Glossary of terms
3D Secure
Commonly used security when paying online by card. In addition to entering the card data, the customer must perform a second confirmation step, usually using an SMS code, a token or confirm the payment in their mobile banking application. Information about the payment transaction is transmitted directly to the bank in the HTTPS protocol, the client's data is encrypted.
Accounting system
An accounting system is a program that helps traders keep their accouning. The payment gateway and Comgate terminals are connected to all common accounting systems, transactions are imported into them simply with one click, or using statements in ABO format.
Activation
Activation of the Comgate payment gateway is free and takes place in three steps:
1) The conclusion of the contract takes place exclusively online, clients do not need to go to a branch for it. An electronic copy of the documents is sufficient.
2) The connection of the e-shop takes place either using a ready-made plugin based on cooperation with more than 100 e-shop platforms and web developers. E-shop operators with their own solution connect the gateway using the instructions in the API documentation.
3) Approval from the card associations precedes real operation of the payment gateway. They will undergo a final verification and the gate can be started.
AML Act
The law that imposes an obligation on financial institutions to participate in the fight against money laundering. Entities concerned must, among other things, identify clients and their transactions, refuse to carry out a suspicious transaction and report it to the relevant institution, maintain confidentiality about the measures taken, etc.
API
Application Programming Interface is an interface for programming applications. With the help of API protocols, which are available on the support portal, it is possible to solve the connection of the payment gateway to the e-shop interface. It serves for merchants who do not use a commercial platform, but run their business on their own solution.
Apple Pay
A payment method that allows customers to easily pay using a card stored in Apple Wallet. It works on Apple devices with the Safari browser that use Touch ID or Face ID. Details are available in the support portal.
Bank transfer
Transfer of funds between bank accounts. It can be done at the payment gateway using the bank button, PSD2 payment, QR payment or by copying the relevant data into the internet banking environment. With an online bank transfer, the transferred transaction is confirmed instantly, with a standard bank transfer within a few days.
Billing
Customer payments are transferred to the e-shop account every weekday after deducting transaction fees in one aggregate amount. The daily statement includes a breakdown of transactions in three formats (CSV, ABO and PDF). All daily statements can be downloaded in the client portal, and it is also possible to download them using the API.
A monthly statement for the previous month is generated every 6th day of the month. It is available in the Client Portal and contains an overview of all daily transfers to the merchant's bank account and an overview of daily statements for the given month.
Card remembering
A payment gateway function that saves the customer from re-entering card data with each subsequent purchase in the same e-shop. From the merchant's point of view, it is appropriate to offer this option if the customer makes regular purchases in their store. The card memorization function is available on request, the storage of card data is subject to the requirements of the VISA and Mastercard card associations.
Client portal
A customer web portal where merchants can view all transactions that were made on the payment gateway or payment terminal in a given period, verify the payment status, trace the bill, analyze the data and export it to CSV format, manage users who can see different types of information about your store, or do technical settings. Instructions for using the client portal are available in the support portal.
Total function/subtotal
The total is carried out at the payment terminal at the end of the working day to check the actual status of the transactions made. After its execution, it will be reset and every other transaction will be reflected in the new period. A subtotal is also used to verify the total of transactions. It prints the transactions since the last closing. The difference between a subtotal and a total is that there is no reset during the subtotal, and thus any number of subtotals can be performed between two totals.
Comgate support
A portal where merchants and customers can find detailed information and instructions for all Comgate products and services.
Cash register system
Comgate Support FB group
A Facebook group for traders, customers, programmers, accountants or people interested in fintech. It is used for discussion, passing on tips and advice regarding not only Comgate products and services.
Credit card
The card, which is used for non-cash payments, is issued by banks to individuals and legal entities. The Comgate payment gateway and payment terminal accept consumer and business VISA, VISA Electron, Mastercard and Maestro cards. Card payment is the most common payment method in e-shops, the transaction fees for it differ depending on whether it is a consumer or business card, or whether it was issued in the EU or outside the EU. Their amount is governed by the tariff of the payment gateway and payment terminals.
Currency
It determines the value of money in different markets. Comgate payment gateway supports 9 different currencies – CZK, EUR, PLN, HUF, USD, GBP, RON, NOK and SEK and is available in 14 languages. The Comgate payment terminal accepts payments in CZK and EUR.
CVV/CVC code
Three-digit numerical code used to authorize online payments by payment card. CVC (Card Verification Code) is used by Mastercard and Maestro cards, CVV (Card Verification Value) by VISA cards. The triple number is not embossed on the card so that it cannot be printed on receipts.
Deferred payments
Payment method also referred to as BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later). It allows buyers to pay for goods in up to several (e.g. 30 days) without any interest. Deferred payment is integrated directly into the payment gateway Comgate in cooperation with providers Twisto, Skip Pay and Raiffeisenbank.
E-shop platform
The technical platform on which the e-shop is built. There are many types of platforms - commercial, open-source and individual solutions to which the payment gateway interface must be connected. The Comgate payment gateway supports more than a hundred platforms, instructions are available on the support pages for commercial ones, we have a list of plugins for open-source variants and an API protocol for your own solution.
