Enable Client Accounts

By default, SimplePay bills you based on the number of active employees on your account. That means one billing method covers the entire account.

Your primary SimplePay account – the one you signed up with – is called your Main Account. By default, it includes all your companies, which share this single billing method. Client Accounts are separate accounts you create from your Main Account, each with its own billing method and users.

If you run payroll for multiple clients, you may need each client to pay using their own billing details and/or method (e.g. individual client debit orders, or separate VAT numbers per client statement). Client Accounts solves this by letting you create individual accounts for each client – all managed from one place.

When to use Client Accounts

• You run payroll for multiple clients.
• Each client needs their own billing method, statements, VAT number, address, and users.
• Your clients should not have access to your Main Account.

Permissions and actions

Main Account users (Account Owners / Admins with full access)

• ✅ Only these users can create Client Accounts and transfer companies internally.
• ✅ They can also oversee Client Accounts for payroll.
• ❌ They can't access the Client Accounts Billing screen.

Client Account users

• ✅ They can work only on the companies inside their Client Account.
• ✅ They can manage billing for their Client Account, and only they can see the Billing screen.
• ❌ They can't access the Main Account companies.

👉 How-To Guides

How to set up Client Accounts

Step 1: Ask Billing to enable Client Accounts

Client Accounts must be enabled on your Main Account first. Contact the Billing team (billing@simplepay.cloud) and ask them to enable Client Accounts.

Once the feature has been enabled, you can create and manage Client Accounts yourself.

Step 2: Create a Client Account

1. Go to the Profile icon ( ) > Client Accounts.
2. Enter the relevant company name in the Name of company to invoice field, and click Save.
3. Click Add Client Account.
4. (Optional) Enter the Account Name.
5. In the Paid directly by client drop-down, select the relevant option ("Billed to Client" or "Billed to Main Account").
6. Click Save.

Invoice recipients

Invoices are forwarded to the Main Account until users have been added to the Client Account.

Step 3: Move a company into a Client Account

You can transfer companies internally using either of the methods below.

Method 1: From Client Accounts

1. Go to the Profile icon ( ) > Client Accounts.
2. Click the Edit icon next to the relevant Client Account.
3. Click Manage Companies.
4. Click the drop-down next to the relevant company, and select "Internal Transfer".
5. In the New Account drop-down, select the Client Account you want to move the company to.
6. Click Transfer.

Method 2: From your Companies list

1. Go to the Profile icon ( ) > Companies.
2. Click the drop-down next to the relevant company, and select "Internal Transfer".
3. In the New Account drop-down, select the Client Account you want to move the company to.
4. Click Transfer.

Step 4: (Optional) Set billing to "Billed to Client"

When to complete this step

Complete this step if you want this Client Account billed separately. If invoices should be sent to the Main Account, you can skip this step.

1. Go to the Profile icon ( ) > Client Accounts.
2. Click the Edit icon next to the relevant Client Account.
3. Click Manage Users > Add User, and add at least one user.
4. Go back to the first tab by clicking Account Details.
5. In the Paid directly by client drop-down, select "Billed to Client".
6. Click Save.

📌 Quick References

Permissions and access

Action	Main Account user	Client Account user
Create Client Accounts	✅	❌
Transfer companies internally	✅	❌
Access companies within Client Accounts	✅	✅
Access Main Account payroll	✅	❌
Oversee payroll access across Client Accounts	✅	✅
View and manage Billing screen within Client Accounts	❌	✅

🔍 FAQs

When should I use Client Accounts?

Use Client Accounts when you run payroll for multiple clients, and each client needs to manage their own billing method and users, without having access to the Main Account.

Who can create Client Accounts and transfer companies?

Only an Account Owner or a full access user on the Main Account can create Client Accounts and transfer companies internally.

Why isn't "Billed to Client" taking effect for my Client Account?

You can select and save "Billed to Client", but it takes effect only once you've added at least one user to the Client Account. Until then, invoices are sent to the Main Account.

Can Client Account users access the Main Account?

No. Users added to a Client Account can access only the companies within that Client Account, and they don't have access to the Main Account.

Who can manage billing for a Client Account?

Client Account users can manage billing for their own Client Account. Only Client Account users with full access or Billing Only users can access the Client Account Billing tab.