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Authvia TXT2PAY Virtual Terminal Guide

Updated

Overview

Merchants can process transactions via Authvia TXT2PAY in their Virtual Terminal, allowing them to create a conversation, send invoices, receive payment and send receipts via text messages to customers.

Prerequisites

The merchant account will need the value-added service Authvia TXT2PAY enabled for them to be able to view the Authvia TXT2PAY Virtual Terminal option on their left side panel.

In the Merchant Portal, on the left side panel, click on Authvia TXT2PAY and select 'Start a Text Conversation':

How to Start a Text Conversation

A Text Conversation is a SMS text that is issued through the Virtual Terminal via Authvia TXT2PAY. The actual transaction is processed once the customer texts their 4 digit Authvia issued code back or when they enter their credit card with the link provided in the text.

  1. Log in to the Merchant Portal → on the left side panel click on Authvia TXT2PAY and select the "Start a Text Conversation" option.
  2. The merchant will be presented with the conversation 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. 
    • Conversation Information:
      • Customer Phone Number - the phone number entered here is the phone number that will receive the text. This number must be able to receive SMS text messages (landline phone numbers will not work). US & CA numbers only.
      • Amount - the amount entered here is the amount that will be processed once the customer initiates the transaction. This will be the amount that the customer will see in their text. Once the text goes out, the amount cannot be changed. If the wrong amount was sent, the merchant will need to cancel the conversation with the wrong amount and create a new conversation with the correct amount.
      • First & Last Name - enter the customers name here. This name will be visible in reporting. 
      • Expiration - select the expiration day for the conversation payment/link. The number of days will be the length of time the customer has to respond back to the text. Once the text passes it's expiration time, the customer will not be able to pay via that link in their text, a new conversation will need to be started.  (The Virtual Terminal only allows for an expiration of between 1 to 7 days).
      • Conversation Instructions - enter any helpful instructional statement to add more context or instructions the consumer may need in relation to this payment. The customer will see this message when the payment is being introduced via text. A good example might be ‘Your car is ready for pickup’ if the service is an auto-repair shop. Or 'Your cake is ready for pickup' if the service is a bakery.
      • Conversation Topic - enter a short description of the product or service the consumer is paying for. A good example might be ‘Premium Brake Service’ if the service is an auto-repair shop. Or 'Luke's Birthday Cake' if the service is a bakery.
    • What will my Customer see? - here the merchant will be able to see their Text Message Example. Once they start entering the conversation information fields, it will be displayed in the example. The message is an approximation of the text their customer will receive. The 4 digit code, card brand, last 4 digits and the link itself will be entirely dependent on the customer’s data. For example, if the customer is signed up with Authvia, they will see their card brand, and the last 4 digit of the card that they have stored with Authvia in their text message. The merchant's name that is displayed at the beginning of the text is their gateway name. 
    • Processor - for multi-MID merchant accounts, merchants will have the option to select the processor that they want this payment to go through. If they don't select a processor, the transaction (once initiated by the customer) will be routed to the merchants default processor. 
    • For any field that has a  tooltip 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 conversation and everything entered is correct → click the Start Conversation button. The message will go out immediately after this step.

To have a better understanding of what the customers text will look like, please see Consumer Experience.

How to Manage Text Conversations

Once the merchant has conversations started they can manage/search their open/in-progress, completed and/or expired conversations in their Conversation History reporting page. Conversation reports are downloadable.

  1. Log in to the Merchant Portal → on the left side panel click on Authvia TXT2PAY and select the "List Text Conversations" option.
  2. Select the Start and End Date and select the Status (In Progress, Completed, and/or Expired). Once you select any of the statuses, the Conversation Customer List will auto generate the results, no need to click on a 'submit' or 'search' button. 
    • The Phone Number, First Name, Last Name, and More Filters fields are optional. If you want to find a conversation for a specific phone number, you can enter it here to narrow down the search results. If you have a specific Conversation ID, you can expand the More Filters section to enter the Conversation ID. 
    • In Progress - indicates the conversation is still live, and awaiting for the customer to pay.
    • Completed - indicates the conversation has been paid or has been closed by the merchant.
    • Expired - indicates the conversation has passed it's expiration time, a new conversation will need to be started for payment to be accepted.  
  3. Your search results will be visible under Conversation Customer List and will display the following information:
    • Customer - the phone number and the customers First/Last name that was entered when creating the conversation. 
    • Conversation ID - the conversation ID that was generated by the gateway once the conversation was sent out. By clicking on the conversation ID, the merchant will be presented with the Customer Details page. 
    • Started On - this will provide the merchant the Date and Time the conversation was started/sent. 
    • Status - this will indicate whether the conversation is In Progress, Completed, or Expired. 
  4. Clicking on the conversation ID will take the merchant to the Customer Details page:
    • Merchants can view what was entered when they started the conversation.
    • They can close a conversation, for more information please see How to Close a Conversation.
    • They will see the amount, when the text will expire, the Conversation Topic and Conversation Instructions message here.
    • If the conversation status is “completed” and the consumer has paid the bill, the merchant will see the transaction details, which will include the associated Transaction ID, masked Credit Card Number, and card expiration date. They will also see the Billing History, which will show the different actions taken on that transaction (e.g. card authorization, card capture, card settled, card voided or refunded). 

How to Close a Conversation

If the merchant decides to close the Conversation, the customer does not get notified via text and the customer will just not be able to pay via that link in their text. 

  1. Log in to the Merchant Portal → on the left side panel click on Authvia TXT2PAY and select the "List Text Conversations" option.
  2. Select the Start and End Date and select the Status 'In Progress' or enter the conversation ID, if known, under More Filters. 
  3. Click on the conversation ID under Conversation Customer List. 
  4. In the Customer Details page, click on the Close Conversation button (only applicable to conversations that are still in progress).  

How to Void or Refund a Transaction that was processes via TXT2PAY

  1. Log in to the Merchant Portal → on the left side panel click on Authvia TXT2PAY and select the "List Text Conversations" option.
  2. Select the Start and End Date and select the Status 'Completed' or enter the conversation ID, if known, under More Filters. 
  3. Click on the conversation ID, which will take you to the Customer Details page, and copy the associated Transaction ID under Transaction Details. 
  4. Head over to the left side panel → select Transaction Reports → under Search Transactions, enter the Transaction ID and adjust the Start and End Date → click on the Submit button. 
  5. Click on the transaction ID from the Transaction Report page. 
  6. Depending on whether the transaction has already settled or not, they will have the option to Void or Refund the transaction by clicking on the Void or Refund button.