Why do I need a payment method to submit an assignment?

Applies to: Staffing partners who fund their own payroll (self-funded partners) and have automatic debit of payroll turned on. If Ascen funds your payroll, or you pay your payroll invoices yourself rather than by automatic debit, you will not see this message.

Summary: You see "You need a payment method to submit an assignment" because your account has automatic debit turned on but no payment method on file. An owner or admin on your account adds a payment method under Payment Methods in your dashboard settings, and then you open the assignment in Assignments and finish submitting it. Until then, the assignment stays in Assignments with the status Pending, and your worker's onboarding cannot start.

Why you need a payment method

As a self-funded partner, you fund your own workers' pay. With automatic debit turned on, the funding amount for each payroll invoice is drawn on or after its due date using the payment method on your account. That is why a payment method has to be on file before you can submit an assignment.

How to fix it

1. Add a payment method. Go to Payment Methods in your dashboard settings and add one. Only the owner and admin roles can add or change a payment method, so if you don't see the option, ask an owner or admin on your team to add it.

2. Finish submitting the assignment. Go to Assignments and open the assignment, which shows as Pending. Edit it, work through to the final step and submit it. While an assignment says Pending, it has not reached Ascen yet, so we can't review or approve it.

3. Wait for approval. The status changes to Awaiting approval, which means the assignment is with Ascen and our review checks are running. Once it is approved, your worker receives their onboarding invites.

If something still doesn't look right

• You don't expect to be on automatic debit. If you thought you paid your payroll invoices yourself, or that Ascen funds your payroll, email support@ascen.com so we can check how your account is set up.

• A different message appears when you submit. Submitting checks several requirements, so once the payment method is added you may see a message about something else. Email support@ascen.com with the exact wording.

Where to get help

Email support@ascen.com if you can't add a payment method, have questions about automatic debit, or the assignment still won't submit. Include the assignment and the exact message you see. For account-level billing questions you can also contact your Customer Success Manager.

Related: When invoices are generated for self-funded partners explains payroll invoices, due dates and automatic debit. How long does it take for an assignment to be approved? covers what happens after you submit.