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Each program in your organization has its own Program Balance. Restricted card redemptions and fees configured to post to the balance reduce it. Settled top-ups, returns, and voids increase it.
This guide describes the Organization Admin controls. Open a program under Program manager → Programs to manage its balance. Use the Billing section for organization-wide payment methods, invoices, and claims.

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Program Balance

The Program Balance is the program’s current ledger balance. For programs funded in advance, iQpay compares available funds with a Recharge threshold. When available funds fall below that threshold, auto recharge starts a Top-Up Bill. The top-up is sized to reach the Target balance after subtracting other funding that is already billed or processing. Creating a bill does not credit the balance. The Program Balance increases after payment succeeds and settles. The platform checks automatic recharge rules once each day at 12:00 AM UTC.
1

Available funds fall below the Recharge threshold

The platform detects that the program has crossed its saved threshold.
2

A Top-Up Bill is created

The bill covers the remaining amount needed to reach the Target balance.
3

Payment is collected

iQpay charges the program’s saved ACH or card method. If no chargeable saved method is selected, iQpay sends a hosted invoice.
4

The balance is credited

The Program Balance increases after the payment settles.
Invoices that fund Program Balance — program launch and top-up bills — are due on receipt. See Auto-Recharge for setup and manual top-up steps.

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Funding models

Programs use one of two funding models.

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Programs funded in advance

Funded in advance is the default. You add funds first and spend against them. The operating floor is $0. If you place an order that costs more than the available funds, the order is declined and nothing is sent:
This order totals $216.00 but the program balance is $50.00. Invoicing is not enabled for this program, so an order cannot take the balance below $0. Add funds to the program, or enable Invoicing, to place this order.
A balance can still fall below $0 after the order, such as when later redemptions or fees post. When that happens:
  1. New orders that would take the program further below $0 are declined when you place them.
  2. A 10-day grace period starts. The program page shows the deadline. Scheduled sends already in progress keep going out during this window.
  3. If the balance is still below $0 after 10 days, scheduled sends pause.
Only scheduled sends pause. Cards that were due to go out in a paused send are held rather than cancelled: they stay in their pre-send state, show as Pending — insufficient balance in the cards table, and send themselves once the balance recovers. Once sends are paused, the program page shows:
Program sends are paused because the program has a balance below $0 and Invoicing is not enabled for it. Add funds to the program, or enable Invoicing, to resume sends.
The funding pause lifts automatically after the balance returns to $0 or above. Held cards are released and sent automatically — you do not need to re-create the orders.
A low balance does not deactivate cards that members already have. Cards already delivered keep working normally. A low balance only holds cards that have not been sent yet.

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Billing in Arrears (BIA)

BIA lets a program accrue usage before payment. iQpay must approve BIA and set the program’s BIA limit. Organization Admins cannot enable BIA or change the negative limit in the portal. Some portal error messages use the older word Invoicing for BIA. A balance below $0 is expected on a BIA program. The BIA limit is the maximum approved outstanding usage. At the next daily recharge check after the balance moves past that limit, iQpay creates an invoice that restores the balance to $0 after payment settles. Example: A program has a $100,000 BIA limit. Its balance can move down to -$100,000. At the next daily recharge check after it moves past that limit, iQpay invoices the outstanding usage and returns the balance to $0 after payment settles. An order that would take the program past its BIA limit is declined:
This order totals $216.00 and would take the program to -$666.00, past its Invoicing limit of -$500.00. Settle outstanding usage, or raise the Invoicing limit, to place this order.
Two other rules can pause sends on a BIA program:
  • Outstanding top-up bills — three or more outstanding top-up bills pause sends until they are settled.
  • 10-day rule — if the balance stays past the BIA limit for more than 10 days, sends pause until the balance returns to the limit or above.
The recharge threshold does not start the 10-day clock. It only controls when a top-up starts.

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Organization Admin billing pages

To review member purchases, go to Card management → Redemptions.