Why can't the client sign or pay the proforma?
The portal only lets the client sign a pending, unexpired proforma, and pay it once, in full, with online payments on. Here's how to fix each case.
People with the «Sales» permission in edit mode. With view mode you can open, download, print and send proformas, but not change them.
Your client opens the proforma but can't sign or pay it, or tells you the link doesn't work. The portal only lets them answer while the proforma is waiting for them and still valid, and it only takes one payment of the whole total.
What you'll see
The client sees one of these, some of them in Spanish:
- Esta proforma ha caducado (this proforma has expired).
- Esta proforma ya está resuelta (this proforma has already been answered).
- Expired Link or Invalid Link, when they open your email's button.
- Proforma Not Found.
- No button, or no button to pay.
- Esta proforma ya tiene un pago registrado, Esta empresa aún no acepta pagos online, La proforma no tiene importe cobrable or Payment could not be initiated, when they try to pay.
- Falta la firma dibujada or Debes aceptar las condiciones, when they try to sign.
Why it happens
- The proforma has expired. This can happen if its date has passed while it's «Pending». In Filmo it still says «Pending», and the portal still shows the buttons, but they don't work.
- It has already been answered. This can happen if someone on your team set it to «Confirmed» or «Canceled», or the client already signed or declined it. A «Confirmed» proforma can still be paid; a «Canceled» one can't.
- The link has expired or been used. This can happen if the link is too old, or if the client already signed or declined with it: a works only once.
- The proforma no longer exists for them. This can happen if it was deleted, or if it belongs to another client's account.
- Signing is switched off. This can happen if is off in your settings: the client sees the proforma without the buttons. With the «Proformas» section off, they don't see it at all.
- It already has a payment. This can happen if any payment is recorded on it, even a part payment: the portal only takes one payment of the whole total.
- Online payments aren't working. This can happen if «Online payments» is off in the portal, or your Stripe account doesn't accept charges yet.
- The total is zero. This can happen if the proforma has nothing to collect.
- Stripe couldn't start the payment. This can happen now and then: the client can try again later.
- The signature is incomplete. This can happen if the client didn't draw or type a signature, or didn't tick the box accepting the terms.
How to fix it
- Check the proforma's status On the proforma page, look at the «Status» badge. If the client should still sign it, set it back to «Pending».
- Extend the validity If «Valid until» has passed, click «Edit», set a later date, choose the project again and save.
- Check the portal settings In the account menu → «Customer portal», make sure the «Proformas» section and «Proforma signing» are on, and «Online payments» if the client should pay.
- Send it again Click «Send» to email the client a new link. See Send a document by email.
- Collect the rest another way If the proforma already has a part payment, record the rest yourself in , or collect it on the invoice.
- Ask the client to complete the signature They need to draw or type it and tick the box before clicking «Sign and approve».
Other messages you might see
| What the client sees | What to do |
|---|---|
| Esta empresa aún no acepta pagos online | Finish setting up your Stripe account, or record the payment yourself. |
| La proforma no tiene importe cobrable | Check the proforma's lines and total. |
| Payment could not be initiated | Ask the client to try again later. |
| Proforma Not Found | Send the client the current proforma again. |
Still stuck?
If the proforma is «Pending», hasn't expired, signing and online payments are on and the client still can't sign or pay, contact support with the proforma number.