SidewaysData makes collecting payments effortless with built-in Stripe integration. Accept online payments, track cash transactions, process refunds, and monitor your event finances all from one platform.

Why Use SidewaysData Payments?

Accept payments your way. Support credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay through Stripe's secure checkout. Need to handle cash at the gate? Track those too.

No monthly fees. Only pay when you get paid. Transparent per-transaction pricing means you keep more of what you earn.

Built-in financial tools. Track payments in real-time, identify missing payments, process refunds with a click, and export data for your records.

What's Included

• Stripe Connect Integration - Set up once and start accepting payments immediately
• Flexible Payment Options - Create custom pricing tiers like "Early Bird" or "Day-of Registration"
• Secure Checkout - Competitors pay through Stripe's trusted payment experience
• Refund Management - Process single or bulk refunds with automatic notifications
• Financial Reporting - Dashboards, charts, and exports to track every transaction
• Payout Control - Request payouts to your bank on your schedule

Pricing

• Stripe Processing: 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction
• Platform Fee: 1% per transaction
• Monthly Fee: $0

Get started by connecting your Stripe account.

Connect your Stripe account to start accepting payments. The entire setup process happens within SidewaysData—no switching between platforms.

Getting Started

Navigate to Stripe Settings to begin.

One-Click Account Creation

If you don't have a Stripe account, SidewaysData creates one for you using Stripe Express. Click the connect button and complete Stripe's onboarding steps without leaving our platform.

Stripe will ask for:

• Business information
• Bank account for payouts
• Identity verification

Already Have Stripe?

If you have an existing Stripe account, you can connect it directly. Your existing account settings and payout schedule will be preserved.

After Connecting

Once connected, you'll see your account status on the Stripe Settings page. From here you can:

• View your connection status
• Access your Stripe Dashboard for advanced settings
• Disconnect and reconnect if needed

Transaction Fees

Every online transaction includes:

Fees are automatically deducted from each transaction before funds reach your Stripe balance.

Stripe Dashboard Access

Need to adjust payout timing or view detailed transaction logs? Click the Stripe Dashboard link to access your full Stripe account anytime.

Payment options define what competitors can purchase when registering for your event. Create different pricing tiers, add-ons, and payment methods to match how you run your events.

Accessing Payment Options

Payment options are configured per event. From your event's edit page, navigate to the Payment Options section.

Payment Types

Online Payments

Competitors pay through Stripe's secure checkout during registration. Funds go directly to your connected Stripe account.

Cash Payments

Track payments collected at the event. Useful for day-of registration or when competitors prefer to pay in person.

Creating Payment Options

Each payment option includes:

• Name - What competitors see (e.g., "Early Bird Entry", "Day-of Registration", "Weekend Pass")
• Price - The amount charged
• Type - Online or Cash
• Description - Optional details about what's included

Pay Later Option

Enable "Pay Later" to let competitors register online but defer payment. They'll complete checkout without entering payment details and can pay later—either online or in cash at the event.

Reordering Options

Drag and drop payment options to control the order they appear during registration. Put your most popular or recommended option first.

Add-On Items

For items that don't represent an event entry (like merchandise or memberships), check the "Is Add-On" box. This prevents the system from creating duplicate entries when someone purchases multiple items.

When competitors register for your event, they experience a streamlined payment flow powered by Stripe. Here's what happens from their perspective and yours.

The Competitor Experience

Secure Checkout

After selecting their payment option, competitors are directed to Stripe Checkout—a secure, mobile-optimized payment page. They never enter payment details directly on SidewaysData.

Supported Payment Methods

Stripe Checkout accepts:

• Credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover)
• Apple Pay (on supported devices)
• Google Pay (on supported devices)

Automatic Confirmation

After successful payment, competitors receive:

• An on-screen confirmation with their entry details
• An email receipt from Stripe
• A registration confirmation email from SidewaysData

Tracking Payments

All payments appear instantly in your Payments Dashboard. Each transaction shows:

• Competitor name and email
• Amount paid
• Payment status
• Timestamp
• Stripe transaction ID

Pay Later Workflow

If you've enabled the Pay Later option, competitors can complete registration without immediate payment.

