Informational Prompting

Simplify supports an Informational Prompt Message. This is a flexible feature designed to allow merchants to display information for customers and get customer input using a variety of screen layouts. This message type does not affect the processing of financial transactions.

Availability of Informational Prompting functionality by device is as follows:

note

Maximum label length depends on font size. Maximum lengths shown below are for medium font size.

DeviceSupported MessagesMaximum
Label Length
iPP320Tag 010 only22
iPP350Tag 010 only *43
iSC250All Tags except 03152
iSC480All Tags except 03162
iSMP4Tag 010 only32
Link 2500Tags 010, 031 only22
Lane 3000Tag 010, 031 only29
Lane 5000All Tags35
Lane 7000All Tags35
Lane 8000All Tags35
Move 5000Tags 010, 030, 031 only **22

* Only supports one (lower) row of buttons.

** Non-P@TT Devices Only.

The POS controls this process by sending an Informational Prompt Request that defines the screen to be displayed. The PIN Pad must be in a Closed state to process this request. Exceptions: (1) If another Informational Prompt Request is sent when the PIN Pad is already displaying an Informational Prompt screen, the display for the second request will replace the first screen. (2) After sending an Informational Prompt Response, the PIN Pad will display a wait screen for a configurable interval before going to the Closed state. If a new Informational Prompt Request is sent during this interval, the PIN Pad will process the request.

Simplify returns the customer input in the Informational Prompt Response. Input includes the action button (virtual button) or hard key pressed. Depending on the type of Informational Prompt Message sent, input may also include entered text or a selected radio button, check boxes or slider position. Additional requests can be sent if further customer interaction is required.

important

For P2PE Systems: Informational Prompt messages must not pass card data. Doing so will defeat the purpose of P2PE, and result in increased need for PCI auditing.

Generic Non-Financial Message Format

The Informational Prompt Message is a Non-Financial message type (Transaction Type 36) with a Message Type of 14. It is discussed separately in this section due to its many uses.

As described under “Message Details” in Non-Financial Messages, all Non-Financial messages have the following generic format:

API Field #Description
0001Transaction Type 36. Non-Financial message
0011User Data. See Simplify-Controlled Field Definitions.
For Transaction Type 36, it will always include:
  • Positions 1-2 Message Type
5001Non-Financial Data.
The format of this field depends on the value of Message Type.

API 0011 and 5001 in Informational Prompt Messages

The remainder of this page provides information on API 0011 and 5001 specific to the Informational Prompt Message.

API 0011

The format of API 0011 in the Informational Prompt Message (36-14) is modeled on that in the Signature Request and Response Messages (36-01, 36-02). Exception: the Screen ID subfield of API 0011 is not used. As shown in the following table, the Response echoes the Request except for the Timeout Value, which is replaced with the Completion Code, and VersionBuildInfo (response only).

API 0011 SubfieldLengthDescription
Message Type2Always 14
Sequence Number3Transaction identifier
Screen ID3Not used
Timeout Value/ Completion Code3
VersionBuildInfoVarResponse only: ‘?’ followed by Version and Build numbers

API 5001

In the Informational Prompt Message, API 5001 is used in the Request to define the screen that will be displayed and in the Response to return customer action/data entered. The generic structure of API 5001 is TTTLLLVVV..VV, broken down as follows:

API 5001 SubfieldLengthDescription
TTT3Tag identifying screen to be displayed:
  • 010=Text with optional buttons
  • 011: Static and Scrolling Text with Optional Buttons
  • 012: Text and Graphics with Optional Buttons
  • 013=Fast Graphics Download
  • 020=Scrolling Text
  • 030=Virtual Keyboard
  • 031=Tactile Keypad
  • 040=Radio Buttons
  • 050=Check Boxes
  • 060=Slider
  • 070=Scrolling Text with Radio Buttons
  • 071=Scrolling Text with Virtual Buttons
  • 072=Scrolling Text with Configurable Buttons
LLL3Length of data (VVV…VV)
Note that if the data is longer than 999 bytes, set LLL to 999. The application will process the additional data.
VVV…VVvarData

The following pages provide detailed breakdowns of API 5001 and sample messages for each supported value of Tag.