AnyCard!Software.is a Windows-based credit card authorization program which is particularly well suited for small businesses that only process a few cards a day. By utilizing touch-tone processing available through most card processing centers, it takes the place of card readers or expensive third party software systems, keeping overall costs low. The program calls the authorization center and inputs all the appropriate numbers, including Address Verification (AVS) information.

The user, then, types-in (or writes down) the authorization code provided. Although, AnyCard! can be used as a stand-alone program, it has been designed to work hand-in-hand with other software and has a full range of import and export features. An extensive help system is integrated into the program, and it comes with a quick and easily executed test to make sure it will work on the host system. AnyCard! is a shareware program. That means it's free to try out. Give it a good test drive and see if it will work for you. It has a comprehensive help system--and since I use it extensively, I know it works well, and it gets the job done.

AnyCard!Software.doesn't communicate with the processing center's computer. There are, of course, a number of commercial software programs available which communicate and exchange information with the processing center's computer, but they are quite expensive, and they must be approved by the processing center. AnyCard, however, uses a different approach. It simply inputs information as requested during a voice or touch-tone processing call. Voice or touch-tone processing is the type of processing that you would choose if you have a low volume of cards and you want to keep things simple and overall costs low. How does it work? Briefly, when you use voice or touch-tone processing, you start by calling the processing center.

Once reached, the processing center's computer will ask you to key-in your merchant number, the customer's card number, the expiration date and amount. It isn't easy keying in all those numbers--and that's where AnyCard can help. With AnyCard you get everything set up in advance. When you're ready, you click a button, and AnyCard dials the processing center for you. When the processing center comes on the line and asks for the merchant number, you click on the merchant number button, and AnyCard keys in the number for you. When the processing center asks for the credit card number, you do the same thing, and AnyCard keys it in for you. And so on.

Then when everything is keyed in, the processing center's computer will come back with the authorization number which you write down or type into a dialog box provided by AnyCard. Basically what AnyCard does is to take the place of a person trying to punch all the buttons on the phone. You simply get everything set up in advance, and when prompted by the processing center, you click with your mouse to enter the numbers. If, at any time during the call to the processing center, you need to talk to a representative, you can. If you want to key in some of the numbers yourself, you can. You have total control. AnyCard is there to help when you need the help.