When a customer prepays for an order through Flowhub Ecommerce using Aeropay's Pay by Bank feature, the order arrives in Flowhub with an "ACH" signifier. This tells your team that the customer has already prepaid for their order.
In this article, we'll guide you through how to process prepaid orders at checkout, handle situations where the order total changes, and manage refunds and voids for prepaid transactions.
Process a Prepaid Order at Checkout
When a prepaid ecommerce order comes into Flowhub, the cart displays a notification that the order has been prepaid.
Open the prepaid order in Flowhub Cashier.
Review the order details. The cart will indicate that the order has been prepaid via ACH and show the preauthorized amount.
Proceed to the checkout screen. A notification will alert you that the order has been prepaid.
Complete the Transaction
The checkout process depends on whether the order total matches the preauthorized amount.
Total Matches the Preauthorized Amount
If no changes were made to the order and the total due equals the preauthorized amount:
Enter your PIN or select your drawer to complete the transaction.
No additional payment collection is needed.
Total Is Greater Than the Preauthorized Amount
If items were added to the order, a discount was removed, or a fee was added, the total due may be greater than the preauthorized amount:
The checkout screen will alert you to collect an alternate payment for the amount over the prepaid total.
Collect the remaining balance using another available payment method.
The customer's bank account will only be charged for the original preauthorized amount.
Total Is Less Than the Preauthorized Amount
If items were removed from the order or discounts were added, the total due may be less than the preauthorized amount:
Enter your PIN or select your drawer to complete the transaction.
The customer is only charged for the new, lower total — not the full preauthorized amount.
💡 Tip: Preauthorized transactions that are never finalized (for example, if the customer does not pick up the order) will automatically expire after 3 days (72 hours). The customer will see no change in their bank account balance.
Refund a Prepaid Order
If a completed sale was paid via Aeropay preauthorization and the customer needs a refund:
Navigate to Cashier > Sales.
Locate the completed sale.
Select Refund.
Process the refund as a cash refund.
Note: Currently, refunds for Aeropay prepaid transactions are processed as cash refunds only. This is the same workflow used for refunds on Flowhub Pay debit card transactions. A future update will add the option to refund directly to Aeropay.
💡 Tip: Transactions can also be voided, refunded, or partially refunded directly in the Aeropay portal. Aeropay recommends setting a 90-day refund limit, though there is no technical time limit on refunds.
Void a Prepaid Order
If a completed sale was paid via Aeropay preauthorization and needs to be voided:
Navigate to Cashier > Sales.
Locate the completed sale.
Select Void.
Same-day voids: If the transaction is voided on the same day it was completed, the funds are immediately refunded to the customer's bank account.
Next-day voids: If the transaction is voided on a subsequent day, it takes 1-3 business days for funds to return to the customer's bank account.
💡 Tip: Sales can also be voided directly in the Aeropay portal. However, if a preauthorized transaction has already been captured (finalized), it cannot be deleted and must instead be refunded.
View Prepaid Transactions in Reports
After a prepaid order is completed, Flowhub reports include a new column and transaction type for ACH to distinguish prepaid transactions from other payment methods.
💡 Tip: Aeropay fees (2.5% + $0.25 per transaction) are external and do not appear in Flowhub reports. This is similar to how fees for Flowhub Pay and cashless ATM transactions are handled.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "ACH" mean in the order?
ACH stands for Automated Clearing House. It means the transaction connects directly to the customer's bank account to transfer funds, rather than using a debit or credit card.
What happens if a prepaid order is never picked up?
If the customer does not pick up their order, the preauthorized transaction is never finalized. The preauthorization automatically expires after 3 days, and no funds are taken from the customer's account.
Can I refund a prepaid order directly to the customer's bank account?
Not currently. Refunds for Aeropay prepaid orders are processed as cash refunds only. A future update will add the option to refund directly to Aeropay.
Where can I manage transactions in the Aeropay portal?
You can void, refund, and capture transactions as well as download transaction reports in the Aeropay merchant portal at portal.aero.inc.
What if the refund is processed on the same day as the transaction?
A refund sent to Aeropay on the same day the transaction was completed will be immediately voided and refunded to the customer's bank account. Refunds processed on subsequent days take 1-3 business days.
Great work! 🥳 You're ready to manage prepaid Ecommerce orders in Flowhub, from checkout to refunds and voids.