Understanding batches and settlements

If you accept card payments at your business, you're probably wondering, "How does the money actually get from my customer's card to my bank account?"

Turns out, it's not as instant as it seems!

Even though a transaction looks like it's approved right away, there's a little behind-the-scenes process that makes it all happen. That process involves batches and settlements, and understanding them can really help you manage your business.

In this article

• What's a batch?

• What's a settlement?

• When do batches settle?

• When will I actually see the money in my account?

• Conclusions

• Next steps

What's a batch in payment processing?

Think of a "batch" as a group of all the transactions you've processed in a day. It's like a basket that holds all your sales for that day.

Why should I care?

While batches are still "open" (meaning the day hasn't ended yet), the transactions in it aren’t finalized yet. You can still cancel or “void” any transactions if you need to. This can save you time and money compared to giving a customer a refund!

What’s a settlement in payment processing?

"Settlement" is when the money from all those transactions in a batch moves from your customer's bank to your business's bank account.

This process is critical for getting you paid for your daily sales.

Settlements: a step-by-step process

Here's what happens when a batch settles:

1. All your transactions for the day are grouped into a batch.  

2. That batch is sent to Helcim.  

3. Helcim gets the money from the customer's banks and sends it to your business's bank account for deposit.  

4. The customer's bank shows the transaction on their statement.

When do batches settle?

Most businesses have their batches "settle" or “close” automatically at the end of each day. At Helcim, the auto-settlement time is set to:

• 5:00 pm MST for credit card batches

• 4:30 pm MST (CAD) or 6:30 pm MST (USD) for ACH payment batches

You can also choose to settle credit card batches manually, or at a different time.

When will I actually see the money in my account?

Generally, funds should appear in your bank account within the following timelines, after the batch is settled:

• 1-2 business days for credit card transactions

• 4-5 business days for ACH transactions

However, it's important to note that several factors could affect this, such as initial batch reviews, or the payment rails your bank uses.

Conclusions

Here’s a point-form review of what we learned in this article.

• A batch is a group of your daily card or ACH transactions.  

• Settlement is when that batch of money is transferred to your bank account.  

• Understanding these processes helps you keep track of your money and avoid any surprises.

Next steps

Now that you have a solid understanding of batches and settlements, you can take control of how you manage your transactions and funds. Here are some helpful next steps:

• Learn how to view your batches in Helcim: This will help you keep track of your daily sales and ensure everything is accurate.

• Discover how to manage your auto-settlement settings: Setting up auto-settlement can save you time and streamline your end-of-day procedures.

• Find out how to manually settle a batch: Knowing how to manually settle gives you flexibility and control over when you receive your funds.