How to Create an Encryption Key in Quickbooks

Create an encryption key when processing credit cards with QuickBooks.

QuickBooks allows you to process and store credit card information for the customers of your business when you have a merchant account connected to the QuickBooks program. To keep this information safe when processing it or storing it, QuickBooks automatically creates an encryption key each time you run a credit card transaction. An encryption key converts data into a format that is not easily translated by the average person, so it keeps this data safe from getting into the wrong hands. While QuickBooks creates an encryption key automatically, you have to turn on the customer credit card protection option when you set up your merchant account with QuickBooks.

Things You'll Need

• Administrator access

Instructions

1. Log in to your merchant services for QuickBooks account using the Administrator logon name and password. Only Administrator access can turn the customer credit card protection option on and off in the program.

2. Click on the "Company" Menu in the QuickBooks program.

3. Click the "Customer Credit Card Protection" option from the "Company" Menu.

4. Click on the "Enable Protection" option to turn on the Customer Credit Card protection option.

5. Link the company file of the QuickBooks account with the Merchant Service Account. To do this, click back to the "Customers" Menu, choose the "Add Credit Card Processing Activities" option and then click on "Link Merchant Account to Company File." Follow the screen prompts to complete the linking process.

6. Go back to the "Customers" Menu and choose the "Credit Card Processing Activities" option and choose "Set Up Terminal ID." Type in the "Terminal ID" that you received from QuickBooks in your confirmation email when your business merchant account was approved.

7. Input customer credit card information. Either swipe the card in the credit card machine hooked up to your QuickBooks account or enter the information into the customer file of the QuickBooks software for payment processing. When the card is swiped or input, the program connects with the approval center. Before the connection, QuickBooks automatically generates an encryption key before transmitting the information.

Tips & Warnings

• Creating an encryption key is one of the standards you have to abide by when processing credit card transactions for your customers. Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) also require you to change your administrator password to the QuickBooks account once every 90 days, to only provide access to credit card information to those who need it and to assign a unique username and password to each person who has access to QuickBooks.

References

• QuickBooks Support: QuickBooks Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Implementation Guide
• Intuit Merchant Services for QuickBooks: Starter Guide