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Adding a Pre-Authorization Payment Type

You can create pre-authorization payment types to verify the authenticity of a customer's credit card or to create a temporary hold for a specific amount. Amounts that are pre-authorized can later be captured and converted to a credit card payment.

Steps​

  1. In EPASS, go to Tools > System Maintenance. In the Tables tab, click Payment Type, and then click Open.

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  2. In the Payment Type window, click Add.

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  3. Fill in the required fields:

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    CodeEnter a unique identifier code for the payment type. This code is used in multiple areas of EPASS to identify the payment type, including on reports.
    DescriptionEnter a description of this payment type.
    G/L AccountSelect the G/L account to link this payment type to.

  4. In the Payment Processing area, select EPASS PAY - Pre-Auth from the Type dropdown.

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  5. If you want to be able to pre-authorize for a specific amount, and later be able to capture and convert that amount to a credit card payment, do the following:

    • Select Allow Pre-Auth Amount & Capture.

    • Select the credit card payment type that you want to use to capture the authorized amount from the Capture/Sale Payment Type dropdown.

  6. Click OK.

    Notes

    • When the pre-authorization amount is "captured", EPASS will use the credit card payment type selected to process the payment. If successful, this payment type appears on the invoice and replaces the pre-authorization line. See Pre-Authorizing a Credit Card for more information.

    • If you select a credit card payment type that applies an upcharge, the upcharge is automatically applied on the captured amount.

    • If you don't select the Allow Pre-Auth Amount & Capture checkbox, the pre-authorization will only validate the card. You won't be able to authorize or capture a payment amount. Instead, if the pre-authorization is successful and the card is valid, EPASS adds a $0.00 payment line to the Invoice Details. See Pre-Authorizing a Credit Card for more information.

    • You can only select a credit card payment type in Capture/Sale Payment Type. Your other payment types will not appear in the dropdown list.

    • You can have EPASS automatically void uncaptured pre-authorizations after a specific amount of time has passed. Go to Tools > System Maintenance > Variables > EPASS Pay. On the EPASS Pay tab, select Automatically Void Pre-Auth If Not Captured and enter the number of days. If this setting is not enabled, you must either manually void any uncaptured pre-authorizations or allow them to expire according to the card issuer’s policy.

See Also​

Updated

May 19, 2026