What it is card on file
A card on file payment securely stores a customer's card credentials so you can charge them automatically using Auto Collect, for future invoices and payment requests.
Useful for recurring invoices or subscriptions
Supports unscheduled charges, meaning any amount, not just fixed recurring ones
Also works with Apple Pay and Google Pay
You never see or hold raw card numbers, these are stored securely by our payment processor
When to use it
Your customer pays regularly by card
You want an alternative to direct debit, for faster retries, instant payment confirmation, easier chargeback defence, and quicker settlement
You need an upfront payment followed by ongoing charges (see "Common setups" below)
You want a backup for when direct debit fails (see "Common setups" below)
How customers add a card
Either:
The customer makes a real payment, and the card is saved for future use, or
The customer completes a nominal authorisation (£0 or £1, depending on card type; the £1 hold clears automatically)
Your customer is notified when they enter their card details that the card will be stored for future payments.
Surcharging: if business card surcharging is switched on, the card fee is passed to the customer instead of you. They're told this when they first add their card.
Cost: there's no extra Adfin fee for using card on file. See our pricing page.
How to turn it on
Card on file is configured per customer agent, so it applies to every customer assigned to that agent.
Edit the customer agent
Click "Customise payment options"
Choose your options:
Option | What it does |
Card as primary Auto Collect method | Card on file replaces direct debit as the default collection method for all customers on this agent |
Save card for future use | Converts On Demand payers to Auto Collect payers. Customer sees card/Apple Pay/Google Pay when paying on demand, and their card is saved after payment |
Fallback if direct debit fails | Automatically attempts to take payment via the card on file where a direct debit payment fails (see more below) |
You can use these options in any combination.
Common setups
Take an upfront payment, then store the card for future use
Useful if you need an initial payment to start work, then plan to charge the same card again later without the customer re-entering details.
Choose "Save card details for future use" above.
Once the customer completes their first payment (card, Apple Pay or Google Pay), the card is saved automatically for future Auto Collect charges.
Use card on file as a backup for direct debit failures
Useful if you get a lot of failed direct debit payments and want a reliable fallback.
Choose "Use stored card details where a direct debit payment fails" above.
Here's what happens:
A direct debit payment fails
Adfin automatically tries the customer's card on file instead
The customer is emailed one business day before the retry
This repeats up to the maximum retry count set for the customer agent
What your customer is told
When a card is saved: told on the payment page, then a confirmation email
Before each charge: notified one business day in advance
After each charge: told whether it succeeded or failed
If a card payment is declined
Situation | What happens |
Insufficient funds / soft decline | Retried automatically, based on the retry count set in the agent's Auto Collect steps |
Expired card | Where possible, Adfin's card account updater refreshes expired or reissued cards automatically, you'll only hear from us if it can't and you'll be able to request a new card from your customer. |
Managing stored cards
Adfin currently supports one active card per customer.
See who has a card on file:
Add the "Card enrolment" column to the customer table, or
Open a customer and check "Saved payment method"
Remove a stored card:
Select the customer
Go to "Saved payment method"
Click the three dots next to the card → "Remove"
Add or replace a card: select "Send card on file request" from the customer drawer.
Security and compliance
Card details are captured and stored directly by our payment processor; Adfin never has access to raw card numbers.
Charges are processed as merchant-initiated (unscheduled) transactions, following standard card scheme and regulatory rules for authenticating a customer once and charging later without repeat authentication.
Get in touch if you'd like more detail on how this applies to your business.
FAQs
Can a customer have more than one card on file? No, only one active card at a time. Sending a new card on file request replaces the existing card once completed.
My customer never received the card on file request or authorisation email. What do I do? Check their saved payment method status in the customer drawer. If no card is stored, resend via "Send card on file request." Ask them to check spam, and confirm you have the right email on file.
A stored card payment was declined. What do I tell my customer? Soft decline (e.g. insufficient funds): no action needed, Adfin retries automatically based on your agent's retry count. Expired card that couldn't auto-refresh: you'll be notified to request a new card on file.
Does storing a card cost anything extra? No. See our pricing page for transaction fee details.
Is it safe to store customer card details this way? Yes. Adfin never stores or accesses raw card numbers, they're captured and held securely by our payment processor, so you don't take on card storage or compliance obligations.