> ## 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)