Troubleshooting Credit Card Authorization and Card Payments

Troubleshooting · Updated 2026-10-29

Symptom: a row says "fail" in Credit Card Authorization

Likely causes, ranked:

1. No card token on the primary guest. The folio needs a credit-card document with a stored token (Guest details and documents).
2. Card declined by the bank.
3. Gateway key or credentials missing or wrong (Credit card setting, Payment gateway integration).
4. No Credit Card category payment type or no exchange rate for the base currency (Payment type, Exchange rate). Fix: open the folio, check the payment, correct the card or set-up, run again. See Credit card authorization.

Symptom: the screen says "completed successfully" but a card failed

Symptom: "Please select atleast one or more (s) to make payment." / "Invalid Amount"

Tick rows; type an amount above 0 when using a custom amount.

Symptom: cards are not processed online at all

Causes: Online Credit Card Processing is off, Tokenized Service is Offline, or the payment type is not marked as card-processing in Payment type. The gateway drop-down is grey until Change Credential is on and you confirm with your own sign-in password in Confirm with Your Password (messages: "You do not have the privilege to change this setting (Access To Configure Property).", "Incorrect password." (not a failed sign-in; it cannot lock the user), "Too many wrong passwords. Try again in N minute(s)." after 5 wrong passwords within 15 minutes; the user needs the privilege Access To Configure Property). Licence Payment Gateway is needed (Not licensed).

Symptom: "Please enter Shift4 Service URL / Auth Token / Client GUID" or "Please enter SlimCDT VPN Username / Password"

Fill the missing field before Get Access Token / Get VPN Client Token, then Save. Enter credentials only in this screen, never by e-mail.

Symptom: "Please Set ClientID"

The property has no CRM client id. Escalate.

Symptom: check-out blocked "Authorized payment exist."

Release the authorization (Release authorization) or convert it to a payment, or turn on Allow Check-Out with Authorized Payment in Rental Setting. The night audit can release authorizations of checked-out guests when "Auto release checked-out guest authorized amount" is on.

Symptom: pre-paid guest was not charged by the night audit

"Auto collect prepaid guest payment at night audit" is off, the card has no token, or the gateway failed (Night audit problems).

Symptom: reservation authorization (before arrival) fails

See Credit card reservation authorization and the same checks above. Pre-arrival authorization needs the reservation's card document.

Symptom: miscellaneous income with card shows no alert when no card document

The "No Credit Card Document available" alert in Extra Income now fires correctly when no card terminal is configured; check the guest card document (Extra income and expense).

When to escalate

Gateway errors with a code or Error ID, repeated declines on cards that work elsewhere, tokens that vanish, "Please Set ClientID". Never ask for or record a full card number or gateway key in a ticket.

Tips and FAQ

• Q: A row says fail. A: Usually no card token on the primary guest, a declined card, or the gateway key is missing. Open the folio and check the payment.
• Q: Cards are not processed online. A: Online Credit Card Processing is off, Tokenized Service is Offline, or the payment type is not a card-processing type.
• Q: Why is the gateway drop-down grey? A: Change Credential is off.