Beating a Dead Horse but it needs to be: Preauthorization

[FarmAndBar]

We need to be able to preauthorize credit cards when running a tab. Period.  We really enjoyed the low buy in and easy menu development and a couple of the other features, but a bar/restaurant needs to be able to run a tab and preauthorize a credit card.  I've gone back and looked at conversations about it and it appears that this has been a CONSTANT request by users that has gone ignored.

I'd like to know why it isn't available.

[#2]

Pre-Authorization for Bar Tabs Update ⭐
Hi everyone - I'm Hadley, from the F&B product team. First of all, thank you SO MUCH for continuing to share all the feedback here over the years, we know how important the Bar Tabs feature is. For anyone who is not aware, this feature is currently in beta in the US for Square for Restaurants POS. 

➡️ You can join the beta community here and our beta team will enable feature to your account. You can find the support article for getting set up on RST POS here. 

As a reminder, when a feature is in beta, there is still some engineering work happening to iron out the smaller bugs and optimizing the experience for our sellers and their customers. If you choose to participate in the beta testing, please share any feedback (good or bad 😄) to our beta team at betafeedback@squareup.com so we can learn how it is working for you and your staff.  

Thank you!

[VanKalkerFarms]

you can save the customers card in Square POS to something called card on file so you could charge them later.  

https://squareup.com/help/us/en/article/5770-use-card-on-file-with-the-square-point-of-sale-app

https://squareup.com/pos/card-on-file

the problem with delaying any deposit is there is no way to know in 2 weeks if that credit card will be any good or have room for your charge to process.  so you can still get locked out even with the card number.  The only way to know for sure is to charge it.

[Helen]

This reply was created from merging an existing thread: “Holding Deposits”

Welcome @jsavard!

I just moved your post here (and @VanKalkerFarms reply, thank you!) as we are currently tracking requests for this feature.

Also, on the first page of this thread you can read Sean's suggestion about using Square Appointments to accept pre-payments. 

If you click 'Subscribe' at the top of the page you'll be notified of any updates/announcements about this feature. 

[AmyHBC]

We would also REALLY appreciate this feature.

[Tom]

Hello everyone and @AmyHBC, I went to check for any available developments on this request, but there isn't anything that we can share out at this time. Sorry for any frustration this may cause—do know that we're continuing to track this request and we will announce any changes as they become available.

[1stclassaventur]

It's hard to believe we can't authorize funds. I can with my intuit online portal. Just not the mobile.

I've set my Square batch time to be at 11pm. If I process a refund before 11pm, will it not charge me the processing fee and basically be a voided transaction for the customer?

[EJ_]

Hi @1stclassaventur

When you issue a refund, we'll first look to your Square balance to cover the amount of the refund. 

So, in your example, your Square balance will likely be deducted for the refund amount since it hasn't been sent to your bank account yet. 

We don't charge you the transaction fee when you issue refunds since we send the full amount back to the customer. 

[1stclassaventur]

Thank you for the reply EJ_. When these "refunds" happen before the days batch occurs, does this make it quicker for the customer to get their refund or does it not even charge them before the batch hasn't been sent/closed for the days transactions.

[birdhouseinn]

It is crazy that this is not an option.  I looked for 20 minutes on the Square app thinking I just had to be missing it.  I finally went to the internet in frustration to find out how.  I can't believe the answer is "you can't".  This is much needed, and a basic function of credit card processing.

[EJ_]

@1stclassaventur Their funds will be debited as soon as you charge their payment card, so the refund timing wouldn't change this. 

[Caneland760]

We NEED this feature sooo bad!