Configure R.O. Writer to Use First Mile Middleware
After installing and configuring Merchant First Mile Middleware, you must configure the following in the R.O. Writer Configuration module:
- Electronic Payment Setup - Activate the ability to process electronic payments through Merchant.
- Payment Types - Map R.O. Writer payment types and universal payment types (supported by Merchant Partners).
- Select a default payment type for any unmapped payment types.
- Form Types - Choose the form types that have been designed to include transaction information on printed tickets and customer invoices.
Electronic Payment Setup
In the Configuration module, click Configuration menu > Electronic Payment Setup and select the Merchant option. The electronic payment window opens. Select Merchant to see the settings for Merchant First Mile Middleware.
This window has three sections:
- Shop Setup Section – applies to all payment processing
- Credit Card App Section – applies only to credit card application processing
- Default for Unknown Payment Types – assigns a default payment type for unmapped payment types
Shop Setup Section
Shop Setup options
- Activates the ability to process electronic payments.
- Determines when R.O. Writer requires electronic signatures on the pin pad device.
Enable ePayment
Check Enable ePayments to activate electronic payments in R.O. Writer. The disclaimer prompt appears whenever this option is checked:
Only the shop owner should click Yes to accept these terms, which must be accepted to use Merchant ePay.
Require Use of Pin Pad for Electronic Card Payments
Check Require Use of Pin Pad for Electronic Card Payments to require R.O. Writer to process credit or debit card payments electronically.
This means you cannot use the Other Credit Cards button to key card information into R.O. Writer windows. Instead, you must use the ePayment button (which processes R.O. Writer payment types that are mapped to universal card brands).
NOTE: Your selection here has no impact on payment processing in Merchant because you have to click the ePayment button and the Check > E Check buttons to access Merchant payment windows.
Capture and Save Electronic Signatures or Cards Where Signature is Entered
Check Capture and Save Electronic Signatures or Cards Where Signature is Entered to activate the signature capture feature for credit and debit card payments.
Capture and Save Electronic Signatures During Finalize
Check Capture and Save Electronic Signatures During Finalize to require the customer’s signature during the finalize process for cash, check, and electronic payments. You are prompted to obtain a signature after the payment has been processed when finalizing.
The disclaimer prompt appears again; only the shop owner should click Yes.
When using Merchant, you must select the device on the Signature Pad tab and the Hardware tab of Merchant First Mile Middleware Configuration. Otherwise, R.O. Writer won’t be able to find the device during finalize.
The signature capture device prompts the customer to sign when the Finalize button is clicked and after the payment has been processed. The captured signature appears on a popup window over the Finalize window in R.O. Writer.
The signature captured when the Finalize button is clicked indicates that the customer accepts the final repair order; it does not authorize a payment. The signature appears on the printed repair order.
The signature prompt appears again when you process the electronic payment to authorize the payment.
If a signature capture device is not connected to your computer when this option is selected, a prompt appears asking you to obtain the customer’s signature on the repair order manually.
Capture and Save Electronic Signatures for Estimate Authorizations
Check Capture and Save Electronic Signatures for Estimate Authorizations to capture customer signatures for in-person authorizations. The disclaimer prompt appears again; only the shop owner should select Yes.
On the Estimate Authorization window, when In Person is selected as the Contact Method, a signature capture area appears at the bottom of the window:
Click the Get Signature button and the signature device prompts the customer to sign. The captured signature appears on the Signature Capture popup window.
Click the Accept button. The captured signature appears on the Estimate Authorization window. Click OK to complete the authorization. The captured signature also appears in the authorization area of the customer invoice.
Credit Card App Section
In the Credit Card App section, you configure the ability to offer your customers financing with Synchrony Car Care credit.
Default for Unknown Payment Types
The default payment type is selected at the bottom of the Integrated ePayment Setup window. The Select a Default Payment Type dropdown list contains all R.O. Writer payment types configured in the Payment Types Configuration setting.
This selection tells R.O. Writer where to assign payments from ePay Card Brands on the Merchant Partners gateway that have not been mapped to R.O. Writer payment types in the Payment Types Configuration setting.
If you process a transaction from an unmapped ePay Card Brand, R.O. Writer will track and record the transaction as a cash payment. This could drastically skew your payment reporting for cash transactions. Therefore, you must select a default payment type to tell R.O. Writer how to record payments from unmapped ePay Card Brands.
When a default payment type is selected, R.O. Writer assigns all payments to unmapped payment types received from the Merchant gateway to the default payment type.
Default Payment Type Example
Consider the following example:
A customer pays with a Discover card. Your shop accepts Discover cards at the Merchant Gateway; however, the Discover payment type is not mapped to an R.O. Writer payment type.
VISA/MASTERCARD is selected as the Default Payment Type.
When R.O. Writer processes Discover card payments, those payments are automatically assigned to the VISA/MASTERCARD payment type. You will see "VISA/MASTERCARD" in the Payments section of the Advanced Payment and/or Finalize windows.
Map R.O. Writer Payment Types to ePay Card Brands
Deciding which cards you accept is part of your agreement and configuration with Merchant Partners.
Electronic transactions process on the Merchant Partner’s gateway and not on your local machine. Therefore, when R.O. Writer receives a payment from the Merchant Partner’s gateway, it processes as cash unless the R.O. Writer payment types are mapped to the ePay Card Brands from the Merchant gateway.
When you map an R.O. Writer payment type, you are telling R.O. Writer to record and track payments from the ePay Card Brand to a payment type that R.O Writer recognizes. For example, when you map an R.O. Writer payment type to “Visa”, all transactions received from Visa cards (through the Merchant gateway) are recorded as the R.O. Writer payment type that is mapped to the Visa ePay Card Brand.
Payment Types Configuration Setting
In the Payment Types Configuration setting, you map R.O. Writer payment types one at a time. There are two ways to access the Payment Types setting in Configuration:
- Configuration menu > Electronic Payment Setup > Configure Payment Types button
Either way, the Payment Types window opens.
Each row represents a single R.O. Writer payment type:
- You can map to nine R.O. Writer payments types at a time.
- You can map multiple ePay Card Brands to one R.O. Writer payment type.
- You cannot map the same ePay Card Brand to multiple R.O. Writer payment types.
- Payment types are calculated and tracked on sales reports.
- Any R.O. Writer payment types you leave unmapped are assigned to the default payment type selected in Electronic Payment Setup.
To Map Payment Types to ePay Card Brands
Complete these steps:
- In the Payment Type field, either click on the payment type row to select it OR type the name of the R.O. Writer payment type.
- A right arrow (-->) appears to the left of the row to indicate that the row is selected.
- Enter the Fee Percent, Auto Deposit, Deposit After, and Account fields appropriate for your business.
- For more information about these fields, please click the following link: Payment Types.
- In the Map ePay Card Brands list, select the card brands you want to map.
- Repeat Steps 1—3 for each payment type.
- Click OK to save the payment types. R.O. Writer saves the payment type mapping.
Payment Types on Sales Reports
R.O. Writer payment types appear on specific sales reports. For more information, click the following link: Payment Types on Sales Reports.