Paying suppliers outside Travel Ledger

Who this is for: Buyers paying hotels, bedbanks or any supplier that isn’t on Travel Ledger and accepts card payments.

This is the core virtual card use case: on-platform partners settle through TL Pay settlement schedules, while off-platform suppliers are paid by card from the same account - a single balance, a single dashboard and a single reconciliation trail.

How it works

1. Create a card for the payment - usually a single-use card with the booking’s amount, the supplier’s name and your booking references. If taxes or extras may be added at charge time, set an Additional Percentage buffer (5%/10%). Set Allowed Charges to match how the supplier collects (deposit + balance = 2).

2. Provide the card details through the supplier’s usual payment channel - booking portal, telephone or extranet. Set the Estimated Charge Date to the supplier’s stated charging point;

3. No funds move at issuance. The card can remain unfunded until charged - the requirement is to keep the account balance ahead of your exposure figures. Configure the Total Exposure alert to be notified if issued cards exceed available funds. → Funding and exposure

4. The supplier charges the card. Funds are drawn from your respective sub-account TL Pay balance at that moment and the charge appears against the card with the booking details attached at creation.

5. Reconcile with full context: the charge already carries your internal and supplier references. → Reconciling card spend

Card payment or platform settlement

For suppliers you transact with occasionally, a virtual card is the most efficient route. For high-frequency trading relationships, consider inviting the supplier to Travel Ledger for full platform settlement - cards and settlement can operate side by side.