Activity Messenger Help Center
Interac e-Transfer
Use Interac e-Transfer to collect client payments in Canada and reconcile them with invoices. There are two separate steps: the bank receives the transfer, then Activity Messenger records the payment against the invoice. Configure the receiving address, instructions and reconciliation before offering the method to clients. Bank processing and incomplete payment information can delay settlement.
Where do I find Interac emails to reconcile?
When Activity Messenger has received Interac e-Transfer emails that could not be reconciled automatically, an orange Interac email(s) without an invoice link with a count appears in the organization header, near the organization logo. You can find it on Dashboard, Invoices, Bookings, or Calendar. Click it to open Interac emails and review the unreconciled emails.
This link appears only when there are unreconciled, unarchived Interac emails and your administrator account has permission to reconcile Interac payments. It is not a permanent menu item. If no emails need reconciliation, the link is absent, even when some clients still have pending Interac payments.
To find pending Interac e-Transfers at any time, go to E-Commerce → Invoices, open the Payment filters, and enable both Interac e-Transfer (by email) and Pending payments. Open the relevant invoice to review and reconcile its pending payment. A pending invoice does not prove that the bank confirmation email has been received or that the funds have been deposited.
If an unreconciled email is known to exist but you cannot see the header link, ask an administrator to check your permission to reconcile Interac payments.
Setting up Interac e-Transfer
To enable payment via Interac e-Transfer in Activity Messenger, click on the menu next to your logo and select the Interac option.
Enter the email address where your clients will send the transfer.
We recommend activating automatic deposit for Interac e-Transfers through your banking app. This will prevent you from having to accept each transfer by entering the answer to the security question. Deposits will be made automatically without any intervention. Visit the Interac website to learn more about this feature and the enhanced security measures it provides.
Click on Save, and Interac e-Transfer will be available as a payment option in your payment forms.
Security question and answer
By default, Activity Messenger will automatically generate the security answer. If you prefer to allow the client to enter their own answer, you can change the option here:
Automatic cancellation (optional)
You can activate automatic cancellation to cancel a registration if payment is not received within a specified timeframe (e.g., 60 minutes).
If you also require a backup credit card for the purchase, Activity Messenger attempts to charge that card at the deadline instead of cancelling immediately. A successful charge settles the invoice; a failed charge continues the cancellation. See Require a backup credit card below.
Notification Process:
Initial Email: A notification email will be sent to the client, encouraging them to complete their payment before cancellation.
Payment Reminder: If the payment is not received immediately, an automatic reminder email can be sent to the client, prompting them to complete their transfer.
Email Customization: You can customize the email template to include a direct link to the client's invoice, making it easier for them to access and complete the payment.
Final Cancellation Email: If the payment is still not received after the designated time (e.g., 60 minutes), and no backup-card charge succeeds, a second email will be sent to inform the client that their registration has been canceled.
Adding Interac e-Transfer to a registration form
In the registration form, go to the payment options.
Set the default payment method to Interac e-Transfer or add it as an option alongside other payment methods like credit card.
Require a backup credit card
You can require clients who choose Interac e-Transfer to keep a credit card on file as a backup. This option works with Stripe. The card is saved during checkout and is not charged at that time.
In the form’s Payment options:
- Select Interac e-Transfer (by email) or Credit card or Interac e-Transfer (by email).
- Enable Require a credit card on file when paying by Interac e-Transfer.
- Review the helper text showing your organization’s Interac auto-cancel setting, then save.
The same optional requirement is available in the payment configuration of booking packages and products for Microsite checkout. Enable it separately for the forms, packages or products that need it.
What happens if the transfer is not received?
- Interac auto-cancel is on: at the configured deadline, Activity Messenger automatically attempts to charge the backup card for the amount due. If the charge succeeds, the invoice is paid. If it fails, the purchase is cancelled.
- Interac auto-cancel is off: the card is not charged automatically. An administrator can use the card on file to settle the invoice if the transfer is not received.
If the payment gateway cannot confirm the outcome of a charge, automatic charging and cancellation pause for administrator review. Check the gateway payment before retrying or cancelling.
The time limit comes from your organization’s Interac settings; 60 minutes in these screenshots is an example. Keep bank-email forwarding and invoice reconciliation working so received transfers are recorded before the deadline.
What does the client see?
