Why one invoice may settle while another stays unpaid after a combined collection attempt

Last updated: June 19, 2026

When several outstanding invoices are sent for collection together and only some settle, the reason is usually that each invoice is paid by its own payment intent, and the one that settled was a different payment intent from the combined attempt that failed. An invoice settles when a successful payment intent's webhook arrives, not when a collection attempt is triggered. The order in which these happen is what makes the outcome look contradictory.

The order of events

Consider an invoice that ends up settled even though a collection attempt covering it failed earlier the same day. The sequence is:

  1. A payment intent is created for the invoice and begins processing. At this point it is pending, so the invoice still shows as outstanding.

  2. While that payment intent is still pending, a separate collection attempt runs covering all outstanding invoices, and this invoice is pulled in because it still reads as unpaid. That combined attempt is declined and fails.

  3. The original payment intent from step 1 then succeeds, and its success webhook arrives, marking the invoice settled.

So the invoice was settled by the payment intent that was already in flight before the combined attempt, not by the combined attempt itself. The failure in step 2 and the settlement in step 3 are two different payment intents, which is why a collection can fail in the morning and the invoice can still show paid that evening. There is no contradiction once the two payment intents are separated.

The same sequence explains why another invoice in that combined attempt can stay unpaid: if its only payment intents failed, including the combined attempt, no successful payment ever cleared for it. A failed attempt showing $0 net on the provider is just a declined charge where no money moved, not a sync problem between the provider and Lago. To read the outcome correctly, look at the individual payment intents and which one succeeded, rather than at a single net figure or which invoices were grouped into one attempt.

This article reflects guidance drawn from customer case resolutions. It is not officially supported documentation and may not apply to all situations.