Edenred
A company focused on employee benefits such as meal vouchers supported by the Comgate payment terminal. To activate, you need to negotiate terms and conditions and conclude a contract directly with the meal voucher company.
GDPR
General Data Protection Regulation (General Data Protection Regulation) – a legal framework that protects EU citizens from unauthorized handling of their data, including personal data. Comgate's information on the processing of personal data can be found here (CZ).
Google Pay
An electronic payment system from Google that makes it easier to pay with a stored card. Its data is in the Google Wallet application on phones or tablets with the Android operating system or on a computer in the Chrome browser to which the user is logged in. Google Pay can then be used for contactless (NFC) payment at terminals and online at the payment gateway.
Chargeback
Returning funds deducted during a card transaction back to the payer. A chargeback is carried out whenever the payer denies that he has issued an instruction to pay with a payment card or advertises the delivery of goods or services. It does not take place on the initiative of the merchant, but on the basis of an initiative from the payer.
Inline payment gateway
Displaying the payment gateway in a pop-up window above the e-shop page is possible thanks to iFrame. The advantage of this function is that the customer does not leave the e-shop during the entire payment process. This display of the payment gateway is only possible for card payments, for other payment methods the customer is redirected to a new page with the payment gateway. Details for the technical implementation of the solution are available in the API documentation.
Interchange++
Payment gateway tariff regime under Regulation EU 2015/751 of the European Parliament and of the Council, sometimes called as MIF++ or IF++. The amount of transaction fees is calculated in it from three parts. The first is the interchange fee for the bank that issued the card. For cards issued to consumers in the EU, its amount is regulated at 0.2% for debit cards and 0.3% for credit cards. There is no set amount for other types of cards. The second part is referred as the scheme fee and it is a fee for the Mastercard and VISA card companies. The third part of the fee belongs to the provider of the payment gateway – the so-called acquirer fee covers the costs of operating the gateway and third-party services.
kevin.
A startup that simplifies payments while keeping them secure. Thanks to the connection of kevin with the bank, the customer does not have to enter the card number, they only approve that the bank provides an interface for indirectly establishing a payment order and for providing account information. The service is easier for the buyer and cheaper for the merchant in terms of transaction fees than card payments, it uses the European Parliament and Council Directive (EU) 2015/2366 (PSD2).
Mastercard
A company that mediates card payments between issuing banks and merchant banks. Its cards are accepted by the payment gateway and Comgate payment terminals.
Meal voucher cards
The Comgate payment terminal can also accept electronic meal vouchers. To activate them, the first step is to contact the relevant issuer, negotiate terms and conditions and conclude a contract. The terminal supports Benefit Plus, Chèque Déjeuner (UP), Edenred – Ticket Restaurant, Gusto Karta, Naše Stravenka by Lidl and Sodexo.
NFC payment
Payment at a payment terminal using NFC (Near Field Communication) technology. It is known also as contactless payment. It allows you to make a payment with a payment card, mobile phone or smart watch just by approaching the terminal reader. This creates an electromagnetic field, thanks to which the devices transmit data to each other. Payment is made on mobile phones and smart watches with cards loaded in applications such as Google Pay or Apple Pay.
Payment cancellation
Payment cancellation is a function of the payment gateway and payment terminal. It is used in cases when, for example, the client in the e-shop cancels the order, the customer who paid by card at the terminal changes his mind about the purchase, or the terminal operator enters a wrong payment amount. In order to successfully cancel a payment at the gateway, its status must be "pending". A payment that has already been made can only be returned by refund. It is possible to cancel the last successfully executed transaction on the terminal.
Payment expiration
It is basically set to 7 days on the payment gateway. It is the time for which the payment link is active. During it, the customer has the option to complete the payment, possibly even with a change of payment method. The standard length of payment expiration can be changed in the client portal, the minimum is 30 minutes, the maximum is 7 days. Due to standard bank transfers, we recommend allowing at least 3 days.
Dynamic payment expiration, which can be selected in the client portal, changes the expiration time according to the payment method used - for example, 30 minutes for card payments, 2 hours for bank transfer.
The longer the expiration, the more time the client has to complete the payment - even if, for example, they discover that they do not have their card with them. A shorter expiration is useful for a faster turnover of goods in the e-shop, because an order that the client might have changed their mind does not remain reserved for an unnecessarily long time.
Payment gateway
A solution that allows online merchants to accept payments using various payment methods. It offers customers and e-shop operators a high level of comfort and payment security. You can find more about the functions, integration, administration and usage of the Comgate payment gateway on the support pages.
Payment in three installments
A payment method that allows e-shop customers to pay only a third of the price when purchasing goods, and to pay the other two thirds without an increase in two monthly installments. The method is integrated directly into the Comgate payment gateway interface in cooperation with Twisto and Skip Pay providers.
Payment institution
Czech National Bank license on which basis Comgate provides its services. It is valid throughout the EU without limitation of payment volumes. Based on it, Comgate is subject to CNB supervision and meets strict criteria for handling payment data.
