Card payment errors and what they mean

The bank said no: nothing was charged

Try another card, or take cash.

• Card declined. Try another card. The bank declined the card.
• The card's bank didn't answer. Try again. The card's bank was unavailable. The same card often works on the next try.
• This card can only cover part of the sale. Try another card or pay another way. The card can't cover the whole amount. Use another card, or take the total by more than one payment.

The terminal didn't start: nothing was charged

• The card reader has unfinished transactions. Settle its batch, then try again. Nothing was charged. The payment app refuses new cards until its batch is closed. It may also say "There are unfinished transactions". Close the batch in Reports > Batches > Close batch, then charge again.
• The card reader is still connecting. Try again in a moment. The payment app is still starting. Wait a few seconds and try again.
• This till has no card reader of its own. This device can't take cards. Take cash, or use a terminal with a reader.
• The till could not reach the card reader. Surge couldn't talk to the payment app. Close and reopen Surge, then try again.
• The card reader is unavailable. Please let someone know. The payment app isn't connected. Restart the terminal. If it keeps happening, contact support.
• Nothing was charged with a message under it. The sale couldn't start, often because the terminal is offline. Check the connection and try again, or take cash.

No answer: the card may have been charged

Don't run the card again until you've checked. The next card on this terminal shows Check before charging again first.

• We did not hear back from the card reader. This card may already have been charged — check the customer's statement, not just the batch, before trying again. The payment went to the bank and no answer came back.
• We did not hear back from the card reader. Please check with someone before trying again. The terminal timed out waiting for an answer.
• The card reader stopped before it finished. The payment was stopped on the terminal before a result came back.
• The card reader had a problem. Please let someone know. The payment app reported a fault.
• We couldn't confirm the card. The payment app couldn't confirm the result. Check the payment app's transactions on the terminal before charging again.
• The card was approved for only part of the amount, so this sale is not paid. Check the terminal before taking payment again. The card was approved for part of the amount, but the sale wasn't recorded as paid.
• A message ending in Check the terminal before trying again. The terminal stopped responding during the payment.

Other messages

• That payment was reversed. The payment was cancelled, so the sale isn't paid. Take payment again.
• Part paid is not an error. The card covered only part of the total. Tap Take the rest and take what's Still owed.