> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.podigee.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.podigee.com/documentation/grow-and-monetize/monetization/approve-a-publisher-payout.md). # Approve a publisher payout Review verified publisher earnings, prepare the matching payout, complete the required review, and approve payment without creating a duplicate payout. The Podigee Audio Video Ad Server turns verified delivery evidence into publisher earnings and a controlled payout. The publisher statement keeps the delivery entries, deductions, payable amount, beneficiary, review state, and payout state together. Approval locks the exact earnings and beneficiary for payment. It does not change the delivery evidence or the buyer invoice. ![Marketplace commitment and settlement terms show the publisher payout terms recorded for the deal.](https://2032417310-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FbqUKO6lljHGzkEAzliPI%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-23c8d2dd35d119091275e3c900863c9d59f0d6d7%2Fdoc-monetization-009-settlement-payout.png?alt=media) *The payout uses the publisher terms recorded with the commercial commitment.* ## Before you start 1. Open **Monetization > Evidence & Money > Finance**. 2. Open the publisher statement for the settlement month. 3. Confirm that the finance authority and publisher beneficiary are current. 4. Check the review mode for your workspace. You need finance read permission to view a statement. You need payout approval permission to prepare or approve a payout. You need approval request permission when the workspace requires an independent review. ## Review the publisher statement Check these values before you prepare the payout: * publisher and beneficiary; * settlement month and original delivery dates; * delivery entries and quantities; * gross earnings; * deductions; * ready-to-pay amount; and * currency. Earlier delivery entries can appear in the current settlement month. The statement keeps their original dates visible. When there are more than 100 entries, the page shows a preview and keeps all entries in the payable total. Do not approve a statement when a delivery entry, deduction, currency, or beneficiary is wrong. Use the reconciliation process before you create a payout. ## Prepare the payout 1. Select **Prepare payout**. 2. Check the proposed amount and currency. 3. Check the publisher beneficiary. 4. Confirm that every statement in the proposal belongs to the same publisher and currency. Podigee creates one proposed payout from the exact statement. If a proposed payout already exists, the page does not create another one. The proposed payout remains linked to its publisher statement. ## Complete the review The payout card shows the review mode configured for your workspace. * **Ready for approval** means no separate reviewer is required. * **Confirm your review** means the workspace allows one operator to confirm the review. * **Independent review required** means another authorized person must approve this exact payout. When an independent review is required: 1. Select **Request review**. 2. Open the review request when it is available. 3. Wait for the reviewer to approve this exact payout. 4. Return to the publisher statement. Approval of another payout does not satisfy this review. If a review was rejected, returned, or expired, request a new review from the current payout page. ## Approve the payout 1. Confirm the publisher, delivery entries, deductions, payable amount, and beneficiary. 2. If shown, select **I reviewed the publisher, delivery entries, deductions, and payable amount**. 3. Select **Approve payout**. 4. Wait for the status to change from approval started to **Payout approved**. The approval uses the exact payout version, statement versions, beneficiary version, amount, and currency that you reviewed. A changed version stops the approval so you cannot approve stale evidence. ## Handle a payout hold If the payout has a hold, do not approve it until the hold has an exact release record. A held payout can require release evidence in addition to the normal statement and beneficiary checks. If the hold cannot be released, keep the payout unapproved and record the reason in the finance workflow. Resolve the underlying finance or delivery issue, then review the current statement again. ## Recover safely | Situation | What to do | | ----------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Prepare payout** is not available | Check the statement state, payable amount, publisher, currency, and payout approval permission. | | The payout amount is wrong | Do not approve it. Reconcile the statement and prepare from the corrected current evidence. | | The beneficiary changed | Refresh the page and review the current beneficiary before preparing or approving. | | An independent review is required | Request or open the review for this exact payout. | | Approval reports a changed version | Refresh the statement and review every value again. Do not resubmit old values. | | A payout already exists | Open the existing proposed payout. Do not prepare another payout for the same statement. | | Approval fails because of a hold | Obtain exact release evidence or keep the payout on hold. | ## Expected result The publisher statement has one approved payout with locked earnings, deductions, beneficiary, amount, currency, and review evidence. The original delivery evidence stays unchanged, and a repeated page load or retry cannot create a second payout for the same statement. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.podigee.com/documentation/grow-and-monetize/monetization/approve-a-publisher-payout.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.