Reimbursement Timing and Troubleshooting
After an expense is approved, you may wonder when your reimbursement will arrive, how to track it, or what to do if a deposit fails. This guide brings those answers together in one place.
You'll learn how Emburse Spend pays reimbursements through ACH direct deposit, what to set up before payouts can start, how long processing usually takes, how to follow a payment on the Reimbursement History screen, and how to fix a failed deposit—including when you need to contact Emburse Spend Support to restart a payment. Admins will also find guidance for helping employees and resolving broader payment issues.
What Is ACH?
ACH (Automated Clearing House) is how banks transfer money electronically. The ACH network is supported by all US banks. ACH batches do not run on weekends or bank holidays.
Emburse Spend processes reimbursement payments through CSG Forte, Emburse's payment partner. Forte processing times can vary depending on merchant-risk profile, transaction type, and underwriting and hold policies. See CSG Forte ACH funding and settlement timeframes for more information.
Connect a Personal Bank Account
To receive reimbursement payments through Emburse Spend, you must connect your personal bank account. Emburse Spend pays reimbursements through ACH, which is a direct deposit to your bank account.
Add a bank account in a web browser. You cannot add a bank account in the mobile app.
If you already have expenses in your account that are currently in an "Approved and Awaiting Payment" state, your payment will begin to process automatically after you add your bank account. No further action is required after you connect your bank account.
See Connect Your Personal Bank Account to Emburse Spend for connection steps.
How Long Reimbursements Take
Most deposits arrive within 6 business days after reimbursement processing begins.
Business days are weekdays excluding weekends and public holidays.
For organizations on the default nightly payout schedule, reimbursement processing begins when a final-approval admin approves the expense in Emburse Spend. Expenses approved before 5pm ET are included in that day's processing batch.
If your organization uses a weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly payout schedule, reimbursement processing begins on the schedule run day rather than when the expense is approved. Deposits still arrive up to 6 business days after processing begins. See Payout Schedules for schedule details.
On the Reimbursement History screen, check the expected payout date for each credit.
Track Your Reimbursement
After reimbursement processing starts, track your payment on the Reimbursement History screen, which lists all credits in progress or paid. You can also open Reimbursement History directly.
Your reimbursement may arrive as one deposit that combines multiple approved expenses. Emburse Spend batches outstanding credits, so the deposit total in your bank account may not match any single expense amount. The Reimbursement History screen lists each credit that makes up the total.
To view your credits:
- Select your name in the top right corner and select Personal Settings.
- Select Bank Account from the Personal Settings menu at left.
- On the Bank Account screen, select Reimbursement History.
The Reimbursement History screen lists all credits in progress or paid.
Credits are processed nightly, so expenses approved today will not display on the Reimbursement History screen until the next business day.
Reimbursement Status Reference
In Emburse Spend, reimbursement status labels appear on reimbursable expenses and on the Reimbursement History screen while payments move through ACH processing. Use the tables below to understand what each status or indicator means.
The following statuses appear on reimbursable expenses on the Reimbursements screen.
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Approved and Awaiting Payment | Expense approved; ACH reimbursement is in process. If you have a personal bank account connected, payment processing has started or will begin on the next payout run. If you do not have a bank account connected, connect one so payment can begin. See FAQ: What does "Approved and Awaiting Payment" mean?. |
| Paid | Reimbursement sent to the user's bank account. |
The following indicators appear on the Bank Account and Reimbursement History screens while a deposit is in transit.
| Indicator | Description |
|---|---|
| Money is on its way | Reimbursement processing has started and your funds are in transit through ACH. Check the expected payout date on the Reimbursement History screen. This date is an estimate; you may receive your payment earlier depending on your bank. |
| Credit in progress | A credit is listed on the Reimbursement History screen or Bank Account screen but has not yet deposited to your bank account. |
| Paid (credit complete) | The credit has deposited to your bank account. The related reimbursable expense status changes to Paid. |
| Failed payment | The deposit did not complete, often because of an incorrect account or routing number, a closed bank account, or a name mismatch. If Forte sends an email about the failure, reply to that email to keep communication in one thread. Reconnect your bank account if needed, then contact Emburse Spend Support to restart the payment. See Fix a Failed Payment. |
Fix a Failed Payment
A payment can fail to deposit for several reasons. Most failures are caused by:
- Incorrect account or routing number.
- The bank account is closed.
- The account holder name does not match the name entered in Emburse Spend.
Reconnecting your bank account does not restart a failed reimbursement payment. If your previously connected bank account was closed, contact Emburse Spend Support after reconnecting your bank account so they can restart the failed payment for you.
If your payment has failed, reconnect your bank account:
- Select your name in the top right corner and select Personal Settings.
- Select Bank Account from the Personal Settings menu.
- Select Change Bank.
- Follow the steps in Connect Your Personal Bank Account to Emburse Spend to reconnect your bank account.
- Contact Emburse Spend Support to restart the failed reimbursement. Reconnecting your bank account alone does not restart the payment.
Information for Admins
Emburse Spend processes ACH reimbursements through CSG Forte, Emburse's payment partner. Use the guidance below to resolve failed reimbursement deposits, reverse approvals before payment begins, or escalate broader payment issues.
Personal Bank Account Issues
When the failure is caused by the employee's closed, incorrect, or mismatched personal bank account:
- Share this guide with the employee and direct them to the steps in Fix a Failed Payment.
- Have the employee contact Emburse Spend Support to restart the failed payment after reconnecting their bank account.
Company Bank Account or Broader Payment Issues
When the issue involves the company bank account or a broader payment problem, contact CSG Forte (customersupport@forte.net). Include the Forte Merchant ID (located on the Company Bank Account page) in your message to help expedite the resolution.
Forte Failure Notifications
If the payment fails for another reason, Forte sends an email to the affected employee with details about the issue. Have the employee reply to that email to keep all communication in one thread.
Reverse or Stop a Reimbursement
If you need to reverse an approval or stop a reimbursement before payment begins, see FAQ: Can I Reverse or Stop a Reimbursement?. After payment processing begins, Emburse Spend cannot reverse the reimbursement.