---
title: Getting started with automated payments
slug: getting-started-with-automated-payments
description: Setting up Automated Payments for your Roster account. Follow these steps in order, then use the linked articles for ongoing management.
createdAt: 2025-12-09T17:53:00.426Z
---

This guide walks you through setting up Automated Payments for your Roster account. Follow these steps in order, then use the linked articles for ongoing management.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure:

- ✅ You have admin access to your Roster account
- ✅ You have access to your brand's bank account information
- ✅ You're authorized to connect payment systems for your brand
- ✅ You've set up referral commissions in your programs

## Step 1: Contact Your Account Manager

**Estimated Time: 5 minutes (initial contact)**

Automated Payments must be enabled by Roster before you can begin setup.

1. Contact your Roster account manager
2. Express interest in enabling Automated Payments
3. Roster will enable Automated Payments for your account
4. You'll receive confirmation when it's ready to configure

**What to expect**: Your account manager will answer any questions and enable the feature typically within 1-2 business days.

## Step 2: Connect Your Bank Account

**Estimated Time: 5 minutes**

Connect your bank account for automatic ACH transfers directly from Payment Settings in the Brand Portal.

1. Go to **Settings** > **Payment Settings**
2. Scroll to the **Bank Account for ACH Funding** section at the bottom
3. Click **Add bank account**
4. A modal opens with three required fields:
   - **Bank routing number** — Must be exactly 9 digits
   - **Bank account number** — Your full account number
   - **Account type** — Select **Checking** or **Savings**
5. Click **Save**
6. On success, the modal closes and your masked account number is displayed (e.g., `••••1234`)

If the save fails, the modal stays open with an error message so you can correct the details without re-entering them.

**Requirements:**

- Must be a business bank account (not personal)
- Account must support ACH debits
- You can replace your bank account at any time by clicking **Replace bank account**

**Optional:** Add additional email recipients for ACH transfer notifications (e.g., your finance team) in the **ACH transfer notification emails** field on the same page.

## Step 3: Enroll Your First Program

**Estimated Time: 5 minutes**

Choose which referral programs should use Automated Payments.

1. In **Payment Settings**, find the **Programs enrolled in automated payments** section
2. Click **Manage programs**
3. Toggle on the programs you want to enroll
4. Click **Save**

Payments are sent on the **first Tuesday of each month**. The commission cutoff is the **last day of the prior month** — any commissions approved after that date roll into the following month's batch. Pending commissions are automatically approved at payment time if not manually rejected.

**Tip:** Start with one program to test the workflow before enrolling all programs. You can also enable **Auto-enroll** so future programs are enrolled automatically.

**See:** [Enroll programs into automated payments](docId\:E4MgB1aVgQGRdynHPY38e) for details on auto-enroll, unenrolling, and what happens to commissions.

## Step 4: Set a Minimum Payment Amount (Optional)

**Estimated Time: 5 minutes**

Optionally configure a minimum to prevent micro-payments where the $1.89 processing fee exceeds the payout.

1. In **Payment Settings**, find the **Minimum payment amount** section
2. Choose one of two options:
   - **No minimum** — Pay all eligible ambassadors regardless of balance (default)
   - **Set a minimum payment amount** — Enter a dollar amount (minimum $1.00)
3. Click **Save**

The minimum is brand-wide across all enrolled programs. Ambassadors below the threshold are excluded from batches until their commissions accumulate enough — their balance rolls forward automatically. Below-minimum ambassadors won't receive wallet setup reminders, and they'll see a progress bar in their portal showing how close they are to the threshold.

**Tip:** Common thresholds are $10, $25, or $50. You can change or remove the minimum at any time — changes take effect starting with the next month's batch.

## Step 5: Notify Your Ambassadors

**Estimated Time: 15 minutes**

Roster sends automatic wallet setup reminders (at 26, 20, 14, 8, and 3 days before each payment), but we recommend also sending a personal heads-up when you first enable automated payments.

