---
title: How does an exchange work? | TimeBank Ireland
description: The steps from a first request to the hours moving between wallets.
canonical: https://hour-timebank.ie/help/members/exchanges/how_exchanges_work
generated: 2026-11-12T16:51:45.955Z
---Exchanges

# How does an exchange work?

The steps from a first request to the hours moving between wallets.

An exchange is how two members agree on help and record the hours. Everything is kept in one place, from the request to the final hours.

1. Request: you open a listing, press Request Exchange and propose the hours.
2. Answer: the member who posted the listing accepts or declines.
3. Approval: if your community requires it, a broker checks the exchange. A broker is a community coordinator who helps arrange exchanges.
4. Start: the member who posted the listing presses Start Exchange when the work begins.
5. Finish: they press Mark Complete when it is done.
6. Confirm: both of you confirm the hours worked.
7. Payment: when the confirmations agree, the hours move from the person who received help to the person who gave it.

You can follow all your exchanges on [My Exchanges](/exchanges) . Each exchange page has an **Exchange Timeline** showing every step.

The member who posted the listing always does the accept, start and mark complete steps, even when their listing is a request for help. On the exchange page they are shown as the **Provider** , and the person who sent the request as the **Requester** .

[Go to this page](/exchanges)

## More guides in this topic

[Requesting an exchange from a listing](/help/members/exchanges/request_exchange) [Accepting or declining a request](/help/members/exchanges/respond_to_request) [Starting and finishing the work](/help/members/exchanges/start_and_complete) [Confirming the hours](/help/members/exchanges/confirm_hours) [What does broker approval mean?](/help/members/exchanges/broker_approval) [Cancelling an exchange](/help/members/exchanges/cancel_exchange) [What happens if we disagree about the hours?](/help/members/exchanges/exchange_disputes) [Rating an exchange](/help/members/exchanges/rate_exchange)

## Still need help?

If you can't find what you need, get in touch and a person will help you.

[Contact us](/contact)