Overview
The Custom Payment question type (internally called Advanced Radio) is a special custom question that lets you collect offline or manual payment information from guests during the booking flow. Instead of charging the guest through Stripe or PayPal, you present a list of payment methods you accept (such as bKash, Nagad, Bank Transfer, or Cash on Arrival), give the guest instructions for completing the payment, and capture their proof of payment along with their booking. It is the right choice when you want to use payment processors Timetics AI does not natively integrate with, or when you operate in a market where local mobile-money or bank-transfer flows are the norm.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Open the Calendar’s Questions Tab
Navigate to Dashboard → Manage Calendars → select the calendar or service you want to attach payment collection to → open the “Advanced Settings” tab → Find “Booking Questions” section.
Step 2: Add a New Question
Click “Add Question” to open the question dialog.
Step 3: Choose “Custom Payment” as the Question Type
From the question type dropdown, select “Custom Payment”. The dialog will switch into the advanced radio builder layout, allowing you to define multiple payment options.
Step 4: Set the Question Label and Required Toggle
Enter a clear question label that the guest will see, for example “Select a payment method”. Turn on the “Required” toggle if the guest must answer this question to complete their booking.
Step 5: Add Payment Options
Click “Add payment option” to define each payment method you want to offer. For every option, you can configure:
- Option label — the name of the payment method shown on the booking page (e.g. “bKash”, “Bank Transfer”, “Cash on Arrival”).
- Instructions (shown to guest) — a rich-text area where you can write step-by-step instructions, including bold text and links. For example “Send the full amount to +8801XXXXXXXXX (bKash Personal) and enter the transaction ID below.”
- Guest input fields — one or more sub-fields the guest must fill in, such as “Transaction ID”, “Sender Number”, or “Reference Note”. For each sub-field you can set the label, placeholder text, and a “Required” toggle.
Repeat for each method you want to offer. Reorder or delete options as needed.
Step 6: Save the Question
Click “Save” to attach the question to the event. From now on, any guest booking this event will be asked to choose a payment method and provide the requested information before confirming.
How It Looks on the Booking Page
When a guest opens the public booking page for the event, the Custom Payment question appears as a vertical list of selectable options. Selecting an option expands it inline to reveal the instructions you wrote, followed by the input fields the guest needs to fill in. The guest can switch between options at any point — only the selected option’s fields are submitted with the booking. If the option includes a screenshot uploader, the guest can attach proof of payment there.
How the Answer Is Stored
The guest’s answer is saved against the booking as a structured JSON object containing the selected option’s ID and label, the values for each guest input sub-field, and any uploaded screenshot. The booking is created with this data attached, so the host has all the information needed to verify and reconcile the payment manually.
Where to View the Submitted Information
Open the booking from the admin dashboard. The booking detail panel displays the question and the guest’s selected payment method along with the values they entered into each sub-field. If the guest uploaded a screenshot, you can preview or download it directly from the booking detail. The selected option label is also included in webhook payloads sent to Slack, Discord, and Zapier integrations, so downstream tools receive the chosen payment method as part of the booking notification.
Important: This Feature Does Not Charge the Guest Automatically
Custom Payment is a data-collection question, not an automated checkout. Selecting an option does not add anything to the booking total, does not run a Stripe or PayPal charge, and does not appear as a line item on a Timetics AI invoice. Its purpose is to let the guest tell you how they paid (or how they intend to pay) using a method you process outside Timetics AI. Verification and reconciliation of the actual payment remain a manual responsibility of the host.
If you want Timetics AI to charge the guest at booking time, set a price on the event itself and use the Stripe or PayPal integration instead. The Custom Payment question type can be combined with a paid event, but the two prices are independent — the event price is processed by Stripe or PayPal, and any amount tied to the Custom Payment option must be collected by you separately.
Best Practices
- Write the instructions assuming the guest is reading them for the first time. Include the exact account number, full amount, and any reference text the guest must include with their payment.
- Always mark the proof-of-payment input field (transaction ID or screenshot) as required, so guests cannot complete the booking without giving you something to verify.
- Keep option labels short and recognizable so they fit comfortably on mobile screens.
- Use one Custom Payment question per event. Multiple advanced-radio questions on the same form will work, but it makes the booking page longer and harder to scan.
Prerequisites
- Active Timetics AI account with permission to manage events and questions in Calendar Setup
- A defined off-platform payment method (mobile wallet number, bank account, in-person cash policy, etc.) that you can include in the option instructions
- On-site payment must be enabled from Integrations to use the Custom Payment question in booking flow. Learn more about On-site Payment integration.
Notes
The Custom Payment question type is workspace-agnostic — it does not depend on Stripe or PayPal being connected, and it does not require any external integration. Answers are stored permanently on the booking record, so even after the guest reschedules or you mark the booking as paid, the original choice and submitted details remain intact for your records.