Authorization

An authorization is an approval or guarantee of funds given by the card issuer to the acquirer.

Authorization Advice

The acquirer advises the card issuer of authorization already given (e.g. Authorization by Voice).

Capture

Capture is the process of combining the approval amount and authorization code of a transaction and turn it into a billable transaction record. It is essentially the instruction to deduct the funds from the debtor’s account. The acquirer usually submits a capture file to the card network (dual messaging system).

In Host Capture Systems the merchant usually sends a Capture Advice message to the acquiring host. For Terminal Capture Systems the card acceptor (e.g. merchant) either submits a capture file (most common) to the acquirer or performs a batch upload. The capture records submitted by the card acceptor are usually validated at the acquiring host and then added to the acquirer's capture file for the corresponding card network.

Sale

A Sale is an instruction from the merchant to the acquirer to request an authorization and a capture of the transaction completed at the Point of Sale within a single message. That means a successful authorization will be added to the acquirer's capture file automatically without the need for further instructions or completion messages. However, some terminal capture systems may require Sale transactions to be included in the capture file or in the batch upload.

Terminal Capture

Terminal Capture means that the terminal submits Authorizations, Sales, and Reversals to the host throughout the day. The terminal stores all of these transactions as well as any transactions performed locally (offline), so that the terminal can perform a batch submission at the end of the merchant’s processing day. Terminal capture processing offers the merchant the ability to perform offline transactions that are included only in the batch. Offline transactions include for instance returns, prior sales and tip adjustments.

Host Capture

In Host Capture processing, transaction batches are managed by the acquiring host. Merchants transmit transactions to the host as they occur at the point of sale and the host records the transactions in a batch. In ISO 8583 based message protocols this is often referred to as capture advice. The batch is then closed either by request from the merchant’s system (manual batch release) or at a schedule time each day (host auto-close). The auto-close option is the most common mode.

Recurring

Recurring Transactions are a series of transactions processed following agreement between a Cardholder and a Merchant where the Cardholder purchases goods or services over a period of time through a number of separate transactions.

Installment

Installment Transactions represent a single purchase of goods or services billed to a Cardholder’s account in multiple segments, over a period of time that has been agreed between the Cardholder and a Merchant.