## Perform a ping test and validate the response We recommend that your <> perform a ping test before each transaction. By doing so, you will make sure that the EFTPOS terminal is ready to handle the transaction, and hence you can reduce the potential for connectivity issues. For this purpose, Spice provides the [GET /v1/ping](ref:ping) endpoint. It is highly recommended that `posId` be added in the request query string. `posId` is a unique string that identifies the paired EFTPOS terminal which is especially important in a multi-terminal setup. Sequence diagram of a ping test.

The response indicates whether Spice is running and ready to make a transaction. Your Spice integration should validate the response to determine whether to make the transaction, and you can use logic similar to the following.

1. **If** the response contains `status: "PairedConnected"` and `flow: "Idle"` ... 1. Perform the transaction, e.g. a [purchase transaction](doc:spice-purchases-refunds). 2. **Else, if** `status` or `flow` has a different status ... 1. Spice is not ready to perform a transaction. Do not perform the transaction and instead display an error message relevant to the [status](ref:ping). 3. **Else, if** there is no response ... 1. Spice is either not running, not connected, or has an unexpected error. Do not perform the transaction and instead display a relevant error message on your POS, such as “Transactions cannot be made because Spice is not responding.” > 📘 Remember: > > Each request must include the `POS-Name` and `POS-Version` HTTP headers. > > - The `POS-Name` must be your business name. > - The `POS-Version` must be the current version of your POS. (You should set this dynamically so it is always up to date with the current version.) > > ```yaml Example > POS-Name: Example Company > POS-Version: 1.0.0 > ```