Initiate transactions

Process MOTO transactions for new and returning customers.

Overview

The Virtual Terminal provides an intuitive two-section interface for processing Mail Order/Telephone Order (MOTO) transactions. The left section handles customer and order information, while the right section manages payment details. This guide walks you through each field and explains how to efficiently populate transaction information.

Step 1: Access the Virtual Terminal

To start processing transactions:

In to the Unity Portal, go to Virtual Terminal.
If you have access to multiple sites, use the selector in the top-right to choose one.

You'll see the Virtual Terminal interface with the Order info form on the left and the Payment section on the right.

Step 2: Enter the customer's information

Enter the Customer ID:
- For existing customers, start typing the customer's ID and select it from the search results. THeir customer details are automatically populated. You'll also see a Last transaction field in the bottom left, which displays the amount, currency, date, and time of their most recent transaction.
- For new customers, switch the New customer toggle on. The customer ID field is automatically populated, but you can manually enter a custom ID if your business uses specific customer numbering.
Complete or edit the customer's information if it needs updating:
- Customer name: The customer's full name as it appears on their billing information.
- Street: The customer's billing street address. Include any apartment or unit numbers if applicable.
- Postal code: The customer's billing postal code or ZIP code.
- City/State: The customer's city and state or province.
- Country code: The customer's country. This field uses ISO country codes for international address support.

If AVS is enabled for your site, ensure that the billing address information matches the customer's card issuer records to avoid verification failures.

Step 3: Enter the order details

Enter the Amount using decimal notation.
Select the Currency from the drop-down menu. Only currencies supported by your site configuration appear in the list.
Select the transaction Intent from the drop-down. This defaults to Purchase for immediate payment capture. Choose Authorisation or Estimated authorisation to reserve funds for manual capture later.
Optionally, edit the Description field. This field pre-populates with the default description set for your site, but you can modify it for specific orders. Make sure to use clear, recognisable descriptions for easier transaction reference.
Enter or generate a Merchant transaction Id field. This is used to track the transaction in the Unity Portal's reporting system.

Step 4: Review the order summary

Before selecting a payment method, verify the order summary displays:

The customer's name and billing address.
The total transaction amount with the correct currency.

Step 5: Complete the payment

You have two options for payment: you can use a saved card or enter new card details.

If the customer has saved cards from previous transactions:

In the Select your card section, you'll see all previously saved cards.
Each saved card displays two icons:
- Edit icon: Click to update the card's expiry date or billing information.
- Delete icon: Click to remove the card from storage. A confirmation prompt appears before deletion.
Click on the card you want to use for this transaction.
Click Pay to process the transaction. A processing indicator appears while the transaction is being authorised. If AVS is enabled, address verification occurs automatically during authorisation.

Once your transaction completes, a receipt modal is displayed.

From this modal, you can:

Take another payment: Choose this to take another payment from the same customer. All customer details will be pre-populated for you, but the transaction details will be cleared.
New transaction: Choose this to take a new payment from another customer. The form will be fully cleared.
Download PDF: Choose this to download a PDF copy of the receipt to your device's default download location. The filename includes the transaction reference number for easy identification.

Learn more about receipts and transaction details.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Next steps
Transaction declined	If a transaction is declined: The receipt modal displays the decline reason from the payment gateway. Common reasons include insufficient funds, invalid card, or AVS mismatch. Discuss the decline reason with the customer. Correct any errors (e.g., wrong expiry date or address) and retry. Consider using an alternative payment method if the issue persists.
Validation errors	If you see validation errors: Read the error message for specific guidance on the issue. Correct the highlighted field (indicated in red or with error text). Common errors include expired cards, invalid postal codes, or missing required fields. All fields must pass validation before the Pay button activates.
AVS failure	If AVS verification fails but transaction is approved: The receipt modal shows AVS results. Review your business policy on accepting transactions with AVS mismatches. Consider contacting the customer to verify their billing address. Some partial matches may be acceptable depending on your fraud risk tolerance.
Receipt modal doesn't appear	If the receipt modal doesn't appear: Check for pop-up blockers. Access the transaction via the Unity Portal's reporting using the reference number.
PDF download fails	If the PDF download fails: Check your browser's download permissions and storage space. Try again or use the reporting system's export function.