Credit Card Verification

See also: Credit Card Readers

Credit Card Verification programs can authorize customers credit cards right from your computer. One computer on your network (preferably the server) runs the payment processing software which makes the authorization via the Internet (TCP/IP) or via a modem. The other computers communicate with the payment processing software running on the server. This means that only one modem or Internet connection is required. If using a modem, multiple transactions can be authorized at once if more than one workstation is trying to authorize at the same time. Modem authorizations typically take 7 seconds or more, however TCP/IP takes usually about 3 to 4 seconds. Address verification is available on some payment servers if you are a mail order or e-Commerce company.

Not all credit card processors allow the use of TCP/IP for verification.

Not all modems are compatible with all credit card verification programs.

Normally low speed external modems work best.

Current Supported Credit Card Verification Software includes. (Note the specifications we provide are applicable to the latest available version of the program. Specifications have been upgraded with some software package, however System Five may not make use of these new features as the software vendors do not always provide updates of their developer kits.

Mercury Payment Systems

• Very Fast internet processing.
• Easy Setup, no processing server to setup.
• Handles Credit, Debit, Check, and Gift Cards
• US Customers

□      Require Mercury Payments Merchant Account

□      No charge for program

• Canadian Customers

□      Only method for handling debit cards.

□      Use existing merchant accounts.

□      Allow 3 weeks for setup

Web Authorize / PC Authorize

• Web Authorize processes Internet payments. (with Internet plug in)
• TCP/IP & modem verification.
• TCP/IP local area network required.
• Address Verification Available.
• Supports multiple merchant accounts.
• No Pin Debit, Gift or Check Verification.
• System Five does not currently recommend this option, but could be used with clients already setup on Web Authorize or PC Authorize.
  

IC Verify

• Mapped Network Drive required for all stations.
• Address Verification NOT Available. (with System Five's implementation)
• Single merchant account ONLY.(with System Five's implementation)
• No Pin Debit, Gift or Check Verification.
• System Five does not currently recommend this option, but could be used with clients already setup on ICVerify.

Advantages of using Credit Card Verification from your computer rather than a separate card swipe machine

• For mail order and Internet shopping carts, address verification and CVV2 will give you a better transaction rate than simply keying in the credit card number.
• Reduce keying errors.
• Track authorization numbers directly to the invoice.
• Only one modem and phone line is required for all stations for dialup applications. No phone line required for TCP/IP transactions.

Terminal Verses Host Batching

When processing credit cards, during the day, only an authorization happens when you Authorize a credit card. No actual money is transferred, however money is reserved on the customers credit card. At the end of the day you need to close or settle the batch. This process commits the credit cards and starts the process of transferring the money.

There are two types of Batching:

• Terminal Batching.  With this type of Batching, the credit cards and amounts are stored on your local computer. When you close the batch, the information is re-transmitted to the credit card processor. The advantage of this type of Batching is that post authorizations such as done in restaurants do not need to contact the processor for a post authorization. Also reconciliation is easier if there is a problem. The disadvantage is that settlement may take some time to process and batches can not automatically be settled.

• Host Batching.  With this type of Batching, the credit card information is stored on the processors computer. With Host Batching, batches can automatically be closed at a certain time, or you can close them manually. Transmission of all the credit card information is not required for settlement, therefore settlement occurs rather quickly.

E-Commerce or Internet Transactions

Credit card transactions that are obtained via the internet must be processed through a separate merchant account that is set up and authorized for internet transactions. This refers to how the credit card number was obtained, not how it the transaction was processed. Processing credit cards obtained from e-commerce as Mail-Order/Telephone-Order is against most merchant agreements.

Credit Card Processing Printing Errors

Printing Credit Card Payment Transactions will create an error when the credit card slip printer is not setup, credit card details will not be saved making the reprinting not possible.

Fix: System Five has enhanced its printer setup by giving the user the printer options where to print the credit card receipt when it is not initially setup.