Card Pre-Authorization allows venue staff to hold a designated dollar amount on a customer's payment card when opening or updating a tab. As the customer orders additional items, the held amount can automatically scale upward to cover the growing total. When the tab is closed, only the final bill total is charged, and any excess held funds are released back to the customer automatically.
Prerequisites
Software: Bartender App version 3.11.4 or higher.
Network: An active internet connection is required for payment gateway authorizations.
Note: Pre-authorization is designed specifically for Tabs. Quick Orders cannot be processed while a pre-authorization is actively loaded in the cart.
1. Dashboard Configuration
Enable pre-authorization at the Revenue Center level to set baseline hold limits and processor protection rules.
Navigate to Events > Revenue Centers and select your target location.
Locate the Pre-authorization section and enable the feature toggle.
Configure the following parameter fields:
Amount: The baseline dollar amount authorized when creating an empty tab or a tab whose item total is less than this limit (e.g.,
$50.00). If the cart total exceeds this number upon tab creation, the system authorizes the full cart total instead.Minimum Increase: The minimum dollar threshold added whenever a tab total exceeds the current pre-authorized amount.
Click Save.
Why Use Minimum Increase?
Payment processors impose a strict limit of 10 authorization increase attempts per transaction. Setting a Minimum Increase prevents reaching this cap during long guest visits.
Example: A card is pre-authorized for
$100.00. The guest's tab reaches$95.00and they order a$10.00drink (new total:$105.00). If your Minimum Increase is set to$100.00, the system expands the pre-authorization to$200.00rather than$105.00. This covers future drink rounds without consuming additional gateway increase attempts.
2. Opening a Pre-Authorized Tab
Staff can initiate pre-authorizations in the Bartender app using several flexible workflows:
Method A: Pre-Authorized Empty Tab
Ensure the cart is empty ($0.00 subtotal).
Tap Add Pre-Auth in the cart.
Dip, swipe, or tap the customer's card on the reader.
Upon success, the Add Pre-Auth button will change color and display the authorized amount.
Tap Create Empty Tab.
Enter the Tab Name (e.g., cardholder's name) and tap Confirm to open the pre-authorized tab.
Method B: Tab Creation with Items in Cart
Add initial items to the cart.
Tap Add Pre-Auth and read the card.
If the cart total is less than the Revenue Center default, the default amount is authorized.
If the cart total exceeds the default, the full cart total is authorized.
Tap Create Tab and assign a name.
Method C: Adding Pre-Authorization to an Existing Open Tab
Open the Orders / Tabs list and select an existing tab without a pre-authorization.
On the checkout screen, tap Add Pre-Auth.
Dip, swipe, or tap the customer's card. The system authorizes either the Revenue Center default amount or the current tab total—whichever is greater.
3. Managing Pre-Authorizations During Service
Automatic Increases
As new items are added to a pre-authorized tab, the system checks whether the new tab total exceeds the current hold. If it does, the pre-authorized amount automatically increases (factoring in your configured Minimum Increase limit).
Important: If an automatic increase fails (e.g., insufficient funds or card block), the new items will not be added to the tab. Staff must either swap to a new payment card or bypass the increase using manager permissions.
Overriding Auto-Increments (Adjust Pre-Auth Permission)
Employees assigned the Adjust Pre-Auth role permission can manually bypass pre-auth increases when adding items or changing item quantities:
When adding items to a pre-authorized tab, a toggle labeled Auto-increase pre-authorization amount will appear (enabled by default).
Switch the toggle Off.
Enter a manager PIN code to confirm. Items will be added to the tab without increasing the card hold.
Changing the Pre-Authorized Card
If a card declines during an increase or the customer requests to switch payment methods:
Open the tab details screen.
Tap the Three Dots (...) menu next to the active pre-authorization and select Change Card.
Dip, swipe, or tap the new card on the reader.
Upon confirmation, the new card is pre-authorized, and the hold on the previous card is automatically released.
Cancelling a Pre-Authorization
Tap the Three Dots (...) menu on the pre-authorization banner.
Select Cancel Pre-Auth.
Confirm the action. All held funds are immediately released back to the customer's bank card.
Note: Permission to cancel pre-authorizations can be restricted separately for Assigned vs. Unassigned tabs within Employee Roles.
4. Closing Out and Processing Final Payment
When a customer is ready to settle their bill, the pre-authorized card is saved as a ready payment method:
Open the tab and tap Checkout.
Select or enter the final payment amount.
On the payment method selection screen, tap Saved Bank Card.
Select a tip amount and complete the order.
Split Payments & Partial Usage
Using Less Than the Authorized Amount: If the final tab total (or selected split payment amount) is lower than the pre-authorized limit, the system charges the exact specified amount and automatically releases the remaining balance.
Paying with Alternative Methods: If a tab with an active pre-authorization is paid entirely in cash or via a different card, the original pre-authorization is automatically cancelled upon tab closure.
Exceeding the Pre-Authorized Balance: If the payment amount requested exceeds the current pre-authorized hold, the Saved Bank Card button will be greyed out until the pre-authorization amount is manually increased or the payment amount is adjusted.