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Invoicing & payments

Invoicing & payments

Everything you need to know about creating invoices, collecting payments, setting up recurring billing, and managing your outstanding receivables in Mutual Africa Pay.

Creating and sending your first invoice

Mutual Africa Pay generates professional, branded invoices that include your business logo, contact details, and VAT registration number automatically. An invoice can be created in under two minutes once your client record and product or service details are in the system.

How to create an invoice

1

Go to Invoicing — Select Invoicing from the main navigation. Click the New Invoice button in the top right.

2

Select your client — Start typing the client name and select them from the dropdown. If the client does not exist yet, click Add New Client to create their record first. The client's billing address, currency, and payment terms are pulled in automatically.

3

Add line items — Click Add Line Item for each product or service you are billing. Enter the description, quantity, and unit price. If you have a product catalogue set up, you can search for products directly. Mutual Africa Pay calculates line totals and applies the correct VAT rate automatically.

4

Set the due date — Select the payment due date. If the client has standard payment terms set on their profile (for example, thirty days), Mutual Africa Pay suggests the due date automatically.

5

Add any notes or payment instructions — Use the notes field for any additional information you want to appear at the bottom of the invoice — bank details, project references, or special instructions.

6

Preview and send — Click Preview to see exactly how the invoice will look to the client. When you are ready, click Send. Mutual Africa Pay delivers it by email with a payment link embedded, or you can choose to send via WhatsApp or SMS instead.

Mutual Africa Pay saves drafts automatically as you build the invoice. If you close the screen before sending, the draft is saved and accessible from the Invoices list under the Draft tab.

After sending

Once the invoice is sent, Mutual Africa Pay tracks its status in real time. You will see when it moves from Sent to Viewed, and then to Paid once the client makes payment through the payment link. If the due date passes without payment, the status changes to Overdue and the invoice appears in your aged receivables report.

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Sending invoices via WhatsApp and SMS

Mutual Africa Pay allows you to send invoices and payment links directly to clients via WhatsApp or SMS from within the platform — without copying links manually or switching to a separate messaging application. This is particularly effective in African markets where WhatsApp is the primary business communication channel and clients respond to messages faster than email.

Sending an invoice via WhatsApp

1

Create your invoice — Build the invoice as you normally would, following the standard invoice creation process.

2

On the Send screen, select WhatsApp — Instead of Send by Email, click Send via WhatsApp. You will be prompted to confirm or enter the client's WhatsApp number.

3

Confirm the number — Mutual Africa Pay pre-fills the number from the client's profile. Verify it is correct, then click Send.

4

The client receives the invoice in WhatsApp — The message is delivered to the client's WhatsApp with the invoice details and a direct payment link. The client taps the link, reviews the invoice, and pays — without needing to log in to anything or download any application.

Sending an invoice via SMS

SMS delivery works identically to WhatsApp delivery. Select Send via SMS on the send screen, confirm the client's mobile number, and Mutual Africa Pay sends a short message containing the invoice summary and payment link. SMS delivery is useful for clients who do not use WhatsApp or who are in areas with limited data connectivity.

Sending a payment link without an invoice

If you need to request payment without a formal invoice — for example, a deposit or an ad hoc payment — go to Payments and select Payment Links. Create a standalone payment link by entering the amount, currency, and a brief description. You can then share this link via WhatsApp, SMS, or any other channel.

Payment links generated from invoices are specific to that invoice. When the client pays, the payment is automatically recorded against the correct invoice in your accounts — no manual matching required.
WhatsApp delivery requires that your client has an active WhatsApp account on the number in their profile. If delivery fails, Mutual Africa Pay will notify you and you can resend via email or SMS instead.
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Setting up recurring billing

Mutual Africa Pay automates the billing cycle for subscription clients and retainer arrangements. Once a recurring billing schedule is configured, Mutual Africa Pay generates and sends invoices automatically on the defined schedule without any manual action required from you.

When to use recurring billing

Recurring billing is designed for any arrangement where you bill a client the same or similar amount on a regular schedule — monthly retainers, software subscriptions, maintenance contracts, membership fees, regular service arrangements, and any other ongoing billing relationship.

