Setup Instructions

1. Purchase a magnetic stripe reader that is configured from the factory to work in keyboard emulation mode + SureSwipe mode. To see whether it is working correctly, open a program such as Notepad or TextEdit. Plug in the card reader and swipe a card. If you see text all on one line, and the cursor moves to the next line, it should be working correctly. Now delete the text.
2. If you are using a MagTek device, the mode can be changed at this page: http://www.magtek.com/support/mode/, or within Copper, you can go to Options -> Credit Card Gateways and click Configure to set up the device.
3. Set up a "Card Present" account with a credit card gateway provider. For instance, Authorize.net provides a free test account. Later on, after you are done testing, make sure you have a live account and that it is properly activated before you start selling to customers. Otherwise, you won't get paid for the items you sell. We recommend starting with a test account and testing it thoroughly, and then switching to a live account, and then running a few small "purchases" on your own credit card before opening it up to customers. You can check the purchase status online through the web page that your gateway service provides.
4. Get the latest credit card interfaces by opening Copper and going to Options -> Credit Card Gateways -> Check for Updates.
5. Enter your credentials after going to Options -> Credit Card Gateways and selecting a provider and clicking Options.
6. Run test transactions by entering items and clicking "Pay". Check the box indicating that you wish to "Charge Customer via Online Credit Card Gateway". Then click "Add Payment". With the cursor in the "Card Number" field, slide your card through the reader. It should process automatically.

Security Considerations

1. Whether you are using a card reader or entering card numbers manually, it is important to keep your machine clean and free of malware.
2. Please consider using a reputable antivirus program. At the same time, it's healthy not to go overboard because there are some phony security programs out there. We recommend choosing one of the well-known antivirus programs.
3. Please consider using Copper on a dedicated machine. Other activities such as unsupervised web browsing or opening email attachments could compromise the security of the machine. If this is not practical, consider making a list of activities, programs, or web sites that are needed for running the business, and then using the machine only for these purposes.
4. One way to tighten security is to set up a firewall to block all Internet traffic except a few selected sites such as the operating system update site and the credit card gateway. Usually, the credit card gateway URL can be found in the credit card setup page.
5. Please update the credit card components regularly within Copper. Even if a new version of Copper has been installed, it is a good idea to check for credit card updates.
6. If you see an unclear error message when making a credit card sale, please contact NCH support and/or check your merchant interface to see whether the transaction succeeded.
7. Please check bank statements regularly.