New accounting and bookkeeping partners get the most value from Relay by setting up their own firm's account first, then inviting clients once the workflow feels familiar.
What you need before you start
Your unique Relay partner registration link (sent by email when you joined the Partner Program). If you have not received it, our Customer Experience team can resend it.
The email address you want to use as the firm's Relay login.
Your firm's business details (legal name, EIN, and business address) for the application.
A mobile phone that can receive SMS or an authenticator app for two-factor sign-in.
A QuickBooks Online or Xero login if you plan to connect your accounting software during setup.
How do I sign up for my Relay partner account?
Open your partner registration email and click the unique link inside to start the application. The link creates your no-cost partner account, tags it as a Relay Partner Program firm, and gives you access to the Relay Partner Portal once you are approved. Missing the email? Reach out to the Customer Experience team and we will resend it.
How do I use Relay on mobile?
Download the Relay mobile app on iOS or Android so you can run your firm's finances from anywhere. From the app you can:
Deposit a client check using your phone camera.
Approve or send an ACH payment.
Freeze or terminate a debit card if it is lost or misplaced.
Move money between your firm's own checking and savings accounts.
Testing the mobile experience on your own account first makes it easier to answer client questions later.
How do I fund my Relay account?
You can fund your Relay account four ways: connect an existing bank account and pull money in, receive an ACH transfer or domestic wire, deposit a check through the mobile app, or bring in cash at a supported retail location.
In Relay, go to Move Money and choose the funding method that fits your firm.
If you are connecting a bank account, sign in to that bank through the secure link and confirm the deposit account you want to pull from.
For check deposits, endorse the back of the cheque with "For Mobile Deposit at Relay" and follow the in-app prompts.
Most external transfers arrive within 1 to 3 business days, depending on the sending bank.
How do I organize funds inside Relay?
Open up to 20 checking accounts and up to 2 savings accounts under one Relay business to separate tax, profit, payroll, and operating money without opening extra logins.
From the dashboard, click Add Account in the accounts sidebar.
Choose Checking or Savings and give the account a name that matches its purpose (for example, "Owner's Tax," "Profit," or "Payroll Clearing").
Repeat for each envelope your firm wants to track.
This structure lines up with Profit First and other multi-account budgeting methods your clients may already follow.
How do I issue Relay Visa® Debit Cards to my team?
Issue physical or virtual Relay Visa® Debit Cards to yourself and any team member who needs to spend, then set spend limits or category controls per card.
Go to Cards, then click Create card.
Choose Physical or Virtual. Virtual cards activate the moment they are created.
Assign the card to a team member, set a monthly spend limit, and add any vendor or category restrictions.
Freeze the card at any time from the same screen if you need to pause spending.
Virtual cards are useful for online subscriptions and one-off purchases because you can create a fresh card for each vendor.
How do I connect Relay to QuickBooks Online or Xero?
Set up a direct feed so transactions from your Relay checking, savings, and debit-card accounts sync into your accounting software every three hours.
For QuickBooks Online:
In QuickBooks Online, open Transactions, then Bank transactions.
Click Add account and search for "Relay."
Click Connect, then sign in to Relay and choose which accounts to link.
For Xero:
In Relay, go to Settings, then Integrations.
Click Connect next to the Xero logo.
Sign in to Xero and select the Xero organisation you want to link.
Once connected, Relay pushes fresh transaction data to your ledger every 3 hours.
How do I set up Relay Bill Pay?
Relay Bill Pay imports unpaid bills from QuickBooks Online or Xero and lets you pay them by ACH, wire, or check with a full approval trail.
In Relay, open Bill Pay from the left navigation.
Connect QuickBooks Online or Xero (if not already connected) so unpaid bills flow in automatically.
Add approval rules that require a second team member to review payments over a threshold your firm sets.
Choose ACH, domestic wire, or mailed check as the payment method for each bill.
Approvals, granular card controls, and a complete audit trail are built into Relay, so your firm can hand off day-to-day payment execution while keeping oversight.
Common issues
Your partner registration link never arrived. Check spam and promotions folders first. If the email is missing, contact the Customer Experience team with your firm's name and we will resend it.
The QuickBooks Online or Xero feed shows no transactions. Confirm the connection is active under Settings > Integrations and that at least one Relay account is selected. Feeds refresh every 3 hours, so newly connected accounts may take one cycle to populate.
You are not receiving your SMS 2FA code on the mobile app. Switch to app-based 2FA (Google Authenticator, Authy) for a more reliable code delivery. See What should I do if I'm not receiving my 2FA OTP codes?.
You want to invite firm staff before adding clients. Add your team through Settings > Team members so they can log in with their own credentials. See How to invite team members and advisors to your Relay account.
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If this article did not fully answer your question, our Customer Experience team is here to help.