What Is Offline Processing?

Processing a credit card payment requires an internet connection to verify cardholder information, receive an authorization, and complete the transaction. Without a connection, none of those steps are possible. But if your point of sale system has an offline processing mode, you can continue taking payments without being connected to the internet.

When You May Need to Use Your POS System’s Offline Mode

There are common reasons your business may need to take advantage of offline mode, including:

How Reliable and Safe Are Offline Credit Card Transactions?

It’s important to note that offline processing is reliable and safe, but not risk-free. You may lose inventory and money if transactions are ultimately declined when your internet connection is restored. The good news is with a point of sale system like Exatouch^®, you can set limits on the number of transactions and the total dollar amount you process offline. Determine the parameters you’re comfortable with and preset those amounts to ensure they’re ready in the event your business needs to switch quickly to offline processing.

In terms of data safety, Exatouch users can rest assured their cardholders’ sensitive information is protected through encryption whether the POS is in offline processing mode or connected to the internet.

Benefits of a POS with Offline Processing

Exatouch Point of Sale’s offline processing mode enables you to:

• Take credit card payments when your internet connection fails
• Continue accessing the hardware you need to do business, including your cash drawer, barcode scanner, and receipt printer
• Give patrons a uniform customer experience, allowing them to use their preferred method of payment
• Automatically sync transaction data once connectivity is restored—there’s no need to manually update inventory or add purchase histories to your customer database later

Plus, the system checks for internet access while POS stations are in offline mode once every minute until access is restored. You’ll even see a red banner that indicates when you’re in offline processing mode to ensure there’s no confusion. When a check restores internet access, the system returns to online processing of credit card transactions automatically.

Additionally, Exatouch offers expanded settlement options when closing a batch, including an Offline Sales Report that details which transactions were approved, declined, or failed.

Watch this video to see how offline processing works in Exatouch POS: