Elavon • Article • U.S. Payment Smart (August 2025)
2 min. Read

Now more than ever, payments ecosystems are built on WiFi connections, so what happens when you unexpectedly find yourself with a spotty WiFi connection? Without an alternative, your ability to accept payments could grind to a halt. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Here are some options to keep in your back pocket when a network connection or gateway is inaccessible.

Option 1: Voice authorization

When online authorization isn’t possible, voice authorization can be a backup. Every customer receives information in their welcome kit about how to call our voice authorization line to obtain an authorization code, or you can call the customer service number listed on your monthly billing statement and they can connect you to the right support team.

When you call, if the transaction is approved by the card issuer, Elavon will provide an authorization code over the phone to key into your payment terminal once you’re back online.

However, please take extra care when entering the authorization code and transaction information into the payment terminal – a process known as “force posting.” Mistakes are common when data is manually entered. For the transaction to settle, the authorization code keyed into the payment terminal must match a valid authorization code provided on the call.

Option 2: Deferred authorization processing

Elavon also supports “deferred authorization” processing—commonly referred to as store-and-forward, which allows you to safely store payment transaction data offline when connectivity to a network is unavailable. Once access is restored, the deferred requests must be submitted for online authorization.

While deferred authorization processing can be great in a pinch, it’s important to understand the risks and limitations. Store-and-forward is only available for payment terminals that support credit-based authorizations. And because deferred requests are not submitted for authorization at the time of purchase, they may be declined when transaction authorization is subsequently attempted.

The business is fully liable for the risk of failed authorization captures, chargebacks and disputes related to payments accepted offline. For this reason, deferred authorization processing may be a good option in situations where the product or service is not immediately available to the cardholder or where the transaction can be canceled or reversed if the authorization request is subsequently declined.

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