# Settlement Break Runbook

Owner: Payments operations
Severity: SEV1 for unreconciled customer funds, SEV2 for isolated delayed settlements.

## Triggers

- `BankingSettlementFailures`
- reconciliation break type `provider_ledger_mismatch`
- provider settlement report item failed or unmatched
- transfer stuck in `processing` or `pending` beyond SLA

## First 15 Minutes

1. Open a payments incident and capture transfer IDs, provider references, report IDs and ledger journal IDs.
2. Stop automated retries for the affected provider route if duplicate settlement is possible.
3. Compare transfer state, settlement events, ledger entries and provider report rows.
4. Assign finance reviewer for ledger impact and operations reviewer for provider communication.

## Resolution Paths

- Provider failed before execution: apply normal failure/refund flow.
- Provider executed but local state failed: update state through approved provider report ingestion.
- Local ledger posted but provider did not execute: create explicit ledger reversal after maker-checker approval.
- Unknown state: hold the transfer, contact provider and do not replay until outcome is confirmed.

## Evidence

- Before/after transfer state
- provider report item or provider confirmation
- journal entry or reversal ID
- customer notification ID if applicable
- reviewer and approver

## Communications

- Customer support gets customer-safe status text and refund/settlement ETA.
- Finance receives end-of-day exception report.
- Regulators are notified through the major incident process if materiality thresholds are met.