### Email Template

```javascript
Subject: New Automated Payment System - Action Required

Hi [Ambassador Name],

Great news! We're upgrading to a new automated payment system that will make receiving your commissions faster and more reliable.

What You Need to Do:
1. Watch for an email from Roster about setting up your payment wallet
2. Click the link and verify your phone number
3. Add your preferred payout method (bank account, PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, etc.)
4. Complete any required tax information

Why We're Making This Change:
- Faster, more reliable payments
- You control how you receive funds
- Better visibility into your earnings
- No more expiring payment links

Timeline:
- Setup notifications: Starting [date]
- First automated payment: [date]

Questions? Reply to this email and we'll be happy to help!

Best regards,
[Your Brand Team]
```

**See:** [Understand the ambassador payment experience](docId\:uK6AMUTnRfLPz0vCgCXPJ) for what ambassadors see during wallet setup, how they receive payments, and how the below-minimum experience works.

## Step 6: Monitor and Prepare for Your First Payment

**Estimated Time: Ongoing**

With setup complete, here's what to watch as your first payment date approaches.

### Track Wallet Setup Progress

1. Go to **Referral Rewards** > **Unsent Payments** > **Automated** tab
2. Use the **Payment readiness** filter to see who's **Ready** vs. **Setup Required**
3. Select ambassadors with "Setup Required" and click **Actions** > **Send Payment Info Request** to send manual reminders

### Review Your First Batch

Click **More Details** on the Automated tab to open the Payment Schedule drawer. Check:

- Next payment date and commission cutoff
- Enrolled programs
- Total payees and projected payment amount
- ACH transfer status and amount

### Ensure Sufficient Funds

You'll receive an email with a PDF invoice **18 business days before payment** showing the projected ACH amount. The ACH transfer happens automatically **10 business days before payment**. Make sure your bank account has sufficient funds by that date.

**Tip:** Set up banking alerts for ACH debits so you're notified when the transfer occurs.

**See:**

- [Understand automated payment timelines](docId\:izPkfe4evL_UafHApLlDM) for the full monthly cycle
- [Prepare for ACH funding transfer](docId\:UUkDum8GREAZTqlLTsogg) for ACH statuses, failed transfers, and monitoring
- [View upcoming automated payments batch](docId\:rJTesg7Nf9Gd9lxy-FlHl) for the Automated tab and Payment Schedule drawer
- [Configure international payment fees](docId\:uTUd47OU1S00H9d1Cdg9-) if you have international ambassadors

## Step 7: After Your First Payment

On the payment date, the system processes everything automatically. You'll receive a confirmation email with a payment summary.

**After payment, check:**

1. Go to **Referral Rewards** > **Sent Payments** to review the batch
2. Verify payment amounts and ambassador count look correct
3. Export the CSV for accounting records if needed
4. Respond to any ambassador questions

Ambassadors who didn't have wallets set up are automatically included in the next month's batch once they complete setup. Nothing is lost.

**See:**

- [View sent automated payment batches](docId\:L88CLl_WQiPSdydsR_jL6) for batch details, statuses, and exports
- [Understand W-9 and 1099 filings](docId\:Y01Bs3X5ptRfqBvgyuRgp) for how tax compliance is handled

## Next Steps

- [Enroll programs into automated payments](docId\:E4MgB1aVgQGRdynHPY38e) — Add more programs
- [Understand automated payment timelines](docId\:izPkfe4evL_UafHApLlDM) — Full monthly cycle reference
- [Configure international payment fees](docId\:uTUd47OU1S00H9d1Cdg9-) — Set up international fee handling
- [Understand the ambassador payment experience](docId\:uK6AMUTnRfLPz0vCgCXPJ) — What ambassadors see
- [Troubleshooting automated payments](docId\:ZvgDiA6LZU7JrHhSX6rXG) — Common issues and solutions
- [Automated payments FAQs](docId\:GTz0HZPAASpv0DFofvTrk) — Frequently asked questions

## Getting Help

- **Email**: [payments@getroster.com](mailto\:payments@getroster.com)
- **Support**: [support@getroster.com](mailto\:support@getroster.com)
- **Account Manager**: Contact your Roster account manager