Activating Business Services

Before you can activate and begin using Business Services, you need to apply for a merchant account and for the services you require. Once your application is approved, you will be sent the information required to activate Business Services.

You need the merchant account to authorize and track transactions through the electronic payments network. In addition, you must also apply for at least one service, either credit card processing ( Merchant Account Service) or electronic payments ( Direct Deposit and Vendor Payments). If you initially opt for only one of these services, you can apply for the others later.

Specifying Business Services checking accounts

When you apply for the Merchant Account Service (credit card processing), you must select a checking account into which credit card issuers are to deposit receipts. When you are setting up Direct Deposit or Vendor Payments (together referred to as ‘electronic payments’), you must enter the bank routing information for the checking account from which electronic payments are to be withdrawn.

To apply for Business Services

1	Make sure you are connected to the Internet.

2	Open your software company file.

3	Go to the Setup menu and choose an option:

To apply for...	Choose...
Merchant Account Service	Credit Card Processing and then Learn About Credit Card Processing.
Direct Deposit	Electronic Payments and then Learn About Direct Deposit.
Vendor Payments	Electronic Payments and then Learn About Electronic Vendor Payments.

The overview page for the chosen service appears.

4	Click the Apply Now link.

5	Follow the on-screen application instructions.

When your application is approved, you will be sent a merchant ID, user name, and password required to activate your merchant account. If you applied for the Merchant Account Service, you will also receive a separate package of literature, signage, and other materials.

To activate Business Services

Make sure you have your merchant ID, user name, and password on hand.

1	Open your software company file.

2	Go to the Setup menu and choose an option from the table below:

To activate...	Choose...
Merchant Account Service	Credit Card Processing and then Set up Credit Card Processing.
Direct Deposit	Electronic Payments and then Set up Electronic Payments & Direct Deposit
Vendor Payments	Electronic Payments and then Set up Electronic Payments & Direct Deposit

The Business Services Setup window appears.

3	If you are setting up Merchant Account Service:

a	Select the Credit Card Processing of Customer Payments option.

b

If you want to start the authorization process as well as record the transaction when you click Record in the transaction windows [Enter Sales (New Order or New Invoice), Receive Payments, Receive Money, and Settle Returns & Credits windows], select the Send Credit Card Payments for Authorization Using the Record Button option.

note : Do not use the ‘Send Credit Card Payments for Authorization Using the Record Button’ preference if you use the Get Statement feature

If you use the Merchant Account Service and the Get Statement feature, we recommend that you don’t select the option to authorize a credit card payment using the Record button.

If an authorized transaction that has not been entered into your company file is included in the Unmatched Statement Transaction window, you could inadvertently, authorize the transaction when you click Record in this window.

c

If you want to record a log entry in the Reminder Log each time you authorize a credit card payment using the Merchant Account, select the Make Reminder Log Entries for Credit Card Payments option. (A log will be created only when you receive an authorization -- Authorization Code and Trace ID -- automatically over the Internet. If you manually authorize, by phone, for example, no log entry is made.)

The log entry will include the Authorization Code and the Trace ID for the credit card transaction. If you need to locate a credit card transaction, for example, in the case of a chargeback from the credit card company, having these numbers will help you track the transaction.

4	If you are setting up Direct Deposit and/or Vendor Payments:

a	Select the Direct Deposit and/or Vendor Payments option.

b	Select the account from which electronic payments are to be withdrawn—usually the checking account—in the Pay From Account field. This account will become the default in the Prepare Electronic Payments window.

c	If you want, select the Check for Online Error Notifications when AccountEdge is launched option.

5	Enter the Merchant ID, User Name, and password information you received when you subscribed to Business Services.

6

Click OK.

Related topics

■	Set up Business Services

■	Set up Vendor Payments and Direct Deposits