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Credit Card Processing Virtual Terminal Guide

Updated

Overview

The Virtual Terminal allows you to process transactions via a secure web form. Merchants can accept Credit Card payments by performing a sale, authorization, capture, void, refund, or issue credits.

Prerequisites

The merchant's user will need the Credit Card 'Virtual Terminal Access' permission to be able to access the Virtual Terminal to process credit card transactions. Each user can have access to all or be limited to each Credit Card Transaction Type: Sale, Authorize, Capture, Void, Refund, and Create New Credits (only applicable if Blind Credits is enabled).

When editing a user's permission, by expanding the section labeled "Virtual Terminal Access" and expanding the "Credit Card" section, the merchant can set which transaction types they would like to appear in the Virtual Terminal for each user. 

In the Merchant Portal, on the left side panel, click on Credit Cards and select the transaction type: Sale, Authorize, Capture, Void, Refund, or Credit. 

How to Process a Sale Transaction

A Sale is a transaction that has been authorized by the bank and immediately flagged for settlement. A sale can be voided prior to settlement and must be refunded to reverse the transaction if the transaction has been settled. 

  1. Log in to the Merchant Portal → on the left side panel click on Credit Cards and select the transaction type Sale or use the Shortcut Icon 'Card Sale' on the Home Screen.
  2. The merchant will be presented with transaction detail fields to enter. Any fields that are marked with an asterisk are required. The merchant will not be able to move past this page without entering at least those fields.
    • Any Merchant's Required Fields that have been set during the processor onboarding will also be marked with an asterisk as required.
    • Some of these fields have specific formats that the Merchant must meet. Example: the email field must have a @ symbol, and a .com, .net, etc. at the end of it. Example: john@gmail.com would pass format validation, but john.gmail.com would not.
    • For any field that has a tool tip icon next to it, the merchant can hover over it to receive more information on what to enter. 
  3. Once the merchant has entered all applicable information for the transaction and everything entered is correct → click the Charge button at the bottom of the page.

The Gateway will route the transaction information to the Processor. Once the Gateway receives the response, we will display it, and other information, to the Merchant on the next page.

In the Transaction Receipt page (for approved transactions), the merchant has the option to Void or Refund the transaction, Print and Email Receipt, Create subscription, Create Order Template, and Add to Vault (if this service is enabled): 

Possible Gateway errors - Max Monthly Volume Exceeded REFID: 1234567890 this means that the Merchant is near or has reached their gateways maximum monthly processing limit, and the transaction they’ve just attempted is more than the amount they have left to process. If the Merchant has a $10K processing limit, and they were at $9,991.00, they would only be able to process another $9.00. If they tried to process a $10.00 transaction, they would get this message. Partners can adjust their merchants gateway Max Monthly Volume by editing the processor. Keep in mind, this is the gateways Max Monthly Volume, processors have their own monthly processing volume set.

How to Authorize and Capture a Transaction

An Authorize is a transaction that has been authorized by the bank and has not been flagged for settlement. The funds have been reserved against the card, however until it is marked as captured we will not ask the bank to settle the transaction. These transactions must be flagged for settlement using the capture transaction type, or it will not settle (Merchant will not be funded).

The actual time a transaction stays in the authorization stage depends on the payment processor and card brands. Merchants should always check with their processors on the amount of time funds can be held/reserved before the authorization expires. If the authorization expires, the reserved funds will drop from the cardholder's account (the time the reserved funds are released back to the cardholders account depends on their bank) and a new authorization will be required.

Processing an Authorization

  1. Log in to the Merchant Portal → on the left side panel click on Credit Cards and select the transaction type Authorize. 
  2. The merchant will be presented with transaction detail fields to enter. Any fields that are marked with an asterisk are required. The merchant will not be able to move past this page without entering at least those fields.
    • Any Merchant's Required Fields that have been set during the processor onboarding will also be marked with an asterisk as required.
    • Some of the fields have specific formats that the Merchant must meet. Example: the email field must have a @ symbol, and a .com, .net, etc. at the end of it. Example: john@gmail.com would pass format validation, but john.gmail.com would not.
    • For any field that has a tool tip icon next to it, the merchant can hover over it to receive more information on what to enter. 
  3. Once the merchant has entered all applicable information for the transaction and everything entered is correct → click the Authorize button at the bottom of the page.

At this point, the Gateway will route the transaction information to the Processor, however it will not be flagged for settlement. Once the Gateway receives the response, we will display it, and other information, to the Merchant on the next page.

In the Transaction Receipt page (for approved transactions), the merchant has the option to Capture or Void the transaction, Print and Email Receipt, Create subscription, Create Order Template, and Add to Vault (if this service is enabled): 

Capturing an Authorization

A Capture is a method to mark an existing authorization for settlement and can be performed after a successful authorization request. Captures can be submitted for an amount equal to or less than the original authorization amount on supported processors.

