Set up Direct Debit with GoCardless

Connect and verify GoCardless, give a customer a secure authorisation link, and check when their mandate becomes active.

Reviewed 21 August 2026For Web, iPhone & iPad, Android
In this guide

GoCardless lets a customer authorise Direct Debit securely. Surehand stores the resulting mandate status against the customer; it does not ask you to collect the customer’s bank details yourself.

GoCardless is a plan-controlled feature. If Surehand shows Upgrade to Pro instead of the connect action, the current subscription does not include it.

Before you begin

You need:

  • Permission to manage the organisation’s integrations.
  • A GoCardless account suitable for your business.
  • A Surehand customer with accurate name and contact details.

Instructions for your platform

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

Connect GoCardless on the web

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Open Integrations.
  3. Find GoCardless.
  4. Choose Connect GoCardless.
  5. Complete the GoCardless authorisation.
  6. Return to Surehand and check that the integration shows as connected and verified.

If your GoCardless account already contains mandates, Surehand may synchronise or ask you to match mandates that could not be linked automatically.

Example data: the current GoCardless connection option for the fictional Surehand Co workspace on the web
Example data: the current GoCardless connection option for the fictional Surehand Co workspace on the web

Set up a customer

Open the customer’s profile and go to Direct Debit.

Choose the setup action to create a secure GoCardless authorisation link. Share that link with the customer.

The customer follows the GoCardless flow and enters their details there. Do not ask them to send bank details by email or message.

Wait for authorisation

Creating the link does not create an active mandate immediately. The mandate appears on the customer after they complete the GoCardless authorisation and Surehand receives the update.

Check the customer’s Direct Debit section for the current status.

Understand the connection status

Connected means Surehand has permission to use the merchant's GoCardless account. GoCardless must also verify that account before it can collect live payments.

  • Verification required means the merchant still needs to complete information requested by GoCardless.
  • In review means GoCardless is checking the submitted information.
  • Verified means the connection is ready to create mandates and payments.

If Surehand asks you to reconnect, return to SettingsIntegrations and complete the GoCardless connection again. Do not try to work around an expired connection by repeatedly submitting a payment.

Match existing mandates carefully

When existing GoCardless mandates cannot be matched automatically, review the pending import:

  1. Compare the GoCardless customer details with the Surehand customer.
  2. Select the correct customer.
  3. Confirm the match.

Skip an unmatched mandate only when it genuinely should not be linked. Skipping it in Surehand does not cancel it in GoCardless.

Taking payments

An active mandate gives permission to collect payment, but each collection still has its own status and processing timeline.

Check the amount, customer and invoice before starting a collection. Do not record a duplicate manual payment while a GoCardless payment is still processing.

You can collect eligible new invoices automatically or select invoices in a manual Direct Debit run. Read Automatically collect invoices with GoCardless before enabling automation for the organisation.

Cancelling or disconnecting

Cancelling one customer’s mandate is different from disconnecting the organisation’s GoCardless integration. Read the confirmation carefully before proceeding with either action.