The Problem: Inconsistent and Confusing Cut-Off Times

BYForward

Payments don’t always settle when businesses expect them to. Between software platforms, payment gateways, processors, and banks—each with its own cut-off times—it’s easy for businesses to get frustrated.

Take ACH payments, for example. They’re still the backbone of many transactions, yet they operate on outdated rules with inconsistent deadlines. Some businesses want their daily batch of payments to reflect exactly that—a full day. Instead, they get settlements cut off at 9:30 PM EST, or some other arbitrary time, leaving them scrambling to reconcile incomplete data.

The Solution: Flexible Batch Time Controls

Because Forward is a settlement platform, we own the ledger and control when funds move. That means we can give software platforms full control over when batches close—customized for each customer.

• A merchant on the West Coast can close at 12 AM PST
• A business on the East Coast can close at 12 AM EST
• Some industries even prefer weekly or monthly batches instead of daily

By operating above the traditional payment networks, we eliminate the randomness and let businesses choose what works best for them.

The Impact: Simpler Reconciliation, Fewer Headaches

Our bank reconciliation tool already saves businesses hours by making it easy to match sales data with bank deposits. This new feature goes a step further—ensuring that when businesses receive a payout for the previous day, they get all of it in one clean settlement.

For small and medium-sized businesses, having complete, predictable payouts is often more valuable than receiving funds as quickly as possible. Now, they don’t have to compromise.

With Forward, businesses are in control—not the banks, not the payment processors, and definitely not outdated cut-off times.