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Payments Onboarding Wizard

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Overview

The Payments Onboarding Wizard gets you payment-ready in under 5 minutes. Whether you’re a customer funding your first project or an expert setting up payouts, the wizard walks you step-by-step through adding payment methods or completing Stripe Connect verification. You’ll see exactly where you are in the process, resume if you get interrupted, and receive nudges if you forget to finish - so you never lose momentum when you’re ready to transact.

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Step-by-Step Guide

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For Customers: Adding Your First Payment Method

  1. See the setup prompt - When you visit your dashboard without a payment method, a “Complete payment setup” banner appears at the top with a call-to-action button.
  2. Open the wizard - Click the button to launch a 3-step wizard with a progress indicator showing where you are.
  3. Select payment type - Choose your preferred payment method (card, bank account, or other supported options).
  4. Enter payment details - Use the secure Stripe Payment Element to add your card or bank details. Stripe validates your information in real-time.
  5. Confirm and complete - Review your payment method, confirm, and you’re done. A success animation plays, your dashboard updates with a “Payment ready” badge, and you can fund escrow immediately.
If you close the wizard partway through, it saves your progress. The banner stays visible until you complete setup, and you’ll resume from your last step when you return.

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For Experts: Setting Up Payouts

  1. Start from your dashboard - You’ll see a “Set up payouts” banner when you don’t have a verified payout account. Click to begin.
  2. Choose your country - Select from 9 supported countries (South Africa, US, UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Netherlands, Singapore). If your country is detected from your profile, it’s pre-selected.
  3. Create Stripe Connect account - The platform creates your Stripe account in under 3 seconds. Click “Continue to verification” to proceed.
  4. Complete KYC verification - You’re redirected to Stripe’s secure form to provide identity documents and business details. This typically takes 5-10 minutes.
  5. Return and check status - After submitting, you’re brought back to the platform. Your dashboard shows “Verification typically takes 1-3 business days” with real-time status updates.
  6. Get verified - When Stripe approves your account, you receive a notification via your preferred channel (in-app, Slack, or WhatsApp). Your dashboard shows “Verified” and you can accept projects and receive payouts.
If Stripe needs additional documents, your dashboard displays specific requirements with a “Resume verification” button that generates a fresh link.

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Common Questions

Q: What happens if I abandon the wizard halfway through?
A: Your progress is saved automatically. The setup banner stays on your dashboard, and when you return, you’ll resume from the exact step where you left off. You won’t need to re-enter information. Q: How long does expert verification take?
A: Most verifications complete in 1-3 business days. You’ll receive real-time status updates on your dashboard and a notification when approved. If Stripe needs additional documents, you’ll see exactly what’s required and can submit them immediately. Q: Can I add multiple payment methods as a customer?
A: Yes. Once you complete the wizard and add your first payment method, you can manage multiple methods from the Payment Methods page. Your first successful addition makes you payment-ready. Q: What if my payment method is declined later?
A: If a previously valid payment method expires or gets declined, you’ll receive a notification suggesting you add a new method. Your payment-ready status remains true - you just need to update to a current method. Q: Why do I receive nudges about completing payment setup?
A: If you have an active job but haven’t completed payment setup, you’ll receive a helpful reminder 24 hours later via your preferred channel (in-app, Slack, or WhatsApp). You’ll get up to 3 reminders per week, never during quiet hours (22:00-07:00 your local time). Once you complete setup, reminders stop automatically.

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Troubleshooting

Issue: “Stripe is temporarily unavailable” message appears
Your progress is saved, and you can try again in a few minutes. The wizard shows your last-known status, so you won’t lose any work. If the issue persists beyond 10 minutes, contact support. Issue: Expert verification shows “Failed” with document requests
Check your dashboard for the specific list of missing documents (ID, proof of address, business registration, etc.). Click “Resume verification” to generate a fresh Stripe link and upload what’s needed. Links expire after 5 minutes, but you can generate new ones anytime. Issue: Payment wizard doesn’t show up on my dashboard
Confirm you’re on the correct role’s dashboard (project dashboard for customers, expert dashboard for experts). If you have both roles, each has independent payment setup. Check that the PAYMENTS_ONBOARDING_ENABLED feature is active - if not, you’ll need to use the manual Payment Methods page. Issue: Stripe verification completed but dashboard still shows “Pending”
Status updates typically reflect within 10 seconds via webhook. If your status hasn’t updated after 1 minute, refresh your page. If still pending after 5 minutes, an admin can manually trigger a status refresh from the Verification Pipeline dashboard. Escrow Dashboard - Once payment-ready, visit the Escrow Dashboard to fund projects, track releases, and view your complete transaction history. This is where you’ll manage all funds held in escrow for active projects. Payment Methods - Access the full Payment Methods page to add, edit, or remove payment methods beyond your first setup. Set default methods and manage multiple cards or bank accounts from one place. Expert Payout Setup - If you’re an expert who completed customer payment setup, you’ll still need to complete separate expert payout setup to receive funds. Use the Expert Payout Setup wizard to configure your Stripe Connect account and start earning.