Square Payments: Smoother and More Secure Payments with 3D Secure (3DS)

Enrollio now supports 3D Secure (3DS) with Square, adding an extra layer of cardholder authentication to online payments. This enhancement automatically triggers the verification step whenever a parent's card or regional regulations require Strong Customer Authentication (SCA), helping you capture more tuition payments while keeping fraud at bay.

What is 3D Secure (3DS) for Square?

3D Secure (3DS) is an industry-standard protocol that prompts the parent to verify their identity before the transaction is authorized. This could be a one-time SMS code, Face ID, or a redirect to their bank's verification page.

Enabling 3DS greatly reduces fraud-related chargebacks because liability shifts to the card issuer once authentication succeeds. Square provides 3DS as part of its built-in Risk Manager, and Enrollio now passes the required data so Square can invoke the extra verification step whenever needed.

Key Benefits of 3D Secure (3DS)

The Square 3DS integration delivers immediate advantages for your childcare business:

• Fewer payment failures on cards that mandate 3DS, boosting your enrollment conversion rates
• Added fraud protection and chargeback liability shift once authentication succeeds
• Automatic SCA compliance in regions like the UK and EU—no extra setup required
• Seamless experience — the verification pop-up keeps parents inside your checkout flow

[SCREENSHOT: Show a sample 3DS authentication pop-up appearing during an Enrollio payment form checkout]

How 3DS Works in Enrollio

3DS is entirely automatic once your Square account is connected in Enrollio. Here's what happens:

1. The parent enters their billing address and contact information on your payment form or invoice
2. Enrollio sends the transaction request to Square
3. Square's risk rules decide whether 3DS is required based on the card, amount, location, and other factors
4. If 3DS is triggered, a secure pop-up appears for the parent to complete authentication
5. On successful verification, the payment is captured and your invoice or enrollment status updates to "Paid"
6. If verification fails or times out, the payment is declined and Enrollio shows the error so the parent can try another card

Prerequisites & Where 3DS Works

3DS for Square is available anywhere you can accept Square card payments in Enrollio: payment forms, payment links, invoices, and more.

Requirements:

• A connected Square account at Client Account → Payments → Integrations
• Square location set to Live mode
• Billing address, email, and phone fields visible (and preferably required) on your payment form so Square can validate the parent
• The parent uses a card and issuing bank that supports 3DS

[SCREENSHOT: Square integration settings page in Enrollio showing Client Account → Payments → Integrations]

Common 3DS Errors & How to Fix Them

Understanding common scenarios helps you support parents:

"Authentication failed"

The parent entered an incorrect SMS code or declined Face ID verification. Ask them to retry or use another card.

"Issuer declined"

The card-issuing bank blocked the transaction before or after 3DS. Suggest the parent contact their bank.

"3DS not completed"

The parent closed the pop-up before finishing verification. Encourage them to complete the step.

Setup Instructions

Square

No setup needed—3DS works automatically once parents add their address and contact information during checkout.

NMI

A quick one-time setup is required to enable 3DS with NMI:

1. Enroll in Payer Authentication 2.0 in your NMI account
2. Confirm the service status is Active
3. Generate a Checkout Public Key for 3DS in your NMI Merchant Portal
4. Add the public key to your Enrollio integration

Once set up, whenever a card requires 3DS, parents will automatically see a pop-up to verify and complete their payment.

[SCREENSHOT: NMI 3DS setup flow showing the authentication pop-up] [SCREENSHOT: NMI Checkout Public Key field in Enrollio integration settings]

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to enable anything in the Square Dashboard?

No. Square's default Risk Manager rules already apply 3DS to high-risk or SCA-mandated transactions.

Does 3DS work for saved "Card on File" payments?

Square 3DS applies only to real-time cardholder-initiated payments. Card-on-file debits (like recurring tuition charges) are exempt.

Is there an extra fee for using 3DS?

Square does not charge additional 3DS fees. Standard Square processing rates apply.

Will 3DS appear on every transaction?

No. The card issuer and Square's risk engine decide when to trigger 3DS. Many low-risk payments go straight through without the challenge.

Can I disable 3DS?

You cannot disable 3DS from inside Enrollio—Square manages the rules. You may adjust risk rules in the Square Dashboard, but this is not recommended for SCA regions.

Does 3DS slow down checkout?

The additional step adds only a few seconds and is embedded in-page, minimizing friction for parents.

Is 3DS supported on POS or Mobile Payments?

No. 3DS is solely for online (card-not-present) flows. In-person Square POS transactions use chip or tap for security instead.

How do I troubleshoot repeated 3DS failures?

Check that the billing address matches the card issuer's records, confirm the parent's device allows pop-ups, and ask them to retry with another card if problems persist.