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]

So sorry for the confusion here, @Amanda_Bierock @FarmAndBar and others!

Pre-Authorization recently became available to all users of Square for Restaurants (Free, Premium, and Plus), and you should be able to turn in on by following the instructions in this support article, via the Dashboard and device settings.

Enable and Configure Pre-Authorization Bar Tabs

If you are using Square for Restaurants and aren't able to enable Pre-Auth by following these steps, please reach out to our support team for assistance.

For businesses that use Square Point of Sale, there is not currently a way to access Pre-Authorization.  While we did run a Beta test last year for Pre-Authorization on Point of Sale, it has been discontinued and Square for Restaurants is the only application that currently supports this functionality.

The team developing Pre-Authorization decided last summer to focus their efforts on Pre-Auth within Square for Restaurants and discontinued the Beta and development of Pre-Auth for Point of Sale.

Some testers who participated in the Point of Sale Beta we ran last year may still have access via their open tickets settings on individual devices (like @ryanwanner) but accounts that were not enrolled in that Beta feature last summer can no longer be added.

@nika I hope this context is helpful when these questions come up - it can be confusing because at times we had a POS Beta on the way.  It's understandable when it's been a request for so long 🙂

Andy
Beta Specialist

[#3]

Hello all! We are so excited to let the community know that this feature is now available for Square for Restaurants! For more information on enabling and configuring preauthorization for bar tabs, check out this help article. Respond here if you have any questions, and thanks for your patience while our team built this out. We appreciate you!

️ Kristen
Square Community Manager
Product Engagement

[#4]

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!

[TheBillyMotel]

As a premiere POS provider for retail and restaurant business, it is shocking that you do not offer a convenient OPEN TAB feature.  

[Vander]

This is a critical feature for my business, and it seems like Square has not taken any action to add a security deposit function.  Unfortunately, I cannot sign on with Square until they resolve this issue.  I will be checking back to see if there is any progress.  

[WirlNet]

On a rental property it might be better to use air b n b for the transaction.

I would also like to rent out some items that we currently only "sell" but it isn't that obvious how to implement.

Perhaps as a monthly service ?

[jasonbrumb]

UPDATE:  Hi all, I'm Beta Testing The New Square POS App and posted this in the beta feedback forum:

-----------

*Basic* Feature Request: Pre-Authorize Credit Cards not Available in new Beta?

The ability to Pre-Authorize Credit Cards is a basic function of all SAS-POS services. My hope was that this new Beta program would incorporate this highly-mission critical feature for the sake of so many square retailers and restaurant/bar owners.

I am a restaurant/bar owner, and while I have enjoyed Square as my POS of choice, I cannot overstate the hardship and frustration brought onto our staff and myself by having to hold a credit card on file during a pandemic.

Cards  on file are not just forgotten by the customer, sometimes staff accidentally gives back the card to the wrong customer (it's rare but has happened to a John Smith x2) - or the wrong card being run to close a tab during a rush. Not to mention the customers feelings about holding onto their card. 

From a customers standpoint, this feels archaic and antiquated, which has an effect on the brand and image of the location. We simply have no answer for them, when they ask, "Can't you pre-auth my card and hand it back." Imagine what we look like when we have to say, 'Sorry our  leading edge POS provider doesn't offer that feature, so we have to hold the card. It's like chewing on tinfoil every time (which is about 2-3 times per service shift).

I, and on behalf of other Square retailers, would sincerely appreciate some form of concrete feedback on the feature roadmap concerning pre-auth. It has been a basic feature request for over 6 years, and this may be the feature that retains or releases many square customers.

It'd be a safe bet to say that the rollout of Pre-Auth would be a real feather in the cap of Square, and moreover would help with keeping Square on the leading edge of POS Payment providers. It's quite an ugly mustard stain on an otherwise nice suit. I urge those decisionmakers and stakeholders to move forward on it as it seems to be extremely low hanging fruit and a small effort on this could provide substantial value and returns for everyone. We all win.

__________

@kellyj posted a quick reply and I hope it gives us something to look forward to:

-----------

Thanks for your post. Good news is that we're working on a steps to this right now, and you're in the right place when we begin testing this. 

I don't have a specific timeline, but this is a major focus especially for our Square Online Services.

I'll be sure to loop you in when we're ready to go.

-----------

Fingers crossed....

[jasonbrumb]

The ability to Pre-Authorize Credit Cards is a basic function of all SAS-POS services. My hope was that this new Beta program would incorporate this highly-mission critical feature for the sake of so many square retailers and restaurant/bar owners.

I am a restaurant/bar owner, and while I have enjoyed Square as my POS of choice, I cannot overstate the hardship and frustration brought onto our staff and myself by having to hold a credit card on file during a pandemic.

Cards  on file are not just forgotten by the customer, sometimes staff accidentally gives back the card to the wrong customer (it's rare but has happened to a John Smith x2) - or the wrong card being run to close a tab during a rush. Not to mention the customers feelings about holding onto their card. 

From a customers standpoint, this feels archaic and antiquated, which has an effect on the brand and image of the location. We simply have no answer for them, when they ask, "Can't you pre-auth my card and hand it back." Imagine what we look like when we have to say, 'Sorry our  leading edge POS provider doesn't offer that feature, so we have to hold the card. It's like chewing on tinfoil every time (which is about 2-3 times per service shift).

I, and on behalf of other Square retailers, would sincerely appreciate some form of concrete feedback on the feature roadmap concerning pre-auth. It has been a basic feature request for over 6 years, and this may be the feature that retains or releases many square customers.

It'd be a safe bet to say that the rollout of Pre-Auth would be a real feather in the cap of Square, and moreover would help with keeping Square on the leading edge of POS Payment providers. It's quite an ugly mustard stain on an otherwise nice suit. I urge those decisionmakers and stakeholders to move forward on it as it seems to be extremely low hanging fruit and a small effort on this could provide substantial value and returns for everyone. We all win.

__________

[Cidercade]

We don’t accept cash. All plastic. 

On an average week, we got 50-75 left credit cards. The nightmare that it created was unfathomable. 

I have taken $14 million (annually) in card sales to a different POS system. All because of this simple feature. 

Square is way behind the competition. I’d love to come back to Square, but it doesn’t look like they’ll fix it anytime soon. We’ve been asking for years. 

[mstutzman]

Any update on this yet?

[Burbcity]

In a hypothetical situation, I rent out an item from my rental business and, using my square, I charge the rental rate up front. That person decides to never return the item. Can I Use my square to try to charge them for the item they failed to return? Basically, I'm asking if the information is stored in square and available to me to add charges. As opposed to writing down, or taking a picture of their card.

PS, being able to pre-auth and hold a deposit would be the ideal method for this but, to my knowledge, not a feature currently available.

[Stephanie12]

Has there been a development to store CC for open tabs incase the customer leaves without paying so we do not have to keep their cards?

[sayra]

Hey @Burbcity - Welcome to our Seller Community! 

I can see how having the ability to pre-authorize cards would benefit your business. The Square App cannot do this. However, you can store a card on file to charge your customer with the Square app or with a Square Invoice, all without ever using the physical card. We highly recommend providing an authorization form to your customers. Take a look here at more details related to Credit Card Authorization forms and the benefits it holds. 

I hope this helps you. Let me know if you have any other questions. 

[KazinSD]

Add me to the list. We have 4 vacation rentals and a security deposit feature would be extremely useful.