Understanding Credit Card Processing

Credit card integration offers several valuable benefits, such as maintaining PCI-compliance, eliminating the need for external card-processing terminals, and preventing data entry errors (e.g. charging a client twice for the same order).

aACE can handle credit card, debit card, and ACH transactions through the payment processor integration. With this integration, sensitive credit card information (i.e. account number and CVV) is stored on the payment processor's secure servers. aACE only stores an alias (or "token") of this data, plus the general card details (i.e. card type, last four digits, expiration date, and billing address). Because aACE never touches the sensitive credit card data, the processes are fully PCI-compliant. 

Advantages of this integration include:

• Allowing you to record the credit card info before fulfilling the order and without charging the card
• Simplifying the order process when your customer uses the same card for subsequent orders
• Enabling you to set up recurring payments
• Leveraging automation with the aACE accounting system, which can create receipts automatically, simplify the refund process, help prevent user errors, and more easily identify trouble-spots when there are discrepancies in an order

Credit Card Payment Logic

aACE divides the steps of the payment process in order to ensure there are no unaccounted-for credit card charges. Based on which module you enter the card information from, you can accomplish different tasks:

• Companies and Recurring Transactions — When you add a credit card from these modules, aACE only obtains an alias from the processor, then the process ends.
• Receipts — When you add a credit card from this module, aACE only obtains an alias from the processor. However when you finish editing and save the card information, aACE prompts you to post the receipt, which will charge the card you just entered.
• Orders (with the Billing Terms field set to Credit Card):
  • On a Pending order — You can edit the order and click the purple Plus () icon to obtain an alias from the processor, then the process ends. This method of pre-authorizing the card is useful for streamlining the subsequent billing / shipping tasks.
  • On an Open order — You can click the green Plus () icon near the Payment Due field to access the Enter Payment dialog. When you click the purple Plus () icon here, aACE passes the payment amount to the processor and a Transaction ID is returned. This authorizes the customer's card (i.e. placing a hold on the credit card funds). At this point, the transaction fields are grayed out, indicating that no changes can be made. You can either A) cancel the payment process and aACE will void the authorization and release the funds without anything showing on the customer’s statement, or B) click Apply Payment and aACE will create the invoice and receipt, charge the card, capture the funds, and complete the transaction.

Capturing Credit Card Funds

Depending on preferences (Menu > System Admin > Preferences > Billing), after a card is authorized, certain actions will trigger aACE to automatically process the appropriate records and capture the funds.

Items Shipped from Inventory

aACE will automatically generate an invoice, post a receipt, and capture the funds when:

• The Auto-generate invoices on shipment flag is marked
• The Leave auto-generated invoices pending flag is not marked
• The order's Billing Terms field is set to Credit Card
• There is a balance due
• The shipment is set to Shipped status

Drop Shipped Items

aACE will automatically generate an invoice, post a receipt, and capture the funds when:

• The Auto-generate invoices for drop shipment purchases flag is marked
• The Leave auto-generated invoices pending flag is not marked
• The order's Billing Terms field is set to Credit Card
• There is a balance due
• The purchase for the drop-shipment is set to Open status

Manually Invoiced Orders

When the invoice for the order is created manually and opened, a dialog prompts you to charge the credit card. If you click Yes, aACE will post the receipt and capture the funds.