A pending transaction is a payment that's still being processed by a merchant and hasn't been finalized in your Spendesk account yet.
For: All Spendesk users with a card, on any plan.
How pending transactions work
Merchants typically process a card payment in two steps.
Authorization: The merchant checks that your card is valid and has enough funds. This creates a "pending transaction" line in Spendesk. It doesn't mean you've been charged yet.
Charge or cancellation: The merchant either charges the authorized amount or cancels the authorization.
If the merchant charges the payment, it moves to the Payments section.
If the merchant cancels the payment, it stays in the Pending transactions section until the authorization expires.
An authorization can take up to 18 days to expire, and up to 32 days in rare cases. This is why a cancelled or unfinished payment can remain visible for a while before it disappears.
Types of pending transactions
A pending transaction can be one of the following:
Type | What happens |
Successful transaction awaiting settlement | Charged, but not yet settled in Spendesk (up to 8 days for some card networks) |
Failed transaction | Automatically removed, no action needed |
Pre-authorization | Automatically removed, no action needed |
Deposit | Automatically removed, unless the supplier decides to charge it |
Common scenarios
Deposits
When a merchant requires a deposit, they place a card authorization. This appears as a pending transaction. Once the service is paid for, the deposit authorization is released and the pending line expires.
Gas stations and fuel pumps
Automatic gas stations and fuel pumps often authorize a higher amount than what you'll actually pay, because the exact quantity isn't known upfront. For example, a station might authorize 140 GBP instead of the 36 GBP you're actually charged.
The authorization appears under Pending transactions in the Payments tab in real time.
Once the merchant charges the actual amount, the payment appears in Payments of the month.
The original authorization expires once the merchant releases it, which can take up to 32 days. You'll receive an email when this happens.
The same process applies to taxi and car rental payments.
View your pending transactions
Navigate to Payments > All payments
Locate the Pending transactions section
Select a transaction line to view its details
Transactions being processed or rejected by the merchant appear under Pending transactions.
Transactions successfully charged appear under Payments.
Pending transactions and receipts
There are three possible scenarios for receipts on pending transactions:
Processed successfully with a receipt added: No receipt reminder is sent.
Not processed, no receipt added: You'll receive a receipt reminder. You can mark the expense as "cannot be provided" instead.
Pre-authorized, then charged separately: You may be asked for a receipt on both lines. Add the receipt to both, since one line may disappear within 1 to 32 days.
Troubleshooting
Symptom: A pending transaction has stayed in my account for several weeks.
Cause: The merchant hasn't yet cancelled or charged the authorization. Authorizations can legally remain open for up to 18 days, and up to 32 days in rare cases.
Resolution: Wait for the authorization to expire automatically. If it's still pending after 32 days, contact the merchant directly to ask them to cancel or refund the authorization.
Symptom: I see two pending transactions for the same purchase.
Cause: This is usually an authorization and a separate final charge for the same purchase (common with car rentals, hotels, and gas stations), not a duplicate charge.
Resolution: Check the amount and merchant name on each line. If they're genuinely identical duplicates, contact the merchant to confirm which one they intend to keep.
Symptom: I was charged, but the payment still shows as pending.
Cause: The charge hasn't been settled by your card network yet. This can take up to 8 days for some networks.
Resolution: No action is required. The transaction will move to Payments of the month once settlement completes.
⚠️ Warning: Spendesk cannot cancel a pending transaction once a merchant has authorized or charged your card, because it's processed by the merchant. Contact the merchant directly to request a cancellation or refund.
💡 Tip: If you can't provide a receipt for a pending transaction that never settled, use the "mark as cannot be provided" option to avoid unnecessary reminders.