In Graindevue, every booking follows a schedule with at most two steps: a deposit then a balance, or a single full payment. You set these terms in your packages, the client accepts them by signing the contract, then pays with a method you have allowed. The invoice is issued in your name at the first payment.
For the legal choices (deposit or arrhes, withdrawal, late payment), read our photography deposit guide.
The flow at a glance
| Step | Where | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Configuration | Studio, package page, "Default Payment Preferences" section | You choose the "Deposit Percentage", the "Balance Due" timing and the accepted payment methods for each phase. |
| 2. Adjustment | Studio, booking, "Payments" panel | The booking takes the package's deposit, balance timing and payment methods, with the default number of days. You can change them with "Edit Payment Configuration" as long as the client has not signed. |
| 3. Signature | Booking contract | The client signs, then you countersign. Payment terms are locked as soon as the client signs. |
| 4. Invoice issued | Automatic, then Studio, "Invoicing", "Issued" tab | At the first payment attempted or declared for a phase, the invoice for that phase is issued in your name. |
| 5. Payment | Client area | The client clicks "Pay Online" (Stripe Checkout) or declares a cash, cheque or direct transfer payment. |
| 6. Payout | Your Stripe account | For an online payment, the funds reach your Stripe account, then your bank according to Stripe's payout schedule. |
These steps are separate: an issued invoice is not a payment received, and a payment received in Stripe reaches your bank account with the next Stripe payout.
Configuring the deposit and the balance
The deposit percentage
The package form offers a deposit of 25 %, 50 %, 75 % or 100 %, plus a "Require 100% payment upfront (no balance)" checkbox. If a package has no saved payment preferences, the booking applies a 50 % deposit.
The "Deposit Nature" field ("Refundable" or "Non-Refundable") is saved with the terms. On cancellation, the package's cancellation tiers, written into the contract, determine the refund. The generated contract calls the first payment an "acompte" (deposit). If you want to agree on arrhes instead, first read the difference between acompte and arrhes.
When the balance is due
| "Balance Due" option | Calculated due date |
|---|---|
| "Before Session" | A number of days before the session (7 by default). If the session is closer, the balance moves to the session day. |
| "On Session Day" | The session day. |
| "After Session" | A number of days after the session (7 by default). |
| "Upon Delivery" | 14 days after the session. |
| "NET Terms" | A number of days after the session (30 by default), capped at 60 days. |
The number of days can be adjusted on each booking with "Edit Payment Configuration", as long as the client has not signed. Check the due dates in the booking's "Payments" panel before generating the contract.
Rules applied automatically
- Session in 5 days or fewer: full payment required, no balance.
- Deposit due date: 3 days after the booking is confirmed, or 1 day if the session is 7 days away or fewer, and no later than the day before the session.
- Balance cap: 60 days after the session at most. A warning appears beyond 45 days.
Choosing the accepted payment methods
For each package, tick the "Accepted Deposit Payment Methods" and the "Accepted Balance Payment Methods" separately, from five choices: "Credit Card", "Bank Transfer (SEPA)" (via Stripe), "Cash", "Check" and "Bank Transfer (off-platform)".
Online payment via Stripe
Online payment requires an active Stripe account. In Studio, the "Payouts" entry opens "Payment settings": you choose "Accept online payments" or "Offline only". Your Stripe Express account is only created when you click "Set up Stripe". Stripe then collects your details and verifies your identity under its own rules.
Until Stripe has enabled payments and payouts on your account, online payments stay blocked. "Bank Transfer (SEPA)" also requires that capability to be active on your Stripe account.
On the client side, a single "Pay Online" button opens the payment page hosted by Stripe Checkout. The methods shown on that page depend on Stripe settings. When strong customer authentication is required, for example a 3D Secure check requested by the bank, Checkout handles it automatically. It is not requested on every payment.
Cash, cheque and direct transfer
For these methods, the money does not go through Graindevue. You give your bank details to the client yourself, for example in the booking conversation. The client then uses "Declare Payment" and can add a reference, notes and a proof of payment. The declared amount must match the amount invoiced for the phase exactly.
The declaration puts the payment "awaiting confirmation". You confirm receipt or reject the declaration. A rejection puts the booking in dispute and suspends payments until the Graindevue team resolves it. You can also record a payment you received yourself with "Mark as paid" on the booking.
