Overview
It can be frustrating for both you and your clients when a payment is not approved. While clients see a generic "could not be processed" message, you can find the specific details regarding the failure within your ClientPay account.
How to Find the Specific Decline Reason
To identify why a transaction failed, follow these steps in your Payment Manager:
Navigate to Payment Manager > Payment Search.
In the Advanced Search section, set the filters to:
[Status][Is Not][Approved].Click Search.
Locate the transaction in the results grid; the Status column provides the initial reason.
Double-click the item to View Details. The specific reason will appear at the top of the screen.
Note: A common message is "Do Not Honor," which is a standard bank response instructing the merchant not to complete the sale.
Understanding Declines vs. Errors
There are two primary types of unsuccessful payments:
Declines: These come directly from the issuing bank. It means the bank is proactively blocking the transaction.
Errors: These are often the result of a technical communication issue during the processing phase. If you encounter a persistent error, please contact [email protected] for assistance.
Common Reasons for Declines
Invalid Information: The most common cause is mistyped data (card number, CVV, or expiry).
Processing Limits: Some banks limit the dollar amount or the number of transactions allowed per day.
Security Policies: Banks may flag and decline "unusual" activity, such as first-time purchases with a new merchant or exceptionally large amounts.
Recommended Resolution Steps
If a payment fails, we recommend the following sequence:
Verify and Retry: Re-enter the payment details, paying extra attention to the accuracy of the card information.
Client Outreach: Ask your client to contact their bank to authorize the transaction or identify a specific block on their account.
Alternative Method: If the issue persists, request a different form of payment.