Occasionally a client may encounter an error when attempting to submit a payment. In most cases, payment failures are related to the client’s bank or card issuer and not an issue with the invoice or the Releventful system.
When a payment attempt fails, the client can typically resolve the issue by reviewing their payment information or contacting their bank.
Below are the most common reasons a payment may fail.
Incorrect Card Information
The most common reason for a failed payment is incorrect card details.
This may include:
• an incorrect card number
• an incorrect expiration date
• an incorrect CVV security code
• an incorrect billing ZIP code
Clients should verify that all card information was entered exactly as it appears on the card.
Insufficient Funds
If the card or bank account does not have enough available funds to complete the transaction, the payment may be declined.
Clients may need to use a different payment method or wait until sufficient funds are available.
Bank Security or Fraud Protection
Many banks automatically block transactions they perceive as unusual or potentially fraudulent.
This may occur if:
• the payment amount is larger than typical purchases
• the client rarely makes online transactions
• the bank flags the transaction as suspicious
If this occurs, the client may need to contact their bank and authorize the transaction before attempting the payment again.
Billing Address or ZIP Code Mismatch
Some banks require the billing ZIP code entered during payment to match the ZIP code associated with the card.
If the ZIP code does not match the bank’s records, the payment may be declined.
Expired Card
If the card being used has expired, the payment cannot be processed.
The client will need to use a valid card.
Card Not Authorized for Online Payments
Some debit cards do not allow online or "card-not-present" transactions. In these cases, the bank may automatically decline the payment.
Clients may need to use a different card or contact their bank to allow online transactions.
Daily Spending Limits
Some banks place daily limits on card transactions. If the payment exceeds the client’s daily limit, the bank may decline the payment.
The client may need to contact their bank to temporarily increase their limit.
ACH Bank Payment Issues
If the client is attempting to pay using ACH bank transfer, the payment may fail if:
• the routing or account number is entered incorrectly
• the bank account cannot be verified
• the bank blocks the transaction
Clients should confirm their bank information and try again.
What Should the Client Do Next?
If a client experiences a payment error, the following steps usually resolve the issue:
Ask the client to review their card or bank information and try the payment again.
If the issue continues, ask the client to contact their bank to authorize the transaction.
The client may also try an alternate payment method such as another card or ACH bank transfer.
Viewing Payment Decline Details
If you need to view the specific decline reason returned by the bank, you can review the transaction details in your Releventful Pay Dashboard.
Access to this dashboard is provided when you initially sign up for Releventful Payments.
Within the dashboard, you can review transaction activity and see the decline messages returned by the payment processor.
Questions About a Declined Transaction
If you believe a payment should not have been declined, you can contact the payment processor directly for further review.
Please send inquiries regarding specific declined transactions to:
When contacting Payabli, include:
• the transaction date
• the payment amount
• the name of your business
This will help their team locate the transaction more quickly.
Questions About Payment Setup or Using Payments in Releventful
If you have questions about setting up payments, payment schedules, invoices, or payment workflows within Releventful, our support team is happy to help.
Use the Help icon in the bottom-right corner of the platform to contact Releventful Support.