How to Test EBT Transactions After POS Integration

Imagine a busy weekend night. You can see lines out of your store, and a substantial number of transactions at the checkout. But suddenly, in the blink of an eye, all the EBT swipes crashed. The scenario is enough to have a nightmare. You can save yourself from this nightmare happening in real life simply by testing and getting approved. 

To adhere to the strict USDA rules, you need real-time benefit checks, PINs, and split payments. A lack of thorough testing could lead to lost sales and a heavy fine. Although it might sound like a great task, the steps are easy. By following the process below, you can ensure a thorough, bulletproof test and avoid the intricacies of fines and lost sales.

Step 1: Collect the Vitals

To begin, set up a test environment that mirrors your production environment. Plan for 2-4 weeks. After this, the first step involves connecting with your processor for:

• Testing PINS and EBT cards
• Getting access to your processor’s test environment
• Collecting compliance checklist.

Once you contact your processor and collect the above-mentioned information, jot it down in a spreadsheet.

Step 2: Prepare the Environment

The first step in setting up the environment is to connect a test terminal to your processor’s test system. The second step involves enabling EBT mode, followed by setting limits and logging transaction messages.

After configuring, run a quick EBT setup check. This could include swiping a test card, entering a PIN, or running a simple $10 sale. This is to confirm that the primary connection is being set up properly and that the flow will operate without errors or collapse.

Step 3: Run the Quintessence Functional Tests

This step involves testing the regular everyday things that will work. For the best result, try to pull over 100 rapid tries, keeping in mind-

Authorization:

• You may try a purchase of a full food stamp (SNAP) of say $50 household essentials. This will deduct money from the card balance
• Then request a cash withdrawal (TANF) to ensure sufficient funds are available.
• Try to cover a varied range of amounts. Don’t just stick to one range and test amounts ranging from small to big, including $0

Check PIN Flow:

• If the PIN is good, the sale must happen
• Make sure it carries out tasks smoothly in case of a patchy internet connection or an abrupt drop in connection

Partial Authorization:

If the basket includes mixed household essentials, EBT will pay for the eligible items, and the remaining balance must be paid in cash or by credit card.

Step 4: Look for Unwanted Scenarios and Errors

This step involves testing the errors usually faced in real life, like card decline, mixed payment, etc. In this step, check for these daily life errors and the required action

• Declining Card- This might happen due to a lack of sufficient money, an expired card, or simply because of an incorrect store ID.
• Patchy Internet- If the internet connection is unstable, the transaction should be cancelled and shouldn’t be charged more than once.
• At the end of each day, check for refunds and cancel work immediately as EBT funds are returned to beneficiaries.
• Mixed payment: this situation may arise when both EBT and a credit card are used at the same time.

Run the probable and most often faced errors multiple times and take note of the message delivered during an error.

Step 5: Test the Quality of Performance

Don’t forget to run a quality check. This will ensure hassle-free, error-free execution even on busy days such as holidays or weekends. Assume approximately 100-150 people are present at once, and ensure execution is completed within 5 seconds with no glitches.

Step 6: Run the Security Check

This step is important to safeguard privacy. Some tests, including the hack-proof test, will help to maintain secure execution. A few things that could be considered include

• Running a hack-proof test to identify weak spots that could be suitable for hackers to use
• Ensure the correct reading of the chip cards
• Incorporate a hide PIN feature so that the data travels tamper-free, safely, and with encryption

After running the security check, have it approved by an expert to ensure extra caution and avoid future discrepancies.

Step 7: Carry Out User Testing

At this step, store employees should be required to use it as real customers would.  By doing this, you can address issues that may arise during real transactions.

Step 8:   Prepare for Going Live

This is the final step in integrating EBT into your POS system. It is similar to obtaining a driver’s license. You need to provide evidence that you have practiced effectively to develop the skill. It is the same scenario here as well. Once you have completed all the steps above, obtain official approval by submitting the performance report, test logs, results, and supporting evidence (e.g., screenshots of successful transactions or proof that an error was fixed) to the EBT processor or gateway provider. It could also include your state’s EBT administrator.

The approval typically takes 1-2 weeks. They review the documents to ensure your POS complies with USDA regulations and that there are no major defects or security issues. Once all these are done, they approve you by giving you a “greenlight,” which means you are official.

Obtaining a license is a must and one of the most crucial steps in processing real EBT. Don’t let your effort go to waste by skipping this vital step. It will not only help you dodge massive USDA fines but also help you snag 15-20% more business from underserved shoppers. Therefore, be smart and do the right thing to elevate your store. Before hitting “go live,” make sure you adhere to all that is being mentioned here!