How to set up a recurring billing schedule

1

Go to Payments, then Recurring Billing — Click New Recurring Schedule.

2

Select the client — Choose the client this schedule applies to.

3

Set the billing cycle — Choose how often the invoice should be generated — weekly, biweekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually.

4

Add line items — Enter the services or products being billed on this schedule, with amounts. These will appear on every invoice generated by this schedule.

5

Set the start date and end date — Enter when billing should start. If the arrangement has a defined end date, enter that too. If it is open-ended, leave the end date blank and the schedule will continue until you pause or cancel it.

6

Choose delivery method — Select whether recurring invoices should be sent by email, WhatsApp, or SMS. The delivery method set here is used for every invoice on this schedule.

7

Activate the schedule — Click Activate. Mutual Africa Pay will generate the first invoice on the next scheduled date and send it automatically.

Once activated, a recurring billing schedule requires no ongoing management. Invoices are generated, sent, and tracked automatically. You can view all active schedules and their next send dates from the Recurring Billing dashboard.

Pausing or cancelling a schedule

You can pause a recurring schedule at any time — for example, if a client is on holiday or has requested a temporary hold. Pausing stops invoice generation without deleting the schedule. When you are ready to resume, click Resume and billing continues from the next scheduled date. To end the arrangement permanently, click Cancel Schedule.

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Generating and sharing payment links

A payment link in Mutual Africa Pay is a direct URL that takes a client to a secure payment page where they can settle an invoice or make a payment — without logging in to anything, downloading any application, or creating an account. Payment links can be shared via email, WhatsApp, SMS, or any other messaging channel.

Payment links attached to invoices

Every invoice created in Mutual Africa Pay automatically includes a payment link. When you send an invoice by email, the payment link appears as a Pay Now button in the email. When you send by WhatsApp or SMS, the link is included in the message. When the client clicks the link, they are taken to a payment page showing the invoice details and payment options. Once they complete payment, the invoice is automatically marked as paid in your Mutual Africa Pay account.

Creating a standalone payment link

For situations where you need to request payment without a formal invoice — a deposit, a partial payment, a one-time ad hoc charge — Mutual Africa Pay allows you to create a standalone payment link.

1

Go to Payments, then Payment Links — Click New Payment Link.

2

Enter the amount and currency — Set the amount and select the currency. Mutual Africa Pay supports ZAR, USD, GBP, EUR, KES, NGN, and other African currencies.

3

Add a description — Enter a brief description of what the payment is for. This appears on the payment page that the client sees.

4

Set an expiry date (optional) — If the payment link should expire after a certain date, set an expiry. After this date the link will no longer work.

5

Generate and share — Click Generate. Mutual Africa Pay creates the link. Copy it and share it via WhatsApp, email, SMS, or any other channel.

Standalone payment links do not create an invoice automatically. If you need a VAT invoice to accompany the payment, create the invoice first and use the invoice payment link instead.

Tracking payment link activity

Mutual Africa Pay tracks every payment link — showing whether it has been opened, when payment was made, and the payment method used. You can view this activity from the Payment Links section under Payments.

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Converting a quote to an invoice

Mutual Africa Pay connects the quoting and invoicing process so that an accepted quote becomes an invoice in a single click, with all line items, pricing, client details, and currency carried across automatically. This eliminates the manual re-entry of information between the two documents and ensures that what was quoted is exactly what gets billed.

How to convert an accepted quote to an invoice

1

Go to Quotes — Find the accepted quote in the Quotes list. Accepted quotes show a status of Approved.

2

Open the quote — Click on the quote to open it.

3

Click Convert to Invoice — The Convert to Invoice button appears at the top of the approved quote. Click it.

4

Review and adjust if needed — Mutual Africa Pay creates a draft invoice with all the quote details pre-filled. Review the line items, due date, and any notes. Make any adjustments if the scope or pricing changed between the quote and the final work.

5

Send the invoice — When you are satisfied, click Send. The invoice is delivered to the client by the delivery method configured for that client.

