In ChargeAutomation, the Approval Required status typically refers to a transaction that requires manual confirmation from the host before it can be processed.
Here are the primary scenarios where you will see this status:
1. Reservation Charge Increases
This is the most common scenario. When a booking resyncs from your PMS and the system detects an increase in the reservation charge, ChargeAutomation places the new transaction in Awaiting Approval.
Why: This acts as a safeguard to ensure you are aware of the price change before the guest is charged.
Action: An email is automatically sent to the host to approve the transaction. Once approved, the payment is processed.
2. Security Deposits
Security deposits can also enter an Awaiting Approval state.
Sync Issues: In some cases, a deposit might show as "Awaiting Approval" in ChargeAutomation even if it has already been authorized on your payment gateway (like Stripe). This usually indicates a sync delay or a manual intervention requirement.
Cancellations: If a booking is cancelled and you have an Auto Refund policy enabled, any security deposit in "Awaiting Approval" will be automatically voided. What happens to Security Deposits when a booking is cancelled
NOTE:
If Chargeback Protection is deactivated and the status shows as 'Awaiting Approval', it indicates that the card used for the transaction requires mandatory 3D authentication and the customer is required to complete the authentication process.
This makes it crucial for guests to act on authentication requests promptly to ensure smooth payment processing.