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

# Get a payout by your reference

> Look up a payout by the externalReference you supplied — useful when you never stored our id.



## OpenAPI

````yaml /api-reference/openapi.json get /v1/payouts/by-reference/{externalReference}
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  title: Chipper Platform API
  version: '2026-02-20'
  description: >-
    Payouts, collections, and FX across African rails — bank, mobile money, and
    stablecoins — through one API.
servers:
  - url: https://sandbox-api.platform.chipper.ai
    description: Sandbox (sk_test_ keys — simulated rails, no real money)
  - url: https://api.platform.chipper.ai
    description: Production (sk_live_ keys)
security:
  - bearerAuth: []
paths:
  /v1/payouts/by-reference/{externalReference}:
    get:
      tags:
        - Payouts
      summary: Get a payout by your reference
      description: >-
        Look up a payout by the externalReference you supplied — useful when you
        never stored our id.
      parameters:
        - schema:
            type: string
            description: Your externalReference.
            example: inv-1042
          required: true
          name: externalReference
          in: path
      responses:
        '200':
          description: The payout.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: object
                properties:
                  payout:
                    $ref: '#/components/schemas/Payout'
                required:
                  - payout
        '401':
          description: Missing or invalid API key.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
              example:
                error: unauthorized
                message: Invalid API key
                requestId: req_q7vei435zifs51ia0lqr
        '404':
          description: No such resource in this organization.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
              example:
                error: not_found
                message: Payout not found
                requestId: req_q7vei435zifs51ia0lqr
      security:
        - bearerAuth: []
components:
  schemas:
    Payout:
      type: object
      properties:
        id:
          type: string
          example: pay_ghs_p95akjfs339uy9icpelj
        status:
          type: string
          enum:
            - pending
            - processing
            - completed
            - failed
        from:
          type: object
          properties:
            accountNumber:
              type:
                - string
                - 'null'
              description: The balance account that was debited.
              example: GHS12345678
            amount:
              type: string
              description: Decimal string — never parse as float for arithmetic.
              example: '150.00'
            currency:
              type: string
              example: GHS
            kyc:
              type: object
              additionalProperties: {}
              description: Sender KYC you supplied, echoed back.
          required:
            - accountNumber
            - amount
            - currency
        to:
          type: object
          properties:
            accountNumber:
              type:
                - string
                - 'null'
              description: Fiat destinations.
              example: '233559630374'
            address:
              type:
                - string
                - 'null'
              description: Crypto destinations.
            tag:
              type: string
            code:
              type:
                - string
                - 'null'
              example: gh_mtn
            amount:
              type: string
              description: Decimal string — never parse as float for arithmetic.
              example: '150.00'
            currency:
              type: string
              example: GHS
            kyc:
              type: object
              additionalProperties: {}
              description: >-
                Recipient KYC; `accountName` reflects the validated holder name
                where we have one.
          required:
            - code
            - amount
            - currency
        fee:
          type:
            - object
            - 'null'
          properties:
            amount:
              type: string
              description: Decimal string — never parse as float for arithmetic.
              example: '1.50'
            currency:
              type: string
              example: GHS
          required:
            - amount
            - currency
        rate:
          type:
            - string
            - 'null'
          description: FX rate applied on cross-currency payouts, null otherwise.
          example: '15.9800'
        narration:
          type:
            - string
            - 'null'
          example: 'Invoice #1042'
        externalReference:
          type: string
          description: >-
            Your idempotency key — retries with the same value replay the
            original payout.
          example: inv-1042
        metadata:
          type: object
          additionalProperties: {}
        statusMessage:
          type:
            - string
            - 'null'
          description: Failure reason when status is failed.
        completedAt:
          type:
            - string
            - 'null'
          format: date-time
        createdAt:
          type: string
          format: date-time
        updatedAt:
          type: string
          format: date-time
      required:
        - id
        - status
        - from
        - to
        - fee
        - rate
        - narration
        - externalReference
        - metadata
        - statusMessage
        - completedAt
        - createdAt
        - updatedAt
    Error:
      type: object
      properties:
        error:
          type: string
          description: Stable machine-readable code.
        message:
          type: string
          description: Human-readable explanation.
        requestId:
          type: string
          description: Echoed in the x-request-id response header — quote it to support.
      required:
        - error
        - message
  securitySchemes:
    bearerAuth:
      type: http
      scheme: bearer
      description: 'Your API key: `sk_test_…` (sandbox) or `sk_live_…` (production).'

````