• “What is an authorization, and why would I use one instead of directly charging a card?”
  • “How do I capture or void an existing authorization?”
  • “Do authorizations expire?”

Resolution Steps

  1. Understanding Authorizations
    An authorization is a hold placed on a card to verify that it can cover a specified amount. It doesn’t immediately charge the card, but ensures funds are available.
    1. For example, for a boat rental you might authorize $1,500 to cover a $500 rental plus a $1,000 damage deposit.
  2. Who Can Use It
    Any operator using Molo Express payment processing. To access discounted card processing rates, you’ll want to use a Molo Express desktop reader. 
  3. How to Take an Authorization
    1. Go to Contact & Vessels → Contacts → Select a contact → Actions and choose Authorize Card.
    2. Enter the amount to authorize and press OK. 
    3. You’ll be prompted to:
      • Use the Molo Terminal (desktop reader) — for in-person authorization, often with lower rates. 
      • Key-enter card details for Molo Express.
  4. How to Void or Capture an Authorization
    Go to Contact → Authorizations to see a list of authorizations:
    • Void — Cancels the hold immediately. The pending transaction will clear (usually within 1–3 business days).
    • Capture — Turns the authorization into a real payment which can be applied to invoices or left on the customer account. 
  5. Expiration of Authorizations
    Authorizations expire 7 days after being created. Once expired, they cannot be captured and will be automatically voided by the system. Note: some card issuers or countries may have shorter expiration windows. Attempting to capture an expired authorization will trigger a warning.
  6. Automatic Card Storage
    In many cases, if you swipe or chip a card (magnetic stripe or chip), Molo will automatically store the card on file (unless it’s marked as a walk-in contact). However, when a card is used via contactless, automatic storage may not be supported. 

Verification: Client understands how to take authorizations for boat rentals.