Point of Sale System Requirements
A point-of-sale (POS) system is a combination of hardware and software that enables businesses to process transactions efficiently. When selecting a payment solution, carefully evaluate the following factors to ensure compliance, security, and seamless integration with your unit's business operations.
Security and Compliance Requirements
- P2PE Validation. Any card-present transactions must use a PCI-validated Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE) solution. Merchants should verify the solution's current validation status according to the PCI Security Standards Council.
- EMV Compliance. Card-present solutions must be EMV-compliant to support chip card transactions and reduce fraud liability.
- Mobile Payment Support. Merchants should strongly consider solutions that accept mobile payments, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other contactless payment methods.
- PCI Compliance. Vendors must provide Merchant Card Services proof of PCI compliance, including a current Attestation of Compliance (AOC). A PCI responsibility matrix is also required to clarify compliance responsibilities.
- PIN Debit Transactions. Merchants planning to accept PIN debit transactions must coordinate with us to obtain the required debit key injection (needed to authenticate payment data on terminales), which is done at the merchant’s expense.
Payment Gateway and Processing Considerations
- Gateway Compatibility. Merchants should determine whether the payment solution requires a payment gateway and whether that their selected gateways operate exclusively on the TSYS Sierra platform.
- Supported Gateways. Some payment gateways that have already successfully integrated with TSYS include:
- Authorize.net
- CyberSource
- FreedomPay
- TrustCommerce
- TouchNet
- Unsupported solutions such as Stripe and PayPal are not compatible with TSYS integrations and should not be considered.
Merchant Responsibilities
- Contracts and Agreements. The merchant is responsible for establishing any necessary contracts or payment processing agreements with their selected provider.
- Equipment Purchase. Merchants must purchase the required card processing hardware and ensure that it meets compliance standards.
- Account Provisioning: Merchants should confirm account provisioning requirements with their payment processor and gateway provider to facilitate smooth onboarding and integration.
By carefully considering these factors, you can select a payment solution that aligns with your business needs while also ensuring security, compliance, and seamless transaction processing.