Signature, the payment boundary
No payment is possible until the contract is signed by both parties: the client first, then you. Before the client signs, any change to the payment terms makes the contract stale, and it must be regenerated. After the client signs, the terms can no longer be changed: to change them, the booking has to be cancelled and made again.
For how signing works, see contract management. For the clauses to decide before signing, see our photography contracts guide.
The invoice: issued in your name at the first payment
You are the seller on the invoice, not Graindevue. The invoice carries your identity and your client's.
- Profile required: before any invoice, complete the "Seller invoicing profile" in "Invoicing" (legal form, VAT treatment). Your SIRET comes from your account and the address from your profile. While this profile is incomplete, the client can neither pay nor declare a payment.
- Issued at the first payment: there is no invoice until someone pays. The invoice for a phase (deposit, balance or full payment) is issued at the first payment attempted or declared, or when you mark the phase as paid. There is at most one invoice per phase.
- Numbering: invoices follow the YYYY-NNNN format, reset every year.
- Credit notes: a refund or a correction generates a credit note numbered AVR-YYYY-NNNN.
- VAT exemption: if your profile states the franchise en base, the invoice carries the mention "TVA non applicable, article 293 B du CGI".
- Business client: the client gives their company name, SIRET and, optionally, their VAT number. This information is copied onto the invoice.
E-invoicing with Super PDP
Since 1 September 2026, all businesses must be able to receive electronic invoices. The obligation to issue them applies first to large companies and mid-sized companies (ETI), then to SMEs and micro-businesses from 1 September 2027 (official timeline).
In Graindevue, transmission goes through an optional connection to the Super PDP platform, from "Invoicing". It only covers invoices addressed to a business established in France, when you have a SIRET. The transmission status ("issued", "pending", "transmitted", "accepted", "rejected", "credited") appears in the "Issued" tab. Our e-invoicing guide details the timeline and the obligations.
Payouts: what depends on Stripe
For online payments, Graindevue takes no commission and the payment is routed to your Stripe account; the amount received appears in your Stripe dashboard. Stripe then pays your balance out to your bank account. The payout schedule, the delay before the first payout and your account's eligibility are set by Stripe according to the country and risk level, and your bank may add a delay.
Cash, cheque and direct transfer payments reach you directly, without going through Stripe.
Reminders sent to the client
| Reminder | When | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Upcoming balance | 7, 3 and 1 days before the balance due date | |
| Overdue deposit or balance | 1, 3 and 7 days after the due date |
These reminders go out automatically, with no action on your part. The client can turn them off in their email preferences.
What it costs
The subscription is €29/month, with a 30-day trial and no card required. Graindevue takes no commission on your bookings. Online payments go through Stripe, whose processing fees apply according to its pricing; the amount received appears in your Stripe dashboard. Cash, cheques and direct transfers involve no Stripe fee. Details are on the zero commission page.
To see this flow with your own terms, create a trial account, set up a package with the deposit and payment methods you use, then follow a test booking through to signature.
Frequently asked questions
What deposit can I ask for?
In Studio, 25 %, 50 %, 75 % or 100 % of the price, or full payment upfront. If a package has no saved preference, the deposit is 50 %. For a session in 5 days or fewer, full payment is required.
How is a booking's payment split?
In at most two phases: a deposit then a balance, or a single full payment. You set the deposit and the balance timing in the package, and the booking takes them over with the default number of days. Check the balance due date in the booking's "Payments" panel and adjust it with "Edit Payment Configuration" before the client signs.
Which payment methods can my clients use?
The ones you tick for each phase: card and SEPA transfer via Stripe (if your Stripe account is active), cash, cheque or direct transfer. For the last three, the client declares the payment and you confirm receipt.
When is the invoice created?
At the first payment attempted or declared for a phase, provided your invoicing profile is complete. It is issued in your name.
How does Graindevue transmit electronic invoices?
Through the optional Super PDP connection: invoices addressed to a business established in France are transmitted, and their status is tracked in the "Issued" tab.
When will I receive the money from an online payment?
The payout schedule is set by Stripe according to your country and account, and your bank may add a delay. Graindevue takes no commission. Stripe's processing fees apply according to its pricing.
Does the client have to complete 3D Secure?
Only if their bank or the regulations require it. Stripe Checkout then handles the authentication; it is not systematic.