Troubleshooting automated payments
This article covers common issues you might encounter with automated payments and how to resolve them.
Bank Account Issues
Can't Add Bank Account
Problem: Error when trying to save bank account details in Payment Settings.
Solution:
- Verify the routing number is exactly 9 digits
- Verify the account number is correct and contains only numbers
- Ensure it's a business bank account (personal accounts are not supported)
- The modal stays open on failure so you can review and correct your entries without re-entering
- If the issue persists, contact [email protected]
Need to Change Bank Account
Problem: You need to update the bank account used for ACH transfers.
Solution:
- Go to Settings > Payment Settings
- Scroll to the Bank Account section
- Click Replace bank account
- Enter new account details and save
- If the replacement fails, your original account remains connected
ACH Transfer Issues
ACH Transfer Failed
Problem: The ACH transfer status shows "Failed" in the Payment Schedule drawer.
Solution:
- Check your bank account has sufficient funds to cover payments + fees
- Verify your bank allows automated ACH debits — some banks require explicit authorization
- Contact your bank to ensure the account isn't frozen or restricted
- Roster automatically retries failed transfers
- If retries continue to fail, contact [email protected]
ACH Transfer Seems Too High or Too Low
Problem: The ACH amount doesn't match what you expected.
Explanation:
- The ACH amount = (projected payments + fees) minus current wallet balance
- If your wallet has leftover funds from a previous batch, the ACH amount is reduced
- International fees (3%) are included when you've selected "Brand pays"
- Amounts may shift slightly between the notification email and actual transfer as commissions are approved or rejected
ACH Transfer Skipped
Problem: No ACH transfer occurred this month.
Explanation: This is normal. ACH transfers are skipped when your wallet already has enough funds to cover the upcoming batch. Check the Payment Schedule drawer — if the current wallet balance exceeds the required balance, no transfer is needed.
Ambassador Wallet Issues
Ambassadors Not Setting Up Wallets
Problem: Many ambassadors haven't completed wallet setup.
What to try:
- Send manual reminders from the Automated tab: select ambassadors with "Setup Required" status, click Actions > Send Payment Info Request
- Contact high-value ambassadors directly
- Remind ambassadors in your newsletters or communications that wallet setup takes about 5 minutes
- Note: Automatic reminders are sent at 26, 20, 14, 8, and 3 days before each payment date
Ambassador Can't Complete Wallet Setup
Problem: An ambassador reports they're stuck during the wallet setup process.
Common causes:
- Phone number verification issues — they need a valid phone number that can receive SMS
- Identity verification failure — name or information mismatch
- Tax form confusion — they may need help understanding what's being asked
Solution:
- Ask them to try again with a different browser or clear their cache
- Verify they're using the correct phone number
- For persistent issues, contact [email protected] with the ambassador's email address
Ambassador Works with Multiple Brands
Problem: Ambassador says they already have a wallet from another brand.
Explanation: This is expected. Ambassadors use the same Dots wallet (verified by phone number) across all Roster brands. They don't need to set up a new wallet — it's automatically linked when they verify their phone number. Each brand's payments are tracked separately.
Payment Batch Issues
Ambassadors Missing from Batch
Problem: An ambassador with approved commissions wasn't included in the payment batch.
Common causes:
- Wallet not set up — Only ambassadors with wallets receive payments
- Below minimum payment amount — If configured, ambassadors below the threshold are excluded
- Program not enrolled — The ambassador's program may not be enrolled in automated payments
- Commissions approved after cutoff — Commissions approved after the last day of the prior month are included in the next batch
- $0 or negative balance — Ambassadors with zero or negative commission totals are excluded
How to check:
- View the ambassador on the Automated tab and check their payment readiness status
- Verify their program is enrolled in automated payments
- Check when their commissions were approved relative to the cutoff date
Payment Batch Shows "Skipped"
Problem: A payment batch was marked as Skipped instead of Completed.
Explanation: A batch is skipped when no ambassadors are eligible — either no one has wallets set up, or no approved commissions exist. This is different from a failure. A new batch for the following month is created automatically.
Batch Still Shows "Processing"
Problem: The batch has been processing for an extended period.
Solution:
- Payment processing typically completes within a few hours
- Refresh the page to check for updated status
- If processing persists for more than 24 hours, contact [email protected]
Minimum Payment Amount Issues
Ambassadors Confused About Not Being Paid
Problem: Ambassadors are asking why they didn't receive a payment.
If you have a minimum configured:
- Below-minimum ambassadors see a progress bar on their Payment Info page showing their balance vs. the minimum
- The Payment FAQs in their portal explain the minimum
- Consider proactively communicating your minimum to ambassadors
- Their commissions roll forward automatically — nothing is lost
Changed Minimum Not Taking Effect
Problem: You updated the minimum payment amount but the current batch still uses the old value.
Explanation: This is by design. When a batch has already been pre-calculated, the minimum is "snapshotted" onto that batch. Changes take effect starting with the next month's batch. A blue callout in Payment Settings explains this when applicable.
Unsure What Minimum to Set
Guidance:
- Common thresholds: $10, $25, $50
- The main goal is to avoid micro-payments where the $1.89 processing fee exceeds the payment
- A $25 minimum typically excludes a high count of micro-payment ambassadors while holding back only a small percentage of total commission dollars
- You can change it at any time — the new value applies to future batches
Notification Issues
Not Receiving ACH Notification Emails
Problem: You're not seeing the ACH transfer notification or PDF invoice.
What to check:
- Check your spam/junk folder for emails from "Roster [email protected]"
- Verify you're a team admin — notifications go to all admins
- Check if additional recipients are configured in Payment Settings
- The notification is sent 18 business days before the payment date
Ambassador Not Receiving Payment Emails
Problem: An ambassador says they didn't get a payment notification.
What to check:
- Verify email notifications are enabled for the program
- Check the ambassador's notification subscription settings
- Have them check their spam/junk folder
- The payment should still be visible in their portal regardless of email delivery
Getting Help
If you can't resolve an issue with the steps above:
- Email: [email protected] (for payment-specific issues)
- Email: [email protected] (for general support)
- Account Manager: Contact your Roster account manager for configuration questions
When contacting support, include:
- Your brand name
- The specific issue and when it occurred
- Any error messages you're seeing
- The ambassador's email (if the issue is ambassador-specific)
Related Articles
- Automated payments FAQsAutomated Payments FAQs
- Getting started with automated paymentsGetting Started with Automated Payments
- Prepare for ACH funding transferPrepare for ACH Funding Transfer
- Understand automated payment timelinesUnderstand Automated Payment Timelines