The acceptance of payment cards is attractive in today’s payment environment, but there are many factors that should be evaluated before adding card payments as an accepted payment method. The Payment Card Industry (PCI) has strict regulations that govern how we can implement card acceptance on campus. Compliance with these standards, along with the security measures necessary to protect cardholder data, must be carefully considered. In addition, both the direct costs of processing cards and indirect costs associated withe compliance and administration should be evaluated to determine the best solution for your department. Options for card acceptance methods along with estimated costs (which are subject to change by external providers without notice) are provided below.
Stand-Alone Payment Terminal
This type of terminal type operates independently and is not integrated with any other systems. It connects directly to our payment processor, Elavon, through either an Ethernet or cellular connection, without any intermediary connection to a point-of-sale (POS) system. There are both wired and mobile terminal options available.
Stand-Alone Wired Terminal
A stand-alone payment terminal that connects directly to the payment processor through a wired Ethernet connection. To ensure secure transaction processing, Safe-T must be installed and configured on the terminal before it can be used. Safe-T provides encryption and tokenization to remove the cardholder data from UNL's network. It reduces our PCI scope allowing us to maintain PCI compliance.
Direct Cost Elements
| Initial Costs | Cost |
|---|---|
| Purchase Equipment - Ingenico Desk 3500 | $270 |
| Purchase Equipment - Ingenico Desk 5000 | $431 |
| Purchase Equipment - Poynt 3G | $899 |
| On-Going Costs | Cost |
|---|---|
| Safe-T Encryption Fee | $25/month |
| Port Charge | $4.30/month |
| Bank/Processor Charges | 2-3% of sales |
Stand-Alone Mobile Payment Terminal
This type of terminal utilizes cellular service to process cards. It can be either a stand-alone card swipe device or a device that works in conjunction with a UNL PCI Team approved mobile device such as an iPad. These setups can only be used for card processing and must follow the "UNL PCI DSS Requirements for Mobile Devices."
Direct Cost Elements
| Initial Costs | Cost |
|---|---|
| Purchase equipment and Setup fee - Ingenico Wireless IWL250G | $750 + $20 |
| Purchase components, using a dedicated mini iPad | $1,131 |
| On-Going costs | Cost |
|---|---|
| Cellular service | $19/month for Ingenico $45/month for mini Ipad |
| Application software service fee for mini Ipad | $10/month |
| Bank/processor charges | 2-3% of sales |
POS System Integrated Swipe Device
This type of device is integrated into a point of sale system. Any devices integrated into a POS system must be a PCIDSS certified point-to-point encryption device. Before you issue an RFP or RFI for a POS system, consult with the UNL PCI Team as certain required standards must be met and adherence to them is mandatory.
Direct Cost Elements
| Initial Costs | Cost |
|---|---|
| Purchase of UNL PCI Team approved P2PE equipment and a PCI secure setup through POS vendor | Varies |
| On-Going Costs | Cost |
|---|---|
| Gateway fee | Varies |
| Transaction fee | Varies |
| Bank/processor charges | 2-3% of sales |
Internet (E-Commerce)
For online payment acceptance, departments are encouraged to utilize one of UNL's established payment processing services. These typically provide greater efficiency, lower administrative burden, and reduced overall costs compared to independently operated card processing environments.
Established E-Commerce options currently are:
- UNL Marketplace is managed by Information Technology Services (ITS) and offers storefront-based payment configurations. It can be used for a wide range of business needs, including the sale of physical products, service offerings, and event registrations. Costs include a per month store fee, ITS administrative fees, and payment processing fees.
- CBA Event Registration and Membership System is managed by the College of Business (CoB) and offers event registrations services to campus. Costs include an event registration setup fee, monthly transaction fee and payment processing fees. Additional consultation, customization, or training services may incur extra charges for more complex events.
If these do not appear to be viable options for your needs, contact the PCI Team to determine alternative options for your situation the costs for which will include:
Direct Cost Elements
| Initial Costs | Cost |
|---|---|
| Setup of payment gateway | $150 |
| On-Going Costs | Cost |
|---|---|
| Gateway fee - Braintree and Auth.net are currently in use | $15-30/month |
| Transaction fee | $0.10/transaction |
| Bank/processor charges | 2-3% of sales |
| Costs of site being hosted on PCI compliant environment (outsourced or UNL) | Varies |
Additional Available Solutions
Housing Conference Services provides dining services, meeting spaces, and sleeping accommodations for a wide range of events.
NU Advance (or Canvas Catalog) is the University of Nebraska’s delivery platform for non-credit courses. Courses can be designed for learners to earn certificates and digital badges, or simply to provide learning opportunities in areas of personal enrichment or interest.
Pros and Cons of Processing Options
| Processing Option | Pros | Cons |
| Stand-Alone Terminal |
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| POS Terminal |
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| E-Commerce |
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