Everything you need to know about Acre
If you ever get stuck, contact Acre support and we'll help you out.
1. Getting Started
You can be up and running in about 10 minutes. Here's what to do first.
Step 1: Set Up Your Business Profile
Go to Settings > Business Profile and add your business name and logo. This is what your customers will see on invoices and payment pages.
You can also add your phone number and website, but those are optional.
Step 2: Connect Stripe (If You Haven't Already)
Stripe is the service that moves money from your customer's card to your bank account. You need to connect it before you can collect any payments.
Go to Settings > Connect Stripe and follow the steps. Stripe will ask for your business info and bank account details. This is a one-time setup.
If you started the setup but didn't finish, you'll see an "Incomplete" status. Click Complete Stripe Setup to pick up where you left off.
Once you're connected, you'll see a green "Connected" status. You're ready to send your first invoice.
Step 3: Create Your First Invoice
Go to Invoices > New Invoice and follow the steps in the next section. That's it. You're in business.
2. Creating and Sending Invoices
Before You Start
Make sure you've connected Stripe in Settings. You'll also need your customer's name and email address.
How to Create an Invoice
Go to Invoices > New Invoice and fill out the form.
Customer Info: Type your customer's name, email, and phone number. If they're a returning customer, start typing their name and Acre will fill in the rest automatically.
Trip Details (optional but recommended): Add the trip type (like "Whitetail Deer" or "Fly Fishing"), start and end dates, and number of guests in the group. This info shows up on the payment page your customer sees.
Charges: Add one row for each thing you're charging for. For example, "Guide fee, $800" and "Lodging, $400." You can add as many rows as you need. Acre will suggest charges you've used on past invoices to save you time.
Deposit Settings: Choose how you want your customer to pay.
| Option | How it works |
|---|---|
| Percentage | Customer pays a percentage upfront (like 50%), then pays the rest later. |
| Fixed amount | Customer pays a set dollar amount upfront (like $500). |
| Full payment | Customer pays the whole thing at once. |
Notes: You can add two kinds of notes. "Customer notes" show up on the payment page (example: "Please arrive by 6am"). "Private notes" are just for you and your records.
Save as Template: Check this box if you run this same type of trip often. It saves your charges and settings so you can reuse them next time with one click. (More on templates in Section 4.)
Click Create Invoice when you're done.
How to Send an Invoice
Open the invoice you just created and click Send to Customer.
You'll see three options:
Email sends your customer an email with a secure link to pay. Text message sends the same link as a text. Copy link copies the payment link so you can paste it wherever you want, like in a Facebook message or on your website.
The invoice status changes to "Sent" once you've delivered it.
You can open the same send dialog anytime. Before the deposit is paid it sends the full invoice; after the deposit is paid it sends a balance request (amount due and payment link) so they can pay the rest.
Understanding Invoice Statuses
Every invoice starts as a Draft. Once you send it, your customer pays a deposit, then the remaining balance. Once all payments are collected, you mark it complete. That's the whole process.
Here's what each status means:
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Draft | You created the invoice but haven't sent it yet. Only you can see it. |
| Sent | Your customer received the payment link but hasn't paid yet. |
| Deposit Paid | Your customer paid the deposit. They still owe the remaining balance. |
| Adjusted | You changed the price after the deposit was paid (see Section 3). |
| Final Paid | All money has been received. |
| Completed | The trip is done and everything is settled. This is the final status. |
| Cancelled | You cancelled the invoice before any payment was made. |
| Refunded | You issued a full or partial refund. |
Finding an Invoice
Use the search bar and filters at the top of the Invoices page to find what you're looking for. You can search by invoice number, customer name, email, or trip title. You can also filter by status or time period (last 7 days, 30 days, 90 days, this year, or all time).
When you have filters active, you'll see small labels showing what's applied. Click the X on any label to remove that filter.
3. After Your Customer Pays
Adjusting the Price
Sometimes the price changes after a deposit is paid. Maybe the trip went an extra day, you added another guest, or you're giving a discount.
Open the invoice and click Make Adjustment. Add one row for each change. Give it a label and an amount. Use a positive number to add a charge (like "+$200 for extra day") and a negative number for a credit (like "-$100 group discount"). Credits reduce the amount due but can't make the invoice total go below zero—the maximum credit is the original invoice amount.
After you save, the invoice status changes to "Adjusted" and the new balance updates automatically.
Click Notify Customer of Changes to send your customer an email explaining the updated amount.
Collecting the Remaining Balance
When your customer is ready to pay the rest, open the invoice and click Send Balance Request. This sends them an email with the amount they still owe and a link to pay.
When they pay, the status moves to "Final Paid."
Common question: What if my customer says they paid but I don't see it? Payments can take a few minutes to show up. If it's been more than an hour, check your Stripe dashboard or contact Acre support.
Marking an Invoice Complete
Once all money is collected, open the invoice and click Mark Complete. This closes the invoice out. It's the final step.
4. Invoice Templates
Templates let you save a set of charges and trip details so you don't have to type them out every time you book the same kind of trip.
To create a template: When you're creating any invoice, check the "Save as Template" box and give it a name (like "3-Day Whitetail Package").
To use a template: Go to Invoices > Templates, find the one you want, and click Use Template. A new invoice opens with everything pre-filled. Just update the customer info and dates, and you're good to go.
Each template card shows you the name, trip type, a preview of the charges, the total amount, and how many times you've used it.
5. Booking Requests and Your Booking Page
Your Booking Page
Your booking page is a public link that customers can visit to request a trip without you sending them anything first. Share it on your website, social media, or in emails.
To find your booking link, go to Settings > Booking Page. Click Copy to copy it to your clipboard.
