This article is for technicians. It covers taking a card on the Stripe Reader M2 from the Run a Call mobile app, the first time and every time after that. The two-minute video walks through the whole first-time flow.

Before you start

  • Your office has set up Tap to Pay. See Setting up Tap to Pay.
  • You're using the Run a Call mobile app (iPhone or Android), not a web browser.
  • Bluetooth is on. The app asks for Bluetooth permission the first time you use the reader. Allow it. On older Android phones, the app asks for Location instead, which Android needs to find Bluetooth devices.
  • The reader is charged and next to your phone.

Power on the reader

Hold the side button until you hear two beeps and see the green lights sweep. If the reader has been sitting on for a while, turn it off and on again first, because it stops looking for a phone after a few minutes.

Open the invoice

Open the job. Tap Generate Invoice at the bottom, or Invoice [number] if the invoice already exists.

Tap Card

Under Collect payment on site, tap Card · $X. If your company adds a card fee, the amount already includes it, and a line underneath explains the fee.

To take only part of the balance, tap Split payment instead, enter the amount, and tap Pay $X Card.

Let the app connect

The screen shows Connecting to reader… and the app connects to the reader nearby. You don't pick it from a list. The first time, the reader is registered to your company automatically.

The first time a reader connects, it may need a required update:

  • The screen shows One-time reader setup with a progress bar. This is normal, happens once per reader, and can take a few minutes. No payment is taken yet.
  • While it runs, don't power off the reader, don't close the app and keep the phone unlocked. Keep the reader on its charger if you can.
Important

Interrupting a reader update is the one way to genuinely harm the reader. There's no Cancel button during the update for that reason.

Hand the reader to the customer

The screen shows Tap, insert, or swipe, with the total at the bottom. The customer taps their card or phone, inserts the chip, or swipes.

Payment complete

A green Payment complete screen confirms it: Marked paid on this invoice. You don't need to record anything else.

What happens next

  • Invoice status changes to Paid, or Partial if you took part of the balance. Tap Collect the balance to take the rest by another method.
  • Customer receipt is emailed, if they have an email address.
  • Money settles to your company's Stripe account like any online payment.
  • QuickBooks receives the payment automatically, if your office has connected it.

If the payment doesn't go through

The screen shows Payment not completed with the reason, and two buttons: Try again and Cancel.

  • If the reader couldn't be found or connected, power it off and on and tap Try again.
  • If the card was declined, the reader and app are working. Ask for another card, or take a different payment method.

Still stuck after two tries? See Tap to Pay troubleshooting.

No reader with you?

When Tap to Pay is on, Card always goes to the reader. Without one, collect the payment another way (Cash, Check, Zelle), or leave the balance on the invoice. If the customer paid on a different card machine, your office can record it with Record Payment → Card.