Queued Transactions (Authorization & Capture Workflow)

Real-World Scenarios for Queuing:

• Restaurant authorizes $100 for a meal but needs to add a $20 tip later
• Rental company authorizes deposit but adjusts for actual damages
• Merchant authorizes payment but product is out of stock and will ship in 3 days
• Hotel authorizes room rate but needs to add incidental charges at checkout
• Any business that needs to verify funds availability before providing service

How Queuing Works:

1. Creating a Queued Transaction:
   • Process the transaction as an Auth Only (from transaction modes)
   • OR take an existing Sale transaction and click the Queue icon
   • The transaction moves from the current batch to the Queued tab under Batches
2. Managing Queued Transactions:
   • Navigate to Batches > Queued tab
   • Here you’ll see all transactions with “Authorized Only” status
   • Each transaction shows:
     • Original authorization amount
     • Date/time authorized
     • Days remaining before expiration
     • Customer name and payment method
3. Capturing a Queued Transaction:
   • In the Queued tab, locate the transaction
   • Click the Checkmark icon (Capture)
   • Capture Amount Options:
     • Full Capture: Capture the entire authorized amount
     • Partial Capture: Edit the amount down (e.g., Auth for $100, Capture $80 for actual service cost)
     • Important Limitation: You generally cannot capture more than the originally authorized amount
   • Click Capture to finalize
   • The transaction moves from “Queued” to the current open batch
4. Incremental Authorizations (Advanced):
   • If your processor supports incremental authorizations, you can add additional authorization amounts
   • This extends both the amount held and potentially the hold duration
   • Common in hospitality (extending hotel stays) and car rentals
5. Authorization Expiration:
   • Navigate to Control Panel > Batch Settings
   • Set “Expire Auth After (Days)” field
   • Default is typically 7 days, but this varies by processor and card type
   • What Happens on Expiration:
     • The authorization hold automatically drops
     • Funds return to customer’s available balance
     • Transaction remains in Queued tab but can no longer be captured
   • Agent Warning: Merchants must capture before expiration or they’ll need to re-authorize
6. Voiding Queued Transactions:
   • If the merchant wants to cancel the authorization before capture
   • Click the Void icon in the Queued tab
   • The authorization hold immediately releases
   • Transaction is removed from Queued tab