x

Beating a Dead Horse but it needs to be: Preauthorization

Beta Member

Beating a Dead Horse but it needs to be: Preauthorization

We need to be able to preauthorize credit cards when running a tab. Period.  We really enjoyed the low buy in and easy menu development and a couple of the other features, but a bar/restaurant needs to be able to run a tab and preauthorize a credit card.  I've gone back and looked at conversations about it and it appears that this has been a CONSTANT request by users that has gone ignored.

I'd like to know why it isn't available.

1 Verified Answer
Verified Answer

Re: Beating a Dead Horse but it needs to be: Preauthorization

It IS FOR SURE COMING!! 🙂 they’re running beta testing on it now, so hang in there, I almost switched, glad I didn’t because I really do like the company but this definitely has been and issue that’s cost me hundreds of $$. Hopefully testing goes well and it rolls out soon 🙂

698 Comments

My company is new to square and we are having a 3rd party company setup the API connection for our ecommerce website.  They were told that they could not capture a dollar amount that was different from the original authorized amount.  For example, a customer orders $60 worth of items, plus $15 of shipping.  After we process the order, that customer is eligible for $10 of discounts.  Our 3rd party company is sending an authorization for $75.  They are saying that they need to void that authorization and then re-issue and a new authorization for $65 and then capture the money after that.

 

Square told them they could not update the original authorization from $75 to $65...is that true?  What if we have $2,500 order (which is very possible) and we need to charge $2,200 at time of shipping.  The customer has a credit limit of $3,000.  We seemed to be getting the card denied in this scenario because the voiding of the original authorization is not going to be cleared righ away.

 

I am not an expert so I was looking for help.  My 3rd party company doesn't seem to think they can do anything else about it.

 

Thanks,

 

Ryan

This reply was created from merging an existing thread: When will temp holds/deposits on CCs be available? A must have 4 those of us who rent out equipment.

 

Not sure why this option has not been added to Square. Any merchant who rents or loans out items needs to take a deposit with proof of funds available until the return of item.

Is this in the works?

Anyone know of another credit card processing platform that allows this?

Admin

@rkotowski

 

Hi Ryan! Welcome to the Community, glad to have you here!

 

This is a complicated question, so I'm going to try to simplify it a bit.  Square does not do pre-authorizations on cards, which seems to be the issue here. For instance, if you were a bar and wanted to pre-auth a card for $50 in sales to hold their card, that is not something Square will do.

 

The API you are setting up will need to specially request/authorize the amount you are charging for the sale. You are always welcome to issue a refund of the amount overcharged on the transaction, but that would be the only way around this.

Admin

Thanks for your post @SDPSTL I'm sorry for the frustration. I wish I had better news but you're right, it's not possible to use Square Point of Sale to collect a security deposit. I don't have a timeline for when this might be available in future but it's a popular request so we'll certainly announce any updates. 

This reply was created from merging an existing thread: How do we charge a depot in case the client damage the material?

 

We are renting motomarines and we need to charge a depot of 1,000$ in case they brake the motomarine. How do we charge the fee and give back the 1000$ after the return of the motomarine in good conditions?

I have been waiting for this for 3 years...

Admin

Thanks for your post @OQuaiRichelieu! It's not currently possible to use Square to collect a security deposit.

 

We do not recommend that you use refunds as a workaround as they can take up to two weeks to be completed - and your client's card would be charged upfront. 

 

I'll share your request with the Payments team and we'll let you know if a feature to handle security deposits are available in future.

hey square, just signed up, did 2 invoices.. but cant do security deposits so I'm gone..

 

looks like this has been requested for years and no movement.  too bad, I kinda like your product..

 

 

Admin

Hi @EFFILITY, thanks for taking the time to check in with our Seller Community. Really sorry for the frustration—we are keeping track of this request and we will announce any updates as soon as they become available. Please keep in touch!

This thread started 3 years ago, latest response from 3 weeks ago is the same from 3 years ago "this is popular request, we're working on it". This is not that hard, this more or less tells me you dont want to do it, and arent going to.