ACH Payment Method

ACH payments allow customers to securely pay invoices and deposits directly from their bank accounts. Unlike credit card payments, ACH transactions can take several business days to fully clear. This article explains ACH payment statuses, notifications, and what to expect during processing.

Updated May 23, 2026

What Happens When a Customer Pays via ACH

When a customer submits an ACH payment through the Customer Portal:

  • The payment is immediately submitted for processing
  • The invoice or estimate deposit payment enters a Pending status
  • Funds are not considered completed until the ACH transaction fully clears through the banking system

ACH processing typically takes 3–5 business days, depending on the bank.

What You Will See

Inside the Client Profile, open the Payments tab to view ACH payments and their current processing statuses.

Pending

The payment has been submitted and is currently processing through the bank.

What this means:

  • Payment is not completed yet
  • Funds have not been finalized
  • Invoice may still show as unpaid or partially unpaid until cleared

Paid

The ACH payment successfully cleared.

What happens:

  • Invoice balance updates
  • Payment is officially recorded
  • Invoice status updates accordingly

Failed / Declined

The bank rejected or failed the transaction.

Common reasons:

  • Insufficient funds
  • Invalid banking information
  • Bank rejection
  • Authorization issue

If this happens, the customer may need to resubmit payment using another method.

If ACH is used for an estimate deposit:

  • The deposit payment may remain in Pending status until the ACH payment fully clears
  • The estimate status will remain “Sent for Approval” while the ACH payment is still processing
  • Once the ACH payment status changes to Paid, the estimate status will automatically update to Confirmed, and a Workorder profile will automatically be created and ready for job scheduling

Email Notifications

Emails Sent to Customers

Customers may receive email updates such as:

  • Payment submitted confirmation
  • Pending ACH notification
  • Payment completed confirmation
  • Failed or declined payment notification

These emails help keep customers informed throughout the ACH process.

Emails Sent to Your Company

Your company may also receive notifications when:

  • An ACH payment is submitted
  • A payment clears successfully
  • A payment fails or is declined

Where to Find ACH Payment Information

You can view ACH payment activity from:

  • Invoice profiles
  • Estimate profiles (for deposits)
  • Customer payment history (Payments tab)
  • Business Intelligence - Accounting - Client Payments

Important Things to Know

  • ACH payments are not instant
  • Pending does not mean failed
  • Processing time depends on banks and business days
  • Weekends and holidays may delay processing
  • Customers may still see balances until the payment clears

Best Practice

When accepting ACH payments, it is recommended to let customers know that:

  • ACH payments may take several business days to process
  • Their payment may temporarily appear as Pending (3-5 business days)
  • They will receive confirmation updates during processing

This helps reduce confusion and improves customer confidence during the payment process.