When the client selects Interac, checkout asks for a backup card and explains when it may be charged. Signed-in clients can use an eligible card already on file or replace it with a new card.
The yellow notice explains that the order is not confirmed yet. After providing the backup card, the client presses Confirm order and view payment instructions to reach the next page. Saving the card does not send the Interac transfer: the client still follows the instructions in their banking app.
Follow up on pending payments
An invoice’s pending Interac payment shows whether auto-cancel is on and the date and time of the deadline. When a backup card is attached, it explains that the card will be charged if the transfer is not received, and that a failed charge leads to cancellation.
On Payments needing attention, a Backup badge appears in Payment type for payments with a backup card. Hover over the badge to read the deadline and charging explanation. The Amount column shows the payment amount.
Client experience with Interac e-Transfer
Activity Messenger will guide your client to complete the transfer from their banking app. During their first transfer to your business, they will need to create a new recipient and enter the email address. Once the recipient is added, future transfers will be quicker and easier.
The Message or Comment field will contain the encrypted invoice identifier. This code will allow Activity Messenger to match the received transfer with the client's invoice, automatically marking the invoice as paid.
The Security Question and Security Answer fields will not be used if you have enabled automatic deposit. However, the client will still need to enter these fields in their banking app.
If you ask the client to enter the security question, the Security Question and Security Answer fields will be displayed. The client will need to input the security question in the designated field.
Activity Messenger allows the client to easily copy the values by clicking on each field. They can then paste them into their banking app.
Once the client has completed the Interac e-Transfer, they can press the button to finalize the invoice. They will receive a confirmation email with the invoice attached.
Tracking Interac e-Transfer invoices
The administrator can easily track Interac e-Transfers. In the admin portal, the invoice will be marked as "Pending e-transfer". Invoices are visible under both the Respondents table of a Payment Form, or under Invoices in the E-Commerce menu.
Manually accept an e-Transfer
If you did not activate autodeposit for this email address with your bank, you will be required to type in the security question answer that was auto-generated for the invoice. You can find that by opening the invoice and by clicking on "Reveal e-Transfer instructions". The Interac e-Transfer details will be available there.
Interac payment settlement
Your bank will send you an email when the Interac e-Transfer is accepted. To mark an invoice as paid, you have two choices:
- You can open the invoice and click on Make a payment. Choose Interac and click save.
- You can forward the email to interac@am.lol. It will be settled automatically. Activity Messenger will match the encrypted invoice ID typed in by the client in the message or comment field.
Automatic payment settlement
To automatically settle an Interac e-Transfer payment against its matching invoice, forward confirmation emails you receive from your bank to interac@am.lol. You can create an automatic rule in your email client (i.e. Gmail or Outlook) to forward those emails to Activity Messenger. That way, the process is fully automatic. Most times it should only take a few minutes from purchase to payment settlement.
Interac e-Transfer fees
Activity Messenger adds a 1% process fee with a minimum of $0.50 and a maximum of $5.00 plus applicable sales taxes. That amount will be added to your monthly subscription bill. Consult the Billing page for further details.
Email Interac without an invoice
It sometimes happens that an Interac e-Transfer is not correctly associated with an invoice. This usually occurs when the client forgets to include the message "AmInUmid XXXXXXXX."
The orange Interac email(s) without an invoice link in the organization header shows the number of unreconciled emails. It appears only when there are unreconciled, unarchived emails and you have permission to reconcile Interac payments. Open Dashboard, Invoices, Bookings, or Calendar to find it.
Click Interac email(s) without an invoice to open the Interac emails table. You will see that the message "AmInUmid XXXXXXXX" was not included when the client made the transfer. As a result, Activity Messenger was unable to locate the invoice.
Click on View to check the Interac email.
Copy the reference number.
Go to E-Commerce → Invoices, open the Payment filters, and enable Interac e-Transfer (by email) and Pending payments. Search for the client and open the matching invoice. These filters remain available even when the orange header link is absent.
Open the invoice and reconcile the payment by copying the Interac reference number and entering the correct amount if it differs.
