Authorize the amount that is justified
An authorization can reserve capacity but is not final settlement. Rules and validity windows vary by network, merchant category, transaction type, and issuer. Shipping, hospitality, and tips can create special amount behavior.
Record the authorization identifier and expiry assumptions. Do not promise that a pending authorization will disappear on an exact date controlled by another institution.
- Authorized amount
- Validity window
- Incremental amount rule
- Reversal path
Capture from fulfillment state
Capture should follow the business event the merchant has defined, such as shipment or completed service. Handle partial fulfillment, cancellation, and duplicate retries idempotently.
When capture fails ambiguously, query the processor state before retrying. A blind retry can create duplicate presentment.
Simulate a timeout after capture submission and prove the retry logic determines existing state before sending another financial action.