Understand settlement timelines
Settlement timing controls when approved sales move from activity you can see in Sales or Financial Overview into balance that may become withdrawable in Finance.
Sellers often compare today's sales with today's available balance. Those numbers will not always match because payment method settlement rules, fees, and payout delay work on different timelines.
What settlement affects
| Concept | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Approved sale | Purchase reached the expected approved state in Sales |
| Settlement | Funds move through the balance model according to payment and business rules |
| Pending balance | Money not yet available for withdrawal |
| Available balance | Money that can be requested in a withdrawal |
| Net revenue | Revenue after commissions and gateway fees in Financial Overview |
Settlement is related to, but not identical with, payout delay and withdrawal status.
Payment method timing patterns
| Payment method | Typical pattern | What teams should expect |
|---|---|---|
| PIX | Often settles faster after approval | Buyers and support may still confuse pending PIX with approved sales. See PIX failures. |
| Card | Usually follows a longer settlement window than PIX | Approved card sales may not be immediately withdrawable. See card declines for checkout-stage issues. |
Exact timing can also depend on business configuration, volume, anticipation options, refunds, chargebacks, and payout rules.
Where to review settlement impact
- Open Finance for available, pending, and total balance.
[Screenshot: Finance overview — pending and available balance cards visible.]
- Open Financial Overview for revenue and payment method context.
[Screenshot: Financial Overview — revenue by payment method for the period.]
- Review company finance settings for payout delay or commission information.
[Screenshot: Company finance settings — payout delay or commission fields visible.]
- Compare approved sales dates in Sales with balance movement over the following days.
[Screenshot: Sales list and Finance — sale date compared to balance movement timeline.]
- Use reconcile Dashboard and Finance when stakeholders ask why numbers differ.
[Screenshot: Reconciliation workflow — Dashboard vs Finance gap explained.]
- Review withdrawal history if available balance dropped after a request.
[Screenshot: Withdrawal history — completed payout reducing available balance.]
What to explain to finance stakeholders
| Question | How to answer it |
|---|---|
| Why is there pending balance? | Settlement and payout rules may delay withdrawability. |
| Why did today's sales not equal today's withdrawals? | Not all approved sales are immediately available. |
| Did we lose money? | Check refunds, chargebacks, and fees before assuming loss. |
| When can we request payout? | Use available balance, not pending balance or Dashboard totals. |
Best practices
- Explain settlement timing before the first withdrawal request.
- Do not promise instant withdrawable funds for every approved card sale.
- Compare Sales, Financial Overview, and Finance with the same date range and workspace.
- Review refunds and chargebacks when balance drops after a healthy sales period.
- Train support to distinguish approved sales from incomplete payments.
Common mistakes
- Treating Dashboard sales as cash on hand.
- Ignoring pending balance during launch week.
- Comparing this week's sales to last week's withdrawals.
- Explaining settlement only after finance escalates.
- Confusing checkout declines with post-approval settlement delays.
FAQ
Is settlement the same as payout delay?
They are related but not identical. Settlement is when funds become eligible in the balance model. Payout delay and withdrawal rules can add another layer before money is requested or sent.
Where can I learn about fees and net revenue?
Why does one payment method look faster than another?
PIX and card follow different processing and settlement patterns. Review both in Financial Overview and payment methods.