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PAX Credit/Debit Prompt

Updated

Overview

Turn on the PAX Credit/Debit Prompt setting to have the POS ask the cashier "Credit or Debit?" before each PAX card sale.

With the setting on, the prompt appears before each PAX sale transaction is sent to the card terminal. The cashier's choice tells PAX whether to run the card as Credit or Debit (Debit will prompt the customer for a PIN on the PAX device).

When the setting is turned off (the default), every PAX sale is sent as Credit and there is no extra prompt.

This is a single on/off toggle - there is nothing to configure per terminal.

How to Use

Step 1 - Open the Card Processing page

  1. Log in to Backoffice.
  2. From the menu, go to Settings -> Payments -> Card Processing.

This opens the Card Processing page.

Step 2 - Find the setting

The setting is named PAX Credit/Debit Prompt and lives in the Card Terminal section.

The fastest way to get to it:

  • Use the Search box in the sticky toolbar at the top of the page and type PAX or Debit. The page will hide all non-matching settings, leaving just PAX Credit/Debit Prompt.
  • Or, scroll to the Card Terminal section.

Step 3 - Turn the prompt On or Off

The setting is a dropdown with two options:

Value Behavior
Off (default) No prompt. Every PAX sale runs as Credit.
On Before each PAX sale, the POS shows a "Credit or Debit?" dialog. Cashier picks one, then the transaction is sent to PAX.

Click Save Settings in the floating bar at the bottom of the page. A success toast will appear in the corner.

Step 4 - Verify on the POS

  1. Restart OCPOS on a terminal that uses PAX so it picks up the new setting.
  2. Ring up a sale and tap Credit at checkout.
  3. With the setting On, you should see a Credit or Debit? dialog before the PAX device wakes up. Picking Debit will prompt the customer for a PIN on the PAX. Picking Credit runs it normally.
  4. With the setting Off, the PAX device wakes up immediately with no extra dialog.

Limitations

  • This setting is store-wide, not per-terminal. Turning it on affects every terminal that uses PAX.
  • It only applies to PAX SALE transactions. Other PAX operations (tip adjust, void, refund, batch close, store-and-forward (offline) transactions, etc.) do not show the prompt.
  • It has no effect on Datacap, Heartland, or any non-PAX credit processor.
  • You need Back Office permission to open the Card Processing settings page.

FAQ

Q: Where is the prompt shown - on the POS or on the customer's PAX device? A: On the POS. The cashier picks Credit or Debit on the POS screen, then the transaction is handed to the PAX device.

Q: I selected Debit. Why is the customer being asked for a PIN? A: That is expected. Debit transactions on PAX require the customer to enter a PIN on the PAX terminal. If you want signature-only flow, pick Credit instead.

Q: Can I make this setting per-terminal (e.g. on for the bar, off for the kitchen pickup terminal)? A: No. The setting applies to every terminal that uses PAX.

Q: I turned it on but the prompt never appears. A: Make sure (1) you saved the setting (the toast should have said success), (2) you restarted OCPOS on the terminal so it picked up the new value, and (3) you are running an actual PAX sale (not a tip adjust, void, or refund).

Q: Does this work for Datacap or Heartland? A: No. The Credit/Debit prompt is available only for PAX sales. Other processors handle credit/debit selection internally on the device.