For the competitor:

1. Complete registration and select "Pay Later"
2. Receive confirmation of their registration
3. Return later to complete payment online, or pay cash at the event

For the organizer:

1. See the entry in your registration list with payment pending
2. Track unpaid registrations in the Missing Payments report
3. Mark as paid when cash is collected, or wait for online payment

Failed Payments

Occasionally payments fail due to declined cards or network issues. When this happens:

• The competitor sees an error message with instructions to retry
• The attempt is logged in your Missing Payments report
• You can follow up with competitors who need to complete payment

The Payments Dashboard gives you a complete view of all transactions across your events. Monitor payment status, search for specific transactions, and access detailed payment information.

Accessing the Dashboard

Navigate to Payments from the organizer menu.

Summary Cards

At the top of the dashboard, four cards provide an at-a-glance overview:

• Total - Sum of all successful payments
• Pending - Payments awaiting completion
• Refunded - Total amount refunded to competitors
• Failed - Payments that didn't complete successfully

Filtering Transactions

Narrow down the transaction list using:

Event Filter - Select a specific event or view all events

Time Range - Focus on recent activity or a specific period

Payment Grid

The main grid displays all transactions with:

Searching

Use the search box to find transactions by:

• Competitor name
• Email address
• Stripe payment ID

Quick Actions

From any payment row, you can:

• View full transaction details
• Process a refund
• Access the entry in the registration list

Stripe Dashboard Link

Need more details? Click the Stripe Dashboard link to view transactions in Stripe's interface, where you can see the complete payment history, disputes, and advanced analytics.

Visualize your payment trends with interactive charts. Track revenue over time, compare paid versus refunded amounts, and spot patterns in your event finances.

Payment Volume Chart

The main chart shows payment activity over time, making it easy to see:

• Revenue trends across your events
• Peak registration periods
• Seasonal patterns in attendance

Paid vs Refunded

A breakdown visualization shows the relationship between:

• Total Paid - Successful payment volume
• Total Refunded - Amounts returned to competitors

This helps you understand your net revenue at a glance.

Time Range Filters

Adjust the chart view with preset filters:

Using the Charts

Identify trends: See if registration revenue is growing, stable, or declining over time.

Spot anomalies: Unusual spikes or dips might indicate successful promotions or issues to address.

Plan ahead: Historical patterns help predict future event performance.

Track refund rates: A sudden increase in refunds might signal event issues or policy changes that need attention.

Event Comparison

Filter by specific events to compare performance. This helps you understand which events generate the most revenue and which might need promotional support.

The Missing Payments report helps you identify registrations that don't have completed payments. Track down failed transactions, follow up with competitors, and ensure everyone is paid up before event day.

Accessing the Report

Navigate to Missing Payments from the organizer menu.

What Shows Up Here

This report includes entries where:

• An online payment was attempted but failed
• The competitor selected "Pay Later" and hasn't paid
• A payment error occurred during checkout

Report Details

Each row shows:

Filtering

Narrow the list by:

• Event - Focus on a specific event
• Time Period - See recent issues or historical data

Following Up

Use the competitor's contact information to:

1. Send a friendly reminder about completing payment
2. Offer to help troubleshoot payment issues
3. Provide alternative payment instructions if needed

Resolving Missing Payments

When a competitor completes payment:

• Online payments automatically update their status
• For cash payments collected at the event, update their entry manually

Process refunds directly from SidewaysData. Whether handling a single cancellation or refunding multiple entries at once, the refund system keeps competitors informed and your records accurate.

Processing a Single Refund

From the Payments Dashboard:

1. Find the payment you want to refund
2. Click the refund action on that row
3. Confirm the refund amount
4. Submit the refund

The refund processes immediately through Stripe and returns funds to the original payment method.

