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Time-outs

Learn when a point of sale transaction will time out.

After you start a transaction, a time-out occurs automatically when either:

  • The issuer does not process a transaction soon enough. This is a processing time-out.
  • The payment terminal has been waiting for shopper interaction for too long. This is a device time-out.
  • A general request time-out occurs. The transaction may still continue on the payment terminal.

Processing time-out

When a shopper has verified a transaction on a terminal (for example, by entering a PIN or signature), the payment is sent for processing. If the issuer has not processed this transaction within 120 seconds (local integration) or 150 seconds (cloud integration), the Adyen payments platform automatically cancels the transaction.

When a processing time-out occurs:

  • Declined is shown on the terminal display.
  • You receive a payment result containing:
    • PaymentResponse.Response.Result: Failure
    • PaymentResponse.Response.ErrorCondition: Communication timeout

The example payment result below indicates the transaction was canceled due to a processing time-out.

When a transaction is canceled due to a processing time-out, you can retry the transaction using an alternative card or payment method.

If you do not receive either a payment result or a time-out after 120 seconds (local integration) or 150 seconds (cloud integration), your integration should automatically send a transaction status request to verify if the payment has been processed.

Device time-out

When a terminal is waiting for an interaction for too long, the transaction will time out. In most cases, this results in the transaction being canceled. In some cases, the terminal shows a different screen and the transaction continues. For example, when the tipping screen times out, the terminal shows a payment screen.

The next table shows:

  • The interaction that the terminal is waiting for.
  • Time-out (sec): how long the terminal waits for the interaction to happen before the transaction times out.
  • Configurable: whether the time-out duration is configurable. To configure a time-out duration, contact our Support Team.
Interaction Time-out (sec) Configurable
Insert, swipe, or tap card 120 -white_check_mark-
Scan QR code 120 -x-
Account type selection 120 -x-
Application selection 120 -white_check_mark-
Currency conversion acknowledgement 120 -white_check_mark-
PIN entry 60 -x-
Signature capture 60 -white_check_mark-
Signature check 900 -x-
Manual card number entry 60 -white_check_mark-
Manual expiry date entry 60 -white_check_mark-
Authorization in progress 200 -x-
Receipt printing confirmation 120 -white_check_mark-
Adyen Giving 30 -white_check_mark-
Tipping 60 -white_check_mark-
Balance (gift card) 10 -white_check_mark-
Final state (Approved, Declined, Canceled, Error) 4 -white_check_mark-

When a device time-out occurs, you receive a payment result containing:

  • PaymentResponse.Response.Result: Failure
  • PaymentResponse.Response.ErrorCondition: Cancel
  • PaymentResponse.Response.AdditionalResponse: indicates the type of device time-out.

The example payment result below indicates a device time-out.

When a transaction is canceled due to a device time-out, you should retry the transaction.

Request time-out

A request can time out after 120 seconds (local integration) or 150 seconds (cloud integration) at various steps in the tender.

For example:
In a cloud integration, the terminal shows a screen with tipping options. After 60 seconds, the shopper hasn't entered a tip. The device time-out for tipping kicks in: the tipping options disappear and the terminal now shows a payment screen. After 90 seconds of no interaction with the payment screen, the request times out.

When a request time-out happens:

  • The payment terminal is still waiting for input, and the shopper can still complete the payment.
  • You receive an event notification with:
    • EventToNotify: Reject
    • EventDetails: message=Timed+out+waiting+for+response+from+POI.

When you receive a time-out event notification, you should send a transaction status request to verify if the payment is still in progress or has been completed.

See also