How we look after your information
Your books, matters and client correspondence are confidential. This page sets out where we keep them, who can see them, how our security has been assessed, and every company that processes them on our behalf.
Last reviewed
-
Stored in South Africa
Your records live in Google Cloud's Johannesburg region.
-
Independently assessed
A CASA Tier 2 security assessment, and a POPIA impact assessment by external attorneys.
-
Encrypted throughout
In transit and at rest, with a second layer on the most sensitive fields.
-
Not used to train AI
Google's terms bar it from training on your data without our prior permission or instruction.
Assessments and documents
- Request the letter
CASA Tier 2 security assessment
An independent application security review by TAC Security, required by Google before Bill could read Gmail inboxes. It covers the Bill web app and the service behind it.
- Read
Privacy policy
What we collect, why, how long we keep it, and your rights under POPIA.
- Read
Terms of service
Includes the terms under which we process personal information on your behalf.
- Read
Cookie policy
Which cookies our website sets, why, and how to change your choice.
Where your data lives
Your records are stored in South Africa. A few features process data abroad; each transfer relies on one of the bases section 72 of POPIA allows, usually a binding agreement with the provider.
| What | Where | Provider |
|---|---|---|
| Your records: clients, matters, time, invoices, books and documents | South Africa | Google Cloud, Johannesburg |
| Encryption keys | South Africa | Google Cloud, Johannesburg |
| AI drafting and chat | Outside South Africa, routed by Google | Google Cloud (Gemini) |
| Voice note transcription | European Union | Google Cloud Speech-to-Text |
| WhatsApp messages | United States | Twilio and WhatsApp |
| Outgoing email, such as invoices you send | United States | SendGrid |
Who can see your information
Your team, and nobody else by default.
Your account is separated from every other
Every record in Bill belongs to one account, and each request is checked against the account making it, so one practice cannot reach another's data.
Every action is recorded
Each request to Bill is written to an audit log against the account and the person who made it.
Signing in
Sign in with your Google or Microsoft account, or with a password. Passwords are stored only as bcrypt hashes, never in a form we can read.
AI and your data
Bill uses AI to turn your emails, WhatsApp messages and voice notes into draft time entries and invoices. You approve every invoice before it goes out.
No training on your data
Bill's AI runs on Google's Gemini models through Google Cloud. Google's terms prohibit it from using your data to train or fine-tune any AI model without our prior permission or instruction.
Connected inboxes
Bill reads a connected inbox to draft time entries and pick up invoices, and nothing else. Its use of Google Workspace data meets Google's Limited Use requirements, and you can disconnect an inbox at any time from your settings.
Security practices
Encryption
All traffic uses TLS, and the database and file storage are encrypted at rest. The most sensitive fields, such as the access tokens for connected inboxes, calendars and Xero, and voice note transcripts, are encrypted again with AES-256-GCM using keys held in Google Cloud Key Management Service.
Backups
The production database is backed up every day, with point-in-time recovery to any moment in the last seven days.
Software inventory
Every production release records a full list of the third-party software it contains, so we can check quickly whether a newly disclosed vulnerability affects us.
Subprocessors
Every company that processes personal information on our behalf. We are party to a data processing agreement with each, or rely on their standard terms where they offer none, and review the list regularly.
| Provider | Purpose | Location |
|---|---|---|
The Bill platformEngaged for every account. | ||
| Google Cloud Platform | Hosting, database, file storage, encryption keys and AI models | South Africa; AI routed by Google |
| Google Cloud Speech-to-Text | Transcribing voice notes | European Union |
| Firebase Hosting | Delivering the Bill web app to your browser; holds no personal information | Global |
| Gmail API | Reading a Gmail inbox, only if you connect one | |
| Google Calendar API | Reading a Google Calendar, only if you connect one | |
| Microsoft Graph | Reading an Outlook inbox or calendar, only if you connect one | Microsoft |
| Twilio | Sending and receiving WhatsApp messages, and phone verification codes | United States |
| WhatsApp (Meta) | Carrying WhatsApp messages | United States |
| SendGrid | Sending email, such as invoices and notifications | United States |
| Paystack | Taking subscription payments | South Africa |
Bookkeeping and tax servicesEngaged only when we keep your books or run your payroll. | ||
| Google Workspace | Our email and working documents for your engagement | |
| SimplePay | Running payroll, only if payroll is part of your engagement | Ireland |
Our websiteEngaged only if you accept analytics cookies on bill.co.za. | ||
| Google Analytics | Measuring how visitors use bill.co.za | |
Xero and your bank are not on this list: when you connect them, you are sharing data with your own accounts, not asking us to engage them.
Leaving Bill
Take your data with you
Export your data from the app at any time. After your account closes, you can still ask us for a copy for 30 days.
Deletion
You can delete your account from the app. Thirty days after an account closes, we delete or anonymise its personal information, unless the law requires us to keep it longer.
Questions, requests and security reports
Ask for any document on this page, raise a privacy concern, or report a security issue.
- privacy@bill.co.za
- Information Officer
- Ricky Klopper
- Company
- ASDF Consulting (Pty) Ltd, 2023/566704/07, Stellenbosch