When will Card Pre-Authorization be coming to Square?

[TinCap]

The title of this thread has been edited by a Square Moderator from the original: "Can Not Continue without Card PreAuthorization"

We are a high volume Brewery and taproom.  We have used square from the start of our business.  We also use several add ons: Marketing, payroll….

We have reached a point in our business where we can no longer continue to hold customer cards until the check out.  We need a POS that does pre authorization of the customers card.  The majority of customer complaints are from issues of holding the customers cards.  At times we will have 3-4 bars serving at a time and 100+ customer cards being held.  This is just not a viable way to continue to run our business.  

I’ve been told and continue to be told that Preauthorization is coming, that it is in beta testing….

this has gone on for too long.  My question is When??? I need an actual date and plan.  When? What is this function going to cost me??? Do I have to change over to Square for Restaurants???

We plan to change to another POS system, payroll system…by January 2024.  I like and our staff likes Square other than the fact we have to hold customers cards.  Who can really give me answers???

Cheers!

[TheRealChipA]

*** Everyone please ignore the post below, in favor of my subsequent reply to it.  I missed the memo! ***

Hey @TinCap.  I checked the beta tests forum and see that the beta for bar tab pre-Auth is “Live” (which means that it is testing now).  I’m not sure that they are accepting any more testers, but if this is that important to you you should follow the link and ask to join the test already in progress.

As to your other questions, you will not get a date from anyone.  Too many unexpected things happen during beta tests for Square (or anyone) to announce a date only to be wrong multiple times.  Also, the extra price for things like this (if there is one) is never known until it is released, even to beta testers.  Again, that is how this sort of thing works.

I can answer one question, however,  According to the description of the beta (found by following the link) this seems to work with Square Point of Sale, and does not require Restaurants, though I’m betting it will work with Restaurants when it is released.

Lastly, I’m going to tag the admins of that beta test so that they can chime in here if they are so inclined, especially if I have given you any incorrect information.  @Davonte1417 @nika @AndySQ @AnthonyD 

[TheRealChipA]

Hey @TinCap.  Ignore my previous post.  I just ran across this help article on Bar Tabs using Square POS.  It seems that it has been rolled out to everyone.  My apologies for the erroneous information in my previous post.  I must have missed the memo.  LOL

[TheRealChipA · Accepted solution]

Hey again @TinCap.  I’m going to suggest that you just hold on for a few.  There seems to be some confusion here.  That help article I linked to is live in the community.  But when I tried to follow its instructions, there seem to be parts missing which makes me think that it hasn’t been officially rolled out.  Give me a while to check in with some folks and I’ll be back to you.  Sorry for the confusion!

[vinesandrushes]

Bar tabs is still in active beta but they're getting close.  I would expect a big update sometime in the next month that resolves some of the outstanding major issues.  This has been on my list for quite some time but until a few of the quirks are worked out, I can't switch.  I don't think it's real far out but not quite there yet.  

[TheRealChipA]

Thanks @vinesandrushes.  That confirms what I’ve been able to learn elsewhere.  At this point, my only issue is that the help document for Bar Tabs is publicly available and comes up with searches.  Since this hasn’t even been released from beta, that is a huge no-no and is causing a lot of confusion.  I’ve given @TinCap two answers that are at odds with each other, and it seems that neither (or both) of them might be correct in their own way.  Someone jumped the gun and published that help document prematurely, from what I can tell.  Based on your post, I’m not very convinced of that fact.  Ha.  Anyway, I appreciate you chiming in here.

I’ve got another thread where another seller found the help documents on bar tabs and tried to follow it.  Of course, since it is still in beta and they are not in the beta test, they couldn’t complete the steps, like I couldn’t.  Quite the mess!

[TheRealChipA]

Here’s the link to that other rightfully confused seller’s post.

Here’s the link to the public help document that was visible today when I searched.  And here’s a link to the bar tabs troubleshooting document that was visible today as well.

@vinesandrushes 

[MichelleSQ]

Hi everyone - Pre Authorization is available today on Square Point of Sale for anyone in the US through our open beta program. See our support article for more information.

Thank you all for the interest, and thank you @TheRealChipA for chiming in with all those links!