> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.arcsolar.com.au/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Understand the PayTo mandate

> Authorise bank payments for your organisation's communications usage.

**Open:** the PayTo step during onboarding, or your organisation's billing controls in **Settings**.

The onboarding PayTo mandate is your organisation's permission for communications usage charges. Calls, SMS segments and numbers are billed separately from the software subscription. An active mandate enables VoIP; approving it is not payment for a customer's solar system.

## Three separate arrangements

| Setup                           | Purpose                              |
| ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| Software subscription           | Access to the ArcSolar plan          |
| Organisation PayTo mandate      | Calls, SMS and number usage billing  |
| Stripe customer-payment account | Receive payments from your customers |

## Authorise the agreement

1. Choose the PayTo setup action.
2. Read the business name, payment purpose, amount limits and frequency shown.
3. Provide the bank details or PayID requested by the secure payment flow.
4. Open your banking app or online banking and approve the agreement.
5. Return to ArcSolar and wait for the active status before testing calls or SMS.

If approval is pending, check the banking app. If it is declined, check bank eligibility, account authority and the agreement limits. Ask support before starting repeated setup attempts.

## Why use bank payments?

PayTo avoids relying on a saved card that can expire or be replaced. It gives you a bank-authorised agreement for ongoing billing. This removes card-specific failure points and avoids card processing on that payment.

<Note>PayTo does not mean all processing is free. Stripe or bank fees and your agreed commercial terms can still apply. Payment can fail because of account restrictions, insufficient funds, a paused agreement or bank limits. Do not promise customers fee-free payments unless their checkout and agreement confirm that.</Note>

A mandate is permission to collect under its terms; it is not proof that any particular charge succeeded. Use the payment status and invoice to confirm collection.

See [Stripe's PayTo explanation](https://docs.stripe.com/payments/payto) for bank approval and payment-method details.

## ArgonixIntelligence in this workflow

Use intelligence to understand the surrounding workflow where available. The active mandate and confirmed payment records remain the source of truth.


## Related topics

- [Set up Stripe customer payments](/integrations/stripe.md)
- [Create your organisation](/setup/onboarding.md)
- [Plain-language glossary](/reference/glossary.md)
- [Understand the customer's quote view](/quoting/customer-view.md)
- [Review operations and platform information](/reporting/operations-platform.md)