As the operator, you can add value to a Laundry Card/LaundryCat App account's regular balance, or it's free dry balance (if the location is utilizing the Free Dry Promotion) in one of two ways:
Using the LaundroPortal (via the Card Tracker, or Load Card Value menu)
Directly at the Value Add Center (on VACs equipped with a Touch Screen)
This article discusses the different ways to add value using the LaundroPortal only.
For instructions on how to use the VAC kiosk directly in order to add value, review our the Adding Value section of our Deducting Value / Changing the Balance of a Laundry Card article.
Using the LaundroPortal to Add Value
You can add funds to the Laundry Card's balance (or LaundryCat App account's balance) from the LaundroPortal in 1 of 2 ways:
using the Card Tracker page via the "Load Value" tab
using the Load Card Value menu under the Management Tools section.
IMPORTANT: After making any LaundroPortal requests to add funds to a Laundry Card, the Laundry Card MUST be physically placed into the card holder of the Value Add Center in the store.
The value will NOT be added to the card until this step is taken. Only then will the VAC automatically add the requested funds to the Laundry Card's balance.
Loading funds via the Card Tracker
Step 1: Create the Load Value request
This feature allows you to look up a Customer's account using the 10-digit Laundry Card, or LaundryCat App account number. You can also search by the customer's registered email address or phone number, if they registered that information to their Card/Account.
This is generally the preferred way to load cards as it is considered easier.
Once you find the Customer Card/account you're looking for, the Card Tracker will default to showing you the Usage Report tab.
Click on the Load Value tab, which is available to the right of the Usage Report tab.
The Load Value tab is what you'll use in order to create a Load Value request for that particular card/account.
You can add funds to a customer's regular card/account balance, or the customer's free dry balance, by selecting the balance type via the Load option drop down filter:
Once you've confirmed the balance type, simply input the amount you want to add this this card/account's balance, and click on "Make Request" button to send that request to the VAC(s) in the location:
When loading value to LaundryCat App accounts, once you've made the request via the LaundroPortal the operation is complete.
The value will immediately be loaded onto the LaundryCat App account because App account balances are stored in the cloud, so the LaundroPortal can affect the balance of the account without requiring input from the customer.
The Load Value request will displayed Applied to Mobile Account once the account's balance has been updated to reflect the add value request:
For Laundry Card balances, their balances are actually stored directly on the memory chip of the Laundry Card itself; so once the request has been made from the LaundroPoral, the customer needs to physically pick up the request from a VAC kiosk (the VAC kiosks MUST be online to receive a new load value request).
Step 2: Pick up the request via a VAC kiosk (for Laundry Cards only)
For Laundry Cards specifically, once you've made the request, in the "Recent Card Load Requests" section at the bottom of this page, you will see the status of this request listed as pending:
When the request has been uploaded to the VAC(s) in the location, you will see the status of this request change to say it's "Ready for Pickup":
Once you see Ready for Pickup;
instruct the card holder to take this laundry card to any online VAC kiosk in the location, and place the card into that VAC's card holder to check the balance of this card.
The VAC will then see that a Load Value request is pending for this card number, and it will add the requested value to this card automatically.
You can confirm that the value was indeed added to the card by checking the Status of the request. You should now see that the status has changed from "Ready for Pickup" to "Applied to Card":
You will also see a transaction record in the VAC logs indicating that value was added to the card via a LaundroPortal load request:
Loading value via the Load Card Value menu
Step 1: Create the Load Value request
This feature takes you directly to the Load card page for your location. You must know the customer's card number to proceed.
If you don't know the customer's Laundry Card/Mobile App account number, it's best to use the Card Tracker method, as you can look up the customer's account via their registered email or phone number when using the Card Tracker.
You can add funds to a customer's regular card/account balance, or the customer's free dry balance, by selecting the balance type via the Card load option drop down filter:
Once you've confirmed the balance type, simply input the amount you want to add this this card/account's balance, and click on "Make Request" button to send that request to the VAC(s) in the location:
When loading value to LaundryCat App accounts, once you've made the request via the LaundroPortal the operation is complete.
The value will immediately be loaded onto the LaundryCat App account because App account balances are stored in the cloud, so the LaundroPortal can affect the balance of the account without requiring input from the customer.
The Load Value request will displayed Applied to Mobile Account once the account's balance has been updated to reflect the add value request:
For Laundry Card balances, their balances are actually stored directly on the memory chip of the Laundry Card itself; so once the request has been made from the LaundroPoral, the customer needs to physically pick up the request from a VAC kiosk (the VAC kiosks MUST be online to receive a new load value request).
Step 2: Pick up the request via a VAC kiosk (for Laundry Cards only)
For Laundry Cards specifically, once you've made the request, in the "Recent Card Load Requests" section at the bottom of this page, you will see the status of this request listed as pending, but when the request has been uploaded to the VAC(s) in the location, you will see the status of this request change to say it's "Ready for Pickup":
Once you see Ready for Pickup;
instruct the card holder to take this laundry card to any online VAC kiosk in the location, and place the card into that VAC's card holder to check the balance of this card.
