Payment notification payloads

When you subscribe to a BILL event and the event triggers, BILL sends a notification to your provided notificationUrl. See /v3/payments in the API reference for more information about the request and response fields.

Sample `payment.updated` payloads

In this sample unescaped JSON payload, the details of a payment are available. The notification provides a set of payment fields.

👍
You get payment.updated notifications when the status changes
When you create a payment, BILL sends you payment.updated notifications with the payment status value changes.

Field	Description
`id`	BILL-generated ID of the payment. The value begins with `stp`.
`billIds`	List of bills that are paid
`transactionNumber`	Payment transaction reference used as an external identifier. See /v3/payments in the API reference for more information.
`status`	Payment status. See Single status payment values for the complete list of payment `status` values.
`createdBy`	BILL-generated ID of the user that created the payment. The value begins with `006`.
`createdTime`	Created date and time
`updatedTime`	Updated date and time. This value updates for each payment `status` update.
`processDate`	Payment process date
`funding`	Payment funding information. The fields are based on the `type`. - `BANK_ACCOUNT`: `id`, `type`, `name`, and `accountNumber` - `CARD_ACCOUNT`: `id`, `type`, `name`, and `last4` - `WALLET`: `type` - `AP_CARD`: `id` and `type`
`disbursement`	Payment disbursement information. The `disbursement` object includes additional information when BILL starts processing a payment. See /v3/payments in the API reference for more information about the different disbursement `type` values.
`vendor`	Vendor information. This includes vendor `id` and `name`.
`billingType`	A payment object is created for each payment. `billingType` is the source of the payment object creation. - `BDC`: Payment made with the BILL web app or BILL API - `BILL_AUTOPAY`: Payment made with the BILL autopay feature - `NET_SYNC_FROM_ONLINE_PAYMENT`: Payment made outside BILL with the sync feature to a BILL customer - `NET_SYNC_FROM_OFFLINE_PAYMENT`: Payment made outside BILL with the sync feature to a customer outside BILL - `RECURRING_PAYMENT`: Payment made for a recurring bill

Before money movement

Before BILL starts processing a payment, the disbursement object includes arrivesByDate, and the disbursementAccount object is empty. All other fields are included in the payment.updated payload.

{
    "metadata": {
        "eventId": "{event_id}",
        "subscriptionId": "{subscription_id}",
        "organizationId": "{organization_id}",
        "eventType": "payment.updated",
        "version": "1"
    },
    "payment": {
        "id": "{payment_id}",
        "billIds": [
             "{bill_id}"
        ],
        "transactionNumber": "{transaction_id}",
        "status": "SCHEDULED",
        "createdBy": "{user_id}",
        "createdTime": "2025-12-16T23:56:52.127+00:00",
        "updatedTime": "2025-12-17T23:56:52.127+00:00",
        "processDate": "2025-12-17",
        "funding": {
            "amount": 228.99,
            "currency": "USD",
            "fundingAccount": {
                "id": "bac01123ABC456DEF789",
                "type": "BANK_ACCOUNT",
                "name": "Noodle Soupsmith",
                "accountNumber": "************1111"
            }
        },
        "disbursement": {
            "arrivesByDate": "2025-12-20",
            "disbursementAccount": {}
        },
        "vendor": {
            "id": "{vendor_id}",
            "name": "Happy Music Supplies"
        },
        "billingType": "BILL_AUTOPAY"
    }
}

When money movement begins

When BILL starts processing a payment, there is additional disbursement information available in the payload. All other fields are included in the payment.updated payload.

The disbursement object includes amount, currency, and arrivesByDate.
The disbursementAccount object includes type and accountNumber.

{
    "metadata": {
        "eventId": "{event_id}",
        "subscriptionId": "{subscription_id}",
        "organizationId": "{organization_id}",
        "eventType": "payment.updated",
        "version": "1"
    },
    "payment": {
        "id": "{payment_id}",
        "billIds": [
             "{bill_id}"
        ],
        "transactionNumber": "{transaction_id}",
        "status": "PROCESSED",
        "createdBy": "{user_id}",
        "createdTime": "2025-12-16T23:56:52.127+00:00",
        "updatedTime": "2025-12-17T23:56:52.127+00:00",
        "processDate": "2025-12-17",
        "funding": {
            "amount": 228.99,
            "currency": "USD",
            "fundingAccount": {
                "id": "bac01123ABC456DEF789",
                "type": "BANK_ACCOUNT",
                "name": "Noodle Soupsmith",
                "accountNumber": "************1111"
            }
        },
        "disbursement": {
            "amount": 228.99,
            "currency": "USD",
            "arrivesByDate": "2025-12-20",
            "disbursementAccount": {
                "type": "ACH",
                "accountNumber": "******333"
            }
        },
        "vendor": {
            "id": "{vendor_id}",
            "name": "Happy Music Supplies"
        },
        "billingType": "BILL_AUTOPAY"
    }
}

Sample `payment.failed` payload

When your Create a payment (with POST /v3/payments) or Create a bulk payment (with POST /v3/payments/bulk) request fails, BILL sends you a notification with information to identify your payment request and with error messages to help you debug.

In this sample unescaped JSON payload, the details of a payment failure notification are available. The notification provides a set of payment fields.

Field	Description
`bills`	List of bills and payment amounts that were listed in the payment request
`transactionNumber`	Payment transaction reference used as an external identifier. See /v3/payments in the API reference for more information.
`createdBy`	BILL-generated ID of the user that created the payment. The value begins with `006`.
`createdTime`	Payment created date and time
`updatedTime`	Payment updated date and time
`fundingAccount`	Payment funding information
`vendor`	Vendor information. This includes vendor `id` and `name`.
`errors`	Payment failed reason. - `code`: Error code - `message`: Error message - `timestamp`: Error date and time

{
    "metadata": {
        "eventId": "{event_id}",
        "subscriptionId": "{subscription_id}",
        "organizationId": "{organization_id}",
        "eventType": "payment.failed",
        "version": "1"
    },
    "payment": {
        "bills": [
            {
                "id": "{bill_id01}",
                "amount": 28.99
            },
            {
                "id": "{bill_id02}",
                "amount": 200
            }
        ],
        "transactionNumber": "{transaction_id}",
        "createdBy": "{user_id}",
        "createdTime": "2025-12-16T23:56:52.127+00:00",
        "updatedTime": "2025-12-16T23:56:52.127+00:00",
        "fundingAccount": {
            "id": "bac01123ABC456DEF789",
            "type": "BANK_ACCOUNT"
        },
        "vendor": {
            "id": "{vendor_id}",
            "name": "Happy Music Supplies"
        }
    },
    "errors": [
        {
            "code": "{error_code}",
            "message": "Bank account is inactive.",
            "timestamp": "2025-12-16T23:56:52.127+00:00"
        },
        {
            "code": "{error_code}",
            "message": "Bill ID not found.",
            "timestamp": "2025-12-16T23:56:52.127+00:00"
        }
    ]
}

Common error cases

Payment requests can fail for various reasons. This list highlights some of the more common error cases.

Common error cases
Bill ID not found.
Vendor ID not found.
Cannot overpay a bill.
Invalid process date.
Bank account is inactive.
Card account is inactive.

Sample payment.updated payloads

👍You get payment.updated notifications when the status changes

Before money movement

When money movement begins

Sample payment.failed payload

Common error cases

Sample `payment.updated` payloads

👍
You get `payment.updated` notifications when the `status` changes

Sample `payment.failed` payload