Signature Message (Tran Types 36-01, 36-02)

Simplify supports a signature process on touchscreen PIN Pads. When this process is triggered, Simplify will prompt for a signature and send the signature data (or customer Cancel) to the POS in a Signature Response (36-02) message. There are two ways to trigger signature processing:

  • Request message – The POS can send Simplify a Signature Request (36-01) message.

  • Auto signature – For approved Sale, Auth Only and Return transactions, signature process can occur automatically (no Signature Request required). For details, see Auto Signature.

The template used for the Signature screen is controlled by a Screen ID subfield in field 11 of the Signature Request. Additional screen details are defined by field 5001 of the request. The value of Screen ID will determine the screen elements that can be controlled by field 5001, as follows:

  • If Screen ID is 001, field 5001 can be used to define up to four lines of fixed text, with up to 40 characters per line.

  • If Screen ID is 002, field 5001 can be used to define up to three screen areas, from top to bottom: as follows:

    • Button area – Define height (as percentage of screen). Buttons are fixed size and vertically centered in the button area.

    • Text area – Define height (as percentage of screen). Define font size. Define rows of texts. Maximum number of rows depends on height of text area and font size.

    • Signature area – Height is remaining percentage of screen.

If signature data is captured by Simplify, it will be sent to the POS in field 5000 of the Signature Response. The format of this data is three-byte ASCII.

The detailed format of field 5001 and sample Signature Request and Response messages are shown below:

Field 5001 Format

MessageDescription
(Generic format)The format of this field is TTTLLLVVV…VV (can be repeated up to four times in Request), where:
  • TTT is a Tag
  • LLL is the length of the data.
  • VVV..VV is the data
Request (optional)Provides the POS with some control over the signature screen.
Available tags depend on the Screen ID sent in field 11 bytes 6-8.
  • For Screen ID = 001:
    • TTT - Supported tags are:
      • 001 – Text line 1 (Maximum length of 40)
      • 002 – Text line 2 (Maximum length of 40)
      • 003 – Text line 3 (Maximum length of 40)
      • 004 – Text line 4 (Maximum length of 40)
    • VVV..VV defines the text to be displayed.
  • For Screen ID = 002:
    • TTT - Supported tags are:
      • 001 – Defines screen layout, font size and user text
    • VVV..VV defines screen and text formatting, followed by the text to be displayed.
If a PIN Pad model supports fewer text lines than defined by this field, the excess lines will be ignored.
Response
(not used)

Sample Messages

Request (Screen ID = 001)

An example of a Signature Request message (from the POS process to the Simplify application) for Screen ID = 001 is:

API Field #, ValueDescription
0001,36Transaction Type. A value of 36 indicates a Non- Financial transaction
0011,xxx..User Data. See Simplify-Controlled Field Definitions.
5001,001019Work order # 112233002018Estimate = $259.00See format described above.
  • 001 = Tag for Text Line 1
  • 019 = Length of text for line 1
  • Work order # 112233 = Text for line 1
  • 002 = Tag for Text line 2
  • 018 = Length of text for line 2
  • Estimate = $259.00 = Text for line 2

Request (Screen ID = 002)

An example of a Signature Request message (from the POS process to the Simplify application) for Screen ID = 002 is:

API Field #, ValueDescription
0001,36Transaction Type. A value of 36 indicates a Non- Financial transaction
0011,xxx..User Data. See Simplify-Controlled Field Definitions.
5001,00109220FS50FS5FS
Message 1; Message 2; Message 3; Message 4; Message 5; Message 6		See format described above.
  • 001 = Tag
  • 092 = Length of following data
  • 20 = Vertical percentage of screen for Button area
  • 50 = Vertical percentage of screen for Text area
  • 5 = Font size ( 0 = extra small to 6 = extra large)
  • Message 1 (etc.) = first row (etc.) of user text (semicolon-delimited)

Response

An example of a Signature Response message (from the Simplify application to the POS process) is:

API Field #, ValueDescription
0001,36Transaction Type. A value of 36 indicates a Non- Financial transaction
0011,xxx..User Data. See Simplify-Controlled Field Definitions.
0052,5Transponder / Proximity Indicator (0 = contact; 2 = contactless, 5 = swiped)
5000,xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx…….xxSignature data
5002,80378002Device Serial Number (if present)