Melio gives you complete flexibility in how you pay vendors and how they receive funds. This guide explains how to make a payment using your card.
To learn about which cards are accepted, please see the following guide.
Creating your payment
1- In your Pay dashboard, select + New Payment.
Alternatively, you can create a new bill by selecting the Create a bill button under the Bills tab.
In the Bill details page, enter the bill details. This includes the Vendor business name, Bill amount, Invoice number, Invoice date, Due date, and a Note to self. You can also add line items to your bill. By selecting Continue to pay, you will proceed to the Pay page.
For detailed instructions on creating a new bill, please see the following guide.
2- In the Pay page, begin adding your payment information under Payment details.
Adding vendor information
3- Add the Vendor business name. Start typing the vendor's business name in the search field:
- For existing vendors: Select the vendor from the dropdown list that appears as you type.
- For new vendors: Type the full business name and select +Add new vendor to create a new vendor profile.
You will then be prompted to add vendor details. Once done, select Save.
4- Enter the payment amount.
5- Select the payment frequency. You can choose between a one-time payment or a recurring payment.
Adding invoice details (optional)
6- To include an invoice with your payment, select Add bill details.
This opens the bill details page, where you can:
- Click Select or drop file on the left to upload your invoice image or file from your device. The invoice will be uploaded and scanned for information to add to the payment.
- Review the automatically scanned details and make any necessary edits.
- Select Continue to pay once all details are correct. This will return you to the Pay page.
Melio accepts PDF, JPEG, JPG, and PNG files up to 10MB. Upload one invoice per file. The system will scan your invoice and autofill payment details, but always review for accuracy. Use Replace to upload a different file or Cancel to remove it entirely.
Selecting payment and delivery methods
7- To pay with a card, choose the Card option under Payment method.
- Check next to Card.
- Use the dropdown menu to select the card you want to pay with.
- You can add a new card by selecting + Add card. Learn how to connect a new card in this step-by-step guide. Check out this guide to see which cards are supported.
8- Select how the vendor will receive payment.
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For existing vendors:
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Use the dropdown menu to choose from saved delivery methods.
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To add a new method or edit an existing one, select Manage delivery methods. This will open the Delivery Methods window, where you can add or edit delivery methods.
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In the Delivery Methods window, select +Add details to add a new delivery method. Enter the additional delivery method in the vendor details.
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To edit an existing delivery method, select Edit. You can now edit the details for that delivery method.
- Select Save when done.
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- For new vendors:
If you have added a new vendor but haven't added a delivery method yet, you will need to complete the following steps:
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Select the Add delivery method box. This will open the Delivery methods window.
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Add a delivery method by selecting +Add details next to the desired method. Next, follow the prompts to fill in those delivery method details.
- If you don't have vendor delivery details, select Ask vendor to send a payment method request to your vendor.
Can I ask my vendors how they would like to receive their payment? Absolutely! If you send your vendor a request asking how they'd like to receive payment, you can still complete the payment immediately—no need to wait for their reply. However, scheduled payments will be automatically canceled if the vendor doesn't respond within 7 business days. You can cancel the delivery method request anytime by editing the vendor details and selecting Cancel request. Can I request payment info for vendors I’ve paid before? No worries! You can still send your vendor a request to update their preferred method of payment. Their response will be saved for all future payments and updated automatically after they submit the delivery details.
- Select Save when done.
Scheduling and finalizing
9- Choose when funds will be delivered to your vendor. You can select from preset delivery dates or choose a custom date. After selecting a date, you'll see when funds will be debited, the delivery timeline, and when your vendor will receive payment.
- To select a custom date, select the Custom date option, then select the calendar icon to choose your preferred delivery date. Select Apply when done.
- When selecting a delivery date in the calendar popup, federal holiday dates will be blocked. When you try to select the date, it'll display a Federal Bank Holiday.
For certain payments, you may see a Defer debit toggle when selecting a custom date.
Turning this on delays the debit from your account until closer to the delivery date, while using a faster delivery method to ensure your vendor is paid on time. This gives you more control over your cash flow — your money stays in your account longer. An additional fee applies when defer debit is enabled.
Select Apply to confirm your selection.
To learn more, see our guides on delivery speeds and transaction fees.
10- Add a memo to your payment (optional). This memo will appear on printed checks and in the email notification your vendor receives. This will help the vendor understand the purpose of the payment. When delivered via ACH bank transfer, it will show if your vendor's bank enables memos.
11- Review all payment details carefully to ensure accuracy.
12- Select Confirm and pay to schedule your payment.
If this is your first payment or we need more details, we’ll ask you to provide some legal information. We do this to ensure compliance and security, as we cannot process your payment without it. Learn more about how to submit these details.
13- Your payment is now successfully scheduled! From the success screen, you can do the following:
- You can download or print your payment summary.
- Select Go to dashboard to return to your main account view.
That's it! You've successfully created and scheduled a vendor payment using your card. You can find your new payment in the Payments tab. Your payment details are saved, and funds will be delivered according to your selected timeline and method.