Managing your card terminals
If you use integrated card terminals with Petsoft, the payment process is straightforward: the customer taps or inserts their card, and the system marks the invoice as paid automatically. But before that can happen, you need to pair the terminal to your Petsoft account.
What you need
- A compatible terminal (usually an Elavon device)
- A stable WiFi connection at your facility
- Admin or ManageFacilityServices permission in Petsoft
If you are not sure whether your terminal is supported, check the box or ask your sales rep. Most modern Petsoft accounts use the P400 or similar models.
Pairing a new device
Go to Facility > Payment Devices and click Add Device.
You will need two pieces of information from the terminal itself:
- The serial number, usually printed on a sticker on the bottom or back
- The activation code, which the terminal displays during first-time setup
Enter both into Petsoft and click Pair. The terminal should connect within 30 seconds. If it does not, power-cycle the terminal and try again.
Naming your devices
If you have more than one terminal, give each one a clear name. "Front Desk" and "Grooming Station" is better than "Terminal 1" and "Terminal 2." The name shows up on the checkout screen so your staff know which device to send the payment to.
You can also assign a default terminal per facility. If you run two locations, each one can have its own device so payments do not get crossed.
Checking device status
The payment devices page shows a status for each terminal:
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Online | The terminal is connected and ready |
| Offline | The terminal lost its network connection |
| Busy | A payment is currently in progress |
| Error | Something went wrong; check the error message |
If a terminal goes offline, try unplugging it for ten seconds and plugging it back in. Most connection issues clear up after a reboot.
Re-pairing or replacing a device
If you get a new terminal or need to move one to a different facility, you do not need to delete the old record. Open the device details and click Edit. You can update the serial number and re-pair from there.
If a terminal is broken and you are throwing it away, then delete the record so it stops showing up as Offline.
Troubleshooting common issues
The checkout screen says "No terminal found" Make sure you have at least one device paired to the facility where the reservation is booked. If you just added a device, refresh the page.
The payment went through on the terminal but Petsoft still shows the invoice as unpaid This usually means the terminal processed the card but the confirmation message did not make it back to Petsoft. Wait 60 seconds. If the status does not update, check the payment triage log at Payments > Triage. You can manually match the payment to the invoice from there.
The terminal shows "Invalid merchant" Your merchant account might not be fully set up yet, or the terminal is still tied to a different account. Contact support. This is not something you can fix from inside Petsoft.
Security notes
The terminal never stores full card numbers. It sends an encrypted token to Petsoft, which is how the system can process refunds later without asking the customer for their card again. Do not write down card numbers. If a customer asks you to, explain that the system handles it securely and you do not have access to that information.
Device pairing flow
Troubleshooting decision tree
Device status quick reference
| Status | Meaning | Quick fix |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Connected and ready | None needed |
| Offline | Lost network connection | Unplug 10 seconds, plug back in |
| Busy | Payment in progress | Wait for transaction to complete |
| Error | Something went wrong | Check error message; reboot if unclear |
Still stuck?
Our team is happy to help. Reach out and we'll get you back on track.