Manual Key Entry allows your team to process a payment by entering the card number directly into a POS terminal, rather than having the patient tap, insert, or swipe their card. This is commonly used for insurance-issued prepaid debit cards, such as HSA, FSA, or reimbursement cards, when the card information is available but the terminal cannot read the physical card.
Important: MKE is considered a patient-present transaction. The patient must be physically present at the time of payment and will be required to sign on the terminal to complete the transaction.
If the patient is not present, use the Request Payment feature to send a secure payment link instead.
When to Use Manual Key Entry
Use MKE only when all of the following are true:
The patient is physically present in your office.
You have the card number and expiration date.
The card cannot be tapped, inserted, or swiped through the terminal.
The payment needs to be processed immediately while the patient is present.
Do not use MKE for payments collected over the phone, by email, or when the patient is not physically present.
How to Process a Manual Key Entry Payment
In PbN, navigate to Payments > Charge Now.
Enter the payment amount for the patient.
Select your POS terminal as the payment method and initiate the charge.
On the terminal, choose Manual Key Entry when prompted for the payment method.
Enter the terminal's transaction passcode.
Verify the payment amount displayed on the terminal.
Enter the card number using the terminal keypad.
Enter the card expiration date in MM/YY format.
Have the patient sign directly on the terminal screen.
Once approved, the terminal displays a confirmation message.
The payment is automatically recorded in PbN.
Note: PIN entry is not required for manually keyed transactions. The patient's signature serves as cardholder verification.
How MKE Payments Appear in PbN
After processing, manually keyed payments are handled the same way as other POS payments.
Payments Table
The transaction appears in the Payments table and can be identified as a manually keyed POS payment within the transaction details.
Deposits
The payment is included in your daily deposit batch.
Reconciliation
The transaction appears in reconciliation reports alongside all other POS transactions.
Card Information
For security purposes, only a masked version of the card number is displayed (for example, ****1234). The full card number is never stored or visible within PbN.
Processing Rates and Surcharging
Processing Rates
Most card networks classify manually keyed transactions differently than standard chip or tap payments. As a result, manually entered transactions may be subject to higher processing rates than standard card-present transactions.
ZeroPay Surcharge Rules
If your practice uses ZeroPay, surcharge rules continue to apply based on the card type used:
Credit cards may be eligible for surcharge where permitted.
Debit and prepaid cards cannot be surcharged.
Insurance-issued prepaid cards are treated as prepaid/debit cards and are not eligible for surcharge.
Additional Fees
PbN does not charge a separate fee specifically for Manual Key Entry transactions beyond the applicable card processing rate.
Chargeback and Liability Considerations
Unlike chip or contactless payments, manually entered transactions do not receive the same fraud liability protections from card networks.
To help reduce chargeback risk:
Verify that the card belongs to the patient whenever possible.
Obtain the patient's signature on the terminal.
Document the reason for using Manual Key Entry.
Avoid using MKE for unusually large transactions unless necessary.
Your practice may also have transaction limits configured for manually entered payments.
Security and PCI Compliance
PbN and its payment processing partners maintain strict security standards for manually entered transactions.
Card information entered on the terminal is encrypted immediately.
Full card numbers are never stored within PbN.
Only masked card information is available for reference.
Transactions are processed through PCI-compliant payment infrastructure.
Signature data is securely maintained by the payment processor.
Enabling Manual Key Entry
Manual Key Entry is not enabled by default.
To request access:
Contact PbN Support.
Specify which terminal(s) require Manual Key Entry access.
Ensure the appropriate staff members have permission to process MKE transactions.
Practices with multiple terminals can enable MKE on selected terminals as needed.
Troubleshooting
Issue | Resolution |
Manual Key Entry option does not appear on the terminal | MKE may not be enabled for your practice. Contact PbN Support. |
Transaction is declined | Verify the card number and expiration date were entered correctly. Review the decline message displayed on the terminal. |
Approved payment does not appear in PbN | Wait 1–2 minutes for processing. If the payment still does not appear, check your Payments filters and contact PbN Support. |
Transaction passcode is not accepted | Contact your practice administrator or PbN Support to reset the terminal passcode. |