Payment link
A link for a payment completion that the merchant can generate and send to the customer who placed the order, for example by e-mail, by phone, in chat or in another way outside the e-shop. It can also be used when you need to modify an already entered order. The payment link can be generated in your client portal.
Payment methods
The ways in which the customer can make a payment at the payment gateway. The Comgate payment gateway offers a wide range of payment methods - card payments, bank transfers, Apple Pay, Google Pay, deferred payments or payments in three installments with no increase.
Payment restart
Repeating a payment that the customer failed to complete the first time helps to increase the payment completion ratio. In such a case, the payment gateway will automatically invite the buyer to make a new payment attempt and offer the choice of a different payment card or a different payment method.
Payment terminal
Sometimes called as POS (Point Of Sale). An electronic device that allows you to accept card payments in brick-and-mortar establishments. Comgate payment terminals support contactless and classic payments with VISA and Mastercard cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay, and also accept electronic meal voucher cards. The terminals have a touch screen, they run the Android operating system. They are portable and connected to the Internet using mobile data or WiFi.
Payment urgency
The merchant can remind the customer of an order that has not yet been paid using the payment link that they generate in the client portal.
PCI DSS
A set of security requirements and rules that limit the risks of data leakage of payment card holders and card fraud. Their fulfillment is required by the VISA and Mastercard card associations and applies internationally to organizations that transfer or store data on payment card holders and card transactions. Comgate has been certified with PCI DSS Level I since 2020.
Pre-authorization
Temporary blocking of funds on the account of the payment card holder, which can be used, for example, for the purpose of reserving goods and services or in case the final amount of the transaction is not known in advance. The maximum blocking period is 7 days, based on the instructions of the e-shop it is possible to complete it or cancel it.
PSD2
Directive (EU) 2015/2366 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Payment Services Directive) follows the previous directive from 2007. The directive aims to improve payment services, support innovation in the payment sector and help banking institutions to introduce new technologies. On the basis of this directive, a new standard for online payments by transfer from between bank accounts is created, which has been called PSD2 payments for short.
QR payment
A payment method where the buyer reads a QR code in the mobile banking interface to pre-fill the data of a bank transfer. It is useful, for example, if the customer has the payment gateway open on the computer screen and wants to use a mobile phone for the payment.
Recurring payments
Recurring payments allow money to be automatically deducted from the customer's account after he authorizes the first payment at the payment gateway and consents to further transactions. They are paid from a payment card, the merchant has the option to choose their amount and interval. They are used, for example, to pay for subscriptions, web hosting, etc. The customers familiarize themselves with the conditions before making the payment, and when they agree to them,they are redirected to the card payment gateway. They fill in the necessary data for the first time, further payments are made within the agreed time without the need for their further action. From the merchant's point of view, the feature is available on request, requires Risk Management approval and minor changes in integration and compliance with the requirements of the VISA and Mastercard card associations. You can find the exact instructions on the support pages.
Refunds
Refund of the amount paid to the customer in full or in part. It is used, for example, in a situation where the customer returns goods or services within a fourteen-day period, when compensating for undelivered goods, returning an advance payment, etc. The Comgate payment gateway allows refunding of payments made by all payment methods and in all currencies.
Restricted businesses
List of businesses in which card payment is prohibited. The list is based on the rules of the VISA and Mastercard card associations.
Return
A function of the payment terminal that allows a partial or full refund to the customer. It is used when the original payment was made earlier in the past. The Return function is available on request and is protected by a PIN code.
Risk segmentation
Risk segmentation is that kind of business for which card payments are not prohibited, but requires a special approach and is subject to other than standard business conditions. Payment services are subject to regulation by the CNB, the Ministry of Finance and the rules of the VISA and Mastercard card associations.
Sodexo
A French company that, through its subsidiary Sodexo Pass CR, provides gift vouchers and employee benefits such as meal vouchers. It is supported by the Comgate payment terminal. To activate, you need to negotiate terms and conditions and conclude a contract directly with the meal voucher company.
Tip
A payment terminal feature that allows the customer to tip the merchant by increasing the total amount of the purchase. The feature is activated by Comgate support upon request.
Terminal installation
Payment terminals with a touch screen do not require any technical work. The terminal is delivered to the merchant by a courier, and then it is only necessary to connect it to the Internet using WiFi or by inserting a data SIM card - similar to a phone or tablet with the Android operating system.
Transaction fee
A fee that is deducted from each transaction at the payment gateway and payment terminal. It covers the costs of operating the gate, or terminal, also includes fees for VISA and Mastercard card associations and fees for the bank that issued the card. It can consist of a fixed and a percentage part, its amount varies for individual payment methods and according to the turnover of the store and is based on the tariff of the payment gateway and the tariff of payment terminals.
Variable symbol
A unique number used to identify individual payments in accounting. It can be entered manually for each payment at the payment terminal. On the payment gateway, the variable symbol is part of the data transmitted from the e-shop when the payment is made.
VISA
A company that mediates card payments between issuing banks and merchant banks. Its cards are accepted by the payment gateway and Comgate payment terminals.
