Patent ID: 7904339

Claim:
A method in a computer system having a memory and a processor for extending a point of sale application, the method comprising: providing a point of sale application having a user interface and a set of built-in payment methods, wherein each built-in payment method is supported by built-in code of the point of sale application; downloading a payment format add-in, wherein the payment format add-in provides support for a payment format not supported by the built-in code of the point of sale application and is associated with at least one workflow not supported by the built-in code of the point of sale application, wherein the at least one workflow not supported by the built-in code of the point of sale application is associated with a configurable first set of steps for processing payment transactions that can be performed while processing a payment transaction between a merchant and a customer; storing the downloaded payment format add-in on the computer system; with a processor, establishing a payment method not supported by the built-in code of the point of sale application at least in part by configuring the first set of steps associated with the at least one workflow not supported by the built-in code of the point of sale application and associated with the payment format add-in, wherein the payment format add-in provides support for a payment format not supported by the built-in code of the point of sale application; and storing an indication of the established payment method not supported by the built-in code of the point of sale application so that when the established payment method not supported by the built-in code of the point of sale application is selected when processing a payment transaction, the point of sale application transfers control to the payment format add-in to execute the established payment method and authorize the payment transaction.