Automatically Release Payment Authorizations After Checkout

This feature is currently in a pilot phase and is planned for a broader release soon. If you are interested in joining the testing phase, please reach out to our support. Your feedback is crucial in shaping its final form — thank you for your patience and support!

Introduction

A card authorization can remain open after checkout when the authorized amount is not captured or manually voided. The funds may remain unavailable to the guest until the authorization is released or expires according to the payment gateway's rules.

Use this setting to define how many days after checkout Cloudbeds should wait before releasing an eligible unused authorization. The configuration is managed separately for each property.

How automatic authorization release works

When a guest checks out with an unused reservation-level authorization still open, Cloudbeds schedules the authorization for release based on the number of days configured for the property. No additional action is required at checkout.

Stripe authorizations can remain open for up to 30 days by default for the USA (expiration window is different for Mexico and Thailand). This setting can release the authorization earlier, but it cannot extend it beyond the gateway's expiration period.

Availability and scope

This feature is available to properties using Cloudbeds Payments. It applies only to authorizations associated with individual reservations.

Authorizations associated with house accounts or group profiles are not included. Those authorizations continue to follow the payment gateway's standard expiration rules.

Configure automatic authorization release

1. Go to Finance > Payment Options.
2. Open Credit Card settings.
3. Enter the number of days after checkout that Cloudbeds should wait before releasing an unused authorization.
4. Select Save.

After the setting is saved, Cloudbeds schedules a release for eligible reservations that check out with an unused authorization still open.

• No action is required at checkout. Cloudbeds schedules the release automatically when an eligible guest checks out.
• Releases are processed in the background. A release scheduled for a specific day is typically processed by 2:00 AM in the property's timezone.
• Manual voids remain available. If a staff member manually voids the authorization before the scheduled release, no additional release is processed because the authorization is no longer open.

Reservation activity log entries

The reservation activity log records the release at each stage:

• At checkout: “Payments post check-out event: Uncaptured authorizations will be voided in [N] day(s) on [date].”
• When scheduled: “Void scheduled: Void of USD [amount] scheduled for [date] on Reservation #[number].”
• When processed: “Authorization voided: Cloudbeds Payments void of USD [amount] processed for Reservation #[number].”

Limitations and important behavior

• A value of zero does not trigger an immediate release. Although the setting accepts zero days, the authorization follows Stripe's standard expiration period instead of being released on the checkout date.
• Previous checkouts are not processed retroactively. Automatic release applies only to eligible checkouts that occur after the property setting is configured.
• A scheduled release cannot be canceled in the Cloudbeds interface. To resolve the authorization before the scheduled background process runs, manually capture or void it.
• The setting cannot extend an authorization. It can release an authorization before Stripe's standard expiration limit, but it cannot keep the authorization open beyond that limit.

Next Operational Step

After saving the setting, confirm its behavior on the next eligible reservation checkout by reviewing the scheduled-release entries in the reservation activity log.