To capture an authorization in the Virtual Terminal, a merchant has two options:

  • If transaction ID is known - on the left side panel, under Credit Cards, use the Capture transaction type, or
  • If transaction ID is unknown - from Reporting → Transaction Search → in the Transaction Detail page

Option One: 

  1. Log in to the Merchant Portal → on the left side panel click on Credit Cards and select the transaction type Capture.
  2. Enter the transaction ID of the original transaction and the amount to be captured.
    • once the transaction ID is entered, the amount field will populate the original amount of the authorization. The amount can be changed on supported processors, however it needs to equal to or be less than the original authorization.
    • Note - if the merchant enters an amount higher than the original authorization and clicks Capture, the gateway will capture the original authorization amount, not the higher amount.
  3. Once everything entered is correct, click the Capture button.

Option Two: 

  1. Log in to the Merchant Portal → under reporting, click on Transactions. 
  2. Enter the Start Date and End Date of when the transaction was taken → click on Submit.
    • to help narrow down the search, set the 'Action Type' to 'Authorize Only' - this will only show results for Card Authorization transactions.
  3. Click on the transaction ID of the Pending Capture (status) transaction.
  4. In the Transaction Detail page, click on the Capture button, this will take you to the Virtual Terminal CC Capture page. 
  5. Confirm the amount or enter a new amount to be captured. 
  6. Once everything entered is correct, click the Capture button.

In the Virtual Terminal CC Capture page, merchants have the option to add their custom Merchant Defined Fields (if they have any configured) or Shipping Information by clicking on the Show All button, before capturing the transaction:

Possible Gateway errors - A capture requires that the existing transaction be an AUTH REFID:1234567890 this means the transaction ID that was entered was not an Authorize transaction; e.g. this can occur if the transaction ID entered was for a Sale transaction or the transaction ID entered was already previously captured. 

How to Void a Transaction

A Void is a transaction that will cancel an unsettled sale, authorization, or captured authorization. Voids can only be performed before settlement; if the given transaction has been settled then a Refund must be performed. Voids are always for the full amount of the transaction.

  1. Log in to the Merchant Portal → on the left side panel click on Credit Cards and select the transaction type Void.
  2. Enter the transaction ID you wish to void.
  3. Click on Void, this will cancel the transaction.

Transactions can also be voided from the Transaction Details page in Reporting → Transaction Search.

Once voided successfully, the merchant will be displayed with the Transaction Successfully Cancelled page where they can print or email receipt:

 

Possible Gateway errors:

  • Pending settlement transactions cannot be voided after settlement cutoff. REFID: 1234567890 - this means that the transaction being voided has passed the merchants Settlement Schedule cut-off time. At this point the transaction will need to be refunded. 
  • Only transactions pending settlement can be voided. REFID:1382041266 - this indicates that the transaction has been voided already. To check if it has been voided already, click on the magnifying glass and search the transaction → if the status says Canceled, it indicates that the transaction was already voided.  

How to Refund a Transaction

A Refund will reverse a transaction and return money to the cardholder/bank account holder of a previous transaction for lesser than or equal to the original transaction amount, but can never be higher than the original amount. It must be associated or launched from a previous sale or authorization on the Gateway. Refunds will be triggered by the merchant that initiated the original transaction.

  1. Log in to the Merchant Portal → on the left side panel click on Credit Cards and select the transaction type Refund.
  2. Enter the transaction ID and the amount you wish to refund. 
    • once the transaction ID is entered, the amount field will populate the original amount.
    • the merchant can choose to make a full refund or a partial refund:
      • to make a partial refund, simply set the amount to be less than the original amount.
      • to make a full refund, the amount must be equal to the original amount.
  3. Click on Refund, this will reverse/refund the transaction.

Transactions can also be refunded from the Transaction Details page in Reporting → Transaction Search.

Once successfully refunded, the merchant will be displayed with the Transaction Successfully Refunded page where they can print or email receipt:

How to Process a "Blind" Credit

A Credit is a transaction that will return funds to a customer and it is not associated ("tied") to a previous sale or authorization transaction. Credit transactions are risk-related*. Credits are essentially a “reverse” sale – meaning the card or bank account holder will receive funds from the Merchant. The Merchant will be debited for that amount rather than funded.

*Note - merchants must go through a risk review before this is turned on for them due to risks associated with it, for more information please see Blind Credits.

  1. Once Blind Credits are enable on the merchant account, in the Merchant Portal → on the left side panel click on Credit Cards and select the transaction type Credit*.
  2. The merchant will be presented with transaction detail fields to enter, similar to a Sale or Authorization transaction. Any fields that are marked with an asterisk are required. 
  3. Once the merchant has entered all applicable information for the Credit transaction and everything entered is correct → click the Credit button at the bottom of the page.

*Note - the transaction type Credit is only visible when logging in directly as the merchant via the Merchant Portal. Partners "masquerading"/logging in as the merchant from the Partner Portal will not be able to access/see the 'Credits' link in the Virtual Terminal.

Response Codes

If the transaction was Approved, we will state so, and route the merchant to the Transaction Receipt page. 

If the transaction was Declined, we will state so, along with any processor response that was provided, as show below:

The Response Code can be found in the Transaction Details page by going to Reporting → Transaction Search → click on the Failed Transaction ID.

Please see our Result Code Table for a list of different Response Codes. Followed by this guide:   

  • a 100 code = successful transaction
  • any 200 series codes (2xx) = Cardholder Issuing Bank errors
  • a 300 code = Gateway decline - merchant will receive a REFID (Reference ID) along with an error message
  • any 400 series codes (4xx) = Processor errors

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