Manage credit card authorizations to secure guest payments. This article provides an overview of how authorizations work within Cloudbeds PMS. By understanding these authorization processes, you can effectively manage guest payments and minimize the risk of failed transactions.
Accessing Credit Card Details
Find the authorization option within a reservation's Credit Cards tab.
Authorizing a Credit Card
- When a new credit card is added to a reservation, you can authorize it to hold funds for the reservation amount.
- This authorization verifies the card's validity and reserves the funds, ensuring the payment can be captured later.
Capturing an Authorization
- Once the guest's stay is complete, or you are ready to collect payment, you can capture the authorized amount.
- This transfers the held funds from the guest's credit card to your account.
Voiding an Authorization
- You can void the authorization if a reservation is canceled or you need to release the funds you have held.
- This returns the reserved amount to the guest's credit card.
Authorization Expiration Periods
When you authorize a credit card to hold funds (for example, for a security deposit or incidental hold), the length of time that hold remains active depends on your region and the payment method used. Once an authorization expires, you will no longer be able to capture those funds, and the hold will be released back to the guest.
Please refer to the table below for the specific expiration windows for Cloudbeds Pay:
| Region / Method | Authorization Hold Duration |
|---|---|
| CBPay-Thailand | 5 Days |
| CBPay-Stripe Mexico | 7 Days |
| CBPay-Stripe (All other countries) | 30 Days |
Best Practice: If your guest is staying longer than your regional expiration period, we recommend re-authorizing the card before the current hold expires to ensure funds remain secured for the duration of their stay.
Important Considerations
- Incremental Authorizations: Cloudbeds PMS does not currently support incremental authorizations so that you can add them to an existing approval.
- Void and Reauthorize: If you need to change the authorized amount, you must void the existing authorization and create a new one for the updated total.
- Risk Management: When voiding and reauthorizing, be aware that the card may no longer have sufficient funds to cover the new amount. This could result in a failed authorization and loss of the previously held funds.
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Comments
Add the ability to authorize cards for a set amount for incidentals at check in for every guest depending on policy. Auto release the deposit after 24 hours.
Hello, Bhavik Patel,
Thank you for your feedback. Based on your comments, we have created a new idea on your behalf in the Cloudbeds Community. It is already open for other users to vote for and add comments.
Regards,
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