Overview
This article describes how to configure the Store and Forward feature on sites using the PAX Heartland EMV payment gateway. The Store and Forward feature enables sites to perform and store credit card transactions while disconnected from the Internet or the Heartland processor.
To use the Store and Forward feature, you must download and install the latest firmware on every PAX device in the site that will use the feature. Dealers should follow the onboarding process or contact the PAX support team for assistance in updated the PAX device.
Prerequisites
- Must be running Heartland Restaurant 6.31 or higher.
- Must be using a PAX S300, S920, A920, or A35 units.
- S300 units requires 01.01.06E or higher.
- A920 units require 01.01.11E or higher.
- S920 units require 01.01.01E or higher.
- A35 units require 01.01.28E or higher.
- Must be processing with Heartland Payments.
- Must have these credentials from Heartland Processing/Portico:
License ID
Site ID
Device ID
User Name
Password
Note: We also recommend that you have a copy of the PAX Setup Manual for Heartland Restaurant.
Gift card transactions are not supported with SAF.
Dealers must complete and submit the PAX SAF Boarding Form in Salesforce to start the Boarding Process. Refer to the Completing PAX SAF Boarding form in Salesforce section for steps.
To submit the form you will need:
- The total number of PAX devices onsite to be boarded for SAF.
- Each device’s serial number.
- The Halo amounts and the Ceiling amounts.
Halo Amount: The max dollar amount per transaction per card type.
Total Ceiling Amount: The total processed credit card amount allowed by the merchant when in an offline state.
Ceiling amount by Card type: The total processed credit card amount allowed by the merchant by card type when in an offline state.
Attention: By opting to use SAF, merchants acknowledge and accept the risk of financial loss resulting from offline processing since there is no guarantee that stored transactions will be approved.
Completing PAX SAF Boarding Request Form
- Login to Salesforce: https://heartlandcommerce.force.com/lightningcommunity/login?ec=302&startURL=%2Flightningcommunity%2Fs%2F
- Navigate to the account that you want to enable with Store and Forward.
- On the right side of the screen, click the list next to Generate Central API Credentials, then select PAX SAF Boarding.
- In the PAX SAF Boarding screen, enter all required information.
The program will use the account information on file to automatically prefill some information for you:
Account: Prefills
Merchant ID: Prefills
Dealer Name: Prefills
Dealer Contact Phone: Prefills
Dealer Contact Name: Prefills
Dealer Contact Email: Prefills
Order Type: Prefills to Enabling PAX SAF.
Is merchant using only PAX S300’s: If the site will only use S300 devices, select Yes.
Equipment/POS Type: In this list, select Heartland Restaurant.
Software Version Number: Enter the software version number in numeric format including any decimals (such as “6.30”).
Number of PAX 300’s: Enter the number of PAX S300 devices the site currently uses.
PAX Serial Numbers (comma delimited): Enter the serial number of each device, using a comma to separate each number.
Halo Amount: Enter the max dollar amount per transaction per card (e.g. $500).
Total Ceiling Amount: Enter the total processed credit card amount allowed by the merchant when in an offline state (such “$500”).
Primary Contact Full Name: Prefills
Home Phone: Enter a 10-digit numeric phone number, excluding spaces or special characters (such as “1234567890”).
Cell Phone: Enter a 10-digit numeric phone number, excluding spaces or special characters (such as “1234567890”).
Site Manager Email: Enter the contact email address (such as “docusignuser02@gmail.com”). - When you finish entering all of the necessary information, click Save and Send to automatically send the information to PAXSupport@e-hps.com.
Once you click Save and Send, you can no longer make changes to the form. - If you do not have all the information, click Save to save your changes.
The program will save your information. You can return enter the remaining information later.
To access your saved PAX SAF Boarding form and make changes, from the Accounts tab, refer to the Related List Quick Links section, click the Applications link, then click your application.
Tip: The name of the application should appear in the format: <account name> - PAX SAF.
If you have questions about this process, boarding, or require assistance verifying settings, please contact PAXSupport@e-hps.com.
Configuring Heartland Restaurant
To Store and Forward feature is only available for sites using the PAX payment gateway. In the Admin Console, you must configure the site to use the PAX payment gateway, and you must define a payment terminal record.
Configure the PAX Payment Gateway
- Log into the Heartland Restaurant Admin Console and select an appropriate account.
- In the Admin Console’s Main Menu, click Locations, then select the location that you are configuring to use the Lane device.
- In the Main Menu, click Location Setup, then click Payment Gateway.
- In the Gateway list, select None.
- In the In-Store Settings area, in the EMV Solution list, select PAX.
- Select the Portico Direct check box.
- Click Save.
Define a Payment Terminal
- In the Main Menu, under Location Setup, click Payment Terminals.
- In the Payment Terminals screen, click +New.
- In the Name box, type a descriptive name for the terminal.
- In the IP Address box, type the terminal’s IP address.
- If you want the terminal to prompt customers to select a tip amount when paying tickets, select the Prompt or Tip check box.
- Click Save.
Store and Forward at the POS
Once they are running the Store and Forward feature, each device will store its authorized transactions while Heartland Restaurant stores all transactions, authorized and non-authorized (such as tip adjustments, voids, and so on). The License Service transmits this transaction information to the Heartland Portico URL at regular intervals.
If the site loses its connection to the Internet or the Heartland processor, the POS will display the red status bar (indicating its offline status). While offline, all transactions will be approved in offline mode and stored in a queue file.
The status bar will also display a count of the number of stored transactions pending approval.
When the connection is restored, Heartland Restaurant will automatically upload the transactions in the queue to the Heartland processor, and the devices will also upload their transactions and resume processing all new transactions online.
Manually Enter Offline SAF Mode
You can manually set the site to run in offline SAF mode. Heartland Restaurant will approve all transactions while in offline mode and store them in the queue. The program will not attempt to upload them again until you disable the offline mode.
- In the POS, tap
in the top right corner of the screen.
- In the menu, tap Manager.
- In the Manager menu, tap General.
- Enable the Force Offline Credit Card Processing.
Bad Debt Reporting
If you process a credit card transaction while in SAF (offline) mode for a given amount, and only part of the total is approved, the program will report the remaining amount as a “bad debt” in the Daily Summary Report. For instance, if you process a transaction for $15, and only $10 is approved, the Admin Console will add that amount to the “Bad Debt” total in the Transactions section of the Daily Summary Report.
Troubleshooting
When a site loses and restores its connection, authorizations are not going through when the POS is back online: Once the site is back online, transactions can take from 2 to 24 hours to authorize.
FAQ
Can you add a tip to a transaction that is offline?
Yes
Can servers still perform a checkout with offline transactions? Is there any indication near transactions that are still offline on the checkout?
Servers can close tickets that are offline, so they can do the checkouts. However, we do not recommend it.
Are transactions stored on the POS or the device?
The transactions are stored on the device.
How long are transactions stored for?
The transactions are stored until they reconnect. Once they reconnect, the transactions can take anywhere from 2 to 24 hours to authorize. The capacity to store transactions depends most notably on the HALO max.
Is there a way to manual authorize them?
There is not.
Do they appear in the Daily Review as open tickets?
Yes they appear as open tickets.
What color will the tickets be on the POS when the transactions haven’t been authorized?
The tickets will be purple.
While waiting 2 to 24 hours for tickets to authorize, when EOD occurs, will all tickets that are still waiting to be authorized remain in the POS app and not be cleared out at EOD?
Yes, the tickets will remain open and not cleared out until they are authorized.
Is the Ceiling Limit amount ignored when SAF is "manually" enabled?
It is not. The Ceiling Limit amount still applies.