Overview of Auth (Authorize) & Capture

About

Authorize and Capture will allow TabaPay clients to authorize a payment, place funds on hold, that can later be captured.

• Authorize a payment - to check for validity of account, check for sufficient account balance, and then hold the funds on the cardholder’s account until the time they are ready to be captured
• Capture the previously authorized transaction - to collect the funds corresponding to the previously authorized amount at a later time (when the client is ready to capture depending on their use case)

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Authorizations place a hold on cardholder's payment instrument

Authorizations are a key element of the payments ecosystem. Clients submit authorizations when cardholders provide an intent to authorize a payment.

With each successful authorization, available funds from cardholders are reduced to cover an approved authorization, commonly referred to as an authorization hold.

Authorizations are meant to be settled; and when they are not, can cause a problem for cardholders when the authorization is tying up money that can be used for other purchases and cause customer complaints.

Authorizing before Capture later allows clients to:

• Authorize an indicative amount first but only capture what the transaction requires after customer is fulfilled for the service/use case.
• Check the transaction for fraud before capturing the funds, and fulfilling the transaction.

For subscription-based clients, you will be able to authorize the amount at the start of a free trial and then capture the funds at start of the subscription.

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Note:

Clients will be:

• Unable to capture more than the authorized amount. At this time, not providing an amount to capture will automatically indicate that the capture amount will match exactly (i.e. 100% of the) authorized amount.
• Unable to capture more than once. Workaround: authorize
• Unable to capture if the original authorization expired. Authorizations automatically expire after a specific length of time if they are not captured, and the expiry time varies by card network. It is usually within 7-10 days, but that depends. If clients wait too long to capture an authorization, the card network or issuer may have already canceled the authorization

Definitions

Advantages

• Auth-only transactions can be fully voided before they are captured
• In the event of an outage, transactions can be voided and the financial impact is minimized

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Unified API for Sale OR Auth/Capture

TabaPay Create Transaction API can be used to specify:

• Authorization
• Capture
• Sale (Authorization and Capture at once)

Capture amount will be exactly equal to the Authorized amount

How it works

1. Initiate an Authorization Request

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Authorization Request using Create Transaction API

https://<;FQDN>/v1/clients//transactions?authorize

Call the Create Transaction API, use the query parameter for an authorization. This would allow TabaPay to NOT treat the card transaction processing as a Sale, but instead consider it as an Authorization.

Ensure that the transaction contains adequate details for TabaPay to successfully process the transaction. Refer the API Reference - Create Transaction API for requirements.

The Auth request:

1. Checks whether a card is valid and has the funds to complete a specific transaction (i.e. purchase).
2. Does not place any charge(s) on the card, but places a temporarily hold of the funds for the specified transaction amount.

Note:

• The duration of these authorization holds vary by card network and issuer. Typically, they are open for 3-10 days after which they expire.
• Clients are expected to follow up an authorization with a capture.
• Authorizations with no intent to capture must be voided.

2. Receive Authorization Response

When it is successful, you will receive a successful 200 response.

However, auth-specific errors could be because of a few things:

• Client has not been enabled for Auth and Capture
• Usual network response codes will continue to apply for authorizations

3. Initiate a Capture Request

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Capture Request using Create Transaction API

https://<;FQDN>/v1/clients//transactions/?capture

Initiate a capture for a previously authorized transaction. Include the transaction ID of the original authorization in the capture request URL of TabaPay's Create Transaction API.

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Capture Window due to Authorization Windows

Authorizations automatically expire after a period of time if they are not captured. The length of time varies by card network and issuer, but usually it is within 7-10 days.

If clients wait too long to capture an authorization, the card network or issuer may have already canceled the authorization

Note:

• Capture has its own TabaPay Transaction ID (different from Auth’s TabaPay Transaction ID); however to initiate a Capture, it requires the corresponding auth’s TabaPay Transaction ID to be present.
• Capture over 100% of the authorized amount - For instance, authorization for $10 can only be followed by a capture of exactly $10 (no more or no less)
• Multiple captures per auth are not available at this time
• Partial captures are not available at this time i.e cannot capture less than the authorized amount. (no capturing $5 of $10 authorized amount)
• No auto-cancellation of transactions exist using a configuration. To cancel, client must invoke delete transaction.

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Workaround for Everything

Auth what you need and capture what’s auth’ed. If not, void the auth, and place another one!

4. Receive Capture Response

The Create Transaction API for capture returns a 200 when TabaPay successfully tries to settle the transaction with the networks.

Clients should expect to see the transaction activity for settled transactions within TabaPay's settlement reports as well as activity via daily and monthly reports.

5. Request Capture Status

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Retrieve Status

https://<;FQDN>/v1/clients//transactions/

As with any TabaPay transaction, you can query of the transaction status with TabaPay for a capture. Possible cases are:

• Capture was successful
• Capture failed because initial authorization had expired

Delete Transaction

Clients will be able to delete previously placed authorization and/or capture transactions. However:

• Auth:
  • Deleting an auth transaction is only possible when there's a previously available and valid transaction ID
• Capture:
  • While a delete results in a TabaPay 'reversal' with the card network, there is no guarantee that the reversal will be successful
  • Next day's settlement activity as well as proof of posting with the network provide finality of transaction posting

Transaction Status

Payment Network Rules

Visa

In order to maintain the data integrity of the Visa authorization system, a Misuse of Authorization System Fee is assessed by Visa to approved and partially-approved authorizations that cannot be matched to a settled transaction. If an authorization was attempted and received but the
transaction was not settled, merchants must reverse the authorization.

Out-of-Scope Considerations

• Multiple captures per authorization - For instance, partially capturing an authorization multiple times - Authorization for $10, then capturing $2 first, followed by $8. In this case, capture will automatically capture $10 of the authorization.
• Capturing over 100% of the authorized amount - For instance, authorization for $10 can only be followed by a capture of exactly $10 (no more or no less)
• Partial Capture - Cannot capture less than the authorized amount. (no capturing $5 of $10 authorized amount)
• No partial reversals. Only full voids allowed in phase 1.
• No auto-cancellation of transactions exist using a configuration. To cancel, client must invoke delete transaction.

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Workaround for out-of-scope

Workaround for everything: Authorize what you need and capture what has been authorized. If not, void the auth, and place another one.