Overview

This article outlines best practices for staying on top of failed payments in CORE — with daily or weekly follow-up routines, automation options, and actionable reminders to ensure your business collects what it's owed.

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Prerequisites

• Admin access to CORE
• Active client memberships
• Payment gateway set up (e.g. Stripe, Ezidebit)

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Step-by-step instructions

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Step 1: Check failed payments daily or weekly

1. Go to Payments > Retail Dashboard.
2. Click on Failed Payments.
3. Review all failed transactions including:
   • Client name and contact
   • Amount due
   • Failure reason (e.g. insufficient funds, card expired, payment method not found)
   • Number of retry attempts

Tip: This should be a daily or weekly task to prevent outstanding invoices from piling up.

 

 

 

 

 

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Step 2: Configure retry settings

1. Go to Payments > Retail Configurations > Retail Settings.
2. Scroll to Retry Failed Payments.
3. Click the Pencil Icon and update:
   • Retry Interval (e.g. 2 days)
   • Number of Attempts (e.g. 5 retries)
4. Click Save Changes.

Example: A failed payment on Monday will retry Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, etc., until it succeeds or reaches the attempt limit.

 

 

 

 

 

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Step 3: Follow-up actions

Use the icons on the Failed Payments page to take action:

• Update Card: Click the orange card icon to update credit or bank details.
• Retry Payment: Use after payment method has been updated.
• Send Email Reminder: Sends automated reminder to client.
• Cancel Invoice: ⚠️ Do not cancel unless absolutely necessary — your business will absorb the cost.

Tip: Create a follow-up rule:

• 1st attempt: Send email reminder
• 2nd/3rd attempt: Call client directly

 

 

 

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Step 4: Reaching out to clients

1. Identify the client in the list (e.g. Barry).
2. Pick up the phone or send a manual reminder.
3. Offer them two options:
   • Update payment details in the app
   • Provide details over the phone for manual entry
4. Once updated, retry the payment.

Tip: Always log client communication to keep team members aligned.

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Reason for payment failure when sufficient funds are available

Please Note: a client's failed payment fees are beyond Hapana, EZYPay or other gateway control.

If it appears that there are sufficient funds in the client’s account, the following reasons may still result in a failed payment:

1. The client has pending transactions that are yet to be processed.
2. The client has exceeded their daily debit limit.
3. The client deposited funds after the payment attempt (usually triggered at the start of the business day).
4. The client’s bank account has a minimum balance requirement — funds must remain above this limit after the deduction.

Recommendations to help improve this:

• Set the client’s payment cycle to the day after their payday.
• For insufficient funds: Advise the member to contact their bank for clarity on the rejected debit despite apparent available funds.

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Expected outcome

By checking failed payments regularly and taking proactive follow-up steps, your business stays cashflow-positive and avoids large backlogs of unpaid invoices.

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FAQs

Q: What if a client disputes a failed payment months later?

A: That’s why daily or weekly follow-up is critical. Don’t let failures sit for months.

Q: Can I automate retries?

A: Yes — configure retry intervals and limits under Retail Settings.

Q: Should I ever cancel a failed invoice?

A: No — it means your business absorbs the fees and forfeits the payment.

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Still need help?

Reach out to our support team via [email protected]