When researching payments, it is important to understand what each payment status means and how terminology relates to actual fund movement. Payments may appear in PropertyBoss before funds move, after funds move, or while changes are still in progress. This article defines common payment statuses and terms you may encounter during payment research.


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Definitions

Not Sent

A payment marked as not sent means the payment was entered into PropertyBoss but never transmitted to the payment processor. What this means:

  1. The transaction exists on the register
  2. Funds never moved
  3. The payer’s bank was never contacted
  4. These payments will not deposit until execution occurs.
This status confirms system activity, not banking activity. 


Pending

A pending payment is in progress but not finalized. Common reasons include:

  1. The payment was sent for processing but has not settled
  2. The deposit batch has not closed
  3. Bank processing is still underway

Pending status means the outcome is not yet determined. Funds may still complete, return, or reverse depending on processing results.


Approved

An approved payment indicates processing has finished successfully within the system. What this means:

  1. The payment was sent to the processor
  2. The payment is eligible to be included in a deposit
  3. No further system action is expected

This status does not guarantee when the funds will appear in your bank account, only that processing completed successfully. 


Completed or cleared payments can still be returned for various reasons, including:

  • Insufficient funds or other ACH Return reasons
  • Stop payment initiated by the Payer 
  • Payment dispute initiated by the Payer 


Returned or NSF

A returned or NSF payment indicates the payer’s bank rejected the transaction. Common causes include:

  1. Insufficient funds
  2. Invalid bank information
  3. Account restrictions

Returned payments result in funds being pulled back and may appear as debits against a deposit or future batch. Timing between bank activity and system notification may differ. 


Chargeback

A chargeback occurs when the payer disputes a credit or debit card payment through their bank. What this means:

  1. The payer initiated a dispute
  2. Funds are withdrawn pending review
  3. Additional documentation may be required

Chargebacks are initiated outside PropertyBoss and may appear days or weeks after the original payment posted.


Reversed

A reversed payment means the original transaction was negated by posting an offsetting entry. Common scenarios:

  1. A payment was posted in error
  2. A payment was corrected or undone
  3. A return or chargeback triggered a reversal

Reversals may occur in a different period than the original payment, impacting totals across reporting dates.


Voided

A voided payment zeroes out a transaction that should not have occurred. Key characteristics:

  1. The transaction remains visible for history
  2. The amount is set to zero
  3. No funds move

Voids are typically used when correcting data entry errors before processing.


PB Best Practice: Reverse payments rather than voiding them. Please note that the ability to void a payment is controlled by user permissions within PropertyBoss. Depending on their security settings, some users may not have access to the void payment option.


Deposit

A deposit represents grouped payment activity after processing. Important notes:

  1. Deposits may include multiple payments
  2. Deposits may include credits and debits
  3. Deposit dates may differ from payment dates

Deposit amounts are net results, not always a direct sum of individual payments.


Why These Terms Matter

Understanding payment statuses helps answer key questions such as:

  1. Has the payment moved yet
  2. Could timing explain the difference
  3. Did a return or dispute occur
  4. Is additional processing still pending

These definitions help clarify what you are seeing before assuming funds are missing.


How PropertyBoss Support Can Help

Support can help explain:

  1. What a specific status means
  2. Why a payment shows a particular state
  3. How timing or processing impacted the outcome


Support cannot:

  1. Confirm what you should have received
  2. Reconcile deposits to your bank
  3. Determine missing payments without specific transactions


Best Practice When Reviewing Statuses

When researching payments:

  1. Identify the specific transaction
  2. Note the exact status shown
  3. Compare timing across reports and deposits
  4. Narrow questions to one payment at a time

This approach allows support to assist quickly and accurately.


Frequently Misunderstood Payment Scenarios

Payment questions often arise not because money is missing, but because payment behavior is misunderstood. Many scenarios that appear alarming at first are actually expected results of timing, processing rules, or payment status changes.


This section outlines the most frequently misunderstood payment situations and explains what is actually happening behind the scenes.


The Payment Shows in PropertyBoss but Not in the Bank

This is one of the most common points of confusion. What is happening:

  1. The payment was recorded or submitted in PropertyBoss
  2. The transaction exists in the system
  3. Funds have not completed processing yet

A recorded payment does not mean money has moved. Funds only transfer after processing and settlement are complete, which may occur later.


A Deposit Is Less Than the Total of Payments

Clients often expect deposits to equal the sum of visible payments. What is often overlooked:

  1. ACH returns or chargebacks deducted from the batch
  2. Reversals or adjustments from prior activity
  3. Net deposits that include both credits and debits

Deposit amounts represent net outcomes, not simple totals. 


A Payment Was Pulled From the Bank but Still Shows as Pending

The timing between banking activity and system notifications is not always synchronized. What is happening:

  1. The payer’s bank initiates the return or adjustment
  2. The bank updates funds first
  3. The processor notifies PropertyBoss after that

This can result in short timing gaps where bank activity appears before the system updates.


Weekend or Holiday Payments Did Not Deposit When Expected

Banks and processors do not all operate on weekends or holidays. Key impacts:

  1. Payments submitted late Friday may not process until the next business day
  2. Deposits may group multiple days of activity
  3. Settlement timelines may extend beyond prior expectations

This does not indicate a failure, only a delay due to processing schedules.


A Payment Was Reversed in a Different Period

Clients often expect reversals to occur in the same reporting period as the original payment. What actually happens:

  1. The original payment posts
  2. A reversal occurs later due to return, correction, or dispute
  3. The reversal appears in a different reporting period

This can affect month to month totals without indicating lost funds.


A Payment Was Recorded but Never Sent

Sometimes payments exist in the system but never moved to processing. Common causes:

  1. Execution steps were not completed
  2. The payment remained in a "Not Sent" status
  3. The payment has an "Error" 

In these cases, funds never moved and no deposit should be expected. 


Multiple Days of Payments Appear in One Deposit

Clients sometimes expect one deposit per day. In reality:

  1. Payments may batch together
  2. Delayed processing may combine activity
  3. Settlements may close later than expected

A single deposit may reflect multiple days of payment activity.


Chargebacks Appear Without Recent Payment Activity

Chargebacks are initiated by the payer and may occur long after the original payment. Important to note:

  1. Chargebacks are not initiated in PropertyBoss
  2. They may appear weeks after payment
  3. They pull previously deposited funds

This is expected behavior for disputed card payments.


Why These Scenarios Cause Confusion

Most payment confusion comes from assuming:

  1. Recorded equals deposited
  2. Deposits equal totals
  3. Dates align across systems

Understanding these distinctions can prevent unnecessary concern and speed resolution.


How PropertyBoss Support Can Help

Support can help:

  1. Explain what status or timing means
  2. Confirm whether a return or chargeback occurred
  3. Clarify processing behavior

Support cannot:

  1. Reconcile deposits
  2. Identify missing payments without specific transactions
  3. Determine expected totals


Best Practice When a Scenario Looks Wrong

Before contacting support:

  1. Identify the exact transaction
  2. Note the status and dates involved
  3. Consider timing, weekends, and prior reversals
  4. Narrow the question to a single payment

This allows support to provide clear explanations quickly.