> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.fieldpulse.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# FieldPulse Payments Chargebacks Overview

> Respond to a FieldPulse Payments chargeback before the funds are pulled, match your evidence to the reason code, and prevent the next chargeback.

> **Who uses this:** Users with FieldPulse Payments access — the user roles you choose when your merchant application is approved, adjusted per user under **Company Settings › User Accounts**. **Availability:** Requires [FieldPulse Payments](https://www.fieldpulse.com/features/fieldpulse-payments), which is available to businesses located in the United States.

A chargeback happens when a customer disputes a payment with their bank and asks for their money back. On FieldPulse Payments, chargebacks are managed in the payment portal alongside your payments and deposits. This page explains what a chargeback is, the phases the case moves through, what evidence wins each reason code, and how to keep chargebacks from happening in the first place.

## Overview

A chargeback is a customer's request to their bank to reverse a payment they already made, and the customer's issuing bank decides the outcome. Your job is to give that bank the documentation that proves the payment was valid.

A chargeback can be filed up to **180 days after the payment**, so keep your job records for at least that long. Four evidence types do most of the work in a chargeback case, and they are worth capturing on every job whether or not you expect a dispute:

* A signed work order

* Before and after photos

* Dispatch and GPS records

* Customer texts and emails

## How it works

A chargeback moves through four phases, and the earlier you respond, the better your odds. The inquiry phase is your best window, because the funds have not been pulled yet.

| **Phase** | **Status** | **What happens** |
| - | - | - |
| **Inquiry** | Action required · funds **not** pulled | The bank asks for evidence the payment was valid, and you are notified. Respond here — the funds have not moved yet, and this is your best window. |
| **Dispute** | Action required · funds **pulled** | The case becomes a formal dispute if the inquiry is unresolved or skipped. The funds are debited; you submit evidence or accept the loss. |
| **Processing** | Awaiting decision | You have responded. The issuing bank is reviewing the evidence. |
| **Decision** | Won, partial, or lost | The bank rules — you win and the funds are returned, you partially win, or you lose and the funds stay with the customer. A "provisional win" can still be overturned. |

### How to respond

Respond to every chargeback, starting at the inquiry, and tie your evidence to what the customer is claiming. These four rules are critical:

* **Always respond to an inquiry.** The funds have not moved yet, so this is your best chance to close the case before money is pulled.

* **Write a rebuttal letter for every dispute.** The reviewer does not know your business. A short cover letter tying your evidence to the reason code dramatically increases your win rate.

* **Treat the first round as your only round.** You rarely get a meaningful second chance, so make the initial submission airtight.

* **Never miss the dispute deadline.** A missed deadline is an automatic loss — the funds stay with the customer and cannot be recovered.

### Fees and how the funds move

FieldPulse Payments charges a **\$25 chargeback fee** per chargeback to cover processing and investigation. The fee is billed when the chargeback is created and applies whether or not you win.

When a chargeback enters the dispute phase, your next-business-day deposit is adjusted down by the chargeback amount plus any fee. If you later win the dispute, the recovered funds appear in a future deposit. See [FieldPulse Deposit and Payment Status Details](/payments/getting-started/deposits-payment-statuses) for how deposits and payment statuses work.

## Evidence by reason code

The evidence that wins a chargeback depends on what the customer claims. Match your submission to the reason code below.

