Question

I need to know is it possible to reserve or lock money with First Data API. Actually I don’t know if process I am looking for is actually called “reservation”, but I am thinking of standard procedure of locking certain amount of money on client CC so that client cannot spend it but I as a merchant, can return money without any cost to bank, client and myself if client or merchant wishes so. Kinda sorta like deposit. I just don’t want to do full transaction and then return money with full transaction and pay every single step of it and then some for accounting nightmare.

Answer 1

1) Do an Authorization (a.k.a. Auth Only, Authorization hold) to freeze the maximum amount of funds you wish to access at a later date. Record the approval code from this transaction.

2) When it is time to charge the funds you wish to receive from the customer perform a Capture using the approval code received from the Authorization in step one.

Caveats:

1) You have a maximum of 30 days to capture the funds. This number may be lower for some credit cards.

2) You may only capture the funds set aside or less. You cannot capture more then the amount authorized.

3) You can only capture the funds once. This means if you capture an amount less then the total amount authorized and then you wish to go back later and get more you cannot do so. You would need to process another transaction with a fresh approval number to do so.