What is a "settlement overage" or "force post"?

A settlement overage happens when the final amount a merchant charges is higher than the amount that was originally approved on the card.

This most commonly happens in places where tips are added — like restaurants, salons, or other service-based businesses. For example, if the card was pre-approved for $50 and the final charge (with tip) comes to $60, the extra $10 is considered a settlement overage.

A force post is a little different — that’s when a merchant overrides the approval step entirely and pushes the full charge through anyway to cause the settlement overage.

What happens if there’s a settlement overage?

Greenlight will always try to cover the full charge if a settlement overage occurs. Here's how we handle it, step by step:

Step 1: Check the store’s Spend Control

The funds needed to cover the overage will first attempt to be pulled from the Spend Control that fits the transaction’s merchant (e.g. a restaurant transaction pulling from the “Restaurants" Spend Control).

Step 2: Check the category-level Spend Control

If there isn’t enough money in the specific store’s Spend Control that the transaction falls under, we will automatically check for any available funds in the other Spend Controls (e.g. Gas Stations etc.), and use that category’s balance to cover the overage. 

Step 3: Check Spend Anywhere

If the overage still hasn’t been covered, we’ll check the Spend Anywhere balance and use those funds if available.

Step 4: Use the Greenlight Wallet

If there are still not enough funds available after all of the previous steps, Greenlight will trigger an overdraft response on the account to cover any remaining balance needed to pay for the settlement overage. The overdraft will attempt to pull funds from the Greenlight Wallet. If there’s enough in the Wallet, we’ll use it to fully cover the overage.

If the Greenlight Wallet doesn’t have enough, we’ll combine the Wallet balance with your funding account (this is called a split tender) to make up the difference.

Step 5: Use the funding account

If the Greenlight Wallet can’t fully cover the overage, the remaining balance will be taken directly from the Primary Accountholder’s or Authorized Approver’s funding source on file.