# Use Stripe to identify test invoices before giving a payment claim

Example: A team does billing tests in a test environment. The owner mistakes a successful test invoice for a customer payment.

By Righthand Team · 2026-10-20

Source: https://www.righthand.ai/blog/use-stripe-to-separate-test-and-live-invoice-evidence

Keep Stripe as the source for its records. A Righthand can use available information for the decision below.

This article is from Righthand. The example and result are illustrative. This guide has no executed integration test.

## The customer task

A team does billing tests in a test environment. The owner mistakes a successful test invoice for a customer payment.

[Provider documentation](https://docs.stripe.com/api/invoices). The documentation gives information about invoice states and invoice events. The invoice status values are draft, open, paid, uncollectible, and void.

## Make account access explicit

If Stripe is available in [Connections](https://docs.righthand.ai/guides/adding-your-first-connection), connect the intended account. Give the Righthand access to that connection.

Provider documentation does not establish installed Righthand operations. Examine the connection’s available tools before assigning direct account work.

For direct account work, the connection must have the necessary read or write operation and permission. If that operation is unavailable, supply the information in a message. The owner must make any account change in that case.

[Connection Permissions](https://docs.righthand.ai/guides/add-a-connection) gives information about account access and tool permissions. Give only the access necessary for the identified task.

## The request to the Righthand

> Read the supplied invoice environment and state.
>
> Send test evidence independently from live billing.
>
> Keep customer payment unanswered.
>
> Send the owner the result before 3 PM Friday.
>
> Use Pacific time.

## Use the provider records for the result

Identify the exact invoice and account context. Read state and amounts together. Keep the owner's financial decisions separate from status reporting.

A successful test operation is not a customer transaction.

For a permitted write, examine the resulting account record. A proposal does not establish a completed change.

For an external message, identify the recipient and permitted task. **Ask** uses an explicit instruction or approval. Connection tool permissions are another required control. [Communications Policy](https://docs.righthand.ai/security/external-communications).

## An illustrative result and next step

> The invoice belongs to test evidence. It does not establish a live customer payment.

The owner examines the intended live account before giving a payment claim.

## Try one account task

1. Give the Righthand one identified source record.
2. Compare its result with that source.
3. Examine the account record after a permitted write.
4. Examine the work in [Activity](https://docs.righthand.ai/guides/working-with-your-righthand).

If a direct operation is unavailable, give the source information in a message. This does not establish a direct integration.

## When the account tools are sufficient

Use Stripe directly when its existing view gives the complete answer and no other conversation is necessary. A person can make the decision from that view.

[Compare plans](https://www.righthand.ai/pricing). [Get a Righthand](https://teams.righthand.ai).