee applies to:

• The Microsite store

• Invoices created and sent manually

To apply a convenience fee on payment forms, it must also be explicitly enabled in the Payment Options of each individual form.

This approach gives you flexibility to recover credit card processing costs while maintaining clear pricing and transparency for clients.

 

G. Email templates (Stripe-related)

Stripe-related payment events use dedicated email templates that you can customize, including:

• Payment confirmation

• Scheduled payment – credit card error

These templates ensure clients are notified of successful payments or issues requiring follow-up, and can be tailored to match your organization’s tone and branding.

 

H. Failed payments daily digest

To help monitor failed credit card payments, you can assign one or more users to receive the Failed payments daily digest. Assigning at least one user here is strongly recommended to avoid missed revenue due to failed automatic payments.

To assign a user, simply choose from the available users in the dropdown menu.

When configured:

• A daily summary email is sent around 9:30 AM Eastern Time

• The email lists all automatic Stripe payments that failed the previous day

• This allows staff to proactively follow up with clients

 

I. Stripe Terminal readers (advanced)

Stripe Terminal allows you to accept in-person debit and credit card payments using compatible Stripe card readers, while keeping all transactions fully integrated with Activity Messenger’s invoicing, POS, and reporting systems.

This feature is intended for front desks, on-site events, and staff-assisted transactions where payments are taken physically rather than online.

Supported terminal readers

Activity Messenger currently supports Stripe Terminal readers such as:

• Stripe BBPOS WisePOS E

Terminal readers must be purchased directly from Stripe and linked to your Stripe account.

Locations

Before using terminal readers, you must define at least one physical location.

• Each terminal reader is assigned to a specific location

• Locations typically represent front desks, offices, or physical venues

• Locations are synced with Stripe and used to properly route in-person payments

You can add, edit, or remove locations directly from this section.

Readers management

Once a device is connected to your Stripe account:

• All terminal readers linked to your Stripe account appear in the Readers list

• Each reader displays:

  • Name

  • Assigned location

  • Stripe reader ID

  • Device type

  • Online / Offline status

Offline readers cannot process payments until they reconnect to the network.

Tipping options (optional)

You can enable tipping prompts for in-person payments processed through Stripe Terminal.

When enabled:

• Clients are presented with predefined tip options (for example: 10%, 15%, 20%)

• Tips are collected as part of the same transaction

• Tip amounts are recorded and reported through Stripe and Activity Messenger

Reader splash screen

You can customize the splash screen displayed on your Stripe Terminal readers. The splash screen is the background image shown on the device when it is idle and behind on-screen buttons during transactions.

Important notes:

• Changes may take several minutes to appear on the physical reader.

• This feature is useful for reinforcing your branding or confirming that the reader is connected to the correct organization.

Customizing the splash screen helps provide a more consistent, professional in-person payment experience.

Administrator payment controls

Additional controls are available for administrative workflows:

• Show Stripe Terminal on the payment page for administrators
  Allows admins to select Stripe Terminal as a payment method when processing payments.

• Do not allow payments using other payment terminals
  Restricts payments to Stripe Terminal only, hiding other card or debit terminals from available options.

These options are useful for enforcing standardized in-person payment workflows.

Important notes

• Stripe Terminal payments use the same invoicing engine as online payments

• Taxes, ledger codes, and reporting behave consistently across all payment channels

• Terminal readers are subject to Stripe availability and regional support

 

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2. Interac e-Transfer (Canada only)

Interac e-Transfer allows you to offer clients a cost-effective alternative to credit card payments while benefiting from fast, often same-day bank deposits. Activity Messenger supports both manual and automated reconciliation of Interac payments, making it a practical option for organizations that want to reduce processing fees without sacrificing tracking, reporting, or invoice visibility.

Interac e-Transfer is available only in Canada.
For more information about the service itself, visit the Interac website.

Section Outline
Click a title to jump to that section.