When a quote is converted to an invoice, the original quote is linked to the invoice record. You can always navigate back to the source quote from within the invoice to review what was originally agreed.

What happens to the quote after conversion

After conversion, the quote status changes to Converted. It remains in the Quotes list for reference but is no longer editable. If the client needs a new quote for a revised scope, create a new quote rather than editing the converted one.

Only quotes with an Approved status can be converted to an invoice. If a client approved a quote verbally but did not use the online approval, open the quote and click Mark as Approved manually before converting.
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Adding line items, taxes, and discounts

Mutual Africa Pay gives you full control over how each invoice is structured — including multiple line items, different VAT rates, line-level discounts, and invoice-level discounts. This section explains how each element works.

Adding line items

Each line item on an invoice represents one product or service being billed. Click Add Line Item to add a row. Enter the item description, quantity, and unit price. Mutual Africa Pay calculates the line total automatically. You can add as many line items as needed — there is no limit.

If you have a product catalogue set up under Business Operations, you can search for products by name and they will populate with their saved description and price. This saves time and ensures consistency across invoices.

Applying VAT and tax rates

Mutual Africa Pay applies the default VAT rate configured for your organisation — fifteen percent for South African businesses — to each line item automatically. If a specific line item has a different tax treatment, click the tax field on that line and select the applicable rate — standard rate, zero-rated, or exempt.

For clients in different countries with different tax requirements, set the correct tax rate on the client profile. Mutual Africa Pay will apply that rate automatically to all invoices for that client.

Applying discounts

Discounts can be applied at the line level or at the invoice level. To add a line-level discount, click the discount field on the relevant line item and enter the percentage or fixed amount to be deducted from that line only. To apply a discount to the entire invoice, scroll to the invoice totals section and enter a discount percentage or amount in the Overall Discount field. Mutual Africa Pay shows both the original total and the discounted total clearly on the invoice.

If you regularly give a specific client a standard discount, set a default discount percentage on their client profile. Mutual Africa Pay will apply it automatically to every invoice for that client.
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Understanding invoice statuses

Every invoice in Mutual Africa Pay moves through a series of statuses as it progresses from creation to payment. Understanding what each status means helps you manage your receivables effectively and take the right action at the right time.

Draft

An invoice with Draft status has been created but not yet sent to the client. Draft invoices do not appear in your receivables or affect your financial reports. You can edit a draft invoice freely before sending it.

Sent

Sent means the invoice has been delivered to the client by email, WhatsApp, or SMS. It is now recorded as a receivable in your financial reports. The due date clock starts from the date the invoice was sent.

Viewed

Viewed means the client has opened the invoice or clicked the payment link. This status confirms delivery and is useful for follow-up conversations — if a client claims they did not receive an invoice, you can see whether it was viewed and when.

Partially paid

Partially paid means the client has made a payment against the invoice but the full amount has not yet been received. The outstanding balance is visible on the invoice record. Mutual Africa Pay continues to include the remaining balance in your aged receivables.

Paid

Paid means the full invoice amount has been received and recorded. The invoice is removed from outstanding receivables and the payment is reflected in your profit and loss report and bank reconciliation.

Overdue

Overdue means the invoice due date has passed and the full amount has not been received. Overdue invoices appear in the aged receivables report with their aging bracket — thirty, sixty, or ninety-plus days overdue.

Cancelled

Cancelled means the invoice has been voided. A cancelled invoice remains in the system for audit purposes but is removed from receivables and does not affect financial reports. Use this status for invoices that were raised in error or for work that was not performed.

Mutual Africa Pay does not delete invoices. If you need to reverse a sent invoice, cancel it and raise a credit note if a refund is required. This preserves a complete audit trail.
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Invoice payment not received — what to check

If a client tells you they have paid an invoice but the payment has not been recorded in Mutual Africa Pay, or if you are expecting a payment that has not arrived, the following steps will help you identify the cause and resolve it.

Step 1 — Check the invoice payment link

Open the invoice in Mutual Africa Pay and confirm that the payment link is active and has not expired. If the link was set with an expiry date that has passed, the client cannot pay through it. Generate a new payment link and resend the invoice.

