Understand authorization and the later card charge

Historical retrospective - February 2026 This article was written afterwards and describes the feature as it worked during the stated period.

Pre-authorization reserves an amount before capture. The authorization is not a payment; only an approved capture can be recorded as completed. Enable it when the provider supports it, read the warning about automatic capture, and test the flow. An expired or declined authorization and a planned date are not proof of payment. See the current guide (Markdown file, AI agent-friendly)

Example

A DKK 300 authorization can appear on the customer’s card while capture is still pending. Describe the amount as received only when payment status shows an approved capture. If the authorization expires, follow the new attempt or displayed issue.

What the customer sees

A customer can see a reserved amount without a final charge. Explain the difference between authorized, capture pending, completed, and declined. The provider determines how long an authorization lasts. If it expires, follow the next attempt or displayed payment issue.

Example: A DKK 300 authorization appears Tuesday. Capture is approved Wednesday, and only then is the invoice paid. If capture is declined, do not mark the invoice manually without an actual bank payment.

Setup must fit the provider

Read the warning in payment settings before saving. Some providers capture automatically, while the team’s chosen flow may expect a later step. If those assumptions differ, the customer can see an authorization that never becomes a payment. Always check a test authorization, capture, and invoice status.

FAQ: Is authorization payment? No. Can it last forever? No, the provider has its own expiry. Should an expired authorization be entered manually? Only when a bank payment was actually received.