"Processing" payments: Understanding ACH/PAD Payments

More information about payments whose status has been on "processing" for a few days.

ACH Payments or PAD Payments are secure electronic fund transfer methods that function via direct bank transfers.

Why is this payment still "processing"?

It's important to note that ACH and PAD payments can take between 5-10 business days to finalize. This processing time includes the period between the initiation of the transaction and its successful completion. Delays may occur due to various factors, including the banking systems involved.

When the transaction is initiated, your donor will receive a confirmation email that their transaction is in progress.

The transaction will appear as "processing" in your dashboard.

⚠️ Even if the funds have already been debited from your donor's bank account, the funds can still take a few days to reach us. It is thus normal that their payment still states "processing" even if they have already been debited.

When will I know if the payment went through?

As soon as the payment has succeeded, the status will update to "succeeded". Your donor will also be notified via email that their payment went through.

The official confirmation email (containing e-tickets and/or tax receipts) is sent only when the transaction is entirely finalized. For ticket purchases specifically, the tickets are still "reserved" while the transaction is in progress, and are calculated in your amount of tickets sold to avoid overselling.

What if the payment fails?

If the bank transfer fails, you and your donor will be notified thereof via email. The payment having failed will also be reflected in your dashboard under the payment status.

The most common reasons for an ACH / PAD payment failing are as follows:

  • The payment was declined by the donor's bank: We recommend that your donor reach out to their banking institution to find out why the payment was declined. They can then reattempt a new payment or use a different payment method altogether.
  • The bank account had insufficient funds: Invite your donor to make sure the bank account they are using has enough funds to cover their payment before they reattempt another payment.