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UniPayGateway

July 13, 2014
Written by
James Davis
Written by James Davis
Senior Technical Writer at United Thinkers

Author of the Paylosophy blog, a veteran writer, and a stock analyst with extensive knowledge and experience in the financial services industry that allows me to cover the latest payment industry news, developments, and insights. Read more

Reviewed by
Kathrine Pensatori
Product Specialist at United Thinkers

Product specialist with more than 10 years of experience in the Payment Processing Industry. I help payment facilitators and PSPs solve their various payment processing issues. Read more

UniPay Payment System Integration Steps Diagram

What is a Payment System Integration?

Payment System Integration is quite a complex multi-stage procedure. However, the result is worth the efforts. All the works related to integration with a payment processor have to be done in constant close cooperation with the processor’s representatives. The processor has to open the project, assign a responsible specialist, provide you with test credentials, test cards, test scenarios, approve the results of all tests, and confirm the successful integration with a certification letter.

As the integrator, it’s crucial to adhere to the processor’s specifications for integrated payment systems. Clearing up details for development and testing stages with timely submission of required documentation is important. Payment processor integration is vital for all payment systems, whether business-to-business or consumer-focused.

payment system integration

How Does an Integrated Payment System Work?

An integrated payment system simplifies payment acceptance by directly incorporating it into your business operations. It eliminates traditional, cumbersome processes like manual data entry and transaction record-keeping.

Payment system integration offers significant advantages, particularly in a business-to-business payment system. In a business ecosystem where efficiency is paramount, integrated payment services provide a high level of automation. Within the integrated payment system, payment data is instantly uploaded at the point of the transaction, eliminating the need for human data entry into multiple systems. Payments are processed and settled without delay. This is the most crucial feature of the best payment system for online businesses. However, simplified transactions aren’t the only advantage of an integrated payment system. Payment gateway integration increases the adaptability of business payment systems, making it ideal for growing businesses and companies planning to expand their operations.

Payment System Integration Steps

Payment System Integration Steps

Create New Bug for the Project, Assign for Developer and Set Priority

A new bug ticket needs to be created in Jira to monitor the progress of the payment processor integration project. The ticket should encompass a summary outlining the scope of work. Furthermore, it should provide a detailed description of the payment system integration goals, expected functionalities, and any specifications that have already been provided. To provide context, it’s essential to include steps for reproducing any existing bugs or issues. Ensure that all documents and correspondences with the payment processor are attached to the ticket.

The responsibility of this ticket should be assigned to both the engineering manager and the QA lead for the payments team. To prioritize the project appropriately, the ticket’s priority level should be set to high. This will ensure immediate attention for planning and scheduling purposes.

Get Specifications from Processor

The development team must gather precise technical specifications from the payment processor for successful payment processor integration. These specifications cover API endpoints, request/response formats, authentication, error codes, and integration libraries/SDKs. In addition, sandbox credentials, such as API keys, test cards, and demo access, are required. Understanding the processor’s certification test process and scenarios is also vital. Comprehensive documentation is essential as it enables the engineering team to grasp payment system integration points and build necessary functionalities efficiently. This emphasizes why integration is important in creating an effective business payment system.

Verify the Project is Opened on Processor’s End and Responsible Specialist is Assigned

Before diving into the development phase, it’s imperative to validate the launch of the integration project with the payment processor. Key contacts within the processor should confirm their awareness of the upcoming payment system integration, allocation of a specialized point of contact for aid, and furnishing of necessary testing credentials and environments. The team should also ensure that the provided API keys carry the expected permissions and developmental scope. Moreover, it’s wise to set up clear channels for addressing technical inquiries and certification-related issues. it is especially important when considering the significance of payment gateway integration in a robust business payment system.

Get Test Credentials from processor (host, port, username, password)

The credentials usually consist of a username, password, as well as other essential API keys or tokens. They function as a gateway into the processor’s dedicated testing or sandbox environment. 

With these test credentials, developers can operate within this controlled environment. This strategic approach effectively mitigates the inherent risks associated with real monetary exchanges and the manipulation of live transaction data.

Check Connectivity with Test Server/FTP Location

Following the acquisition of test credentials, the next strategic step is to ensure your system’s capability to establish a connection with the payment processor’s testing environment. This might entail tasks such as configuring endpoint URLs, refining firewall settings, or setting up secure channels like VPNs or SSL tunnels. Testing connectivity confirms the seamless interaction between business payment systems and the payment processor’s infrastructure. This practice reveals and addresses immediate obstacles. It also identifies and rectifies potential network irregularities.

Get Test Cards from the Processor:

In the course of testing, virtual card numbers, purpose-built for testing, mirror the behavior of actual credit or debit cards. Their utility lies in showing different scenarios: from successful payments to declined charges or expired cards. These test cards are needed to validate an integrated payment systems compatibility. This testing serves as a cornerstone, guaranteeing a robust and seamless payment system integration process upon transitioning to a live environment.

