Failure Rate
The Failure Rate report tracks the percentage of invoices that experience at least one payment failure over time. While the Failed Payments report shows absolute amounts, this report focuses on the failure rate trend.
This report is accessible from the Cashflow tab group.
Overview
The failure rate measures what percentage of your invoices had at least one failed payment attempt. A lower rate means a healthier payment system.
Timeline chart
The timeline chart displays the failure rate as a line over time. Hover over any point to see the exact value for that period.
Movement table
The movement table shows detailed data across time periods:
| Row | Description |
|---|---|
| Failed % | Percentage of invoices that had at least one failure |
| Failed invoices | Count of invoices with failures |
| Total invoices | Total invoice count for the period |
Color coding indicates health:
- Green if ≤ 5%
- Red if > 5%
Summary metrics
The summary section shows:
- Failed % (MTD) - Month-to-date failure percentage with change from prior month
- Failed % (YTD) - Year-to-date failure percentage with change from prior year
Changes are shown in percentage points (pp). For example, "+2pp" means the metric increased by 2 percentage points.
A negative change (green) means fewer failures — which is good.
Calculating the metric
Failed % = (Invoices with ≥1 failure) / (Total invoices) × 100
An invoice is counted as "failed" if it had at least one failed payment attempt, regardless of how many retries occurred.
Filters
The Failure Rate report supports comprehensive filtering:
- Date range - Select custom ranges or preset periods
- Interval - View by day, week, month, quarter, or year
- Currency - Choose your reporting currency
- Payment method - Filter by card, ACH, SEPA, etc.
- Additional filters - Filter by plan, region, customer segment, etc. (see all filters)
Benchmarks
Typical benchmarks for SaaS businesses:
| Healthy | Needs Attention | Critical |
|---|---|---|
| < 3% | 3-8% | > 8% |
These benchmarks vary by industry, payment method mix, and customer type. B2C businesses with credit card payments often see higher failure rates than B2B businesses.
Exporting the data
Export the failure rate data as CSV by clicking the download icon.
Practical tips
- Track trends: Small changes in failure rates compound over time. A 1% increase in failed % directly impacts your revenue and churn.
- Payment method comparison: Use filters to compare failure rates across different payment methods. Some methods (like ACH) have different failure patterns than credit cards.
- Seasonal patterns: Some months naturally have higher failure rates (e.g., January after annual renewals). Understanding your patterns helps set realistic targets.
Related pages
- Recovery Rate - Track how well you recover failed payments
- Failed Payments - See failed payment amounts and details
- Filters - All available filter options
