Square help & documentation

The Square payment gateway will let your attendees pay for their event registrations with Square through credit cards, debit cards, Google Pay, and Apple Pay.

View quick links for this add-on –>

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Accept event payments with the Square payment gateway for Event Espresso

Installation

This extension is a plugin for WordPress and can be installed through your WP dashboard (WP-admin).

Download the latest version of the Square add-on for Event Espresso 4 from your Event Espresso account page.

Then log in to your WordPress dashboard (WP-admin) and go to Plugins. Next, click on Add New –> Upload and browse to the plugin on your computer. Then select the zip file and begin the upload process. Wait for the plugin to upload and then click on Activate.

Connect with Square

1. From your WordPress dashboard (WP-admin), look for Event Espresso in your admin menus. Next, click on Payment Methods and click on Square. Then click on the Activate button.

Scroll down the page to about the halfway point. Look for the Square OAuth option and click on the Connect with Square button.

2. In the small window that appears, enter your email address and password for your Square account. Then click on the Sign in button.

Enter your Square credentials and click sign in

3. Confirm that the URL for your site is correct.

4. Scroll down and click on the Yes button.

5. You’ll then see a connected message to the left of the Square OAuth option.

Event payments with Square are ready to go

Enable Digital Wallet

Google Pay and Apple Pay are available in specific countries. (The links below have the latest information.)

– Square supports Google Pay only for CAD transactions in Canada, GBP transactions in the United Kingdom, and USD transactions in the United States.
– Apple Pay is only available for Square accounts based in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Google Pay is automatically available if your merchant account is in one of the supported countries above.

Apple Pay requires you to register and verify your domain. Here are the steps:

1. Open the Developer Dashboard and login using your Square email address and password.
2. Select the application associated with your SqPaymentForm implementation.
3. At the top of the page, choose Production mode.
4. In the navigation pane, choose Apple Pay for the selected application.
5. Choose the Add Domain link and follow the instructions.

After you have registered your domain, then you can enable the digital wallet option in the Square payment method settings for Event Espresso. From your WordPress dashboard, go to Event Espresso → Payment Methods → Square. Scroll down and look for the Enable Digital Wallet option. Set it to Yes.

Set enable digital wallet to yes

Then scroll to the end of the page and click on the Update button.

Setup and Configuration

Will Square be the only payment method enabled? Click here to learn how to make it selected by default during the registration checkout.

An account with Square is needed to accept payments via Square.

A dedicated SSL certificate is recommended to make registration checkout and other areas of your website more secure.

Login to your WordPress dashboard (WP-admin) and go to Event Espresso –> Payment Methods. Once you’re on the Payment Methods screen, click on Square and click on the Activate button. Follow our step by step guide to connect your Square account.

Preview of the square payment method settings for Event Espresso

Below are the available fields and explanations for each field.

Name – This is the name of the payment method.
Description – This description is shown during registration checkout.
Admin-Only Name – This is a name of the payment method that will only be shown in the WP Dashboard (WP-admin).
Admin-Only Description – This description is used only in the WP Dashboard (WP-admin).
Debug Mode On? – Enables debugging for this payment method. It should be off (set to no) on a live/production site.
Open by Default? – This sets this payment method to be pre-selected on the registration checkout page.

Are you only using Square for payments? Set Open by Default to Yes for a faster checkout experience for your attendees.

Square OAuth: Connect your Square account to Event Espresso.
Enable Digital Wallet: Allow payments through Google Pay and Apple Pay.
Merchant Location: Select the location you want your payments to be associated with.
Button URL – This is the URL to the image that will be used during the payment process of registration checkout.
Alternative Button URL: https://ee-screenshots.s3.amazonaws.com/2015/07/pay-by-credit-card.png
Usable From? – Select where this payment method should be available for use. This payment method cannot process payments through the WP-admin (WP Dashboard).
Order – The value (number) can be used to sort or arrange this payment option. A lower value means that it should appear first during registration checkout.
Update Settings – Click this button after making any changes to your payment method.
Deactivate Payment Method – Click this button to deactivate this payment method.

Usage

The Square payment gateway will let you accept event payments via major credit or debit cards. Payments through Google Pay and Apple Pay are also supported.

This is an onsite payment gateway which means that attendees/registrants will process their payment on your site.

An account with Square is needed to accept payments via Square and an SSL certificate is recommended for securing your website.

Troubleshooting

The add-on will not activate on my WordPress site.
Check that Event Espresso is up to date through your plugins screen. If Event Espresso is already up to date, then check that WordPress is up to date.

How can I setup a recurring payment or subscription through Square?
Recurring or subscription payments are not currently supported in the Square payment gateway.

When I refund a payment, does it also refund through Squareup.com?
Refunds in Event Espresso 4 are currently a two step process.
1) Apply the refund through the transactional details screen of Event Espresso in your WP-admin (WP dashboard).
2) Then login to your Square merchant account and process the refund.

Is an SSL certificate needed for Square?
A dedicated SSL certificate is recommended if you are accepting payments on your website.

Do I need to be PCI compliant?
Compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) is required if you are processing, storing, or transmitting credit card data. Event Espresso helps you by using the Square payment form for processing payments through Square and we recommend using a dedicated SSL certificate on your website.

View more information on PCI compliance from Square.