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Account Updater Strategy & Frequency

The Account Updater (AU) service is an "invisible" powerhouse for recurring revenue. It proactively updates expired or replaced card information by communicating directly with the card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Amex). This eliminates "soft declines," reduces involuntary churn, and maintains a seamless white-label experience for your end users.

When & How Often to Update

For platforms managing recurring billing or high-volume "card-on-file" transactions, frequency should be dictated by your billing cycle.

The Proactive Batch (Recommended: Monthly)

For most SaaS and ERP platforms, a monthly batch update is the industry gold standard.

Timing: Run your AU batch 5–7 days prior to your primary billing date. This window allows enough time for the card networks to process the request and for the updated details to be synced back to your vault before the transaction is attempted.

You can also choose to only submit cards that are set to expire in the current month or cards that have an active subscription attached.

The "Pre-Flight" Check (Event-Driven)

If your platform supports flexible billing dates (e.g., users can sign up any day of the month), use an event-driven logic:

Frequency: Trigger an AU request 7 days before any individual subscription renewal.

Real-Time "Decline Recovery"

Don't just wait for the next month if a payment fails today.

Frequency: Immediate/On-demand.

Scenario: If a transaction is declines with a specific response code (e.g., Expired Card), trigger an AU request. If the card is updated, retry the transaction immediately.

Compliance & Network Rules

Card Brand Rules: Ensure you are only updating cards for which you have a "recurring" or "stored credential" consent on file. Updating cards for one-time users without a stored-profile agreement can lead to network non-compliance.

Response Handling: Always monitor for Account Closed (XA) responses. If an account is closed (not just expired), you must stop attempting charges and prompt the user for a new payment method to avoid "excessive decline" penalties.

Technical Implementation Snippet

When configuring your logic, utilize our Account Update Response Codes to automate your workflow:

  • UA (Account Number Updated): Update your local database and proceed with billing.

  • UE (Expiration Date Updated): Update the expiry and proceed.

  • XA (Account Cancelled): Flag the subscription as "Pending Info" and trigger a notification to the user.