This article explains how access to Dext Payments works, how it relates to your existing Dext roles, and what each Payments role can do. Dext roles (such as Practice/Client Admin or Business/User Admin) control who can see Payments, while Dext Payments roles control what a user can do within the Payments feature.
Important: Dext Payments is only available for Xero-integrated UK clients.
Understanding Dext roles vs Dext Payments roles
Dext uses two separate role systems:
Dext roles determine a user’s overall access level in Dext (for example, Practice Admin or Business Admin).
Dext Payments roles determine a user’s permissions within the Payments feature only.
Seeing the Payments area does not automatically mean you can manage or process payments.
Tip: To learn more about what each Dext role can do outside of Payments, see Dext roles and permissions.
How Payments access is defined
Payment Owner
The Payment Owner is the user who starts the Know Your Customer (KYC) process for an account. This role is assigned automatically.
Important: The user who starts KYC becomes the Payment Owner, even if another user completes the process.
The Payment Owner:
Gets immediate access to the Payments area
Can manage Payments access and permissions for other users (with some role-based limits)
Has the exclusive right to withdraw funds from the company wallet
Who can become a Payment Owner:
Practice accounts: a Practice Admin, or a Client Admin with the Manage practice's access toggle enabled
Business or client accounts: a Business or a User Admin, or any Practice user with access to the client account
Payments access for Practice accounts
Practice Admins accessing their practice account
Practice Admins can become Payment Owners for a practice account if they start the KYC process.
Practice Admins who are not the Payment Owner can see the Payments area, but:
They cannot access protected areas such as Wallets or Payment runs until access is granted.
Access must be granted by the Payment Owner or another user with Payments admin access.
Alternatively, they can request access from any Payments page.
Practice Admins accessing a client account
Practice Admins can see Payments when accessing a client account.
To enable Payments for a client, a licence must be purchased and assigned to that client.
A Practice Admin becomes the Payment Owner if they start KYC for the client account, unless another eligible user starts it first.
Practice Admins who are not the Payment Owner do not automatically have access to client payments.
They must:
Be granted access by the Payment Owner or a Payments Admin, or
Request access directly from any Payments page.
Client Admins accessing a practice account
Client Admins can become Payment Owners for a practice account if they start the KYC process.
If Payments is enabled for the practice, Client Admins can see the Payments area.
They cannot access protected areas (including Wallets and Payment runs) until access is granted.
Access can be granted by the Payment Owner or a Payments Admin, or requested from any Payments page.
Note: A Client Admin can become the Payment Owner in the practice account only if they have been granted the Manage practice’s business permission as part of their general Dext role.
Client Admins accessing a client account
If a Client Admin starts the KYC process, they become the Payment Owner for that client account.
When Payments is enabled, Client Admins can see the Payments area.
Access to protected areas must be explicitly granted unless the user is the Payment Owner.
Standard Users accessing a practice account
Standard Users do not see the Payments section.
They cannot access Payments unless their Dext role is upgraded to an Admin by a Practice or Client Admin.
Standard Users accessing a client account
If a Standard User starts the KYC process for a client account, they become the Payment Owner.
When Payments is enabled, Standard Users can see the Payments area.
They cannot access protected areas unless permission is granted.
Payments access for Business accounts
Business Admins
Business Admins can become Payment Owners for a business account if they start the KYC process.
Business Admins who are not the Payment Owner:
Can see the Payments area
Cannot access protected areas until access is granted
Note: If your accountant or bookkeeper pays for your Dext account, they may be the Payment Owner. Contact them to request Payments access.
User Admins
User Admins can become Payment Owners for a business account if they start the KYC process.
When Payments is enabled, User Admins can see the Payments area.
They cannot access protected areas unless access is granted by the Payment Owner or a Payments Admin.
Standard Users
Standard Users do not see the Payments section.
They cannot access Payments unless their Dext role is upgraded by a Business Admin, User Admin, or their accountant or bookkeeper.
Key points to note
Visibility of Payments does not automatically grant access.
Sensitive actions always require explicit permission.
Only the Payment Owner can withdraw funds from the wallet.
Dext roles and Dext Payments roles are separate and serve different purposes.
Grant access to other users
Only Payment Owners and Payment Admins can grant Payments access.
Steps to add a user
Go to Business settings > Payments > Permissions.
Click Add user to open Give a user access to Payments.
Select an eligible user from the dropdown.
Choose the user’s Payments role: Payment Admin or Standard User.
If you select Standard User, enable any additional permissions you want to grant:
Manage bank details
Create payment runs
Process payments
Click Submit.
Once added, the user appears in your organisation’s Permissions list.
Important:
Practice users can select users from their practice and associated client businesses.
Business users only see users from their own business.
Business users can only add Business users to Payments.
Business users cannot add Practice users directly.
Practice users can request access to Payments, which Business users can then approve.
Business users can remove or edit Payments access for Practice users only if they have previously approved an access request.
Request access to Payments
If Payments is locked or you cannot access certain areas:
Open any page in the Payments area.
Click Request permissions.
Submit the request form.
What happens next:
An email is sent to the Payment Owner and Payment Admins.
The request appears in Business settings > Payments > Permissions > Pending permission requests.
Approve or reject access requests
Payment Owners and Payment Admins can manage access requests.
Steps
Go to Business settings > Payments > Permissions > Pending permission requests.
Accept or reject each request.
If accepted:
The user’s Payments access becomes active.
The user is prompted to add an authentication device.
Authentication is required to view wallets, create payment runs, and process payments.
Payment roles and what users can do
Payment Owner
Can:
View invoices to pay
View and approve payment runs
Manage supplier bank details
Create and process payments
Manage user permissions
Withdraw funds from the wallet (exclusive permission)
Payment Admin
Can:
View invoices to pay
View and approve payment runs
Manage supplier bank details
Create and process payments
Grant, edit, or remove user access (except for the Payment Owner)
Standard user (in Payments)
By default, can:
View invoices to pay
View payment runs
Act as a payment approver
Optional permissions:
Manage supplier bank details
Create payment runs
Process payments
Note: The Standard role in Dext Payments is separate from the Standard user role in Dext. A user who is an Admin in Dext can still be assigned a Standard role within Payments.
User list and status indicators
In Business settings > Payments > Permissions, you can see:
All users with Payments access
A mobile icon showing whether authentication is active
A permissions grid showing enabled capabilities
Edit or remove a user’s Payments access
Edit permissions
Go to Business settings > Payments > Permissions.
Click Manage next to the user.
Select Edit permissions.
Update the role or specific permissions.
Click Save changes.
Remove permissions
Go to Business settings > Payments > Permissions.
Click Manage next to the user.
Select Remove permissions.
The user immediately loses access, and the action is recorded in the audit log.
Best practice
Review Payments access regularly.
Remove access immediately when roles change or users leave.
Check the audit log to confirm when permissions were updated and by whom.
Payments videos
Payments in Dext: Onboarding and regulatory Verification | |
Payment in Dext: End-to-End setup: Payment runs for accounting teams | |
Payments in Dext: Navigating the dashboard |
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Payments in Dext: Reconciliation in Xero |
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Payments in Dext: Building approval workflows |
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Payments in Dext: Making your first payment |
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Payments in Dext: Adding supplier bank details | |
Payments in Dext: Funding your wallet |
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