Card Terminals

The 10-Minute Terminal Setup Checklist for New Canadian Merchants

New terminal on the counter? Run this checklist and you'll be taking live payments in about ten minutes.

Armour Payments Editorial Team•June 8, 2026•1 min read•Reviewed by Armour Payments Product Team
New merchant setting up a card terminal

The short answer

To set up a new terminal: connect it to power and network, sign in, run a small test transaction, confirm tap/chip/Interac all work, set tip and receipt options, and verify the first batch settles. The whole process takes about ten minutes with a guided onboarding.

Before you start

Have your merchant account details, the terminal, and a network connection ready. For wireless devices, confirm Wi-Fi credentials or that the SIM is active. Place the terminal where the customer can reach it comfortably.

The setup steps

  • Connect power and network; wait for the device to come online.
  • Sign in with your merchant credentials.
  • Run a small test sale (then void or refund it).
  • Confirm tap, chip and Interac debit each complete successfully.
  • Set tip prompts, tax and receipt preferences (print, email, text).
  • Settle a test batch to confirm funding is configured.

Train your staff in two minutes

Show staff how to start a sale, accept tap and chip, issue a refund, and reprint a receipt. That covers 99% of daily use. Keep a one-page cheat sheet by the till for the first week.

If something isn't working

Most issues are connectivity. Restart the device, recheck the network, and retry a test sale. Armour Payments support is available 24/7, and if you're switching from another provider, see how to switch payment terminals. Questions? Contact us.

Frequently asked questions

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10-Minute Card Terminal Setup Checklist | Armour Payments