Authorization Hold Lifecycle

Estimated pre-auth, incremental extension, capture, excess reversal, and hold expiry

Authorization Hold Lifecycle Estimated pre-auth, incremental extension, capture, excess reversal, and hold expiry 01 / Hold phases 02 / Balance adjustment 03 / Terminal exits Auth Request · estimated amount · Hold phases · request 01 Auth Request estimated amount request Auth Hold · funds reserved · Hold phases · held 02 Auth Hold funds reserved held Incremental · hold extended · Hold phases · open 03 Incremental hold extended open Captured · final amount · Hold phases · capture 04 Captured final amount capture Cleared · funds settled · Hold phases · success 05 Cleared funds settled success Reversal · excess released · Balance adjustment · adjust Reversal excess released adjust Expired · hold aged out · Terminal exits · terminal Expired hold aged out terminal Released · balance freed · Terminal exits · terminal Released balance freed terminal Legend active state waiting terminal success failure / exit

Hold Rail

  • • An estimated pre-auth reserves funds before the final amount is known
  • • Incremental auth extends the same hold as a running tab grows
  • • Capture settles the actual amount, which may be under the hold

Available Balance

  • • A hold reduces available balance without moving money
  • • Reversal returns the unused excess once the final amount is known
  • • Released restores the cardholder balance in full

Explicit Endings

  • • An uncaptured hold ages out and is Expired
  • • The excess between hold and capture ends as Released
  • • Settlement ends the rail as Cleared

Lifecycle diagram • Built with Archify • Create yours ↗ • Hover to trace • R route • Click to focus • +/− zoom • M radar • [/] views • P play story • T theme • E export