# Record payout

Record payout is a command in the HeadHoncho API. Record money paid to a technician, or paid in by one, that names no jobs. It moves their balance and closes no particular job.

Page: https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/record_payout | Part of the HeadHoncho API docs: https://headhoncho.app/docs/api | Machine-readable: https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/openapi.json | Everything in one file: https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/llms-full.txt

## The request

Reference for **Record payout**, HeadHoncho API v1. It is a command, sent to the base address `https://api.headhoncho.app`.

`POST /api/v1/commands/record-payout`

The key needs the **Money** area at **do**. An answered call costs 1 credit; a refusal costs nothing. See [credits](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#credits).

It runs the app's own command `record-payout`. Send an `Idempotency-Key` header with every call: the same key with the same body returns the first answer and runs nothing twice. See [the model](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/model#idempotency).

## Parameters

| Name | Kind | Required | Description | Example |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `worker_id` | id, in the JSON body | Yes | The technician, from Who am I's technicians. | `wrk_7a12` |
| `direction` | text, in the JSON body | Yes | to_worker (the company paid them) or from_worker (they paid the company). One of `to_worker`, `from_worker`. | `to_worker` |
| `amount` | money, in the JSON body | Yes | How much, a number. | `500` |
| `method` | text, in the JSON body | Yes | ach, cash, check, card or other. One of `ach`, `cash`, `check`, `card`, `other`. | `cash` |
| `paid_at` | datetime, in the JSON body | No | When. Default: now. | `2026-10-20T17:00:00-05:00` |
| `reference` | text, in the JSON body | No | A check number or transfer id. | `Check 1042` |
| `memo` | text, in the JSON body | No | Anything to remember. | `Advance` |

## Try it with your key

Paste your key and change the values. The box builds the call as a cURL line and a fetch line, ready to copy. It never sends anything itself.

Paste your key on the web page and it fills a cURL line and a fetch line with your key and the example values. The page never sends the key anywhere. The same lines with a placeholder key are under Examples below.

## What comes back

accepted, worker_id, closed_balance_id and position.

It never deletes anything. It changes only what the command names, and it writes the change to the job's history with who asked for it.

## Every field in the answer

Types are read from the example answer. Money is a plain number in the company's currency. A time carries its offset from UTC (`Z` is UTC). Ids are opaque text. A field with no line of its own here has its name spelled out; the common fields mean the same on every page.

| Field | Type | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `accepted` | true or false | True when the command ran. A command that cannot run is an error instead. |
| `worker_id` | id (text) | The id of the worker. |
| `position` | whole number | Where the change landed in the event log. Pass it as `after` on a read to see your own write. |
| `closed_balance_id` | id (text) | The id of the closed balance. |

## Errors that apply

| Code | Status | What it means |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [`missing_key`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#missing_key) | 401 | Send your key as Authorization: Bearer hh_live_... |
| [`unknown_key`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#unknown_key) | 401 | That key is not one we issued, or it was revoked. |
| [`no_access`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#no_access) | 403 | This credential does not reach that. Ask the person who made it for access. |
| [`read_only`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#read_only) | 403 | This credential may read this area but not change it. |
| [`not_found`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#not_found) | 404 | No such record in the companies this credential reaches. |
| [`invalid`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#invalid) | 422 | Some fields were refused. See fields. |
| [`missing_idempotency_key`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#missing_idempotency_key) | 400 | Send an Idempotency-Key header on every command. |
| [`idempotency_mismatch`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#idempotency_mismatch) | 409 | This Idempotency-Key was used with a different body. |
| [`idempotency_in_progress`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#idempotency_in_progress) | 409 | A command with this Idempotency-Key is still running. Wait a moment and send it again. |
| [`no_credits`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#no_credits) | 402 | Out of credits. Top up on Settings › Credits, or turn on auto top-up. |

## Related

- [Close balance](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/close_balance): Close what a technician is owed for the jobs you name, or for everything open through a day, as one payout netted against the cash they hold.
- [Void closed balance](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/void_closed_balance): Undo a balance close or a payout entered wrong. Its jobs open again, and it stays on the list, marked voided, with why.
- [Hold back job](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/hold_back_job): Keep one job out of a technician's balance closes until you put it back, with why. Its cut, parts and cash wait together.
- [Put back job](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/put_back_job): Let a held-back job count in the technician's next balance close again.
- [Post monthly pay](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/post_monthly_pay): Add a month of pay to the balance of every active technician on a monthly rate. A month is posted once, however often this is sent.
- The same records in the app: [the Finance panel](https://headhoncho.app/docs/finance).
- How the API fits together: [the model](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/model), [API keys](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/keys), [errors](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors) and [the MCP server](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/mcp).

## Examples

### Answer

```json
{
  "accepted": true,
  "worker_id": "wrk_7a12",
  "position": 88520,
  "closed_balance_id": "set_52bb"
}
```

### cURL

```bash
curl -X POST "https://api.headhoncho.app/api/v1/commands/record-payout" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer hh_live_..." \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: 6f1d2c9e-1b7a-4c1e-9a52-0d3f8e4b7a10" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "worker_id": "wrk_7a12",
  "direction": "to_worker",
  "amount": 500,
  "method": "cash",
  "paid_at": "2026-10-20T17:00:00-05:00",
  "reference": "Check 1042",
  "memo": "Advance"
}'
```

### Python

```python
import requests
import uuid

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.headhoncho.app/api/v1/commands/record-payout",
    headers={
        "Authorization": "Bearer hh_live_...",
        "Idempotency-Key": str(uuid.uuid4()),
    },
    json={
        "worker_id": "wrk_7a12",
        "direction": "to_worker",
        "amount": 500,
        "method": "cash",
        "paid_at": "2026-10-20T17:00:00-05:00",
        "reference": "Check 1042",
        "memo": "Advance",
    },
)
response.raise_for_status()
print(response.json())
```

### JavaScript

```javascript
const response = await fetch("https://api.headhoncho.app/api/v1/commands/record-payout", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    Authorization: "Bearer hh_live_...",
    "Idempotency-Key": crypto.randomUUID(),
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    "worker_id": "wrk_7a12",
    "direction": "to_worker",
    "amount": 500,
    "method": "cash",
    "paid_at": "2026-10-20T17:00:00-05:00",
    "reference": "Check 1042",
    "memo": "Advance"
  }),
});
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);
```

### Your AI

```text
Tool: record_payout
Arguments: worker_id (id, required), direction (text, required), amount (money, required), method (text, required), paid_at (datetime, optional), reference (text, optional), memo (text, optional)
Access: do on Money
Hints: readOnly=false, destructive=false, idempotent=false, openWorld=false
Try asking: "Using HeadHoncho, record payout with worker_id wrk_7a12 and direction to_worker and amount 500 and method cash and paid_at 2026-10-20T17:00:00-05:00."
```