Overview
ACH bank transfers are not instant. Luminous tracks the full lifecycle of each payment and automatically applies or reverses it on the bill as the bank confirms each step. Both you and the vendor receive email notifications at key milestones.
Payment lifecycle
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Pending | The debit was submitted to your bank. The bill's outstanding balance has not changed yet. |
| Processing | Your bank has accepted the debit and is processing it. Still not settled. |
| Succeeded | The debit settled. Luminous automatically applies the payment to the bill, reducing the outstanding balance. The vendor's share is held briefly (see below) before being transferred. |
| Failed | The debit could not be collected (e.g. insufficient funds, closed account). The bill remains open and you can retry. |
| Reversed | A settled payment was returned or disputed by the bank. Luminous automatically re-opens the bill and notifies you. |
When does the vendor receive funds?
After your debit settles, Luminous holds the vendor's share in a platform reserve for a short window (typically 5 business days) to absorb the risk of an ACH return. Once that window closes:
- If no return arrived, the funds are automatically transferred to the vendor's bank account. The vendor receives an email confirmation.
- If a return or dispute arrives during the hold, no funds are ever sent to the vendor — the bill is simply re-opened and you are notified.
The vendor also receives an email when the payment is first scheduled (after your debit settles) so they know when to expect the funds.
Email notifications
| Event | Who is notified |
|---|---|
| Payment scheduled (debit settled, hold started) | Vendor |
| Funds sent (hold cleared, transfer released) | Vendor |
| Payment failed before settlement | Your accounting inbox |
| Payment returned / disputed and reversed | Your accounting inbox + Vendor (if funds had been sent) |
What if I need to void an in-flight ACH payment?
If you void or remove an ACH bill payment while it is still Pending or Processing, Luminous attempts to cancel the debit with the bank. If the payment has already Succeeded, Luminous claws back any vendor transfer and refunds the debit. Void actions are best-effort — contact your Luminous account team if a cancellation does not complete as expected.
Limits
ACH payments are subject to per-payment and daily amount limits that may vary by account. If a payment is blocked by a limit, the payment dialog will explain the reason. Contact your Luminous account team if you need limits reviewed.