Understanding payment terms: when suppliers are paid
Overview
Smartcat processes payments to suppliers based on completed and approved work.
————————————————————————————————————————
When to use it
You are an enterprise client and want to understand when suppliers receive payment for completed work
You are a supplier and want to understand when you are paid after completing a project
You want to check the status of a pending payment
You want to understand how the payment approval workflow operates
————————————————————————————————————————
How it works
Payment approval workflow
Smartcat uses a configurable approval system that determines when supplier payments are triggered. The system supports three approval states:
Status | Description |
Not Approved | Work is complete but not yet reviewed |
Approval Requested | Manual approval is required from the client |
Approved | Work is approved and payment jobs are created |
Payment approval
When a document is fully translated and reviewed and the client has marked the translation as complete, Smartcat creates the payment for the work. If the document is in Manager Review, the system automatically moves it to Completed after 7 days.
————————————————————————————————————————
How to use it
For enterprise clients:
To review outstanding jobs:
Go to Payments
Select Supplier payments
Click Jobs to see outstanding jobs
You can see when supplier payments are due and track the status of outstanding amounts.
To review invoices:
Go to Payments
Select Supplier Payments
Click Invoices
You can check how often invoices are created under Invoicing Settings.
For suppliers: check your payout status
Supplier payouts are automatic once work is approved. Smartcat sends payment when:
You have a payout method set up in My Payouts
Your balance reaches your configured minimum payout threshold
To check your status:
Go to My Payouts
Open the Job statuses tab
A record of all past and pending payouts is shown, including dates and amounts.
————————————————————————————————————————
Requirements and limitations
Suppliers must have a payout method configured and a minimum threshold set for automatic payouts to trigger
Funds arrive within 5 business days of the payout invoice being generated
————————————————————————————————————————
FAQs
As a supplier, how long after completing work do I receive payment?
Once approved, payouts are sent automatically when your balance reaches your minimum threshold. After a payout invoice is generated, funds arrive within 5 business days. See Understanding automatic payouts: when and how you receive funds for full details.
What happens if a client doesn't review completed work?
If a client doesn’t review completed work within 15 days, the system automatically verifies the work and triggers supplier payment. Additionally, if work progresses to the next project stage, the previous stage is automatically verified.