| **Reason code** | **What the customer claims** | **What to submit to win** |
| - | - | - |
| **Credit not processed** | Owed a refund or partial credit and hasn't seen it. | Proof of the refund or credit issued; your refund and cancellation policy; a signed work order showing the job was completed (if no refund is due); customer communications about the resolution. |
| **Duplicate transaction** | Charged multiple times for the same product or service. | Two distinct invoices or work orders for different jobs; an itemized breakdown showing different parts and labor; proof they didn't pay another way (cash, check, ACH); dispatch records for the separate visits. |
| **Fraud** | Didn't authorize or recognize the payment. | Signed work order or service authorization; tech on-property photos plus before and after job photos; dispatch and GPS records; customer texts or emails confirming the appointment or gate code; prior non-disputed jobs for the same customer. |
| **General / Uncategorized** | Doesn't fit a specific category. | A rebuttal letter covering the job start to finish; signed work order, invoice, and completion photos; dispatch and authorization records; customer communications. |
| **Incorrect amount** | Agrees they paid but says the amount was wrong. | Signed estimate plus the final invoice; change-order documentation; customer approval texts or emails for the added work; published rates for diagnostics and trip charges. |
| **Not received** | Paid but says the service was never delivered. | Signed job-completion form; timestamped before and after photos; dispatch and GPS logs; the appointment confirmation plus "job complete" notifications; the itemized invoice. |
| **Not acceptable** | Service was defective, damaged, or not as described. | Signed estimate or scope of work; before and after plus close-up photos; completion checklist or commissioning report; warranty or permit sign-off; records of any callback or warranty offer made; customer satisfaction texts or emails. |
| **Subscription canceled** | Billed after canceling a recurring plan. | Signed maintenance-plan or membership agreement with the billing terms; your cancellation policy; records showing the cancellation came after the renewal billed (or never came); service logs showing delivery during the billed period; the enrollment email. |
| **Unrecognized** | Doesn't recognize the merchant name on their statement. | What your billing descriptor looks like next to your DBA; signed work order and invoice for that service address; before and after photos plus dispatch records; appointment confirmations and texts; prior jobs for the same customer or property. |

## Preventing chargebacks

The biggest levers are clear documentation, a billing descriptor customers recognize, and being easy to reach so issues come to you before they go to the bank. Work through this checklist on every job:

* **Get a signature on every job.** A signed estimate before the work, plus a signed invoice or completion form after.

* **Photograph everything.** Before and after photos, ideally timestamped and geo-tagged.

* **Use a clear billing descriptor.** Show your DBA — the name homeowners recognize, not a parent company.

* **Document change orders.** Get written or texted approval whenever scope or price changes.

* **Collect deposits on large jobs.** A signed deposit agreement sets expectations and creates a paper trail. See [How to Take Partial and Progress Payments](/payments/collecting/partial-progress-payments).

* **Spell out your policies.** Cancellation, trip-charge, and refund terms in writing, acknowledged by customers.

* **Be easy to reach.** A responsive phone line or text thread means customers call you before they call their bank.

* **Keep dispatch records.** Scheduling and GPS logs prove your tech was on-site when it counts.

## FAQs

**How do I prevent chargebacks?**

Work through the prevention checklist above on every job. The biggest levers are clear documentation, a billing descriptor customers recognize, and being easy to reach so issues come to you before they go to the bank.

**What are the fees?**

FieldPulse Payments charges a \$25 chargeback fee per chargeback to cover processing and investigation. It is billed when the chargeback is created and applies whether or not you win.

**How are chargeback funds pulled from my account?**

When a chargeback enters the dispute phase, your next-business-day deposit is adjusted down by the chargeback amount plus any fee. If you later win, the recovered funds appear in a future deposit.

**What happens if I don't respond?**

If you don't respond to an inquiry, the customer can escalate it to a dispute and the funds are pulled. If you don't respond to a dispute, you forfeit it. Always respond — even a simple, well-documented package can win.

**Can I accept a chargeback instead of contesting it?**

Yes. If the customer is right, or it isn't worth contesting, you can accept the chargeback, which returns the funds to the customer and closes the case. The \$25 chargeback fee still applies.

## Still need help?

Reach the [FieldPulse support team](https://www.fieldpulse.com/company/contact-us) at [support@fieldpulse.com](mailto:support@fieldpulse.com) or through the chat feature in the bottom-right corner of your screen.

## Related articles

* [FieldPulse Payments Overview](/payments/getting-started/fieldpulse-payments)

* [FieldPulse Deposit and Payment Status Details](/payments/getting-started/deposits-payment-statuses)

* [How to Process a Refund](/payments/collecting/refunds)

* [How to Take Partial and Progress Payments](/payments/collecting/partial-progress-payments)

* [How to Collect Payments: 3 Methods](/payments/collecting/collecting-payments-3-methods)


## Related topics

- [FieldPulse Payments Overview](/payments/getting-started/fieldpulse-payments.md)
- [FieldPulse Deposit and Payment Status Details](/payments/getting-started/deposits-payment-statuses.md)
- [Collecting & Managing Payments](/payments/collecting/index.md)
- [How to Process a Refund](/payments/collecting/refunds.md)


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