While RTP/FedNow are the fastest rails, they are currently less consistent than ACH due to:
- Network Maturity: Many smaller banks have "flaky" RTP implementations or frequent API timeouts.
- Maintenance Windows: Unlike ACH, which is batch-processed, RTP requires the receiver's bank to be "Live" 24/7. Many banks still take their RTP gateways offline for nightly maintenance.
Routable automatically applies retry logic to all RTP and FedNow payments to account for these transient network outages. For failures that cannot be resolved via retry, you can enable an automated fallback to Same-Day ACH.
| In this article |
|---|
Automated Retry Logic
All payments sent via RTP or FedNow include built-in retry logic. Routable will attempt to re-process the payment two times within a 2-hour window following the initial failure.
| ℹ️ Retries only occur for specific system-related return codes. They do not apply to failures caused by incorrect data (e.g., wrong account number or recipient name), as these require manual data updates. |
Retry Schedule
- Retry #1: 15 minutes after the initial failure.
- Retry #2: 2 hours after the initial failure (only attempted if before the 1:30 PM PT cutoff).
Retryable Error Codes
Only specific "System" or "Network" failure codes trigger an automatic retry. If a payment fails with a code not listed below, it is considered a terminal failure.
| Code | Description / Context |
| AB05 | Transaction timed out |
| AB06 | Settlement failed |
| AB08 | Agent offline |
| AB09 | Order refused |
| COMM | Communication error |
| DS24 | Duplicate message |
| FF10 | Format error |
| NARR | Specifically with message: Cannot validate retail account number |
| SL03 | Service level not reached |
| TK03 | Token error |
| UE01 | Unexpected error |
| UR01 | Unable to route |
| AC03* | Invalid/malformed account number |
| AC04* | Account closed |
| AC06* | Account blocked |
*AC03, AC04, and AC06 failures on instant payments, but not ACH payments usually indicate a bank-side RTP/FedNow implementation issue.
Same-Day ACH Fallback
While retry logic is active by default for all instant payments, using Same-Day ACH as a final resort is a controllable user setting. If enabled, Routable automatically transitions the payment to ACH if both RTP/FedNow retries fail or if the 1:30 PM PT cutoff is reached.
Enable Fallback Settings
- Navigate to Settings > Payables and vendors.
- Locate the Failure handling section.
- Toggle on Automatically fall back to Same-Day ACH if an instant payment fails.
| ☝️ If this setting is OFF, the payment will remain in a "Failed" status after the final retry attempt. |