Settings reference
| Setting | Where | Default | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organization settings › Finance › Interac | Empty | The address where clients send the transfer. Saving an address alone does not make the method available. The address cannot be removed while a booking package or product is set to take Interac e-Transfer. | |
| Active / Inactive badge | Top of the Interac page | Inactive | Shows whether Interac e-Transfer is offered at checkout. It is Active only when the email is saved and the organization has an eligible billing subscription. |
| Message or comment | Interac page | Auto-generated, read only | Contains the encrypted invoice ID (AmInUmid ...) that Activity Messenger uses to match the transfer to the invoice. You cannot edit it. |
| Security question | Interac page | "Hello" followed by your organization name | The question shown to the client. Letters without accents, numbers and spaces only. |
| Security answer (secret) | Interac page | Will be auto-generated by Activity Messenger | Choose Will be auto-generated by Activity Messenger or Will be typed in by the client. The second choice shows a field for the answer. It is ignored when autodeposit is on. |
| Interac e-Transfer autodeposit | Interac page | Off | Check Autodeposit is active for this email address only if autodeposit is enabled with your bank. Required for automatic cancellation. |
| When an administrator manually settles an Interac e-Transfer payment, force them to type in the Interac reference number. | Interac payment settlement section of the Interac page | Off | The administrator must type in the Interac reference number when settling a payment manually. |
| Do not allow the use of the same Interac reference number on multiple payments. | Interac payment settlement section of the Interac page | Off | Refuses an Interac reference number already used on another payment. |
| Turn on automatic cancellation | Automatic cancellation section of the Interac page | Off | Cancels a new purchase if the e-Transfer is not received in time. Requires autodeposit and bank emails forwarded to interac@am.lol. It cannot be saved on without autodeposit. |
| Delay before sending a reminder (minutes) | Automatic cancellation section | 30 | Minutes after the purchase before the client is emailed that the transfer was not found. 30 is the minimum. |
| Delay before cancelling the purchase (minutes) | Automatic cancellation section | 60 | Minutes after the purchase before the purchase is cancelled and the client is emailed. Must be greater than the reminder delay. |
| Also send the notification by SMS | Automatic cancellation section | Off | Texts the notification as well, when the client has a mobile number. |
| Interac e-Transfer processing fee percentage | Interac page, Interac e-Transfer fees section | 1%, minimum $0.50, maximum $5.00, plus taxes | Read only, with its minimum per payment. Added to your monthly subscription bill. Detailed in the Transaction fees report. |
| Interac e-Transfer (by email) / Credit card or Interac e-Transfer (by email) | Form › Payment options | Not selected | Offers Interac, or Interac alongside credit card, on that form. |
| Require a credit card on file when paying by Interac e-Transfer | Form › Payment options; also booking packages and products | Off | Saves a backup card at checkout. Works with Stripe. See Require a backup credit card. |
Common questions
Why does the Interac page say Inactive? Saving an email address does not activate the method. Interac is available only to Canadian organizations with an eligible billing subscription; if none is found, the page says so and asks you to use the support form. See Setting up Interac e-Transfer.
Can I use Interac e-Transfer outside Canada? No. The Interac page is available only to Canadian organizations, and the method is only offered in Canada.
Do I need autodeposit? It is recommended. Without it, you must accept each transfer in your bank by typing the security answer, which you find by opening the invoice and clicking Reveal e-Transfer instructions. Automatic cancellation cannot be turned on without autodeposit. See Manually accept an e-Transfer.
How does an invoice get marked as paid? Either open the invoice and make the Interac payment yourself, or forward your bank's acceptance email to interac@am.lol so it is settled automatically from the encrypted invoice ID. See Interac payment settlement and Forward Interac confirmation emails from Outlook or Gmail.
The client forgot the message with the invoice ID. What now? The email appears under Interac email(s) without an invoice in the organization header. Open it, copy the reference number, then record the payment on the matching invoice. See Email Interac without an invoice.
When is a purchase cancelled automatically? Only for new purchases, and only when automatic cancellation is on: a reminder goes out after 30 minutes by default and the purchase is cancelled after 60 minutes if no transfer is received. Invoices where a client pays an existing balance are never cancelled this way. If a backup card is required, it is charged at the deadline instead. See Automatic cancellation (optional).
What does Interac cost? Activity Messenger adds 1% per transaction (minimum $0.50, maximum $5.00, plus taxes) to your monthly subscription bill. You cannot change this fee yourself. See Interac e-Transfer fees.
Why was my security question refused when I saved? The question accepts only letters without accents, numbers and spaces. Remove accents and punctuation, then save again.