# Schedule Store Credit auto-payout **Store Credit auto-payout** feature allows merchants to automatically pay commissions to affiliates via Store credit. This feature applies to both Affiliate Programs and [Customer Referral](https://docs.uppromote.com/outreach/affiliate-recruitment/customer-referral). Learn more about it below. ## How to set up? To activate Auto-payout with Store credit, you need to enable [Store Credit self-redemption](https://docs.uppromote.com/management/payments/in-app-payments/store-credits-process) first. This ensures that the system can automatically add credit to affiliates instead of giving discount codes.
After that, navigate to **Settings** > **Payment** > **Auto-payment schedule** > **Store credit** > **Set up.**
### 1. Payment rule In the **Payment rule** section, you can choose one of the following options: **Pay immediately upon referral approval**, **Specific date**, or **Payment cycle**.
#### Pay immediately upon referral approval This option allows the system to process auto-payout to affiliates **as soon as a referral is approved**. If the **Auto approve orders** or **Record pending orders as referrals** is enabled, the system will display a warning advising you to carefully review your selection. Once the payment via Store credit is processed, it can't be reversed. Kindly note that: * Auto-payout only **applies to referrals generated after the feature was last activated**. Referrals generated before that will be **excluded from auto-payout**, and you need to pay them manually. * **Negative** commissions will be **pending for auto-payout**. When the next referral from the same affiliate is approved, the system adds this commission to the previously pending amount. If the total to be paid is greater than 0, the system will proceed with the auto-payout immediately.
#### Specific date If you select **Specific date**, the system will process payments on a certain day you set up. Please pick a **Payment day** from the calendar, also choose the **Cycle** of the payment. For example, if you select 26 as the **Payment day** and 1 month as the **Cycle** (see the image below), the system will automatically process payments to affiliates on the 26th of every month. Please note that auto-payout will need to be set up **at least 2 days** **before the payment date** so the payment can be rolled out successfully.
#### Payment cycle If you select **Payment cycle**, the system will pay out automatically based on the cycle period you set up. Please enter the **Cycle**, then select the **First payment date**. For example, if the **Cycle** is 10 days and the **First payment date** is 1st August 2025 (see the image below), the system will pay out affiliates on 1st August first, and 10 days later, on 11th August 2025, the affiliates will continue to be paid automatically.
### 2. Payment threshold You can optionally set up **Payment threshold**, including **minimum** and **maximum** limits for auto-payout. If you choose **Pay immediately upon referral approval** option: * With **Minimum payable commission**, you can set a minimum amount that each affiliate must reach to be automatically paid. Any commission below this threshold will be **excluded from auto-payout** until it meets the minimum requirement.\ For example, if you set this field to be $100, referrals with a commission of $100 or $120 will be auto-paid upon referral approval. Meanwhile, $90 commission need to be manually paid or wait until the affiliate's total payout commission reaches $100.
* With **Maximum payable commission**, you can set a maximum amount for each affiliate. Commissions exceeding this amount will be **excluded from auto-payout**, and you need to manually pay the affiliates.\ For example, if you set this field to be $300, referrals with a commission of $250 or $300 will be auto-paid upon referral approval. Meanwhile, you have to manually pay affiliates who earn $350 commission.
If you choose **Specific date** or **Payment cycle**: * With **Minimum affiliate commission**, you can set up the minimum commission that affiliates have to earn to be paid. \ For example, if you set this field to be $100, all affiliates who have gained $100 commission or above will be auto-paid on the payment date. Meanwhile, affiliates with an under $100 commission can be paid manually or wait until the next auto-payout period when their total commission reaches $100.
* With **Maximum payout limit**, you can set up a limit for the system to avoid going over budget.\ For example, if you set this field to be $1000 and the total payout amount you need to pay affiliates this period is $1500, the auto-payout will be automatically postponed. You will need to pay affiliates manually this period or confirm **Auto-payout anyway** to ensure auto-payout will be processed on the scheduled date.
### 3. Terms and conditions Please be aware that there are certain **Terms and conditions** that you'll need to agree to (by checking the boxes) before saving **Auto-payout with Store credit** settings. Kindly review them below:
## Store Credit payout Once you enable Auto-payout with Store credit successfully, you can navigate to the **Payments** tab > **In-app payment** to review all related information, including the **Auto-payout activation time** or the **Next auto-payout amount** and the **Next auto-payout date** (depending on the payment rule you set up).
{% hint style="warning" %} **Note**: If you disable the **Store Credit self-redemption** after successfully setting up the auto-payout, **Auto-payout with Store credit** will only be processed to customers (if any) in [Customer Referral](https://docs.uppromote.com/outreach/affiliate-recruitment/customer-referral). Commissions from affiliates will be excluded from auto-payout and you will need to manually pay them. {% endhint %} Additionally, if you schedule auto-payout based on **Specific date** or **Payment cycle**, kindly read the following information for further details: 1. The total auto-payout amount will be closed **12 hours** before the payment time (except for **Pay immediately upon referral approval** option). From then, any additional approved commission will be counted toward the next payout period. {% hint style="info" %} The system will automatically send you an email about the **Total auto-payout commission**, **Number of affiliates/customers**, **Payment time**, and **Maximum payout limit exceeded** (if any) **12 hours** before the auto-payout time. Auto-payout will be processed on the payment date at **23h59'** **UTC +0** (UpPromote's system time zone) to ensure a consistent payout procedure for all merchants in different time zones. {% endhint %} 2. To cancel the upcoming payout period, you can click **Cancel Auto-payout**. The system will automatically move all payments to the next payout period.
3. In case the total auto-payout amount exceeds the **Maximum payout limit**, you can click **Auto-payout anyway** to confirm that the system will still process auto-payout on the scheduled date.