If you have a client whose services are paid for by a third party, you can grant the third party access to the client's Client Portal to view and pay outstanding balances on the client’s behalf.

Note: There isn’t a way to add a contact to a couple profile. If you'll be billing a third party for a couple, we recommend adding the third party as an insurance payer in your SimplePractice account, and then manually sharing billing documents with them outside of SimplePractice. For instructions on how to add an insurance payer, see Adding an employee assistance program (EAP).

In this guide we’ll cover:

• Creating a third party contact for billing
• Managing Client Portal access and Billing Settings for a third party contact

Creating a third party contact for billing

To create a third party as a contact for billing: 

• Navigate to the client's Overview page > Edit > Contacts
• Click + Add Contact
• You can select from your existing contacts, or create a new contact by clicking + New Contact
  • Add their email address and select Email ok so they can be granted Client Portal access

• Click Save

To manage the contact’s Client Portal access and billing, click Manage Client Portal & Billing. See the next section on how to grant Client Portal access and manage their Billing settings.

Managing Client Portal access and Billing Settings for a third party contact

After adding a new contact to a client, you’ll be asked to manage their Client Portal access and Billing settings. To do this, click Manage Client Portal & Billing. 

You can also navigate there from the Contacts tab by clicking Manage > Manage Client Portal & Billing.

• Select Responsible for billing so billing documents list the contact as the responsible party
• Select Allow Client Portal access to invite the contact to the Client Portal 

• You can also customize the Client Portal invitation for the contact below this box
• Click Save

You can also manage what this contact has access to within the Client Portal. To do this: 

• Navigate to Contacts tab
• Next to the contact, click Manage > Manage Client Portal & Billing 
• Scroll down to select Access this Client's billing documents to allow the contact to view invoices, statements, and/or superbills

• Once you select Access this Client's billing documents, you can also allow the contact to Pay a balance with credit card using Stripe, if you have an Online Payments account
• You can also allow the contact to:
  • View this Client's upcoming appointments
  • Send & receive Secure Messages
• Click Save

To make updates to a contact's information or Client Portal access and Billing settings in the future:

• Navigate to the client's Overview page
• Click Edit > Contacts
• Next to the contact,  click Manage > Manage Client Portal and Billing

Note: You can also add existing contacts to multiple clients. To learn more, see Enhanced Client Management for minors.