Almost all Magnetic Stripe Readers (MSRs) need to be programmed to function with Sales (in any use). This is because different manufacturers ship them with different default configurations. For example, most MSRs have a “carriage return” at the end or often between tracks. A carriage return is the equivalent of pressing Enter on the keyboard.

The following is the format that an MSR needs to be programmed to:

 

Note: Not all MSRs can read track 3 and it is not generally used.

 

The % at the beginning of the track1 is the header for that track (tracks 2 and 3 use ;). The ? at the end of each track is the terminator.

As already mentioned, most MSRs need to be programmed to put the output into this proper format. How this is done is dependent on the brand, model and interface of the MSR. With USB interface models, this always requires the use of a utility to program them. With PS/2 models, some use a utility while others can be programmed using the keyboard connected to it. Consult the documentation for your unit or speak with the vendor through which you purchased it.