Hi there @twaitecreate
If you’re using PayPal, you’re definitely on the right path; you would need to do some IPN troubleshooting. Here is our documentation on how to do that: https://givewp.com/documentation/core/payment-gateways/paypal-standard/troubleshooting-ipn-issues/
If you’re using Stripe, there is a webhook that needs to be set up and configured properly in order for those transactions to show as complete. here is our documentation on that: https://givewp.com/documentation/add-ons/stripe-gateway/#webhooks
If the webhook is correctly configured, you should see a record in the logs at Donations > Tools > Logs > Stripe for every event at Stripe (going forward).
If you’re using a different gateway, let me know and I can point you toward the right info.