Mandatory and Optional Status

The command and function keys are non-alphanumeric keys and consist of the following:

Other optional function keys may be available on a PIN entry device keyboard, but are not described in this standard, for example, function keys, marked with arrows below or at the side of the screen that are used to activate a function described on the screen.

The use of terms such as CANCEL, CLEAR and ENTER does not exclude other equivalents or their translation in other languages.

Position of the Command and Function Keys

Command keys shall be arranged vertically in a column to the right of the numeric keys, or horizontally in the last row on PIN entry devices.

Vertical layout

The vertical arrangement of the command and function keys shall apply to ATM PIN entry devices and those POS PIN entry devices, where there is sufficient space.

The following specifications shall apply when the command and function keys are arranged vertically:

The CANCEL key shall be the uppermost key, to the right of the numeric key ‘3’

The CLEAR key shall be to the right of the numeric key ‘6’

The ENTER key shall always be the last key in the rightmost column. The Enter key shall be either in the:

• third position, if the additional proprietary key is blank, or
• fourth position, if the additional proprietary key is present

The optional additional proprietary key in the rightmost column may be included to the right of the numeric key ‘9’, above the Enter key

Horizontal layout

The horizontal layout of the command keys shall apply to POS PIN entry devices, where there is insufficient width for a fourth column.

The following specifications apply when the command keys are arranged horizontally:

• The CANCEL key shall be in the leftmost column in the last row
• The ENTER key shall be in the rightmost column in the last row
• The optional CLEAR key shall be placed between the CANCEL and ENTER keys

Depending on the space available on the PIN entry device, the command keys shall be either in:

• the fifth row, below the row containing the ‘0’ key
  
  This arrangement allows the PIN entry device to have at least three command keys: CANCEL, CLEAR and ENTER. This is the recommended horizontal keyboard layout.
  
  
• or the same row containing the ‘0’ key
  
  This arrangement allows the PIN entry device to have only two command keys: CANCEL and ENTER. This layout should only be used if there is no space in the PIN entry device to have a fifth row.

Where the PIN entry device does not have a CLEAR command key, the CANCEL key will either clear the current input, or cancel the transaction when there is no input to clear.³

Position of PLUS and MINUS function keys

• The positions of the PLUS and MINUS function keys are the same for the vertical and horizontal layout and the following specifications apply:
• The optional PLUS key shall be in the fourth row to the right of the numeric key ‘0’.
• The optional MINUS key shall be in the fourth row to the left of the numeric key ‘0’.

Colour Coding of the Comand and Function Keys

The following specifications shall apply regarding the colour coding of the command and function keys:

• The CANCEL key shall be coded in red
• The CLEAR key shall be coded in yellow
• The ENTER key shall be coded in green
• Other command or function keys shall not be coded in red, yellow or green.

Since the use of colour largely depends on keyboard material and manufacturing techniques, this specification does not describe the methods to be used to perform colour coding. The keyboard colour illustrations showing the colouring of the key are examples.

This standard does not exclude other methods of colour coding.⁴

Symbols used for the Command and Function Keys

The following specifications apply regarding tactile symbols for the command and function keys:

• The CANCEL key shall use the tactile symbol of an x ‘X’
• The CLEAR key shall use the tactile symbol of a ‘less than’ ‘<’5
• The ENTER key shall use the tactile symbol of a circle ‘O’
• The optional fourth key shall not use any tactile symbol already in use for other purposes (for example, ‘|’ should not be used as it has been variously used to indicate the clear function and the help function)
• The optional PLUS key shall use the symbol of a tactile plus ‘+’
• The optional MINUS key shall use the symbol of a tactile minus ‘-’

The tactile symbols shall be placed directly on the key that it is intended to identify.

The use of these tactile symbols is optional, that is, the specifications apply only when tactile symbols are used. This is particularly the case when the PIN entry device is of limited length and width.