How does the system automatically handle unpaid reservations for classes?
Daily Unpaid Reservation Sweep The Unpaid Reservation Resolver eliminates the need to manually process charges from the unpaid reservations screen, streamlining operations for business owners.
Every day at 9:00 AM ET, the system scans for unpaid reservations within this window:
Past 3 days (to catch anything still open), and
Next 36 hours (to look ahead for upcoming classes).
This creates multiple opportunities (usually 4+) for the system to attempt resolving payment automatically.
Resolution Process at Each 9 AM ET Sweep
Check for active credits (subscriptions or packages)
The system applies the subscription or package that expires soonest.
If expiration dates tie, it uses the one with more credits remaining.- Expired packages cannot be used to apply credits, ensuring only valid packages are utilized.- Account credits (e.g., from adjustments) are automatically applied at checkout, allowing bookings to complete without additional payments.
2. If no credits are available
If the “Charge payment method on file for drop-in” setting is enabled, the system attempts to charge the saved payment method at the service type’s drop-in price.
If the setting is not enabled, the reservation remains unpaid.
3. If the reservation is still unpaid
No emails are sent automatically to the client or business owner.
Business owners can resolve unpaid reservations manually at any time.
Verifying Charges Processed by the Resolver
To confirm whether a charge was processed by the Unpaid Reservation Resolver:
Go to the member’s profile in Arketa.
Navigate to the Payments section.
Click on the item name (order) to open the details.
Check the Source field for an entry such as “Unpaid Resolver.”
To manually resolve unpaid reservations, open the unpaid reservation in your Arketa dashboard, select the client’s applicable pack or membership as the payment method, and apply the payment to resolve the unpaid status.
How can I enable automatic resolution of unpaid reservations?
Navigate to Settings then select Business Settings on your dashboard. Here, you can enable the feature to automatically resolve unpaid reservations.
Additionally, activate the policy for late-cancel or no-show fees to ensure these charges are applied automatically.
Important Timing Details
The system only runs once per day at 9 AM ET.
There is no “X hours before class” auto-charge rule—it depends entirely on when the reservation falls into the 36-hour look-ahead window.
Within the final six hours before the class, the system checks unpaid reservations approximately every two hours, either charging or canceling them.
Examples
Class Friday at 6:00 PM ET
At Thursday 9 AM ET, the class is now <36 hours away. The reservation is picked up then and resolved (credit first, then auto-charge if enabled).
Class Friday at 9:00 AM ET
At Thursday 9 AM ET, the class is exactly 24 hours away, so it’s picked up on Thursday, not on Wednesday.
Class created after the day’s sweep
If a reservation is made at 2 PM on Wednesday for a class Thursday night, it won’t be checked until Thursday 9 AM ET.- Recurring bookings may initially show as "unpaid" until the Unpaid Reservation Resolver applies credits before the session, which is normal behavior.