Guest Payments Overview

HelloShift allows you to capture guest payments during contactless check-in, accept tips from guests, and sell amenities through your guest shop. This guide covers the payment features available and helps you choose the right payment provider for your property.

Payment Features

Requirements

To use guest payment features, you need:

• A HelloShift subscription that includes the Contactless Checkin plan

• An account with one of the supported payment providers (Stripe, Shift4, or Authorize.net)

Choosing a Payment Provider

HelloShift supports three payment processors. Only one can be active at a time for check-in deposits.

Recommendation: All three providers support check-in deposits, digital tipping, and guest shop card payments. Choose based on your existing merchant account relationship and setup preference.

Setup Guides

• Stripe Payment Setup - Self-service OAuth connection, supports all features including tips and shop

• Shift4 Payment Setup - Auth token-based connection for deposits, tips, and shop payments

• Authorize.net Payment Setup - API credentials connection for deposits, tips, and shop payments

Pre-Check-in Deposits

Capture deposits or authorize cards when guests complete their contactless check-in before arrival.

How It Works

1. Guest receives check-in link before arrival (via email or SMS)

2. During check-in, guest reaches the Payment step

3. Guest enters card details in a secure payment form

4. Card is authorized (funds held, not captured)

5. Guest completes check-in and receives confirmation

6. Hotel can capture or release the authorization later

Enabling Payment Step

1. Go to Admin > Settings > Checkin

2. Click the Checkin Steps tab

3. Enable Payment step

4. Optionally enable Allow skipping if payment is optional

Deposit Amounts

• From PMS: Deposit amounts are pulled from your PMS room rates when available

• Site-level override: You can set a default incidentals deposit per room in Admin > Settings > Checkin

• No amount set: If no deposit is configured, the system collects card details only (for Stripe, this creates a SetupIntent)

Digital Tipping

Digital tipping works with all supported payment providers (Stripe, Shift4, and Authorize.net).

Allow guests to leave tips for staff during checkout or anytime via your guidebook.

How It Works

1. Guest receives checkout link or visits your guidebook

2. Clicks Tip Staff button

3. Selects amount ($5, $10, $25, or custom)

4. Optionally adds a message

5. Payment is processed immediately

Enabling Tips

1. Go to Admin > Settings > Checkin

2. Click the Guidebook tab

3. Enable Display Tip Button

Guest Shop

Sell amenities, room upgrades, and services to guests through your digital guidebook.

How It Works

1. Guest browses your shop from guidebook or checkout flow

2. Adds items to cart

3. Chooses payment method at checkout

4. Order is recorded and staff notified

Payment Options

Card payments for shop purchases work with all supported payment providers (Stripe, Shift4, and Authorize.net). Guests can also use Room Charge if your PMS supports it.

Enabling Shop

1. Go to Admin > Settings > Checkin

2. Click the Guidebook tab

3. Enable Display Shop Link

Payment Processing Details

Authorization vs Capture

For Deposits:

• HelloShift creates an authorization (hold) during check-in

• You can capture the funds later if charges apply

• Or release the hold if no charges apply

• Authorizations typically expire after 7 days if not captured

Currency

All payments are processed in USD.

Payment Methods

Currently supported:

• Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover)

• Debit cards

Security & PCI Compliance

All payment providers use secure, PCI-compliant methods to handle card data:

• Stripe: Stripe Elements embedded form

• Shift4: i4Go secure tokenization

• Authorize.net: Accept Hosted iframe

Card data never touches HelloShift servers - it goes directly to the payment provider.

Viewing Payments

In HelloShift

Payment information is stored with guest check-in data:

1. Go to Guest Directory

2. Click a guest's name

3. View Checkin tab to see payment status

Transaction details stored include:

• Transaction ID

• Authorization code

• Amount authorized

• Card last 4 digits

In Your Payment Provider

For detailed payment management (refunds, captures, disputes), log in to your payment provider's dashboard:

• Stripe: dashboard.stripe.com

• Shift4: Your Shift4 merchant portal

• Authorize.net: Authorize.net Merchant Interface

Switching Payment Providers

You can only have one active payment provider for check-in deposits at a time. To switch:

1. Go to Admin > Integrations > Guest Payments

2. Click the tab for your new provider

3. Complete the connection steps

4. Click Activate [Provider]

The previous provider will be deactivated automatically. Connection credentials are preserved so you can switch back later without re-entering them.

Common Troubleshooting

Payment step not showing for guests

Possible Causes:

• Payment step disabled in Checkin settings

• No deposit amount set in PMS or site settings

• Payment provider not connected or not activated

Solutions:

• Enable payment step in Admin > Settings > Checkin > Checkin Steps

• Verify deposit is set on the reservation or configure site-level default

• Check provider connection in Admin > Integrations > Guest Payments

Card declined

Possible Causes:

• Insufficient funds

• Card expired or blocked

• Bank fraud protection triggered

Solutions:

• Guest should try a different card

• Guest should contact their bank

• Check your payment provider's dashboard for detailed error codes

Tips not processing

Possible Causes:

• Payment provider not connected or not activated

• Tip button disabled in Guidebook settings

• Stripe not connected

Solutions:

• Verify your payment provider is connected in Admin > Integrations > Guest Payments

• Enable tip button in Admin > Settings > Checkin > Guidebook

• Verify Stripe connection status

Shop not showing card payment option

Possible Causes:

• Payment provider not connected or not activated

• Stripe not connected

Solutions:

• Verify your payment provider is connected in Admin > Integrations > Guest Payments

• Use Room Charge option instead (if PMS supports it)

For provider-specific troubleshooting, see the individual setup guides.

Related Articles

• Stripe Payment Setup

• Shift4 Payment Setup

• Authorize.net Payment Setup

• Digital Tipping

• Shopping Feature

• Contactless Check-in Setup