- Pre-authorization with Lightspeed Payments is only available in select regions.
Pre-authorization is currently not available when using the Mobile Tap payment terminal.
Pre-authorization places a temporary hold on a customer’s credit card for a specified amount until the transaction can be finalized, commonly referred to as a tab. This authorization ensures that there are enough funds to cover the final bill.
Enabling pre-authorization will impact your payout schedule.
Enabling pre-authorization
Before you can pre-authorize credit cards at the POS, you must enable pre-authorization in your Restaurant Manager payment settings.
- From the navigation menu, select Payment > Payment Processors.
- Select Lightspeed Payments.
- Select Preauth.
- Choose your autocapture settings, including the time of your auto-capture if enabled.
- Click OK.
Processing a pre-authorization
To pre-authorize a card:
- On the Orders screen, tap Actions > Pre-authorize card.
- Enter the amount you would like to pre-authorize.
- Insert or swipe the card when instructed.
Once the authorization is approved, you will see the pre-authorized balance marked in green. As you add items to the order, their costs will be deducted from the pre-authorized amount.
When you are ready to close the order, go to the Payments screen and tap Finalize. You may then adjust the tip as needed.
FAQ
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To pre-authorize a card, you open a customer's tab and select the amount to authorize. Lightspeed Payments will verify that the card has enough funds available to cover the pre-authorized amount then place a temporary hold on that amount until the payment is captured.
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When pre-authorizing a card, the right amount depends on your business model and the average customer bill. For example, many businesses use the cost of an average entree or drink as a set preauthorization amount.
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Pre-authorizing a card does not guarantee that the customer will have sufficient funds to cover the entire order, should the order total exceed the pre-auth amount. If a payment fails, you will need to contact your customer to provide an alternate payment method.
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Yes, If no items are added to an order containing a pre-authorization, the pre-authorization will be voided during the payment-capturing process.