The Helcim Payment Extension helps you bridge the gap between your favorite business management software and Helcim’s payment processing. It’s designed to reduce your administrative burden, eliminate manual data entry, and give you peace of mind by keeping your workflow in one place—all at no extra cost.
Keep reading to learn how to get the Helcim Payment Extension up and running for your business.
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What is a browser extension?
If you're new to extensions, think of them as helpful "add-ons" for your web browser (like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge).
Just like an app on your phone adds new features, the Helcim Payment Extension adds payment capabilities directly to your browser. Once installed, it "sits" beside your existing web-based software, allowing it to "detect" invoice details on your screen and process them through Helcim without you ever having to leave the page or switch tabs.
| The Helcim Payment Extension works on Chromium-based browsers only (i.e Chrome, Edge). If you’re using a different browser— or a desktop-installed business management software, the extension won’t be compatible. |
What the payment extension covers
The Helcim Payment Extension is built to handle the "last mile" of your workflow—collecting payment. It is compatible with a wide range of web-based software, including:
Patient intake software: Quickly settle balances after appointments.
Shop management systems: Process work orders and parts invoices.
Client management software: Manage one-off service fees or client deposits.
Field service platforms: Take payments for service calls directly through your browser.
How the payment extension works
Once you've connected the extension, here's a quick peek at how it simplifies your payment collection:
Navigate to an invoice: Open a payment or checkout page in your preferred software, just like you normally would.
Auto-detection: The extension automatically identifies the Amount Due, Invoice Number, and Customer details from the page.
Choose your payment method: You can process payments using a connected Helcim Smart Terminal or the Card Reader Gen 3 for in-person transactions, or use the secure Virtual Terminal for keyed-in and over-the-phone payments.
Automatic update: Once the payment is approved, the extension communicates back to your platform to mark the record as "Paid" and creates a matching record in your Helcim account. No manual reconciliation needed!
| Helcim is HIPAA compliant and uses strong security measures, including full card tokenization. When you take a payment and invoice data is detected on your software, all information is processed securely. |
How to enable payment extension on your software
First things first, let's get the extension installed and linked to your account. This is a one-time setup that tells our system you're ready to start processing payments through your software.
Step 1: Install the extension
Download the Helcim Payment Extension from the Chrome Web Store.
Tip: Click the Puzzle Piece icon in your browser toolbar and select the Pin icon next to Helcim to keep the extension visible and ready for use.
| You can download and connect the extension at any time. However, do note that to start processing payments—and to order any Helcim payment hardware—your Helcim account simply needs to be approved and active. |
Step 2: Connect your account
To link the extension to your Helcim account, you'll need to generate an API token:
Log in to your Helcim account.
Select All Tools from the main menu.
Choose Integrations.
Click on API Access from the left-side menu.
Create a New API Access token. Ensure you select "Read & Write" permissions for General and Settings, and "Admin" permissions for Transactions.
Copy this token and paste it into the API Token field in your extension settings.
Step 3: Link a payment hardware
If you want to use your Helcim Smart Terminal or the new Card Reader for in-person payments:
On your extensions tab, click the hardware settings button
It will lead you to the page where you can toggle the pairing mode of your payment device. Toggle this ON and follow the prompts on your desktop screen.
A 4-digit device code will appear on your Smart Terminal or Card Reader. Enter this code into the extension settings on your browser to sync your hardware.
| Turning on pairing mode will place all payment hardware within your merchant account—including both the Smart Terminal and Card Reader—into pairing mode. |
Step 4: Open a due invoice on your software
With the setup complete, you are ready to process a payment:
Navigate back to your preferred management software (e.g. your shop management or patient intake tool).
Then open a due Invoice or create a new one. You should be able to see a green check mark on the icon which basically means it’s detecting a due invoice.
Open the Helcim Payment Extension side panel. You should see the invoice details automatically populated and ready for payment!
Managing payments taken through the payment extension
Once you have started processing payments, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding how these transactions are managed:
Transaction records: All transactions processed through the extension are recorded in real-time within your Helcim account.
Refunds and voids: If you need to refund or void a transaction, you will do so directly within your Helcim account. Please note that you would then need to manually update the status in your business management software to reflect this change.
Partial Payments: Currently, partial payments are not available through the extension. It is designed to process the full invoice amount detected on the screen.
Surcharging: Surcharging is available when using the Smart Terminal or the new Card Reader. You can read more about how our surcharging feature works here.
Find your software in the Helcim Integration Marketplace
Currently, the extension support more than 20 integrations. To see a full list of supported software platforms or to explore how to connect Helcim to your specific business tools, visit the Integrations Marketplace.
| If you don’t see your software listed, you can submit an integration request by filling up the form here. One of our teams will get back to you via email! |
Next steps
If you want to use the extension for in-person payments, you'll need a Helcim Smart Terminal or Card Reader.
You can find more information on how to use them in the following guides:
To see a full list of software platforms currently supported by the extension, visit our Integrations Marketplace.
FAQ
Is the extension automatic for all websites?
No. The extension is specifically designed to recognize and interact with supported business management platforms. You'll see a pop-up beside the extension icon when it successfully recognizes a supported software page.Do I need a Smart Terminal to use this?
Do I need a Smart Terminal to use this?
While the extension works great with the Smart Terminal or the new Card Reader, it isn't required. You can always use the "Keyed Entry" option which essentially is the Helcim Virtual Terminal within the extension to manually enter credit card details for a transaction.
Why can’t I see the invoice details in the extension?
Ensure you are on the final "Payment" or "Invoice" screen of your software where the total amount is clearly displayed. If you still don't see the details, try refreshing the page or checking that your API token is correctly entered in the extension settings.
What if a payment fails?
If a payment is declined or fails, the extension will notify you immediately. You can choose to retry the payment with a different card or reach out to your client directly to resolve the issue, just as you would with any other Helcim transaction.
Will this work for partial payments?
Not currently. The Helcim Payment Extension only works for full payments.
Does the payment extension support ACH payments?
Not currently. The Helcim Payment Extension only processes card payments.