The VAC will then see that a Load Value request is pending for this card number, and it will add the requested value to this card automatically.
You can confirm that the value was indeed added to the card by checking the Status of the request. You should now see that the status has changed from "Ready for Pickup" to "Applied to Card":
You will also see a transaction record in the VAC logs indicating that value was added to the card via a LaundroPortal load request:
Deleting Load Value Requests
If you've created a load value request, that has no yet been picked up by the customer, you're able to delete that request so that it will not be carried out.
To do so, locate the Load Value request, either via the Card Tracker, or via the Load Card value menu.
Note: if you don't remember the customer information for the load request you want to delete, it's best to check via the Load Card Value menu, as this section will show all Load Value Requests that have been created (along with their pickup status)
If a load value request is still in the Ready for Pickup state, you will see a "X" icon in the right hand column for this request:
Clicking the "X" icon will remove that request so it's not carried out by any VACs in the location.
Depending on your VAC software;
With newer VAC software, the deleted request will be completely removed from the Load Card Value list (as well as the Card Tracker's requested load value list)
With older VAC software, the delete request will continue to be shown, but the status of the request will reflect that it's been deleted:
Note: if you own multiple store locations, that allow for cross usage of Laundry Cards/App accounts between multiple locations; with older VAC software, any load request made for 1 location will also be forwarded to all VACs in any other location that allows for cross usage of accounts.
When a request is picked up from 1 location that's allowing for cross usage of accounts; all the other locations will list that load value request as being removed, however this is not because the request was cancelled, it was because the request was already picked up from one of the other locations.
When the system removes a request because it was picked up elsewhere, the system will list the specific location that the value was picked up from:
Load Value Request Status Definitions
Status | Description |
Pending | Waiting for the request to be uploaded to the Value Add Center. It's usually takes a few seconds. |
Ready for Pickup | Your request has been successfully uploaded to the Value Add Center. You or customer can place card on the Value Add Center, which will automatically add the requested amount to the balance |
Applied to Card | The value has been successfully applied to the laundry card |
Removal Pending | Waiting to upload the request to remove a load request. |
Request Removed | The load request has been removed; either because it was cancelled, or the request was picked up from a different store location |
Loading Mobile Accounts Differences
Loading a Mobile account is done via the Card Tracker or done via the Load Card Value page, just like Laundry Cards.
For Mobile, the funds are added to the balance immediately after the request is made.
Whereas with laundry cards, the card needs to be placed into the VAC's card holder to finally get the requested funds applied to the card's balance.
Difference between Card Tracker and Load Card Value
Card Tracker allows you to look up a customer's card by using their email or phone number if they have it registered but the Load Card Value section requires you to know the card/account number.
Card Tracker shows the recent card load requests for the particular card whereas Load Card Value shows all recent card requests for that location
Card Tracker feature allows you to look at usage report for a card, make Load Value requests, register or change User Information to the card and even the option to Ban that card whereas Load Card value page is simply to make load card requests.
Loading Value directly at the Value Add Center
For instructions on how to load a Laundry Card via the VAC kiosk directly, review our Deducting Value / Changing the Balance of a Laundry Card article.
For adding value to LaundryCat App accounts, this can only be done via the LaundroPortal, using either of the 2 methods discussed in this article.
Removing Value from a Laundry Card/LaundryCat App account
For LaundryCat App accounts
For LaundryCat App accounts
For LaundryCat App accounts, you're able to remove value from an App account using the LaundroPortal directly. App account balances are stored in the cloud, so the LaundroPortal can alter the balance of an App account directly.
To remove value from a LaundryCat App account, simply change the Load option type to the Change balance option for the balance type you're trying to affect:
This operation will CHANGE the cards balance to the amount you put in the amount column (it does not remove this amount from the balance, it changes the balance to this amount).
Once you click the Make Request button, the LaundryCat App's balance will be changed to whatever amount you entered in the Amount field. The App's balance will be updated immediately.
For Laundry Cards
For Laundry Cards
Laundry Card balances are NOT stored in the cloud, instead the balances are written directly onto the physical memory chip embedded in all Laundry Cards.
This is done so that in the event your store loses internet connection, we are not reliant on the cloud to ascertain the cards balance. This allows all Laundry Cards to continue functioning correctly while the store is operating in an offline mode.
As a result, this means that in order to change the balance of a Laundry Card, you'll need to have the physical card in order to write the new balance to the card directly.
In order to remove balance from a Laundry Card, this will need to be done via the VAC kiosk directly.
For instructions on how to remove value from a physical Laundry Card, review our Deducting Value / Changing the Balance of a Laundry Card article.