Step 2 — Check the client's payment method

Confirm with the client which payment method they used — card, EFT, or mobile money. If they paid by EFT directly to a bank account rather than through the payment link, the payment will not be recorded automatically. You will need to match the bank transaction manually through the bank reconciliation module once it arrives in your account.

Step 3 — Check your bank reconciliation

Go to Banking and check the reconciliation feed. If the payment has arrived in your bank account but has not been matched to the invoice, you can match it manually from the unmatched transactions list.

Step 4 — Check for partial payments

If the client paid only part of the invoice, Mutual Africa Pay will show the invoice as Partially Paid rather than Paid. Check the invoice record to see the payment history and the remaining outstanding balance.

Step 5 — Contact Mutual Africa Pay support

If the payment was made through the Mutual Africa Pay payment link and the client has a payment confirmation but the invoice is not marked as paid, contact the Mutual Africa Pay support team with the invoice number and the client's payment confirmation reference. The support team can investigate the payment processing record.

Do not manually mark an invoice as paid unless you have confirmed that the funds have arrived in your bank account. Marking an invoice paid without receiving the funds will misrepresent your actual cash position.
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Accepting payments in multiple currencies

Mutual Africa Pay supports invoicing and payment collection in multiple currencies — including ZAR, USD, GBP, EUR, KES, NGN, GHS, and other African currencies. This allows businesses trading across borders or serving international clients to invoice each client in the correct currency without maintaining multiple systems.

Setting a currency for a client

Each client in Mutual Africa Pay can have a default currency set on their profile. When you create an invoice for that client, Mutual Africa Pay automatically uses their default currency — so you do not need to select it manually each time. To set a client currency, open the client profile and select their preferred currency from the Currency field.

How exchange rates are applied

Mutual Africa Pay sources live exchange rates at the time of each transaction. When a foreign currency invoice is created, the amount is displayed in the invoice currency. When payment is received, the equivalent amount in your base reporting currency is calculated at the live rate at the time of payment and posted to your profit and loss report. The exchange rate applied is recorded on the payment record for reference.

Multi-currency in your reports

Your profit and loss report and balance sheet consolidate all foreign currency revenue and expenses into your base currency using the rates applied at the time of each transaction. This gives you a single accurate view of total business performance regardless of how many currencies you operate in. You can also view reports filtered by currency to see performance in each currency separately.

If your business holds foreign currency bank accounts, connect them via open banking or import statements in the relevant currency. Mutual Africa Pay tracks each account in its native currency and converts to your reporting currency for consolidated reports.
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Setting up automated payment reminders

Mutual Africa Pay can send payment reminders to clients automatically on a schedule you define — before an invoice is due, on the due date, and after the due date if payment has not been received. Automated reminders reduce the time you spend chasing payments manually and prompt faster collection without requiring direct follow-up conversations.

How to configure reminder schedules

1

Go to Settings, then Invoice Reminders — This section controls the default reminder schedule applied to all invoices.

2

Enable reminders — Toggle on Automated Reminders.

3

Set your reminder timing — Mutual Africa Pay allows you to set up to three reminder points — for example, three days before due date, on the due date, and seven days after the due date. Enter the number of days for each reminder you want to activate.

4

Choose the delivery channel — Select whether reminders should be sent by email, WhatsApp, SMS, or a combination. The channel you choose here is the default for all invoices.

5

Customise the reminder message (optional) — Mutual Africa Pay provides a default reminder message that includes the client name, invoice number, amount, and due date. You can edit this message to match your communication style.

6

Save your settings — Click Save. Mutual Africa Pay will apply this reminder schedule to all new invoices automatically.

Disabling reminders for a specific invoice

If you do not want reminders sent for a particular invoice — for example, if you are handling collection manually for a specific client — open the invoice, go to the Reminders section, and toggle off Automated Reminders for that invoice only. This does not affect the default schedule for other invoices.

Reminder messages sent via WhatsApp include the payment link. When a client taps the reminder, they can pay immediately — reducing the steps between reminder and payment.
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