Seeing and Responding to Requests
When a customer fills out your booking page, their request appears under Booking Requests in your sidebar.
Each request shows the customer's name, email, requested dates, group size, species, and any notes they left.
Here's what you can do with each request:
| Status | What you can do |
|---|---|
| Pending | Click Create Invoice (it fills in the customer's info for you automatically) or click Decline. |
| Invoice Created | Click to view the invoice you made from this request. |
| Declined | No further action needed. |
Adding a Booking Button to Your Website
If you have your own website, you can add a "Book a Trip" button that opens your Acre booking form.
Go to Settings > Website Embed. You can customize the button text, see a live preview, and copy a small piece of code to paste into your website.
If you built your website on Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress, search for "[your platform] add custom code" for step-by-step instructions. You can also contact Acre support and we'll walk you through it.
6. Contacts
Contacts are customers saved from past invoices. Acre creates them automatically whenever you send an invoice, so there's nothing for you to set up.
The next time you create an invoice, start typing a customer's name and Acre will suggest matches from your contact list. Click on a match and their name, email, and phone number fill in automatically.
7. What Your Customer Sees
When your customer opens a payment link, they see a clean, professional payment page. It shows your logo and business name at the top, followed by the trip details (type, dates, group size), a breakdown of every charge, and a large button to pay.
The page is secured and encrypted. Your customer's card information goes directly to Stripe and never touches Acre.
After paying, they see a confirmation screen. If there's a remaining balance, the page clearly shows what's still owed.
8. Calendar Integration
On any invoice that has trip dates, you can add the trip to your calendar so you don't forget a booking.
Open the invoice and click Add to Calendar. You'll see two options:
Google Calendar opens Google Calendar with the event already filled in. Download .ics downloads a calendar file that works with Apple Calendar, Outlook, and most other calendar apps.
The event includes the trip dates, customer name, and your business name.
9. Settings and Account
Go to Settings using the gear icon or the sidebar.
Business Profile
Add your business name, phone number, logo, and website. Your business name and logo show up on invoices and your booking page. Click Save Profile when you're done.
Connect Stripe (Payments)
This is where you connect Stripe so you can accept payments. See Getting Started for the full walkthrough. Once connected, you can click View Stripe Dashboard to see your payouts and transaction history.
Plan and Billing
Acre offers two plans:
| Starter | Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Free | $199/month |
| Fee on each payment | 3.99% | 1.49% |
| Best for | Getting started | High-volume businesses |
To upgrade, click Upgrade to Pro and enter your payment method. Your plan updates right away.
To manage your Pro subscription (update payment method, view billing history, or cancel), click Manage Subscription.
Booking Page
Your public booking link is shown here. Click Copy to grab it. Share it anywhere you want customers to be able to request a trip.
Website Embed
Add a booking button to your own website. See Booking Requests and Your Booking Page for details.
Export Your Data
Click Download My Data to get a ZIP file with all your information: invoices, contacts, booking requests, templates, and your business profile. This is useful for your own records, for your accountant, or if you ever want to move to a different system.
Close Account
Click Request Account Closure to open a pre-filled email to the Acre support team. Your account is not deleted right away. The support team will confirm with you before anything is removed.
10. Troubleshooting
Cancelling an Invoice
If you need to cancel an invoice you've sent but that hasn't been paid yet, open it and click Cancel Invoice. The payment link stops working immediately and your customer can no longer pay through it.
You can only cancel an invoice before any payment has been made. If your customer already paid something, you'll need to issue a refund instead.
Issuing a Refund
Open a paid invoice and click Issue Refund.
The refund amount defaults to the full amount your customer paid. If you only want to refund part of it, lower the amount.
Choose a reason from the list (customer request, correction, or other). If you pick "other," you'll need to type a short explanation.
Stripe sends the refund back to your customer's original payment method. This process is handled by Stripe (not Acre) and typically takes 5 to 10 business days. Let your customer know so they aren't waiting on you for the timeline.
Acre does not keep its platform fee on refunds. Stripe does not refund their processing fee — that cost is absorbed by Acre. Your customer receives the full refund amount back to their original payment method.
If you refund the full amount, the invoice is marked "Refunded."
Disputes and Chargebacks
A dispute (also called a chargeback) happens when a customer contacts their bank to reverse a payment. This is rare, but it can happen.
When a dispute is opened, you'll see a red alert banner on the invoice.
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Needs Response | You need to submit evidence to the bank showing the charge was legitimate. Contact Acre support right away for help. |
| Under Review | Evidence has been submitted. The bank is making a decision. |
| Won | The bank sided with you. Your payment is restored. |
| Lost | The bank sided with your customer. The payment is reversed. |
Banks have strict deadlines for responding to disputes. If you see one, contact Acre support as soon as possible so we can help you respond in time.
11. Glossary
Invoice: A bill you send to a customer for a trip. It lists what you're charging for, how much, and gives the customer a link to pay.
Deposit: The first payment a customer makes to hold their spot. It's a portion of the total amount.
Balance: The remaining amount a customer owes after paying the deposit.
Adjustment: A change you make to the price after the deposit is paid. This could be an added charge or a credit.
Payout: When Stripe sends the money you've collected to your bank account. Payouts are usually delivered within a few business days.
Dispute (Chargeback): When a customer asks their bank to reverse a payment. You may need to provide evidence that the charge was valid.
Booking Request: A request that comes in when a customer fills out your public booking page. You can accept it by creating an invoice or decline it.
Template: A saved set of charges and trip details that you can reuse when creating new invoices for the same type of trip.
Stripe: The payment processor Acre uses to move money from your customer's card to your bank account. Stripe handles all card information securely.
Stripe Dashboard: A separate website (managed by Stripe) where you can see your payouts, transaction history, and account details.
Last updated: March 2026