Authorisation devices are used to run authorisation operations or to cancel payment authorisations. They can also be used to authorise a client's promotion categories.

Authorisation devices can support preauthorisation, which tells the cashier the remaining balance on a client account before a payment is made. If the operating speed of the authorisation device and the communication channels can accommodate quick preauthorisations, it might be useful to set up automatic preauthorisation. In this case the client account balance will be checked automatically when entering the payment mode.

Authorisation devices in Tillypad XL can be represented by physical devices as well as by the programs that ensure the authorisation processes.

Like other devices used in the system, authorisation devices must be entered in the Devices directory. They must have device parameters, authorisation formats to be used, and authorisation voiding formats specified for them. If the device is used for payment authorisation, it must have a payment authorisation device parameter and a sales setting configured for it. If the device is used for promotion category authorisation, it must have a promotion category authorisation device parameter specified for it.

When you run the first authorisation operation on the device, its information is automatically added to the Authorisation devices directory. Each authorisation device described in the directory must belong to one of the authorisation device types described in the Authorisation device types directory.

A payment authorisation device connects to a network terminal (e.g. POS-terminals, tills). A terminal is then connected to a server, which allows real-time authorisations. The authorisation device reads the presented payment method’s information; either the payment process or a rejection of the payment method is initiated via the terminal, and the printing device produces a receipt in a predefined format.

You can specify successful authorisation and authorisation cancellation message formats for each authorisation device in the Devices directory.

The operations run on authorisation devices are recorded in the Authorisation operations log.