# Multi use links

> One payment link that any number of customers can pay through, from your website, an invoice template or a printed QR code.

A multi-use payment link is a single URL that any number of customers can pay through. Use it for:

- a link on your website
- a link in your invoice template or PDF invoices
- a printed QR code

Your customer gives an amount, a reference and their email address, and can add their name, company and phone number. You can also let them add a note.

You can set each link up to:

- let the customer enter the amount and reference, for example an invoice amount and number
- fix the amount and let the customer enter a reference, for example a USD 20 event ticket
- fix the reference and let the customer enter an amount, for example a donation to an appeal
- fix both, for example a USD 20 ticket for event ABC123

## Create a link

1. Select **Configure** in the menu, then **Configure** under **Payment Links**.
2. Select **Create Multi-Use Link**. If you already have one, select **Create Another Link**.
3. Fill in the form, then select **Save**:

   | Field | What to enter |
   | --- | --- |
   | Name | The title your customers see at the top of the payment page |
   | Currency | The currency you want to be paid in |

   ![The Create Multi-Use Payment Link form](/_astro/cdn/ee50ddd8fd/multi-1.png)

Each link in the list has **Copy to Clipboard** and an actions menu with **Edit**, **QR Code**, **Pause** (and **Resume**) and **Delete**.

## Edit a link

Select **Edit** in the link's actions menu for more options:

| Option | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| Allow note on payment | Lets your customer add a note to their payment |
| Fixed Amount | Every payment is this amount |
| Default Amount | The amount filled in for your customer, when the amount isn't fixed |
| Fixed Reference | Every payment has this reference |
| Default reference | The reference filled in for your customer, when the reference isn't fixed |
| Page Intro | A paragraph under the page title |
| Custom Message on Successful Payment | A message on the receipt page after a successful payment, for example next steps or a redemption code |
| Custom Message on Pending Payment | A message on the receipt page when a payment is still being processed |

## Share your link

1. Select **Payment Links** in the menu. Each multi-use link is listed with its URL.
2. Select **Copy to Clipboard**, then paste the link into an email, a message or your invoice template. Or select **QR Code** for a code your customer can scan.

Tell your customer the amount to pay and the reference to use, unless the link fixes them or you [fill them in](#fill-in-the-amount-and-reference). To add a link to QuickBooks invoices, see [Add payment links to your invoices](/merchants/quickbooks/invoice-links/).

The link is for your customer to pay themselves. To take a payment on a customer's behalf, for example over the phone, use [Staff Payment](/merchants/payment-links/staff-payment/) instead.

:::caution[Pausing or deleting a link stops it everywhere you've shared it]
If you select **Pause** or **Delete** for a link, it stops working on your website, in invoices and emails you've already sent, and on printed QR codes. Customers who open it see a message that the link is invalid or has expired. A paused link works again when you select **Resume**.
:::

## Fill in the amount and reference

You can fill in the amount and the reference for your customer by adding them to the end of the link, for example to put the invoice amount and number in a link on each invoice:

| Parameter | What it fills in |
| --- | --- |
| `amount` | The amount, as a number in the link's currency, with no currency symbol or thousands separator, for example `25` or `1250.50` |
| `alt_key` | The reference, for example an invoice number |

For example:

```
<your payment link>?amount=25.50&alt_key=INV1002
```

If the reference has spaces or symbols such as `&` or `#`, encode them, for example a space as `%20`.

Values in the link replace the link's **Default Amount** and **Default reference**. They don't change a **Fixed Amount** or **Fixed Reference**.

When the amount and the reference are both filled in, your customer goes straight to entering their details. The amount and reference show at the top of the page, and your customer can select **edit** to change them.

![A payment page opened with the amount and reference filled in, showing the Payment Instruction with an edit link above Your Details](/_astro/cdn/2b5a036dd9/multi-6.png)

## What your customer sees

1. The payment page shows the link's **Name** as its title. Your customer enters the **Amount** and the **Reference**, then selects **Next**.

   ![A payment page with the page title, Amount and Reference fields](/_astro/cdn/20e56184f7/checkout-amount-reference.png)

2. They enter their email address. Name, company and phone number are optional.

   ![The Your Details step, with the email address and the optional name, company and phone fields](/_astro/cdn/8d25e70675/checkout-details.png)

3. They choose a payment method and enter their payment details.
4. The page confirms the payment, with a receipt number and the date.

   ![The payment page showing Payment Successful, with the receipt number and date](/_astro/cdn/518c7133bf/checkout-success.png)

The details at the bottom of the page come from your [page footer](/merchants/payment-links/branding/#page-footer). To try it yourself, open the link in your browser. In a sandbox account no money moves.