> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.manifestfinancial.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Send Payouts

> Let's pretend we code for a music distributor, and we want to add Manifest as a payout option.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create an account connection.">
    We'll post a display name of the creator we'd like to pay to [create an account connection](/platform/account-connections#methods). Account Connections represent the relationship between your enterprise and a specific creator. It includes such details as the creator's name, how they've connected (Manifest or ACH), and what permissions they have granted you.

    ```json theme={null}
    // Create Account Connection
    {
        "first_name": "Paul",
        "last_name": "McCartney",
        "email": "paul@thebeatles.com",
        "requested_permissions": ["payment.credit"],
        "verification_prompt": "What are the last 4 digits of your tax ID?",
        "verification_answer": "1234"
    }
    ```

    We get a new account connection object in response.

    ```json theme={null}
    // Account Connection
    {
        "id": "acon_XXXXX",
        "status": "created",
        "first_name": "Paul",
        "last_name": "McCartney",
        "email": "paul@thebeatles.com",
        "requested_permissions": ["payment.credit"],
        "verification_prompt": "Please enter the last 4 digits of your tax ID."
    }
    ```

    Note that Paul hasn't given us any permissions yet.

    <br />
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a Connect link.">
    Paul just clicked the "Set Up Payments" button in our web app. We're going to send him through a short, Manifest-powered onboarding flow call [Connect](/platform/connect) to activate his account connection. We'll create a "Connect Link" to securely launch a personalized flow from within Paul's authenticated session. Manifest handles the onboarding, then redirects Paul back to us once complete. We'll post the following to [create a Connect Link](/platform/connect/links#methods) for Paul:

    ```json theme={null}
    // Create Connect Link
    {
        "account_connection": "acon_XXXXX",
        "return_url": "https://app.yoursite.com"
    }
    ```

    We get a new Connect Link back:

    ```json theme={null}
    // Connect Link
    {
        "url": "http://connect.manifestfinancial.com/ZtT57HxTAaJwvgqjCadbSgoQPIBjJ3r7p0W8",
        "created_at": "2024-02-02T20:39:01.015Z",
        "expires_at": "2024-02-02T20:49:01.014Z"
    }
    ```

    The Connect Link expires 10 minutes after it's created. We immediately redirect Paul to that URL to complete the process.

    <br />
  </Step>

  <Step title="Close the loop.">
    Once Paul gets redirected back to us, we can [get his account connection](/platform/account-connections#methods) to see what changes he made. (We can also be notified via [webhook](/platform/webhooks).)

    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="Manifest">
        ```json theme={null}
        // Get Account Connection
        {
            "id": "acon_XXXXX",
            "status": "active",
            "type": "direct",
            "first_name": "Paul",
            "last_name": "McCartney",
            "email": "paul@thebeatles.com",
            "requested_permissions": ["payment.credit"],
            "permissions": [
                {"name": "payment.credit"}
            ],
            "destination": "Manifest Account - Paul McCartney"
        }
        ```

        **Great! Paul decided to open a Manifest account, or get paid to his existing Manifest account.**<br />
        His account connection is now `active`, and enabled for realtime payouts. We reflect that back to him, and use the `destination` label to make it crystal clear to him where his money will be going.
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="ACH">
        ```json theme={null}
        // Get Account Connection
        {
            "id": "acon_XXXXX",
            "status": "active",
            "type": "ach",
            "first_name": "Paul",
            "last_name": "McCartney",
            "email": "paul@thebeatles.com",
            "requested_permissions": ["payment.credit"],
            "permissions": [
                {"name": "payment.credit"}
            ],
            "destination": "BANK OF AMERICA checking (*1234)"
        }
        ```

        **Great! Paul decided to get paid to a different bank account, and has entered his ACH information.**<br />
        His account connection is now `active`, and enabled for `ach` payouts. We reflect that back to him, and use the `destination` label to make it crystal clear to him where his money will be going.
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>

    <br />
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a payout.">
    [Payouts](/platform/payouts) are simple, no matter how Paul has chosen to get paid:

    ```json theme={null}
    // Create Payout
    {
        "account_connection": "acon_XXXXX",
        "amount_in_cents": 1000,
        "description": "January Payout"
    }
    ```

    The payout status will return with a `pending` status immediately after creation:

    ```json theme={null}
    // New Payout
    {
        "id": "pay_XXXXX",
        "type": "direct",
        "status": "pending",
        "account_connection": "acon_XXXXX",
        "destination": "Manifest Account - Paul McCartney",
        "description": "January Payout",
        "amount_in_cents": 1000,
        "fee_in_cents": 10,
        "created_at": "2024-02-02T22:45:00.668Z",
        "updated_at": "2024-02-02T22:45:00.668Z"
    }
    ```

    **Manifest payouts** will change to a `sent` status a few seconds after creation, and the money will be immediately available for Paul to spend.

    **ACH payouts** are `sent` in a batch several times a day Monday through Friday (excluding bank holidays). ACH payments will be available for Paul in the next few business days (the receiving bank's policies are responsible for a majority of the variation with ACH timing). Learn more about ACH payments.
    You can check the status of a payout [manually](/platform/payouts/introduction#methods), or be notified of changes with a [webhook](/platform/webhooks).

    <br />
  </Step>

  <Step title="You're done!">
    Nice work! Now that Paul is connected via Manifest, he can be paid again by simply creating new payouts.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Get an API key and get started!

<Card title="Getting Started" icon="book" iconType="duotone" href="/guides/getting-started" />