Issuing Refunds in ArboStar

This article explains how to process refunds in ArboStar for credit/debit cards, ACH, and offline payments such as checks, E-Transfers, and cash. It includes refund permissions, timelines, and instructions for refunds processed in ArboStar or through the payment processor.

Updated May 28, 2026

ArboStar supports integrated payment processing for credit/debit card and ACH transactions through a connected payment processor.

At this time:

  • Credit/debit card refunds can be processed directly within ArboStar
  • ACH payment refunds will need to be processed directly through the connected payment processor’s merchant portal.
  • Offline payments such as direct bank deposits, E-Transfers, checks, Zelle, cash, or similar payment methods must be refunded outside of ArboStar, since these payments were only manually recorded in the system and were not processed through ArboStar’s integrated payment gateway
Only users with Admin permissions can process refunds in ArboStar.

Processing Credit/Debit Card Refunds in ArboStar

How to Issue a Refund

  1. Open the Client Profile or the related Project Profile.

    • This may include a Lead, Estimate, Work Order, or Invoice.

  2. Click the Payments tab.

  3. If accessing refunds from the Client Profile:

    • You may see multiple payment records from different projects.

    • Review the payment method used for each transaction.

    • To identify which payment belongs to the correct project, click the dropdown arrow on the payment record to view the associated Project ID.

4. Click the three dots menu on the payment record.

5. Select Transaction Refund.

Enter:

  • The refund amount

  • The Admin user’s password for authorization

6. Click Submit to process the refund.

Once processed successfully, the refund transaction will appear in the Notes history.

Refund Processing Timeframes

Refunds typically take between 3–7 business days to appear in the customer’s account. Although the system initiates the refund request almost immediately, the final processing time depends on the customer’s banking institution or card issuer.

Credit/Debit Card Refunds

  • Credit cards commonly process refunds within 3–5 business days
  • Debit cards and smaller credit unions may take approximately 5–10 business days depending on their internal settlement cycles

ACH Refunds

ACH refunds typically take 3-7 business days to arrive in the customer’s bank account. This is generally longer than credit card refunds because the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network processes transactions in batches rather than through real-time authorizations.

If the Customer Does Not Receive the Refund

If the customer does not see the refunded amount after 7 business days, advise them to contact their card-issuing bank and provide:

  • Refund date

  • Refund amount

The bank may then trace the pending transaction.

Processing ACH Refunds Through the Payment Processor Portal

Note: The refund process and available options may vary depending on the payment processor being used. The steps below are provided as a general guideline and may not exactly match your processor’s interface or workflow. For processor-specific instructions or assistance, please contact your payment processor directly.

Steps to Process an ACH Refund

  1. Log in to the payment processor’s merchant portal.
  2. Navigate to the transaction or reporting section.
  3. Search for the original transaction using available transaction details such as:
  • Date range
  • Last 4 digits of the account
  • Transaction ID
  • Customer information
  1. Open the transaction details.
  2. Find the option for Refund.

If the transaction has not yet settled, you may instead see a Void option, which cancels the transaction before funds are transferred.

  1. Confirm or adjust the refund amount.
  • The system may default to the full transaction amount
  • Partial refunds may also be entered if applicable
  1. Submit or process the refund request.

Offline Payment Refunds

For offline payment methods such as:

  • Direct bank deposits

  • E-Transfers

  • Checks

  • Zelle

  • Cash

  • Other manually recorded payment methods

Refunds must be handled externally outside of ArboStar. Since these transactions were not processed through the integrated payment gateway, ArboStar can only record the payment and does not have the ability to return the funds electronically.

Please contact your Customer Success Manager or chat with us for more information about enabling integrated payment processing to accept payments directly through the ArboStar portal.