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Settling Batches

A batch is a group of transactions accumulated over time; for example, a day. You must settle your open batches to complete transaction processing. The Sage Virtual Terminal allows you to settle batches manually or automatically. Bank card authorizations are valid for seven days and will expire on the eighth day. Be sure to settle your current batch in time to ensure that your transactions do not expire or incur late settlement fees. You must settle your transactions within three days of entry to qualify for the best rate and to avoid downgrade fees.

Note If you are a developer coding an integration, you can include the Batch Inquiry and Batch Close transactions in Sage Exchange Desktop if you do not want to require your customers to use Sage Virtual Terminal.

Using manual settlement

Manual settlement is the default Sage Virtual Terminal setting, where transactions remain in the open batch until you settle them.

How to manually settle a batch:

1. Log on to the Sage Virtual Terminal at https://www.sagepayments.net/virtualterminal/frmLogin.aspx.
2. Select Batch Management > Credit Card, Purchase Card, or Virtual Check to open the Batch page, which displays a list of transactions in the batch.

Note All sale transactions are marked to settle and cannot be unmarked. If you want to exclude a sale transaction from a batch to settle at a later time, you must click Process in the Options column to open the transaction information page. Select Auth Only in the Transaction Type field in the Order Information group box then click Submit Transaction to save the change.

3. Click Settle Checked Transactions to open the Credit Card Batch Close – Step 1 of 2 dialog box.
4. Read the Terms and Conditions statement then click:
   1. Review complete, close the batch detail listed above – To agree to the Terms and Conditions statement and to proceed to the Credit Card Batch Close – Step 2 of 2 dialog box. See step 5.

   or

   2. Cancel – To disagree with the Terms and Conditions statement, cancel the batch close process, and to return to the transaction list.
5. Complete the Credit Card Batch Close – Step 2 of 2 dialog box to close the batch.

Understanding Automatic settlement

Automatic settlement occurs when batches close at a predetermined time (whole hours only) between 8:00AM - 3:00AM EST (Eastern Standard Time) without manual initiation. Sage Payment Solutions Virtual Support must enable automatic settlement for your account. Contact Virtual Support by telephone at 877.470.4001, send an email to virtualsupport@sagepayments.com, or select Help > Technical Support to send a request from your Sage Virtual Terminal.

The only transaction types eligible for automatic settlement are Sale, Credit, and Prior Auth. Auth Only transactions must be converted to Prior Auth transactions to be settled. Locate an Auth Only transaction in Sage Virtual Terminal then click Adjust in the Options column to change an Auth Only transaction to Prior Auth.

Verifying the settlement mode

Select Configuration > Account Settings in Sage Virtual Terminal to open the Account Settings page, where you can view the settlement mode for your account. The Credit Card Settlement Mode setting will display Manual Close for manual settlement or a time period if automatic settlement is enabled.

Managing transactions from third-party software

Sage Virtual Terminal cannot communicate transactional data to third-party software applications. If your batch contains transactions originated by a third-party application, it is important to use that software to complete the transactions. This includes adjusting Auth Only transactions to Prior Auth. If you try to adjust then manually settle these transactions in Sage Virtual Terminal, your customer’s will incur duplicate charges to their credit card accounts.

Voiding transactions

You can use Sage Virtual Terminal to process voids for transactions and in situations where the third-party application does not offer the capability.

To void a transaction out of an open batch, select Batch Management > Credit Card, Purchase Card, or Virtual Check to open the Batch page. Locate the transaction you want to void. Click Void in the Options column then click Yes to void the transaction.

If the transaction is in a settled batch, you must issue the customer a credit. Select Transactions > Credit Card, Virtual Check, Purchase Card, or Geti Check to open the transaction details page. Enter the customer’s information in the Bill To section then enter the credit card information and subtotal in the Order Information section. Select Credit in the Transaction Type field then click Submit Transaction to submit the credit.