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How to Accept Payments Through WordPress Invoices

Sending an invoice is only half the job. Once a client has the invoice in hand, they still need a clear way to see what they owe and an actual payment method they can use to settle it; otherwise, the invoice just sits there, and you’re left chasing payment manually.

The good news: this is a fully fixable problem, and you can solve it natively within WordPress without adding another costly SaaS subscription to your tech stack.

Direct Invoices as the Solution

Direct Invoices by Digages solves this by combining invoice creation, payment collection, and payment tracking in one WordPress plugin. Instead of sending a PDF and separately emailing your bank details or a payment link, you attach your configured payment method(s) directly to the invoice. The client opens the invoice, sees exactly what’s owed, and pays using one of the payment accounts you’ve set up, with the payment going directly to you and no transaction fees taken by Digages.

Once the client marks the invoice as paid, Direct Invoices moves it into your review queue so you can verify the payment and mark it complete, keeping a clear record of what’s been collected and what’s still outstanding.

Creating a Payment-Enabled Invoice

Here’s the full process, from creating the invoice to the client completing payment.

Step 1: Create a New Invoice

Go to Invoices → Create Invoice in your WordPress dashboard. The invoice creation screen is divided into four sections: Invoice Details, Invoice Items, Invoice Options, and Invoice Summary.

Step 2: Add Customer Information

In the Invoice Details section, click Add Customer to select an existing client or enter a new client’s name and contact details. This is who the invoice and the payment request will go to.

Step 3: Add Products or Services

In the Invoice Items section, add what the client is being billed for. You can add a custom service (such as “Website Design – Phase 1”) or, if WooCommerce is active on your site, an existing WooCommerce product. Set the quantity and price for each item.

Step 4: Set the Amount and Invoice Details

Still in Invoice Details, set the Currency, Invoice Date, and Due Date. The due date matters beyond bookkeeping; it’s what triggers automated payment reminders later. The invoice total is calculated automatically from your line items.

Step 5: Configure the Available Payment Method

In the Invoice Options section, select the Payment Account(s) the client should be able to use to pay this invoice. This step is essential because without a payment account attached, the invoice won’t include payment instructions, and the client has no way to actually pay.

Step 6: Send the Invoice to the Customer

Go to the Invoice Summary panel:

Click Save Invoice.
Choose a delivery channel: Email, WhatsApp, or Telegram.
Optionally download the invoice as a PDF for your own records.

How the Customer Completes Payment

The client receives the invoice through your chosen channel and can view it online. They see the invoice total, the itemized breakdown, and the payment method(s) you’ve configured, along with the payment instructions attached to that account. Once they’ve sent payment, they click “I have paid” on the invoice, which moves it into Paid status, ready for you to verify.

Configuring Payment Methods

Payment methods in Direct Invoices are set up under Invoices → Settings → Payment Methods, and this is what determines what a client can actually select when paying an invoice.

You have two ways to configure them:

  • Add Account (Manual Setup): Click Add Account and manually enter the details for your preferred payment method — Bank Transfer, Crypto wallet, Mobile Money, or a P2P platform (such as Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, Zelle, or similar), along with the payment instructions the client will see.
  • Sync Payment Methods: If you already use Direct Payments for WooCommerce or Direct Payments WP, you can use the Sync option to automatically import your existing payment accounts instead of re-entering them.

Once configured, these accounts become available to select on a per-invoice basis in the Invoice Options section.

Tracking Payments

Direct Invoices tracks every invoice through a defined status lifecycle, visible from the Invoices dashboard:

  • Draft — created but not yet sent, visible only to you
  • Sent — delivered to the client, awaiting action
  • Paid — the client has clicked “I have paid,” but payment is not yet confirmed on your end
  • Hold — the invoice is under review while you verify the payment
  • Completed — payment verified, and a receipt becomes available
  • Overdue — the due date has passed without payment
  • Cancelled — the invoice is no longer active

This means “Paid” is not the same as “confirmed.” You’re expected to verify the payment before moving the invoice to Completed, which is also what triggers the automated receipt if you’ve enabled that setting. From the Invoices dashboard, you can filter by status, review individual invoices with the eye icon, and manage several at once with bulk actions.

Conclusion

Getting paid through a WordPress invoice comes down to three things: a clear invoice, an attached payment method the client can actually use, and a way to track whether it’s been paid. Direct Invoices handles all three in one place; it features invoice creation, zero-fee payment methods, and payment status tracking from Draft through Completed.

If you’re currently sending invoices and payment details as two separate steps, Direct Invoices is built to bring them together. Get started with Direct Invoices and send your first payment-enabled invoice today.