Every counter service shows one of a few statuses: successful, pending or failed. Pending is the one that causes the most confusion, because it means the result has not arrived yet, not that something went wrong. This guide covers what pending and failed mean for each Payonclick service, what the app already does about it in the background, and exactly what you should do so a customer is never charged twice and cash never leaves your drawer for a payment that did not go through.
The one rule that protects your cash
Cash leaves your hand the moment you give it. A status on a screen can still change after that. So keep to one rule at every counter, for every service:
Never hand over cash before the app shows success. And never send a second recharge, payment or withdrawal for a request that is still pending. If both the original and the retry go through, the customer is charged or paid twice.
With that rule in mind, here is what pending and failed mean for each service.
Recharge: pending is not failed
| Status | What it means | What the app does | What you should do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pending | The operator has not confirmed the recharge yet | A pending recharge is never re-sent automatically, so the customer is not charged twice | Wait. Tell the customer the recharge is being confirmed. Do not send a fresh recharge for the same number |
| Failed | The recharge did not go through | Nothing further happens automatically | Check the number, operator and amount with the customer, then try again |
Because a recharge needs no TPIN, there is no last screen to catch a mistake before it is sent. If a recharge stays pending for a long time, or the result does not match what the customer expects, raise a support ticket rather than sending another one. Our mobile and DTH recharge guide covers the full flow.
Bill payments (Bharat Connect): the app rechecks for you
| Status | What it means | What the app does | What you should do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pending | The biller side has not confirmed the payment | Status is rechecked automatically for up to 48 hours | Do not take a second payment for the same bill. Wait for the recheck |
| Failed | The payment did not complete | The amount is refunded to your wallet automatically | Confirm the biller, consumer number and amount before trying again |
Only one bill payment can be in progress on your account at a time, so a stuck payment can block your next one. If a payment stays pending well past 48 hours, raise a support ticket with the biller, consumer number, amount and time. See our bill payment service for the full flow, including the TPIN and receipt.
AEPS: use Check Status before you try again
| Status | What it means | What the app does | What you should do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pending | The customer's bank has not confirmed the withdrawal, balance enquiry or mini statement | A manual Check Status is available for pending AEPS transactions | Use Check Status. Do not hand over cash and do not repeat the transaction until you know the result |
| Failed | The bank declined or could not complete the transaction | Nothing further happens automatically | Explain the decline to the customer; some declines are limit-related, not a fault at your counter |
A cash withdrawal that shows pending is the riskiest moment at your counter, because cash has to come out of your own pocket the instant you see success, not before. If Check Status does not resolve it, raise a support ticket with the transaction reference, amount and time. Our AEPS retailer ID page covers the full service, including the OTP rule above ₹5,000.
UPI cash withdrawal: wait for the success screen
| Status | What it means | What the app does | What you should do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pending | The customer approved in their UPI app, but the app has not shown success yet | The dynamic QR expires after about a minute; the callback is re-verified before anything is credited | Do not hand over cash on a scanned QR alone. Wait for the success screen |
| Failed | The payment did not complete | Nothing further happens automatically | Create a fresh QR code; never reuse an old one or a screenshot |
A customer's UPI app can show a debit before your screen shows success. Never treat the customer's phone as proof. Only the status inside your own Payonclick app counts. See our UPI cash withdrawal page for the full flow.
Bank settlement: processing is normal, not stuck
Moving money out of your AEPS wallet works differently depending on where it goes.
| Destination | Status behaviour | What you should do |
|---|---|---|
| Your Main wallet | Completes immediately | Nothing; the balance updates right away |
| Your own bank account | Sent by IMPS and shows processing until your bank confirms | Wait; this is normal and not a sign of a problem. Raise a ticket only if it stays processing for an unusually long time |
Settlement to your bank needs your TPIN and a verified bank account. If a settlement seems delayed, check that the destination account was verified correctly before raising a ticket.
Raising a ticket the right way
A ticket with the right details gets resolved faster. Whatever the service, include:
The reference
The transaction reference, biller reference, or Bharat Connect transaction reference shown in the app or on the receipt.
The amount
The exact amount involved, so it can be matched against the transaction log.
The time
The date and approximate time of the transaction.
A screenshot
A screenshot of the status screen, taken from your own Payonclick app or portal, not a customer's phone.
Raise the ticket from the portal or the app, or call or WhatsApp +91 99926 88080, Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM IST. You can also email contactus@payonclick.in.
Bharat Connect complaints. For a successful bill payment where the customer has a separate concern, a complaint can be raised through Bharat Connect using the 20-character transaction reference from the receipt, on the Bharat Connect complaint page. Keep every receipt so a customer can use this if needed.
When a customer's account was debited but the transaction failed
Sometimes a customer's bank account shows a debit even though your counter never saw success. This is a bank-side reversal question, and RBI has set out timelines for it.
RBI's circular on turnaround time and compensation for failed transactions (DPSS.CO.PD No.629/02.01.014/2019-20, dated 20 September 2019) sets out timelines by payment system. For AEPS, where an account is debited but the transaction is not confirmed at the merchant location, the acquiring bank must start a credit adjustment within five days of the transaction (T+5); a delay beyond that carries automatic compensation of ₹100 per day. For UPI, where the beneficiary account is not credited, the beneficiary bank must reverse the amount automatically by the next day (T+1), with the same ₹100-per-day compensation for any delay beyond that; other UPI transaction failures follow the T+5 timeline.
This is a bank-to-customer process under RBI's framework, and the compensation is credited automatically without the customer having to claim it. Your part is to keep the transaction reference, amount and time on hand, since the customer's bank may ask for them.