Understand fees and payout delay
Fees and payout delay affect how much money is available for withdrawal and how net revenue differs from gross sales. Finance, growth, and support teams often compare Dashboard activity with Finance balance and need a shared explanation for the gap.
Use this guide when preparing the first payout, explaining revenue to stakeholders, launching an affiliate program, or investigating why available balance is lower than expected sales.
What affects seller revenue
| Concept | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Gross revenue | Total sales value before deductions. |
| Affiliate commissions | Amount attributed to affiliate-generated sales. |
| Gateway fees | Payment processing costs tied to how the buyer paid. |
| Net revenue | Revenue remaining after commissions and gateway fees. |
| Pending balance | Funds not yet available for withdrawal because of settlement or payout rules. |
| Available balance | Funds that can be requested in a withdrawal. |
Payout delay and settlement timing can keep approved sales in pending status even when they already appear in Sales.
Where fees and delay show up in AtomicPay
| Area | Use it when |
|---|---|
| Financial Overview | You need gross vs net revenue, payment method breakdown, refunds, or chargebacks. |
| Finance | You need available, pending, and total balance plus withdrawal history. |
| Sales | You need to inspect one purchase behind a balance change. |
| Company finance settings | You need payout delay or commission context for the business. |
| Affiliate reporting | You need to understand commission impact on net results. |
How to review fees and timing
- Confirm the correct business workspace is selected.
[Screenshot: App header — correct business workspace selected.]
- Open Financial Overview and set the date range stakeholders are asking about.
[Screenshot: Financial Overview — date range set for fee review period.]
- Review gross revenue, net revenue, and fee-related deductions.
[Screenshot: Revenue summary — gross, net, and fee deductions visible.]
- Open the card, PIX, refund, and chargeback tabs when payment mix matters.
[Screenshot: Payment method tabs — card, PIX, refund, and chargeback breakdown.]
- Open Finance and compare available, pending, and total balance.
[Screenshot: Finance balance cards — available and pending compared to revenue.]
- Review settlement timelines for payment-method timing expectations.
[Screenshot: Settlement notes or timeline reference — PIX vs card timing documented.]
- Use reconcile Dashboard and Finance if report totals and balance still do not align.
[Screenshot: Reconciliation checklist — reports and Finance aligned or gap noted.]
- Inspect individual sales in Sales when one transaction explains the difference.
[Screenshot: Sale detail — single transaction explaining balance gap.]
Payout delay vs settlement
| Term | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Settlement | When an approved sale becomes eligible under balance rules. |
| Payout delay | Additional business or platform timing before funds become withdrawable. |
| Withdrawal request | The action that moves available balance toward payout. See withdrawal status lifecycle. |
These layers are related but not identical. A sale can be approved in Sales before all of it is withdrawable in Finance.
What to explain to finance stakeholders
| Question | Where to answer it |
|---|---|
| Why is balance lower than this week's sales? | Pending balance, fees, refunds, chargebacks, and withdrawals. |
| Why is net revenue lower than gross? | Affiliate commissions and gateway fees in Financial Overview. |
| When can we withdraw? | Available balance and bank account readiness. |
| Did a refund change balance? | Sales and refund workflow. |
| Did a dispute affect funds? | Chargebacks and disputes. |
Best practices
- Explain pending balance before the first withdrawal request.
- Compare reports only with the same date range and business workspace.
- Review fees before launching affiliates on thin margins.
- Document refunds, chargebacks, and withdrawals when investigating balance changes.
- Use Finance permissions so the right users can see balance without unnecessary admin access.
Common mistakes
- Treating Dashboard sales totals as immediately withdrawable funds.
- Ignoring affiliate commission when judging campaign profitability.
- Comparing Campaigns revenue with Finance using different filters or periods.
- Requesting withdrawals before bank account details are validated.
- Assuming a pending PIX or card sale should already be in available balance.
FAQ
Why is part of my balance still pending?
Pending balance often reflects settlement timing, payout delay, or processing rules. It does not always mean there is an error. Review payment method, refunds, and chargebacks before escalating.
Where can I see gateway fees?
Use Financial Overview and finance-related reports to understand how fees affect gross and net revenue.
Why does net revenue differ from what I can withdraw?
Withdrawable balance also depends on settlement timing, prior withdrawals, refunds, chargebacks, and pending funds. Use reconcile Dashboard and Finance for a structured comparison.
Do affiliate commissions affect finance immediately?
Affiliate-attributed sales can affect net revenue and finance context. Review affiliate program setup and Financial Overview together when partners are involved.