Credit Card Window

Maxio’s Credit Card Window feature allows SaaS businesses to encourage faster collections and improve Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) by offering credit card payment options only for a limited period after an invoice is issued. By restricting credit card payments to an “early pay” window, you can incentivize customers to remit payment quickly while maintaining control over credit card transaction fees.

Overview

Credit Card Windows define a site-level, currency-specific time limit—measured in days after invoice issuance—during which credit card payments are accepted. Once the window expires, credit card payment options are blocked for that invoice.

This feature applies only to remittance payments—payments made manually by users through the Admin UI or public invoice pages.

Who Should Use This

Finance teams, billing managers, and accounts receivable specialists at SaaS companies can use Credit Card Window to encourage faster payments by making credit card acceptance available only for a limited period after invoice issuance. This approach provides an incentive for customers to pay early while allowing businesses to maintain control over credit card fees. It is especially valuable for organizations looking to reduce DSO, accelerate cash flow, and fine-tune their collections strategy in conjunction with other Maxio payment control features.

Key Benefits

• Improve cash flow by driving earlier payments.
• Reduce DSO through targeted payment incentives.
• Maintain control over credit card fees by limiting availability.
• Support tailored collection strategies when used with other Maxio payment controls.

How It Works

When a Credit Card Window is configured:

1. Credit card payments are permitted only within the set number of days from the invoice issue date.
2. After the window expires:
   • Credit card payment methods are blocked in:
     • Admin UI invoice payment pages
     • Public invoice pages
   • API payment attempts using credit card will return an error message indicating that the payment method is unavailable due to the window restriction.
3. The window is evaluated based on the invoice issue date, not the due date or terms.
4. The window is calculated based on full calendar days, not exact 24-hour periods. For example, if a credit card window is set to 1 day, the window extends until the end of the following calendar day (11:59 PM).

If no window is set for a given currency, the credit card window restriction does not apply for that currency.

Configuration

Credit Card Windows are configured:

• From the Invoicing Settings page.
• Per currency, not per payment gateway.
• As an integer value representing the number of days after invoice issuance that credit card payments are accepted.
• If a currency is removed from your site, the credit card window for that currency is automatically removed.

Validation Rules

• Validation is enforced only for remittance payments.
• Invoices with collection_method = remittance are always subject to the window.
• Invoices under a subscription with automatic collection can still be paid manually (remittance), but will be subject to the window rules.
• Enforcement occurs at payment attempt:
  • If the payment date is beyond the configured window, the credit card option is blocked.
  • No payment_failure event is emitted (validation occurs before processing).
• The minimum value accepted for the setting is 1 day.

Warnings & Restrictions

• Admin UI: When viewing an invoice past the window period, the credit card option will not be available for selection.
• Public Invoice Pages: Customers will not see credit card payment options once the window expires.
• API: Attempting to pay by credit card after the window returns an error indicating the payment method is unavailable.

Example Use Cases

Accepted cases:
A customer receives a Net 30 invoice on March 1. Your credit card window is set to 5 days. They pay by credit card on March 4—within the window—so the payment is accepted.

A customer receives a Net 30 invoice on March 1 at 3:00 PM. Your credit card window is set to 1 day. The customer pays by credit card on March 2 at 11:00 PM. This payment is accepted because the window runs until the end of March 2—even though more than 24 hours have elapsed since invoice issuance.

Blocked case:
A customer receives the same invoice but attempts to pay by credit card on March 12. Since this is outside the 5-day window, the credit card option is unavailable.

Best Practices

• Set windows short enough to encourage early payment but long enough to be achievable for customers.
• Communicate the availability of credit card payments during the early period as part of your invoicing process.
• Consider combining Credit Card Window with Credit Card Threshold for full control over both timing and transaction size.
• Regularly review window settings to ensure alignment with your AR and cash flow goals.