---
title: "Payment gateway: what it is and how it works | attendo"
description: "What a payment gateway is, who does what in a card payment, why it matters where the card is typed, an example and the mistake of taking cards by phone."
url: "https://attendo.me/en/glossary/payment-gateway"
lang: "en"
---

# Payment gateway: its role in an online payment

Also known as: Online payment gateway · card processing

A payment gateway is the service that processes a card payment online: it captures the card, asks the customer’s bank for authorization and gets the money to your account.

## Who does what in a card payment

1. **Your application** says how much to charge and to whom.
2. **The gateway** captures the card and checks it, often with a confirmation on the customer’s phone.
3. **The customer’s bank** approves or declines the charge.
4. **The gateway tells** your application whether the payment went through, and the money reaches your account.

## Why it matters where the card is typed

Anyone who processes, transmits or stores card data has to comply with the PCI DSS security standard. If the customer types the card on the gateway’s page and not on yours, your share of that work is much smaller.

## An example

A customer accepts a quote on their phone and taps “Pay deposit.” They go to your bank’s gateway page, confirm the charge in their banking app and come back. Your system gets the confirmation and marks the quote as paid. Nobody on your team has seen the card.

## The usual mistake

Taking card details over the phone or by email to charge them later by hand. It is unsafe for the customer, it makes you hold data you should not have and it leaves the payment with no trail.

## In attendo

[attendo Pay](https://attendo.me/en/modules/pay) is not a gateway: it collects through yours, which you need to have in place. The card never goes through attendo, which only keeps the brand, the last four digits and the expiry date, and only if the customer asks.

- [attendo CRM](https://attendo.me/en/crm)

## Where it is used in attendo

### Modules

- [attendo Pay](https://attendo.me/en/modules/pay): Collect deposits and payments online through your own gateway
- [Web quotes](https://attendo.me/en/modules/quotes-and-web-offers): Quotes with options that the customer opens, picks and accepts

### Industries that use these modules

- [HVAC and refrigeration](https://attendo.me/en/industries/hvac)
- [Repair and after-sales service](https://attendo.me/en/industries/after-sales-repair)
- [Facility maintenance and services](https://attendo.me/en/industries/facility-maintenance)
- [Equipment manufacturers and distributors](https://attendo.me/en/industries/equipment-manufacturers)
- [And any other business](https://attendo.me/en/industries)

## Related terms

Sales and customers

### Deposit

Upfront payment · down payment · advance payment

A deposit is the part of the price a customer pays up front, when accepting the quote or before the work starts, and it is then deducted from the total.

Sales and customers

### Sales pipeline

Pipeline

The sales pipeline is the set of open sales opportunities, organized by the stage each one is in.

Support and service

### Customer portal

Self-service portal

A customer portal is the web space where your customers check and open their requests without having to call you.

[See all 53 glossary terms](https://attendo.me/en/glossary)

## Shall we look at it with your data?

We will show you how what you just read works in attendo, with your own assets, tickets and customers. If it is not a fit, we will tell you.

- With your operation, not a generic demo
- A real person from our team replies
- No cold calls afterwards

Would you rather talk first?

- Phone [+34 910 053 530](tel:+34910053530)
- Email [sales@attendo.me](mailto:sales@attendo.me)
- Monday to Thursday 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM and Friday 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM (Spain time)