We are configuring our CiviCRM instance to work with iATS Payments. When setting up an iATS Payments Processor, there are a number of Payment Processor Types. Our initial configuration with WordPress 4.6.1 + CiviCRM 4.7.12 works with Payment Processor Type = "iATS Payments Credit Card". For live events, where we have a tablet handy we would like to set up contribution pages using Payment Processor Type = "iATS Payments SWIPE." Has anyone else done this? Also, iATS has two types of credit card swipers - a USB encrypted card reader, which appears to be what the processor is designed for click here, and another one which plugs into apple and android phone jacks, like the more popular Square card reader. If anyone is using iATS Payments SWIPE, what is your experience at live events? What is the hardware you use: laptop, tablet, phone, ...? and USB card reader or phone-jack reader?
1 Answer
We know that the SWIPE processor has been working for some time (at least a couple of years), but we don't have as many live installs using 4.7 or Wordpress, so do let us know how it works out. We have no reason to believe it won't work.
The key functionality of a card reader, aside from reading the card number off of the card's stripe, is to encrypt it, so your card reader would have to be compatible with one of the two expected encryption methods, which you can review at the function iatsSetCreditCardNumber in the js/swipe.js file. If you have one that isn't currently listed but works, then do let us know so we can update the documentation.
And finally - an unrelated word of warning that there are still some issues with contributions in the core CiviCRM 4.7 code. In general, most of the payment functionality is working well, but for example there was a regression in the latest release related to line items (it's not specific to iATS Payments).
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Thanks for those answers. Since we are setting up CiviCRM for the first time, and still haven't gone fully live to our list of 3,000+ members, I am somewhat concerned about your contribution comment for Civi 4.7.x. We have been taking care to keep everything updated and are now at Civi 4.7.14 and ready to go live. We needed to update from 4.7.12 because receipts had incorrect Membership total if both a Membership and optional Donation was made on our Signup / Renew page. What should we be careful with? Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 20:07
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And on the card reader specifically, what card reader do we get? iATS has two that they show at home.iatspayments.com. We wanted to use the smartphone mobile jack card reader. Are you saying that one has worked for a couple of years for you? The words on the iATS Payments extension made me think that only the USB version worked. Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 20:10
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Only tangentially related... As I'm learning more and more about CiviCRM, I keep running into notes about 4.6.x being the long-term stable release. Have I gone down the wrong road by "starting" a couple months ago with 4.7.10? Is there a way to go backwards or am I best just pressing on? And, sorry, I probably should open a new question. Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 21:00
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Membership+Donation will work as separate payments on 4.7.14; the iATS Extension uses a USB Card Reader [iATS has two options for that - you need to order it from them]; you can also use the Mobile swipe to deposit $ into your iATS Payments account - but there is no automated option yet to get those Contacts/Contributions automatically synced with your CiviCRM. Commented Dec 21, 2016 at 16:51
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Actually, Membership+Donation is now failing in a different way for SOME users. See my details at civicrm.stackexchange.com/a/16275/3675. We have tested this over and over with the Dummy payment processor. Commented Dec 21, 2016 at 18:04