Your team cannot type a customer's card details into Petboost. That is a Stripe and PCI security requirement, so every saved card is entered by the customer.
How a card gets saved
A card is saved in one of three ways, and in no other:
- In the pet owner app. The customer opens Wallet and selects Add Card. This uses a Stripe SetupIntent, which saves the card securely for future charges.
- While booking online. A customer who books through your booking page is asked to add a payment method, and that card is stored as their card on file. If Allow booking without card is on in Pricing & Payments, they can finish the booking without one.
- When they enrol in a membership. The membership signup flow saves the card with a Stripe SetupIntent for recurring billing.
Tip
To ask a customer for a card, text them a card request. The link opens the add-card form in the pet owner app.
Payment links do not save a card
A payment link opens a Stripe-hosted payment page for a set amount. When a customer pays by payment link:
- They enter their card on the Stripe-hosted checkout page.
- The payment is processed for that single transaction.
- The card is not saved to their profile, and their card status stays as it was.
For automatic charges later, the customer still needs to add a card in one of the three ways above.
Check a card and ask for a new one
Do this when a customer has no card, or their card has expired or expires this month.
- Open Customers & Pets and select Manage on the customer's pet.
- Open the Wallet tab. If it shows sub-tabs, choose Wallet Activity.
- Under Card on File, check the badge on the card.
- Select Text card request when no card is saved, or Text card update when the card has expired or expires this month.
The text carries a secure link that opens straight to the add-card form. Once it goes, the button disables and reads Request sent. The customer needs a mobile number on their profile. Without one, the tab reads Add a phone number on this customer to send a card request. and shows no button.
What each card badge means
The Card on File card on the Wallet tab shows one of these:
| What it shows | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Active | A valid card is saved and ready for charging. |
| Expiring Soon | The card expires within two months and can still be charged. In its expiry month, Text card update appears beside it, and Petboost emails the owner 30 and 7 days before the last day of that month (see below). |
| Expired | The card's expiry month has passed. The customer needs to update it, and Text card update appears beside it. |
| No card on file | No card is saved. The customer needs to add one, and Text card request appears. |
| Unknown | Petboost could not determine the card's status. Text card update appears beside it. |
Send the request from an appointment
Do this when you are already on the booking.
- Open the booking from Appointments.
- On the No card on file alert, select Send SMS.
The red No card badge on the booking holds the same request as Send request SMS, and Open Wallet, which opens the customer's Wallet tab.
Send the request from the Key Dates Calendar
Do this to catch the cards that expire soon across your whole customer list.
- Open Customers & Pets and open the gear menu beside Add New.
- Select Key Dates Calendar, with Card Expiries switched on.
- Select the day a card expires.
- Select Text card update beside the customer.
Card expiry emails
Petboost emails the pet owner 30 days and 7 days before the last day of the card's printed expiry month, when they have a future active appointment or a membership whose benefits are still usable.
The email is listed on Notifications under Card Expiry Reminders, as Email the customer: card expiry. Its switch is on and cannot be turned off. Your team can still select Text card update on the customer's Wallet tab or on a card-expiry day in the Key Dates Calendar.
Pre-authorisation
A pre-authorisation hold reserves the appointment total on the customer's card before the visit. Petboost places the hold on the card on file 72 hours before the appointment. If you cancel the appointment, or mark it as a no-show and charge the cancellation fee, Petboost takes the fee from the hold.
Turn on pre-authorisation holds
Do this when you want the total of each booking held on the card before the visit.
- Open Pricing & Payments.
- Under Card on file, switch on Pre-hold funds.
- Select Publish Changes, tick the box in Before You Publish, then select Publish Changes.
To hold funds for one service only, switch on Pre-hold funds on that service's Pricing & Payments tab. For one customer, use Pre-Hold Funds on their Booking Settings tab.
A pre-authorisation hold is not a deposit, and only one of them applies to a booking. A deposit charges the customer when they book. A hold charges nothing and reserves the funds instead. If a booking took a deposit, Petboost does not also hold the balance on top of it. Deposits are set on Pricing & Payments under Deposits, with a per-service override. See Deposits and pre-authorisation.
If the hold is declined, the appointment still goes ahead. Petboost texts the customer and tries again every 4 hours, up to 5 attempts, until the appointment starts.
Send a payment link instead
Do this when a customer without a card on file needs to pay for one appointment. They pay for that appointment without saving their card.
- Open the booking from Appointments.
- Under Payment Method, choose Secure Payment Link.
- Under Deliver Link By, choose SMS.
- Select the button that shows the amount and Send by SMS.
- Check the preview in Send Payment Link by SMS, then select Send Payment Link.
SMS uses one of your SMS credits. Email and Copy Link make the same link without sending an SMS.