A. Why use Interac e-Transfer?
B. Configuring Interac e-Transfer
C. Enable Interac Auto-Deposit (Recommended)
D. Security Question & Answer Settings
E. Interac payment settlement behavior
F. Automatic cancellation (optional)
G. Payment settlement (Manual vs Automatic Reconciliation)
    • Configuring Automatic Reconciliation (Recommended)
    • How automatic reconciliation works
    • Interac automatic reconciliation fees
H. Failed payments daily digest

 

A. Why use Interac e-Transfer?

Using Interac e-Transfer allows you to:

• Reduce credit card processing fees
• Receive funds directly into your bank account, often the same day
• Offer a familiar and trusted payment method to Canadian clients
• Automate invoice reconciliation when properly configured

When enabled, Interac e-Transfer integrates seamlessly with Activity Messenger’s invoicing and registration workflows.

 

B. Configuring Interac e-Transfer

To enable Interac e-Transfer:

1. Open Organization Settings > Interac
2. Enter the email address where clients will send Interac transfers
3. Click Save

Once saved, Interac e-Transfer becomes available as a payment option in payment forms and invoices.

 

C. Enable Interac Auto-Deposit (Recommended)

We strongly recommend enabling Interac Auto-Deposit for the configured email address through your bank.

When Auto-Deposit is enabled:

• Transfers are deposited automatically
• No security answer is required for settlement
• Manual intervention is reduced
• Payment reconciliation is faster and more reliable

Both you and the client receive confirmation once the transfer is accepted.

Once Auto-Deposit is enabled with your bank, return to this section and check the Auto-Deposit confirmation box to inform Activity Messenger that the setup is complete. This allows the platform to adjust settlement and automation behavior accordingly.

 

E. Interac payment settlement behavior

From this configuration screen, you can control how Interac payments are settled:

• Manual settlement option
  When enabled, administrators must enter the Interac reference number when confirming payment.
• Prevent duplicate reference numbers
  Ensures the same Interac reference number cannot be used to settle multiple payments.

These controls help prevent reconciliation errors and duplicate settlements.

 

F. Automatic cancellation (optional)

You may enable automatic cancellation for unpaid Interac invoices.

Automatic cancellation is only available when both of the following conditions are met:

1. Interac Auto-Deposit is enabled with your bank
2. Automatic Reconciliation is configured, with Interac confirmation emails forwarded to interac@am.lol

Behavior when enabled:

• A payment reminder email is sent if payment is not received within a configurable delay after registration

• A final cancellation email is sent after a second configurable delay

• The purchase or registration is automatically cancelled if payment remains outstanding

• Optional SMS notifications can be sent to the client at each step

All reminder and cancellation emails:

• Are fully customizable

• Include a direct link to the invoice so clients can complete payment quickly

 

G. Payment Settlement

There are two ways to reconcile Interac e-Transfer payments on invoices in Activity Messenger: manual settlement and automatic reconciliation.

If Interac Auto-Deposit is not enabled for the configured email address, e-Transfers must first be manually accepted through your bank before they can be settled in Activity Messenger.

➡️ For a complete walkthrough of Interac e-Transfer workflows—including client experience, settlement options, and automation—refer to the dedicated Interac e-Transfer article.

Configuring Automatic Reconciliation (Recommended)

Activity Messenger offers automatic Interac e-Transfer reconciliation (for a processing fee—see below), allowing invoices to be marked as paid automatically as soon as Interac payments are received. This significantly reduces manual administration and helps keep your financial records up to date in real time.

We strongly recommend enabling automatic reconciliation if you plan to accept Interac e-Transfers regularly.

How automatic reconciliation works

To enable automatic reconciliation, forward the Interac confirmation emails sent by your bank to:

interac@am.lol

When Activity Messenger receives the confirmation email, it will:

• • Read the encrypted invoice ID included in the Interac transfer message

  • Automatically match the payment to the correct invoice

  • Mark the invoice as paid in Activity Messenger

In most cases, invoices are settled within minutes of payment.

H. Failed payments daily digest

The users selected here are shared with the Stripe failed payments daily digest configured earlier in this article. Any user added to receive failed payment notifications will receive digests for both Stripe and Interac e-Transfer, where applicable.

