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Adjusting payment when a ticket changes after card payment

Updated

Overview

When you change a ticket after a credit card payment (add an item, remove an item, change a price) so that the charge does not match the new ticket total, the Token Adjustment feature lets the POS charge a little more, or refund a little back, to the same card the customer already used, without asking them to present the card again.

It works for:

  • Dine-in tables
  • Bar tabs
  • Takeout orders
  • Delivery orders

For example, at a tavern: a server rings up a ticket that includes a coffee, the customer pays by card, and then the server realizes the coffee should not have been on the ticket. The server removes the coffee and goes back to Checkout. Because the ticket is overpaid, the POS offers to refund the difference back to the original card.

Another way to adjust a payment

Everything on this page describes the Checkout screen, where the POS offers an adjustment because the ticket total changed. If your store also has EZ Payment Adjust switched on, a manager can start the same kind of adjustment deliberately, from the order screen, by tapping the green payment line and choosing Change Amount — without waiting for the total to change first. See the article "EZ Payment Adjust".

Both routes charge or refund the same card in the same way. The differences worth knowing:

  • Change Amount will not let you enter more than what is still owed plus what that payment already covers.
  • Change Amount does not print a refund slip. If you need one, run the adjustment from the Checkout screen instead.

How to Use

This feature only kicks in when:

  1. Your store is using the "Using Tokens (recommended with DataCap)" Adjust Payments mode in the back office (see Limitations below).
  2. The ticket has at least one card payment that was taken while that setting was already on.
  3. After your edit, the ticket total is different from what the customer already paid.

Steps:

  1. On the ticket, change what needs to change (remove the item, add an item, etc.) and save.
  2. Open the Checkout screen.
  3. Tap Credit.
  4. The POS shows the Select a Card to Adjust Payment screen with the card(s) that were used on this ticket (cardholder name, last 4, amount, card type).
  5. Pick the card you want to adjust against.
  6. Tap Adjust Payment. The POS contacts DataCap and either:
    • Charges the additional amount if the ticket total went up, or
    • Refunds the difference if the ticket total went down.
  7. When DataCap approves, the ticket can be closed.

If you do not want to adjust the original card (for example, you would rather give the customer cash change for the refund), tap Skip Adjustment on the picker. You can then close out the ticket the normal way - using Cash for change, or by tendering whatever extra is due.

Limitations

  • Setting must be turned on first. This feature only runs if your store has Back Office > Settings > Payments > Card Processing > Adjust Payments set to Using Tokens (recommended with DataCap). If it is set to Off or Using PreAuth, you will instead see the message "A credit charge can not be made for $0.00 or less" on overpaid tickets, or be unable to add to an undercharged ticket without re-swiping. Ask OrderCounter support to turn the setting on if your store needs it.
  • DataCap only. This is a DataCap (EMV) feature. PAX, Payment Logistics, and other processors do not use this flow.
  • Only applies to payments taken after the setting was turned on. Card payments that were taken before your store switched to "Using Tokens" mode do not have a stored token, so this picker will not list them. Adjust those tickets another way (cash change for refunds, or re-swipe the card to add to an undercharged ticket).
  • One ticket / one terminal at a time. The picker only lists cards used on the current ticket on the current terminal.
  • Customer card receipt. DataCap will print a separate adjustment receipt showing the additional charge or refund. Keep that receipt with the ticket for the customer in case of any dispute.

FAQ

Q. The customer already left. Can I still adjust their card?

Yes. That is the whole point of this feature. The POS can charge or refund the same card without the card being present.

Q. The message "A credit charge can not be made for $0.00 or less" still appears when I tap Credit. What now?

Three likely causes:

  1. Adjust Payments is not set to "Using Tokens" in the back office. Have OrderCounter support change it.
  2. The original card payment on this ticket was taken before the setting was switched on, so there is no stored token. You will need to give cash change instead, or use a manual refund.
  3. The ticket was not actually paid by a card with a stored token in the first place (cash, gift card, etc.). Adjust accordingly with the same tender.

Q. The picker shows a card but tapping Adjust Payment doesn't go through. What happened?

The POS asked DataCap to charge or refund the saved token and DataCap declined. The receipt will print with the decline reason. Common cases: the card has expired since the original sale, or the issuer flagged the follow-up charge. Either way: handle the difference with cash or a fresh card swipe.

Q. Can I refund more than the original charge to the card?

No. A refund to the card cannot be more than the original charge. If the new ticket total is somehow lower than zero (e.g. only credits remain), use the regular Refund flow instead.

Q. Will this print a separate receipt?

Yes. DataCap prints an adjustment receipt at the same printers configured for credit slips. Treat it like any other credit transaction slip.