I’ve just configured my first Direct Debit via GoCardless.
My client had already created the mandate with GoCardless so I used the provided tool to move the mandate to QuickFile.
I followed all the steps in your support document on the subject, including adapting the recurring invoice template which correctly showed the blue Direct Debit Enabled banner. The client profile page displays “Direct Debit Found!” and showed a green tick.
As the invoice date had already passed I tried to manually collect payment for the two most recent invoices, but both failed with a “One or more Direct Debit requests could not be processed: The payment request was not successfull.”.
I then started from scratch by removing the Direct Debit mandate, and sending a new request from within QuickFile. The client accepted, the mandate ID matches the one in GoCardless, and all the confirmations as shown again in QuickFile. Attempts to collect a manual payment failed again, however.
My client is based in the Netherlands, and the payment scheme shown in the mandate in GoCardless is correctly shown as SEPA.
There is no further explanation as to why the collection failed, and my GoCardless profile shows no activity. All attempts failed instantly, i.e. the moment I clicked OK to confirm that I want to go ahead with the collection.
QuickFile only supports GBP collections through UK direct debits at present. The direct debit would match as this is checked with GoCardless (which tells us whether it does exist on your account or not).
After this, unfortunately, you would only be able to collect against the direct debit if it was based in the UK, rather than using SEPA.
I’m confused, however, as GoCardless allows collection of funds via SEPA. Given that it’s GoCardless who collects the funds, not QuickFile, all QuickFile needs to do is the instruction on to GoCardless, using the provided mandate, who will take care of the collection and then notifies QuickFile when the funds have been received.
As I mentioned, the collection fails the instant I click OK. No connection to a third party can be that fast.
Like the user in that thread, I’m invoicing my client in £, and the option to collect funds via DD appears in the More Options menu.
Forgive me for not understanding why this can’t work as I’m not a developer, but surely this just down to an API call to issue an instruction to GC to process a request for payment? The method by which GC collects the funds should irrelevant to QF; it should be an instructions to process, then wait for the payment to appear in the configured bank account so that the invoice can be marked as paid,.
If it is not that simple, can this please be reassessed, four and half years later on from the linked thread? There must be more QF users who do business in Europe.
EDIT:
Some background information:
My client has a monthly subscription to my services. Until recently this was paid via PayPal, but my client has informed me that he can no longer pay via PayPal. This means I have to look for another way to collect the monthly fee, hence the need for GoCardless.
I’ve tried signing up for Stripe, but apparently my business (IT consultancy services) fall under their prohibited businesses so they’re denying me an account. Go figure.
We’re happy to look into it. However, for the time being, what you may wish to do is start a #feature request thread, and we can monitor the interest in this.
Many of the features on QuickFile come from our community, but many are also driven by user support. A feature request would allow other users to add their vote for this feature too.