For more details on how failed payment notifications work and how users are assigned, refer to the Stripe – Failed Payments Daily Digest section above.

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3. Taxes

The Taxes tab allows you to define and manage tax rates applied to payments and invoices in Activity Messenger.

Configuring taxes at the organization level ensures tax rules can be applied consistently across all sellable items—such as classes, products, bookings, and invoice items—resulting in accurate calculations, compliant invoicing, and simplified reporting.

Creating a new tax

To add a tax rate:

1. Click the + button
2. Configure the following fields:
   • Name — Label displayed to customers (e.g. GST, QST, Sales Tax)
   • Description — Internal reference for administrators
   • Tax percentage — Rate applied to taxable items
   • Inclusive tax (optional) — Enable if prices already include this tax

When Inclusive tax is enabled, Activity Messenger calculates and displays the tax portion without increasing the final price shown to the customer.

Managing taxes

• All configured taxes appear in a centralized list
• Use the drag handle (three horizontal lines) to reorder taxes and control their display order on invoices

Once created, taxes can be applied to:

• Classes and events
• Products
• Booking packages
• Invoice items and payment blocks

 

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4. Ledger Codes

Ledger codes are used to categorize revenue for accounting and financial reporting. They help structure your financial data, making it easier to generate meaningful reports, reconcile revenue, and export data to external accounting systems.

When used consistently, ledger codes clearly identify what is selling on the platform and how revenue is distributed across programs, departments, or activities.

Where ledger codes are used

Ledger codes can be assigned to all sellable objects in Activity Messenger, including:

• Classes and events
• Products
• Booking packages
• Invoice items and additional fees
• Other e-commerce blocks

Assigning ledger codes at configuration time ensures revenue is classified correctly at the point of sale.

Creating and managing ledger codes

To create a ledger code:

1. Go to Ledger Codes
2. Click the + button
3. Define a code and label aligned with your accounting structure

Once created, ledger codes become available wherever sellable items are configured. They can be edited or reordered at any time as your accounting needs evolve.

Why use ledger codes

Ledger codes allow you to:

• Segment revenue by program, department, or activity
• Generate cleaner financial exports
• Simplify reconciliation with accounting software
• Support detailed financial reporting and audits

 

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5. Point of Sale (POS)

The Point of Sale (POS) tab allows you to configure in-person and staff-assisted sales workflows within Activity Messenger. This setup is intended for front desks, kiosks, and on-site transactions where staff process payments on behalf of clients.

The POS uses the same invoicing engine, payment methods, and financial rules as online forms, ensuring consistency across all sales channels.

Cash register management

When enabled, staff members must open and close their cash register daily.

• Transactions cannot be completed unless the register is opened
• Cash register activity is tracked via E-Commerce > Invoices
• Administrators can review daily activity using the Cash register report, including:
  • Openings and closings
  • Cash movement
  • Transaction consistency

This is especially useful for organizations handling cash or requiring daily reconciliation.

Microsite online store

Receipt printer configuration

The POS supports printing invoices and receipts using a thermal receipt printer.

Available options include:

• Use a receipt printer
  • Enables printing invoices directly from Activity Messenger
  • Displays a Print button on invoices
  • Requires a USB-connected thermal printer
  • The Rongta RP326 model is recommended
• Open cash drawer when receipt is printed
  • Automatically opens the cash drawer
  • Requires a compatible printer and cash drawer

Built-in tools allow you to:

• View printer setup Instructions
• Test your printer before going live

Why use the Point of Sale

Using the POS allows you to:

• Process walk-in registrations using the same rules as online forms
• Maintain consistent invoicing and tax calculations
• Track staff-assisted and online sales together
• Support cash handling with daily reconciliation
• Print receipts and manage cash drawers efficiently

➡️ For detailed setup instructions, see Setting Up Your Point of Sale (POS) (article coming soon).
If you need immediate assistance, contact support@activitymessenger.com.

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Related articles

• Organization Payment Configurations (E-Commerce 101)
• Setting Up Your Point of Sale (POS)