Processing a chip and pin payment card

Processing Modes: There are three modes in which a payment card with chip and pin functionality can be processed:

  • Card Present: In this case, the guest is physically present at the location where a payment must be made and can use the payment card reader device if required. It is not necessary to use the payment card reader.
  • Card not Present: In this case, the guest is not physically present and the payment card reader device cannot be used.
  • Manual: In this case, the interface is down and you must call the credit card company to get the authorization for a specific amount or to get a payment approved.

Basic Flows: The following are the two basic flows in which you can use a payment card with chip and pin functionality. In any of the basic flows, the card reader is used only once during the process and a given authorization chain cannot change processing modes. For example, a payment authorization which is carried out using the card not present scenario, cannot be changed to a card present scenario by using the payment card reading device.

  • Authorize and Settle: In this flow you must authorize the card. You can authorize only a credit card or a debit card which is processed as a credit card. You can also carry out subsequent incremental authorizations to increase the authorization amount. The authorization cycle is ended or completed either by a full reversal or a settlement. The card reader is only required for the initial authorization.
    Note: A true debit card transaction never needs authorization.
  • Sale: In this flow you must select debit transaction type to carry out the sale. You must use the card reader and the card is charged immediately.

Processes: The list below explain the basic processes and their limitations.

  • Authorization: Use the Activate Reader button on the Payment Authorization screen to carry out the initial authorization. Information in the Device, Folio and Amount fields only is used. The Folio field is optional, but is important because if no folio is selected, the amount is authorized at the guest account level and can be applied to all folios that do not have folio settlement type specified. For incremental authorization, you can select the payment card details using the Card Search icon. The payment card reader device is only required on the initial authorization.
  • Activate Reader, the card details are removed and the transaction is treated as a sale. If an authorization already exists on the payment card, the authorization stays in place. Folio Payment: If you want to carry out a settlement on a previously authorized card, you must select the card details from the Card Search icon.
  • Guest Stay: You can use the Folio tab or the Payment Authorization to access the Activate Reader button.
    Note: If you select the Select Guest Settlement or the Select Folio Settlement check boxes, the specified credit card details are defaulted to the Settlement section of the Record View tab or the Folio tab. The defaulted fields are:
    • Settlemnet Type
    • Card Type
    • Card Number
    • Expiration Number
    • Name on Card
  • Check-In/Walk-In: Check-in process works on the basic premise that the payment card must be authorized. When the guest arrives and needs to be checked-in, click Activate Reader button. When the payment card is presented, the electronic response from the card processor determines the Settlement Type, and populates other card details on the screen. If you use a debit card, a sale request is sent and approved. If you use a credit card, an authorization request is sent to the payment card processor. Following are the possible scenario when a payment card is used:
    • Change of payment card: If the guest wants to change the payment card after the authorization has been approved using card reader device, you must get a new card-present authorization. The existing payment card details are overridden by the new card details. The existing authorization remain on the current card and must be reversed manually. Else, the unconsumed authorizations are reversed by the Check-Out process.
    • Folio Settlement: You must enable the property parameter PAYAUTHINTERFACE to invoke the Payment Authorization pop-up, which allows you to use the Activate Reader button. Else, you must manually navigate to the Payment Authorization or the Folio tab to use the Activate Reader.
    • Folio Payment: If you use the Activate Reader button and start the authorization process using the payment card reading device, the payment authorization is set at the account level. The payment card details are populated on the screen in the Settlement Details section. You cannot use this process to authorize any folio setup with credit card as settlement. Also, you cannot use a debit card for folio settlement.
  • Check-Out: Select the existing authorization. When you click the Check-Out button, a settlement request against the existing authorization is sent by the system.
    • Change of Card: The payment card processor does not allow an authorization to be changed from Card-Present to Card-Not-Present. At check-out, if the guest wants to settle the account with a different card, click the Activate Reader button to perform a new sales transaction using the payment card reading device. The system carries out a sale transaction and replaces the settlement card details on the screen. The prior authorization remains on the account, and must be reversed either manually or the system reverses the authorization automatically on check-out. If a debit card is used during check-in, you must carry out a new sale request to settle any outstanding balance.
    • Folio Settlement: If the card on a folio settlement is authorized, a settlement request is sent by the system. If the card on the folio settlement is not authorized, the check-out process cannot perform a card-not-present sale. You must enable the property parameter PAYAUTHINTERFACE to invoke the Payment Authorization pop-up, which allows you to use the Activate Reader button.