Your last payment was automatically cancelled after a period of inactivity.

[Connecting_IRL]

I've recently observed a significant change in payment processing rules that may affect other retail users.  During a normal in-store retail transaction, with the option to collect tips turned on, after a customer card has been presented (NFC, dipped, swiped, etc.) payments greater than $25 are being canceled when no option is selected on the tip screen and the transaction times out.  Alternatively, transactions less that $25 will be automatically processed under the same circumstances when no option is selected on the tip screen.

I've lost roughly $200 in sales plus the cost of the merchandise.  I'd like to know if others have observed this circumstance.  Our store runs a skeleton staff because of COVID occupancy restrictions.  Often times my staff member must start closing a transaction, accept the card, present the tip/receipt screen and step away from the terminal to assist another customer while the paying customer finished up.  Up until now, timed out transactions were always processed after a card was presented and no options selected on the tip screen.   

Any concurrence or advice would be appreciated.

[2A311117]

Hello, I'm having the same exact issue for the last 2 weeks at both of my locations on 4 different iPads.  This has never been an issue before and I've been trying to get some answers from square engineering but no response yet.

It took us a few times and some tests to figure out what is going on.  We leave the tip screen up after the transaction just in case the customer asks if they could tip on the card.  We don't flip the screen around to the customer and never have, nor do we ask if they want to tip.  We let them tell us.  Guess that doesn't matter, but what is happening on the tip screen is as follows.

If the charge is under 25 the transaction approves after about 2 minutes and says the transaction was approve and a few moments of inactivity.  If the charge is over 25, it cancels the transaction after 2 minutes if the tip screen is up.

As far as i'm concerned, It should default approve the transaction, the tip is extra and the customer has already pulled the card out and could be out of the store.  Been using square a long time and this did not start happening until about a week or 2 ago.  Sounds a glitch in the last update?

Have also lost money and now have gift cards floating around that have a zero balance because they were not activated because charge got cancelled.  Not a good time of year for this to happening, we need every dime we can get and this is adding unneeded stress.

[Joe]

Hi @2A311117 - thanks or reaching out updating us on the issue you are experiencing. Very strange, indeed.

One clarifying question before we jump in - you mentioned getting answers from our Engineers. Does this mean that you flagged this over to our Support Team and then in turn filed a ticket with Engineering? This process is a formal and will help determine the root cause of the issue.

I will keep an eye out for your response!

[2A311117]

Hi, thanks...Yes there is a ticket and engineering does know (from what I have heard).  I was glad to see that someone else was experiencing what i am (above).  It's been a week with engineering and they seem to be disagreeing with me that the charges (no matter how much) should be automatically approved if the tip screen is left up.

[Connecting_IRL]

I too have flagged the issue with Customer Support, and the issue has been escalated to Engineering.  Today is December 26th, I have received no response from Engineering or Customer Support since December 18th.  Looking forward to a resolution.  Square has been a good partner for the last eight years.

[Connecting_IRL]

I experienced a recurrence of the problem discussed in this thread. 

Today a $24.99 transaction was automatically approved after two minutes of inactivity on the tip screen.  A $25.00 transaction was canceled after two minutes of inactivity on the tip screen.  If I disallow tipping the problem goes away, but staff are not going to like that for very long.

Running Square Version 5.54 (5540012) on iPad Air 2 Version 14.3.

Emailed Hugo (Square Customer Support) with video screen shots documenting the issue. 

Any advice?  I'm starting to wrack up lost sales.  -$222.71 so far.

[2A311117]

I just checked all 4 of our iPads and we are not experiencing the issue.  I'm not sure where you are, but there was an internet issue that effected most of the East Coast Yesterday.  We noticed, no transactions were going through for a few minutes.  A fiber optic line got accidentally cut in Brooklyn I think.  Not sure if that could have been the cause.  

Either way, going to tell my staff to monitor it and let me know if they see the issue at all.  Please keep me updated as well.  Thanks.

[Connecting_IRL]

I had to delete and reinstall the Square App on my device for the update to take effect.  $25+ transactions are now processing regardless if a tip option is selected.  Square followed up with me unprompted.  Thanks for helping me out!  Best of luck! 

[Connecting_IRL]

I couldn't agree more that " It should default approve the transaction"... just as it had done for the previous eight years.  I can corroborate your statement that "this did not start happening until about a week or 2 ago".  I plan to continue to advocate for a reversal of this change to the payment process, and I will update you when I receive more information from Square.

[2A311117]

Fully Agree, great partner and I hope they fix this soon.  It has to be a broad issue.   Thanks so much.  Hoping for a quick resolution.

[2A311117]

Square has identified the problem and will have a fix on the next software update between Jan 5-12.  In the meantime the recommend making sure that the tip screen is cleared before walking away from the sale.  Woot Woot!

[Connecting_IRL]

*retracted*

[2A311117]

Today's Square update seems to have fixed this issue.

[Connecting_IRL]

*retracted*

[Connecting_IRL]

I experienced a recurrence of the problem discussed in this thread.  Have you recently tested the scenarios since the last software update?  Today a $24.99 transaction was automatically approved after two minutes of inactivity on the tip screen.  A $25.00 transaction was canceled after two minutes of inactivity on the tip screen. 

Running Square Version 5.54 (5540012) on iPad Air 2 Version 14.3.

[2A311117]

Yikes!  I better check tomorrow am.   I’ll keep you updated and if that’s true I’ll be on the phone with square ASAP.   Thanks. 

[Connecting_IRL]

Square engineers were made aware of the issue.  An update may have resolved the problem.  Deleting and reinstalling the app was required for the updates to take effect on my device.  $25+ transactions are now being processed by default regardless if a tip option is selected or not.  Issue resolved.

[plastercarousel]

I have the same issue!!!!!! I just uninstalled and reinstalled the app and hope this fixes the issue. I have lost quite a few sales due to not clicking the NO TIP option when the customer just taps and walks away.

[arawantm]

I'm having still tis issue which I believe should already be solved by 2024 (terminal form 2022). Could anyone link the original ticket to engineering or which version of the software is expected to solve this?

[Candlestore]

@arawantm ;

I am currently on version 6.47 of my Square app and the pronblem I thought was fixed in 2022.  I would update the app to the newest version.  Some people have said they did need to uninstall the old app then update the app.

hope this works for you

[arawantm]

Thanks. My issue is with the Square terminal. It says the app version is 6.48, however this still happens to us.