This is a credit card processing troubleshooting article for US customers using the PAX S300 payment terminal:
Note: The PAX S300 pinpad is an older model and has since been replaced by the PAX A35 due to its limited troubleshooting abilities. If you still have this pinpad, it is very likely that your location is no longer covered under warranty
Identifying the issue
Within the LaundroPortal, the VAC will likely report a PINpad related error. The following errors are common:
PAX BroadPOS not responding (re-install)
Issue related to merchant account. PINpad needs to be rebooted or is brand new and hasn't been programmed yet. If a reboot does not clear this error, the PINpad will likely need to be replaced.
Payment terminal not detected
Issue related to physical connection. If all connections are secure, either the PINpad, PINpad cable or VAC control board is defective and will need to be replaced. If you have a second VAC, swap PINpads to isolate the issue.
More than 5 consecutive non-approved Credit/Debit sales (see VAC Log report)
Issue is likely related to merchant account or a single customer repeatedly trying the same card that keeps declining. This is a warning and not necessarily an error that needs to be addressed. See Declining Transactions section below.
The flow chart below will help you determine the root issue related to your pinpad:
Activating the PINpad terminal
Plead read this article: Activating the payment terminal (US customers)
PINpad Error Messages
If your PINpad terminal's front display is showing any of the messages listed below, first try power cycling the terminal (unplug from power for 30 seconds, then plug the power back in) to see if the error clears on reboot.
If the error remains, it's likely the PINpad terminal will need to be replaced. The PAX S300 terminals are no longer available, so reach out to your distributor to order a replacement, which will be the newer PAX A35 PINpad terminal.
Note: When replacing a PAX S300 with a PAX A35, you will also need to order the A35 PINpad terminal holder, since the terminals have slightly different dimensions.
The following error messages typically indicate that the terminal needs to be replaced:
"so open error uai"
"9-Data Error"
"APP EXCEPTION"
"PED Tampered"
In the case of PED Tampered, you might be able to clear this error message by removing any foreign objects that are stuck inside the credit card slot. Sometimes customers may put coins or other objects in this slot. Use a thin popsicle stick or equivalent to clear the path of any materials that might be present. Reboot the terminal after inspecting this slot.
Rebooting Power to the PINpad Terminal
Open the Value Add Center and locate black terminal block. Unplug and plug back the DC power jack and wait for the PINpad terminal to boot-up. The VAC should be connected to the internet while you do this. Then wait 15 minutes before drawing any conclusions (the VAC needs time to re-synchronize to the terminal).
Alternatively, you may disconnect power to the entire VAC for 30 seconds by flipping the switch on the power bar. Then wait 15 minutes before drawing any conclusions (the VAC needs time to re-synchronize to the terminal).
Declining Transactions
The very first thing you want to do is check the VAC Log report to get more details on why the transactions are declining. Simply click on your location and then click VAC Log on the right-hand side:
The log should indicate the reason for the transaction failure. For example:
Below is a list of some common decline messages that may need rectification:
Message | Description |
PINpad serial number mismatch | There's a mismatch between serial number of the expect PINpad on this VAC and serial number of the actual PINpad terminal that is currently installed. |
NEED REMOVE CARD FIRST | This means that the chip credit card was inserted before an amount was selected on the VAC. Certain PINpad versions do not like this.
If no card was inserted, it's possible there is something in the card slot causing the terminal to think the card has already been inserted. In some cases you're able to remove the obstruction without issue; but removing the obstruction may also damage the sensor requiring a replacement terminal
If no card was inserted, and no obstruction is located in the card slot, it's likely the card sensor has suffered a hardware issue and the terminal will need to be replaced. |
Invalid Account Status | This means that the payment processor has not yet set your account to Active, or there's some other issue with the payment processing account that needs to be addressed. Contact the payment processor to report this message so they can look into the status of your merchant account. |
PLEASE SETTLE | This means your PINpad is failing to batch out transactions. Navigate to the VAC number this PINpad is connected to and select the grey CMD button within the LaundroPortal. Select Initialize PINpad option from the Command Option dropdown. Then select the Make Request button underneath it to fulfill the request. |
DECLINED | The complete error message is typically 'Declined Host Code:12 Host Msg:DECLINED' which indicates the customers card has declined. This is usually not a sign that something is wrong with your PINpad. In some cases, it can simply the same customer re-attempting transactions, but having insufficient funds to complete it; or a customer starting the transaction but manually aborting it for whatever reason. |
Payment Processor Support Contact
Fortis Support (formerly known as Payment Logistics):
800-761-8039