PLEASE NOTE: This feature is not compatible with PlaceToPay and PayU gateways. If you use either of these gateways for payment processing, we can not enable this feature on your account.
THIS FEATURE IS ONLY AVAILABLE BY REQUEST AND MUST BE ENABLED BY THINKRESERVATIONS STAFF.
When you take a payment from a guest, typically the systems will authorize and then capture the amount as one process, almost at the same time. The Authorizations feature allows you to split the authorization and capture steps. This means you can put a "hold" on a guest's credit card to ensure that funds are available without needing to actually charge them.
In the above image, you can see the Authorizations section highlighted with the toolbar, and a $10 authorization entry in the table.
Add an Authorization
To put a "hold" on a card, authorize an amount with the following procedure:
Click the green Add button under Authorizations.
In the pop-up modal, enter the amount you would like to authorize
Verify and select the card to use.
Click Create Authorization in the pop-up.
When authorized, a new line item in the table will show with a status of AUTHORIZED.
Void an Authorization
To cancel a hold, void the authorization with the following procedure:
Select the authorization entry in the table. It will turn blue.
Click the Void button in the toolbar.
In the popup, confirm the void. This will start the process of releasing the funds.
When voided, the line item status changes to VOIDED.
Capture - Collect funds
To charge the customer a portion or all of the amount authorized, use the following procedure:
Select the authorization entry in the table. It will turn blue.
Click the Capture button in the toolbar.
In the popup, optionally adjust the AMOUNT TO CAPTURE to be a lower number. You cannot capture more than what was authorized. Else leave the amount to charge the entire amount.
Click the Capture authorization button in the popup.
The charge will appear under the Payments section. This will start the process of charging your guests that amount.
A note on Debit Cards: Performing an authorization hold on a guest's debit card is generally not recommended because it directly reduces the available balance in their bank account, potentially causing financial inconvenience or overdrawing the account. Unlike credit cards, where holds affect the credit limit, debit card holds temporarily lock actual funds, making them unavailable for other transactions and possibly leading to unintended overdraft fees or declined transactions for the guest.
Please note: The user interface is subject to change without notice! As this feature is in not considered 100% complete, you are encouraged to share any feedback your team might have, but please understand that we cannot currently guarantee any immediate fixes to issues with this specific feature.