Automatically collect invoices with GoCardless

Let Surehand schedule eligible completed-job invoices by Direct Debit when they become due, and understand what is included or skipped.

Reviewed 21 August 2026For Web, iPhone & iPad, Android
Surehand for Window CleanersStep 10 of 11
In this guide

Automatic collection removes the payment step from the working day. Once it is enabled, a cleaner can complete a job and move on. Surehand creates the invoice and, when it becomes due, schedules the eligible outstanding balance through the customer's active GoCardless mandate.

A scheduled Direct Debit is not instant and does not mean the invoice has been paid. GoCardless processes it on the normal Direct Debit timeline, and Surehand allocates the payment after receiving confirmation.

Before you enable it

You need:

  • A connected and verified GoCardless account.
  • Permission to manage the organisation's integrations.
  • Active mandates for the customers you want to collect from.
  • Correct invoice payment terms and due dates.

Automation applies across the organisation. It is not a separate switch for each customer or invoice.

Instructions for your platform

Choose where you’re using Surehand. We’ll remember your selection for the next guide.

Enable automatic collection on the web

  1. Open Settings → Integrations.
  2. Find the connected GoCardless integration.
  3. Turn on Automatic collection.
  4. Read the confirmation carefully and choose Enable automatic collection.

Return to the same setting to turn automation off. Disabling it stops new automatic collections; it does not cancel payments already scheduled with GoCardless.

What Surehand collects

On each automatic check, an invoice is eligible when:

  • It was created after automatic collection was enabled.
  • It is due today or overdue.
  • It has a positive outstanding balance.
  • Every job linked to it is completed.
  • The customer has an active GoCardless mandate.
  • It is in GBP.
  • No GoCardless collection is already in progress for it.

Surehand schedules the exact outstanding balance, not the original invoice total when part of it has already been paid.

The production service normally checks for eligible invoices about every 15 minutes. An invoice may therefore be picked up shortly after it becomes eligible or near the next check. This only schedules the payment; bank processing still follows the GoCardless Direct Debit timeline.

What is not collected automatically

  • Invoices created before automation was enabled.
  • Invoices that are not due yet. These remain eligible to be picked up when their due date arrives if they were created after automation was enabled.
  • Invoices linked to unfinished work.
  • Invoices with no balance remaining.
  • Customers without an active mandate.
  • Invoices that already have a GoCardless attempt.

Use Direct Debit run for older invoices or anything you deliberately want to select yourself. Resolve the stated reason when a customer or invoice is blocked rather than repeatedly trying to collect it.

Follow the payment

After Surehand creates the payment, check the customer's payment history or the Direct Debit area. It moves from scheduled or processing to confirmed, failed or another final status as GoCardless sends updates.

Do not record the same money manually or send another payment link while the Direct Debit is scheduled or processing. If a payment fails, check whether Success+ is retrying it before taking manual action.