Bulk Refunds

Need to refund multiple competitors at once? The bulk refund feature handles event cancellations or large-scale changes efficiently.

1. Select multiple payments from the grid
2. Choose the bulk refund action
3. Review the list of payments to be refunded
4. Confirm to process all refunds

Competitor Notifications

When you process a refund, competitors are notified automatically:

• Email confirmation of the refund
• Amount refunded
• Expected timeline for funds to appear

You can customize the notification message to include additional context, such as why the refund was issued or next steps.

Refund Timeline

Refunds typically appear in the competitor's account within:

• 3-5 business days for credit cards
• 5-10 business days for debit cards

The exact timing depends on the competitor's bank.

Entry Status Updates

When a payment is refunded:

• The payment status updates to "Refunded"
• The entry remains in your registration list for record-keeping
• You can choose to remove the entry if appropriate

Partial Refunds

For partial refunds or special situations, access your Stripe Dashboard directly. Stripe provides full control over refund amounts and timing.

Refund Tracking

All refunds appear in:

• The Payments Dashboard with "Refunded" status
• The summary card showing total refunded amount
• Payment charts showing paid vs refunded breakdown

After collecting payments, get your money transferred to your bank account. SidewaysData gives you visibility into your balance and control over when you receive funds.

Understanding Your Balance

Your Stripe balance has three tiers:

Available Balance

Funds that are ready to be paid out to your bank account. This money has cleared and can be transferred immediately.

Pending Balance

Recent payments that are still being processed. Funds typically move from pending to available within 2 business days.

In Transit

Money that's on its way to your bank account. Usually arrives within 1-2 business days after initiating the payout.

Viewing Your Balance

Check your current balance anytime from the Stripe Settings page or the Payments Dashboard.

Requesting Payouts

When you have available funds, you can request a payout to your connected bank account.

1. Navigate to your Stripe Settings
2. View your available balance
3. Click to request a payout
4. Funds will be sent to your bank account

Payout Schedule

SidewaysData uses manual payout scheduling by default, giving you full control over when you receive funds. This means:

• Money stays in your Stripe balance until you request it
• You decide when to transfer funds
• Helpful for managing cash flow around events

Automatic Payouts

Prefer hands-off management? Access your Stripe Dashboard to enable automatic payouts. Options include:

• Daily automatic payouts
• Weekly automatic payouts
• Monthly automatic payouts

Bank Account Setup

Your bank account is configured during Stripe onboarding. To update your bank account:

1. Access your Stripe Dashboard
2. Navigate to Settings > Bank accounts
3. Add or update your account details

Payout Timing

Once initiated, payouts typically arrive:

• 1-2 business days for standard transfers
• Same-day delivery may be available for an additional fee

Stripe Dashboard Access

For advanced payout options, transaction history, and detailed financial reporting, access your full Stripe Dashboard directly from the settings page.

Export your payment data for accounting, record-keeping, or analysis outside of SidewaysData. Download complete transaction records in CSV format.

Exporting Payments

From the Payments Dashboard:

1. Apply any filters you want (event, time range)
2. Click the export button
3. Download the CSV file

The export includes all transactions matching your current filters.

What's Included

Each exported row contains:

Filtering Before Export

Use dashboard filters to export exactly what you need:

By Event - Export transactions for a single event or all events

By Time Range - Focus on a specific period for monthly or yearly reports

By Status - Combined with other filters, export only successful payments, only refunds, etc.

Use Cases

Accounting integration: Import payment records into your accounting software.

Tax preparation: Provide complete transaction history to your accountant.

Event analysis: Analyze payment patterns in spreadsheet applications.

Audit trail: Maintain offline records of all financial transactions.

Reconciliation: Compare SidewaysData records with your bank statements.

Tips

• Export after each event for consistent record-keeping
• Use time range filters for monthly financial reports
• Keep exports organized by event or time period for easy reference