How to use Dubsado without a payment processor

By Ema Katiraee, Certified Dubsado Specialist

TL;DR: You can use Dubsado without connecting a payment processor, but there are real tradeoffs. Invoices won't have a Pay Now button, workflows won't continue until you manually mark payments as received, and paid schedulers won't work at all. Here's how to set it up and what to expect.

---

Dubsado works best with a connected payment processor, but it's not required. Some business owners prefer to collect payments through Zelle, Venmo, e-transfer, or check, and that's doable in Dubsado with a few manual steps. Here's what changes when you don't have a payment processor connected, and how to work around it.

Before you apply a manual payment, you'll need an invoice to apply it to. If you haven't set one up yet, my guide on creating and sending invoices in Dubsado walks through that first.

---

What if I don’t want to use one of Dubsado’s payment processors?

While Dubsado offers seamless integration with payment processors like Stripe, Square and PayPal, you can still leverage its capabilities without these integrations.

What this means is that your invoices will not have the ‘Pay Now’ button, so clients can see the invoice but cannot make a payment directly on the invoice.

You can provide instructions on your invoice to direct clients to make their payment via alternate methods such as Zelle, Venmo, check or e-transfer, but you will have to apply those payments manually in Dubsado for the system to understand that payment as been received.

---

How to customize your Dubsado invoices to provide payment instructions

Add a note with your preferred payment method (Zelle, Venmo, e-transfer, etc.) directly on your invoices. See my complete guide to Dubsado invoices for the full walkthrough on editing invoice terms and settings.

---

How do I manually apply payment in Dubsado?

When you send an invoice in Dubsado, you have the option to apply payment manually. After receiving payment through external methods (e.g., bank transfer or check), simply go to the invoice and mark it as paid.

1. Go to the project and then to the Invoicing tab

2. Click on the invoice to open it up

3. Under Payments, click on the Transactions tab, then click + Payment

4. Select the date the payment was sent

5. Select the method of payment from the dropdown menu: Cash, Check, Credit, e-transfer, PayPal, Stripe, Square, Authorize.net, Other

6. Add the amount paid

7. Write a payment description (optional)

8. Click Log Payment

This method provides flexibility and avoids transaction fees associated with payment processors. It's ideal for those who prefer offline, payment methods with lower fees or more traditional payment methods.

Apply manual payment to invoice in Dubsado

---

Can I use workflows if I don’t use a payment processor?

Yes. Dubsado's workflows can still be incredibly useful even without a payment processor.

You can build workflows and have steps to check for ‘invoice paid in full’ or ‘invoice installment paid’, before continuing. This is great to send thank you or welcome emails post payment.

But, this means that your workflows will not move forward until you manually apply the payment in Dubsado. This translates into a loss of automation as steps in your client process that are tied to payment being received will not flow until you go into Dubsado and mark the invoice as paid.

If a client pays you while you’re sleeping or while you’re away on vacation - your workflows will not continue until you go into Dubsado and mark the invoice as paid. For some businesses this may not be an issue, but for others it can be a significant problem and the tipping point for them to start using payment processors.

NOTE: There is currently no way to automate adding payments into Dubsado from platforms like Zelle, Venmo, or e-transfers, even with an application like Zapier.

Workflow action that holds actions till invoice is paid

Can I use a paid scheduler if I don’t use a payment processor?

No. Paid schedulers need all the steps to be completed all at once for the paid appointment to be booked.

That means that the client need to select the date & time in the scheduler, fill out the form (if applicable), and pay the invoice in full for the appointment to be booked and for them to receive the confirmation email. And without a payment processor, this just isn’t possible.

What can you do instead?

Option #1

1. Send the scheduler

2. Once the appointment is booked, send them the invoice

   The downside to this method is that you may have instances in which clients book the appointment but never pay you. So you have to manually go in and cancel these appointments after a certain number of days.

Option #2

1. Send the invoice

2. Once payment is received, send them the scheduler

   The downside to this method is that clients may not know your availability before paying the invoice. They may find that none of the dates in your calendar are a good fit for them. If you have a call with them before sending the invoice, this can be avoided.

---

Pros and Cons of not using a payment processor with Dubsado

Pros

• Cost Savings: Avoid transaction fees charged by payment processors like Stripe, Square or PayPal.

• Flexibility: Freedom to choose any payment method preferred by you and your clients.

Cons

• Limited Automation: Certain automation features tied to payment being received will not flow automatically, as payment has to be entered manually.

• Manual Steps: Requires more manual intervention to track and update payments within Dubsado.

• More Friction: Clients need to make a payments outside of Dubsado, adding steps and friction to the client process which can cause delays in receiving payment or potentially losing clients.

• Potential Delays: Applying payment manually, means that steps like client onboarding are not triggered automatically and can cause potential delays in the project.

---

Tutorial: Using Dubsado without a Payment Processor

Below is a video to take you through how to use Dubsado without a payment processor. I’ll show you how to manually apply payments, how to use workflows without a payment processor and have clarity of the pros and cons of this approach.

---

Want Your Dubsado Account Setup Properly?

If you want your invoices, payment plans, and workflows all set up correctly in Dubsado, I can help. Book a discovery call and let's talk about what that looks like for your business.