A customer's card was declined. What do I do?
Read why the card failed, then retry it, ask the customer for a new card, or record another kind of payment.
Open the invoice. It shows Card declined and a red banner with what the bank said. If the problem may be temporary, choose Retry charge. If the card itself is the problem, choose Request new card so the customer can save a different one.
Read the reason
The banner starts with the reason in plain words, for example "The bank declined the charge", then any detail the bank gave ("No further detail was provided"), when the last attempt was, and the bank's own message, such as "The card was declined. Try a different card or ask the customer to update their card on file." The Payment attempts panel lists each try.
As a rule of thumb:
- Not enough money or a temporary problem at the bank: a retry, now or after a few days, often works.
- Declined with no reason: it may clear, but a new card is the reliable fix.
- Expired, blocked, wrong security code, wrong card details or a billing ZIP that does not match: ask for a new card.
If you were charging from the invoice form, the invoice is kept as a draft: "Saved as a draft — continue from the invoice."
Try again
Choose Retry charge. The window shows the invoice and the decline, and warns that "a second decline can cost you a fee from the processor". Lawnly does not charge a card again once the bank has refused it for good (for example a blocked, closed or expired card); then ask for a new card instead.
Retry the charge yourself rather than waiting for an automatic retry.
Ask for a new card
Choose Request new card. The window is titled "Ask [customer] for a new card": "We'll send a secure link. Nothing is charged until a card is saved." It shows the invoice the link will settle. Pick Send by (Text & email, Text only or Email only; text needs the customer's consent), edit the Message if you like, and tick Charge the balance as soon as the new card is saved if you want it charged straight away. Choose Send request.
Other ways to get paid
The customer can pay with a different card from the invoice's payment link (Copy payment link in the ⋯ menu). If they pay you by check or cash, record the payment.