Blackpurl can automatically calculate and apply a percentage surcharge to a customer's transaction when they pay using specific payment methods — such as Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, an integrated payment processor, or Preferred Payment (if applicable). This article covers how to set up the surcharge and where it appears in Blackpurl.
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Three setup steps must be completed before the Payment Method Surcharge will automatically calculate for customers.
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A Control Account must be configured in your Accounting Integration so that surcharge revenue posts to the correct General Ledger account in your accounting package. See Control Accounts: Payment Method Surcharges for full instructions.
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To allow users to modify or override a surcharge at the time of payment, the Modify Payment Method Surcharge user permission must be enabled. See Modify Payment Method Surcharge Permission for details.
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To configure the surcharge percentage for each payment method:
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1. Go to System Settings > Settings & Controls > Payment Methods.
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2. Enable Automatic Payment Method Surcharge.
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3. For each applicable payment method — Integrated payment processor, Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, or Preferred Payment — enter the surcharge percentage to charge customers when they use that method on a customer order.
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4. Scroll down and click Apply Settings to save.
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For example, a dealership without an integrated payment processor could set a 1.25% surcharge on the Visa payment method. Any customer who pays by Visa on a customer order will automatically have the 1.25% surcharge added to their total.
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The automatic surcharge is calculated in three areas: Checkout, Deposit, and AR Payment. The examples below use a 1.25% Visa surcharge to illustrate how the surcharge appears in each area.
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When a user selects Visa as the payment method in Checkout, the surcharge calculates immediately. The checkout screen displays four values:
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Complete the checkout as normal by adding the payment and finalising the invoice.
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Tip: To override the surcharge, change the percentage at field B. To waive the surcharge entirely, set the percentage to 0%.
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When a user selects Visa as the payment method and enters a deposit amount, the surcharge calculates automatically. The Add Deposit dialog displays four values:
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Finalise the deposit as normal. The deposit will be available to apply at checkout when you are ready.
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Tip: To override the surcharge, change the percentage at field F. To waive the surcharge entirely, set the percentage to 0%.
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The surcharge also applies when a customer pays outstanding Charge on Account invoices using a payment method that has a surcharge configured. This is based on the AR Credit Payment Method feature.
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For example, if a customer selects Visa to pay their outstanding invoices, the surcharge calculates as soon as the payment method is chosen. The payment dialog displays four values:
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Complete the payment by clicking Receive Payment as normal.
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Tip: To override the surcharge, change the percentage at field J. To waive the surcharge entirely, set the percentage to 0%.
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When a refund is processed using a payment method that has a surcharge configured, Blackpurl will also calculate and refund the surcharge amount automatically.
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For example, if a customer requires a refund on a part and the dealership refunds via Mastercard — which has a 1.25% automatic surcharge — the surcharge will appear as a negative amount in the checkout refund screen and will be refunded along with the original payment amount.
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Users with the Modify Payment Method Surcharge permission can override the surcharge percentage at the time of refund, including setting it to 0% to waive the surcharge refund entirely.
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