Product overview

Rationale

Where the final amount will exceed or is likely to exceed the amount of the pre-authorization (including any scheme allowed percentage variation), a further incremental authorization may be obtained. The incremental authorization will be for the difference between the original pre-authorization and the actual or estimated final amount. The sum of all linked estimated and incremental authorizations represent the total amount on hold in the cardholder’s account for a given transaction.

By using incremental authorizations merchants can ensure the cardholder’s open-to-buy accurately reflects their transaction activity.

Schemes

Brand	Incremental Authorization
VISA	Yes
MasterCard	Yes
AMEX (WorldPayCC only)	Yes

Acquirer

Acquirer	Incremental Authorization
Elavon Europe	Yes
ConCardis	Yes
FiServAU	Yes
FiServEU	Yes
WorldPayCC	Yes

Authorization Validity

The 30 day chargeback protection timeframe is calculated from the date of the last approved authorization. Thus, an incremental authorization may be submitted to extend the chargeback protection period for the same transaction.

Message Flow

A regular incremental authorization sequence consists of three parts:

The original pre-authorization itself
An incremental transaction with an amount update to add to the original pre-authorization amount
At a later time a capture transaction referring to the incremental transaction

Reversals

If an incremental authorization is being reversed, the amount being reversed is just that of the increment. A pre-authorization for the original amount will exist at the host (if it has not expired). Please note that to date it is not possible to reverse a pre-authorization and all its increments in one message. Each increment must be reversed individually starting with the latest incremental transaction before the original pre-authorization can be cancelled.

Card Authentication and Cardholder Verification

All pre-authorizations and incremental authorizations must occur online and if it is an EMV transaction it has to supply full EMV data for the transaction. The incremental transaction might be a ‘card-present’ or a ‘card-not-present’ transaction. Therefore it is possible or even likely that the initial preauthorization is an EMV transaction but not the increment. This is permitted as it can be assumed that card authentication and cardholder verification were perused in the initial pre-authorization.

Message Linking

For a given transaction, the original authorization request, the incremental authorization requests, and the reversal request are linked together by unique values referred to as tracing data. For merchants this link will be established towards the acquirer automatically through the PayID.

Process flow chart

Incremental authorization process flow

interface

Call of interface for incremental authorisation

To carry out an incremental authorisation via a Server-to-Server connection, please use the following URL:

increment.aspx

Key	Format	CND	Description	Beschreibung
Duration	n2	C	Indicates the additional number of days to be added to the stay or rental. Valid only for merchants operating in specific industries like Hotel/Car rental.	Gibt die Anzahl zusätzlicher Tage an, die für den Aufenthalt oder die Miete hinzugefügt werden sollen. Nur für Händler in bestimmten Branchen wie Hotel/Autovermietung gültig.

Parameters for incremental authorisation

Key	Format	CND	Description	Beschreibung
additionalresponsedata	an..128	O	Additional text which the operator’s processing system can send optionally in replies to payment/cutover requests.	Zusätzlicher Text, den das Verarbeitungssystem des Betreibers optional als Antwort auf Zahlungs-/Umstellungsanforderungen senden kann.

Response parameters for incremental authorisation