Common questions about the transition to Stripe in Practice CS
Practice CS is replacing Kotapay with Stripe for payment processing. Find information about the transition, fees, account setup, client payment methods, and processing payments.
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About the transition
Reasons for the move to Stripe
Thomson Reuters is moving Practice CS to Stripe to give your firm a modern, flexible payment experience. Stripe is one of the most trusted payment platforms in the world and offers industry-recognized security and reliability. With Stripe, you can:
- Use an intuitive dashboard for analytics and configuration.
- Control your refunds and payouts directly.
- Process payments more efficiently while keeping the service running.
- Continue to protect your clients' payment data.
Thomson Reuters is retiring the current CS Payment system, which runs on Kotapay. Going forward, Stripe will be the only integrated payment option in Practice CS.
note
If you use Kotapay with Accounting CS, this change doesn't affect you. You'll continue to use Kotapay for your payment processing.
Required switch to Stripe and deadline
To continue processing payments through Practice CS, register for a Stripe account and connect it to Practice CS. Thomson Reuters will phase Kotapay out of Practice CS on November 10, 2026, and you can complete the transition anytime before that date.
Kotapay remains available during the transition period and will continue to process all Accounting CS Payroll transactions.
important
Complete your transition to Stripe before November 10, 2026, to continue processing payments in Practice CS.
Minimal changes to your day-to-day workflow
You only need to set up Stripe once. After that, your workflows stay the same, apart from a few minor user interface changes.
No impact on payroll
The change applies only to payment processing in Practice CS. Accounting CS continues to use Kotapay.
Verification of emails about Stripe
Thomson Reuters has sent several emails about the Stripe transition to Practice CS users.
tip
If you're unsure about a message, contact Practice CS Support at 800-968-0600 to confirm it before you open any links.
Fees and agreements
Cost to register for Stripe
Stripe doesn't charge a setup fee to register. Stripe does charge transaction fees under its standard pricing. Because Stripe sets and publishes its own pricing, review the current rates and terms on Stripe's website.
Create and connect your Stripe account
Stripe account required for Practice CS payments
To accept payments through Practice CS, you need a Stripe account. You can create it directly from Practice CS.
- Go to .
- SelectConnect Stripe.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to create your account.
After you submit all the required information, Stripe takes 2 to 3 business days to set up your account completely. For more d For more details, refer to Connect your Stripe account.
Existing Stripe accounts and Practice CS onboarding
We recommend that you complete the Practice CS onboarding process even if you already have a Stripe account. The process creates a new Stripe account for use with Practice CS. You can link it to your existing account later from within Stripe.
- Go to .
- SelectConnect Stripe.
- Follow the on-screen prompts.
After you submit all the required information, Stripe takes 2 to 3 business days to set up your account completely. For more d For more details, refer to Connect your Stripe account.
Stripe option missing from Billing and A/R
The
Connect Stripe
option is available only in the Practice CS update that includes the Stripe integration. If the option doesn't appear, update your version of Practice CS.tip
If you work in a terminal server environment, we recommend that you update the SQL server by using CS Connect.
Stripe onboarding page doesn't open after you accept the agreement
A pop-up blocker or a local network setting usually causes this issue. To fix it, follow these steps:
- Add Practice CS as an exception in your pop-up blocker settings.
- Check with your IT team about local network settings.
- Try again.
If the page still doesn't open, contact Practice CS Support.
Wait time for the Connection in progress status
The integration can take up to 48 hours to complete. Wait until the connection finishes before you take further action. After the connection completes, you can process payments.
Stripe authentication methods and security keys
Stripe sets up its own sign-in authentication when you register. You can choose SMS (text message) authentication as an option. If Stripe asks for a security key that you don't have, contact Practice CS Support at 800-968-0600.
Disconnecting your Stripe account from Practice CS
To disconnect your Stripe account from Practice CS, contact Practice CS Support at 800-968-0600.
Client credit cards and bank accounts
Time to process payments after you connect Stripe
After you connect your Stripe account, you can process payments within 48 hours.
Client credit cards or ACH bank accounts missing after you connect Stripe
Stripe validates all payment information before importing it, so some saved payment methods might not appear after you connect. Stripe imports only payment methods that meet the requirements in the following table.
Payment method | Requirements for import |
|---|---|
Credit cards | The card isn't expired and passes Stripe's validation checks. |
ACH bank accounts | The account has a valid bank account number and routing number, and someone used it successfully at least once in the past year. |
If Stripe didn't import a credit card or bank account, add it to Stripe manually before you use it for future payments.
Adding a client's card or bank account directly in Stripe
Before you can add a client's card or bank account directly in Stripe, you need to add the client to Stripe from Practice CS. If the client doesn't exist in Stripe yet, follow these steps:
- In Practice CS, go to .
- SelectManage Client Accounts.
After the client exists in Stripe, you can add their credit cards or bank accounts directly in Stripe.
Bank account validation with your client
If you accept ACH payments, you must comply with Nacha's requirements for verifying bank accounts. That means you need to confirm each new bank account before you can use it for payments. For more information, refer to the Stripe help article Nacha bank account validation rule.
Client bank account not imported despite recent ACH payments
Stripe imports a bank account only if it has a valid account number and routing number. Add the bank account manually in Stripe. If the client doesn't exist in Stripe yet, add them from Practice CS first by going to and selecting
Manage Client Accounts
.Processing payments in Practice CS
Payment activity or deposits are missing from your Stripe dashboard
First, check the following:
- The Stripe connection status in Practice CS is active.
- You set up your bank account correctly in Stripe.
If payments or deposits still don't appear, contact Practice CS Support at 800-968-0600. A Support representative can review your Stripe configuration and your Practice CS billing setup.
Returning to your previous payment provider
You can return to Kotapay for a limited time. The Kotapay integration with Practice CS remains available during the transition period, which runs through November 10, 2026. After the transition period ends, or after you complete your migration to Stripe, Stripe will be the only payment provider integrated with Practice CS.
Getting started with Stripe if your firm has never accepted credit cards
Stripe is the payment option for Practice CS, so you can start accepting payments even if your firm has never accepted credit cards before. To create your Stripe account directly from Practice CS, follow these steps:
- Go to .
- SelectConnect Stripe.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to create your account.
After you submit all the required information, Stripe takes 2 to 3 business days to set up your account completely. For more d For more details, refer to Connect your Stripe account.
Client portals, payment links, and your website
NetClient CS accounts for invoice payments
If your clients want to pay an invoice in their NetClient CS portal with a credit card, they need a NetClient CS account.
Other products
No impact on Accounting CS
This change doesn't affect Accounting CS. If you use Accounting CS, you'll continue to use Kotapay for your payment processing.
Contacts and resources
Support contacts
Use the following table to find the correct contact for your question.
Contact | When to contact |
|---|---|
Practice CS Support: 800-968-0600 | Questions about the transition, connecting or disconnecting Stripe, emails you're unsure about, and your Practice CS billing setup. |
Questions about your Stripe account, pricing, payment links, and Stripe's verification steps. |
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