Order Status: Payment Problem

Orders placed by members using the online direct debit (GoCardless) payment method are automatically updated when payment is taken, to order status Payment Received.  See here for full details of the order status flow.

In some cases, the payment may fail, in which case the order status in WebCollect will be updated to Payment Problem.

Why the payment failed

There are various possible reasons that the payment failed:

Complete Direct Debit Authorisation failure

• There was a problem with the direct debit set up instruction from the member (e.g. they accidentally provided the wrong bank details)
• The direct debit set up instruction was correct, but the member subsequently cancelled the direct debit authorisation (ie cancelled the entire authorisation so that no further payments can be made under the direct debit)

Single Drawdown failure

• The direct debit was set up correctly, but the individual drawdown failed (e.g. there were insufficient funds in the member's bank account at the time the payment was requested)
• The direct debit was set up correctly, but the member cancelled the particular drawdown (ie cancelled that payment, but future payments

To find out whether the payment problem falls under the first category (complete DD authorisation failure) or the second category (single drawdown failure), you need to log in to your organisation's business account on GoCardless.

Once you have logged into your GoCardless account, click on the Customers tab (top left).  Then select the active button.  Look to see if your member is listed (you may need to use the date filters to find them easily).  Once you have found the member, click on their name to view their detailed page.

On the left hand side, click on Authorisations.  Then click on Active, Cancelled and Expired (buttons across the top) in turn. to see what status your member's authorisation(s) have.

• Member only has cancelled or expired authorisations.  This will have prevented the payment from going through.  If the member wants to pay you by direct debit, they will need to place the order again, and set up a new direct debit authorisation.
• Member has active authorisation(s), as well as cancelled or expired authorisations.  It is likely that the payment that failed used a cancelled or expired authorisation.  However, you can re-present it using the active authorisation.  See below.
• Member only has active authorisation(s).  This means that this was a single drawdown failure.  You can re-present the payment.  See below.

Re-presenting the payment

Before you attempt to re-present the order to GoCardless, you may want to let the member know.  They will in any case be notified by WebCollect (new order confirmation) and GoCardless before the funds are taken from their bank account.

Using Admin rights, place an identical order on behalf of the member, selecting online direct debit as the payment method.  See here for full details on how to do this.  If you do not see online direct debit as a payment option, this is because there are no active authorisations.  In this case you will need to ask the member to place the order themselves, and set up a new authorisation with GoCardless.