Authorize (Auth) and Capture allows you to authorize a card payment, and place funds on hold that can be captured later. When a card transaction is made, the cardholder gives consent or permission with the intent to complete the payment within a given timeframe. You submit authorizations and can capture the funds later when an event triggers.

• 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)

Use Cases

Auth & Capture is for card pull payments only, not accounts or push payments.

• Money Transmitters: Authorize pull transactions while verifying accounts before capturing.
• Freelancer and creator economy: A cardholder authorizes their purchase to hire a designer and the funds are captured when the logo is delivered.
• Order Fulfilment: A cardholder makes a pre-order on a product and the and is charged when the item is shipped.
• Hotel and resort reservations: A cardholder books a hotel reservation and is charged upon check-in or check-out.
• Subscriptions: You can authorize the amount at the start of a free trial and then capture the funds at start of the recurring payment.

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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Limitations on Capturing the Transaction

• Clients will be unable to capture more than the authorized amount.
• Not providing amount in the capture request will automatically indicate that the capture amount will match exactly (i.e. 100% of the) authorized amount.
• An authorized amount requested can only be captured once.
• An authorization cannot be captured after it is expired. Authorizations automatically expire after a specific length of time if they are not captured.
• Authorizations usually within 7-10 days, but may vary by network. If clients wait too long to capture an authorization, the card network or issuer may have already canceled the authorization.

Definitions

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    Definition
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    An authorization, provided by the customer’s card issuing bank, confirms the cardholder’s ability to pay.  

    The card-issuing bank verifies the customer's ability to pay by checking their available funds. If they are sufficient, the bank reduces the cardholder's available credit balance by the amount of the authorization and responds to the authorization request with an approval.
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    <Glossary>Capture</Glossary> or Settlement Request
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    After providing a service/product to the customer, a capture of the authorization is requested in order to receive funds by referencing the the approved authorization in a capture (sometimes referred to as settlement) request. Capture results in a funds transfer to or from the customer's credit card account based on the use case.
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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
• Sale (Authorization and Capture at once)

Capture amount will be exactly equal to the Authorized amount

How Auth & Capture Works

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Always authorize with an intent to Capture

TabaPay Clients must always authorize with an intent to Capture i.e. every authorization must result in a Capture, else it must be duly deleted (voided). TabaPay Clients must ensure this in order to avoid facing potential misuse penalties by card networks.

1. Initiate an Authorization Request

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.

Create Transaction API Request

https://{FQDN}/v1/clients/{ClientID}/transactions?authorize

Call the Create Transaction API, and use the query parameter authorize. This treats the card transaction as an authorization rather than a completed purchase.

Enough transaction details should be included in the authorization request 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

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

Capture Transaction API

https://{FQDN}/v1/clients/{ClientID}/transactions/{TransactionID}

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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

• 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 exactly 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

Use the Retrieve Transaction API to retrieve the status of the transaction at anytime.

Retrieve Status

https://{FQDN}/v1/clients/{ClientID}/transactions/{TransactionID}

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

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Limitations on Deleting a Transaction

You can attempt a Delete Transaction request at any time. However, a successful Delete Transaction is not guaranteed due to database limitations, or Issuer declines.

If you receive an error on a Delete Transaction attempt, a disbursement would be required.

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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Authorize Best Practice

Authorize what you need and capture what has been authorized. If not, void the auth, and place another one. Learn more at Best Practices.

Recipes

Learn how Auth & Capture works using the TabaPay API.