Get Certification Scenarios from the Processor

Before payment processor integration, it is important to secure a comprehensive compilation of certification scenarios from the payment processor. These scenarios present transaction types and outcomes during the testing phase. Processors could encompass successful payments, declined transactions attributed to inadequate funds, or transactions that activate fraud alerts.

Develop Code, Build an Interation (auth + settlement)

After the certification scenarios, it is time to develop the integration code that connects the business payment systems with the processors. This code acts for communication between the company’s application and the processor’s API, facilitating various functionalities including transactions and data exchange. It also ensures the secure encryption of data.

Certify Test Scenarios in All Supported Industries, Get Approvals on All of Them:

The certification of these test scenarios shows the preparedness of your system to embrace real-world transactions. This practice detects any potential problems or anomalies within the payment system integration, thereby furnishing the opportunity for essential fine-tuning prior to the system’s official launch.

Define Processor Profile’s Structure (list of friends), Provide Them as a Record in the Bug:

In this phase, you will craft a template encompassing the necessary configurations and settings that are unique to the payment processor you are integrating with. The processor profile outlines critical elements such as transaction routing protocols, response mappings, fee architectures, and other intricacies that belong exclusively to the chosen integrated payment processor.

The creation of a distinct processor profile guarantees that the integration is aligned with the unique specifications of the integrated payment processor. On the other hand, this profile is ready for the payment system integration.

Reassign Bug to the Developer, Responsible for Profile Implementation:

The integration process is frequently passed to a dedicated team or individual within the organization. Depending on the setup, a specialized development team or a seasoned third-party agency could be involved.

Create  Profile on UniDoc, Implement it in the API/UI:

In this phase, we turn the instructions from the processor profile into real code in the payment system. Every rule and detail from the profile is added into the system.

Implementing the processor profile is a very important step in making the integration work. It’s like the final touch that ensures the payment system follows the exact rules and plans set beforehand. This synchronization sets the stage for smooth transactions that match the special features of the chosen payment processor.This smart implementation process captures the heart of integrated payment services. It combines careful work, sticking to the plans, and fitting with the details of the payment processor to create a great payment experience for businesses and users.

Provide Descriptions for all Database Objects/API Components (including fields), Related to the Project:

In this phase, careful documentation becomes very important. It covers all parts of the database used in the integration, like tables, triggers, and stored procedures. The aim is to explain how each part is built and works, so that developers can understand and use the database later on.This documentation focus isn’t just for the integration phase. It’s like a base for solving problems, making updates, and even making changes later. By valuing good documentation, the integration becomes something that can be managed and adjusted over time. This is useful even when teams change or when big changes happen to the integrated payment systems.

Register the Integration on UniDoc (including response codes mapping) and in Excel:

Once the integration is done, officially registering with the payment processor is really important. This means telling the processor that the integration is successful. This communication often includes sharing details about how the integration is set up, like IP addresses, URLs, and other technical stuff.

Registering does two main things. First, it makes the connection between the integrator’s system and the payment processor stronger. It confirms that they’re working together through the integration. Also, this registration is needed. It lets the processor know about upcoming transaction requests from the integrated system. This helps them recognize and approve these transactions.

Get the Certification letter and Production Credentials from Processor:

After testing and registration go well, the payment processor does something very important: they give you production credentials. These are like special codes that let your system connect with the real payment system the processor uses. Getting these production credentials is a big deal in the integration process. It means you’re moving from testing to doing real transactions. These credentials are what you need to actually make payments work. They make sure your system can talk safely and correctly to the payment processor. This smooth change from testing to the real thing fits right with the main ideas of a great online business payment system. It’s about planning carefully, testing well, and adding security measures to make a strong payment system that works well for digital business challenges.

Register User Names/Passwords in Password Management System:

When you get the production credentials, you realize how important they are. These credentials must be kept safe. Depending on your system, you can use different ways to protect them, like putting them in a secure file, an encrypted database, or a special vault to prevent unauthorized access.

Highlighting the need for safe storage is really important. Think of production credentials as keys to the real payment world. Their safety is crucial for every transaction’s trustworthiness. By keeping them well-protected, we prevent unauthorized access, fraud attempts, and possible financial issues. This careful protection of production credentials perfectly matches the main goals of integrated payment services. We’re creating a strong defense against digital problems, making sure our payment system is secure and dependable.

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Why is integration important? Integrated business payment systems centralize payment data, offering a comprehensive financial overview and facilitating data-driven decision-making. Moreover, they automate recurring tasks, reducing human errors and operational costs. Additional information on this issue is provided in the respective article at Paylosophy blog.

Ready to enhance your business’s financial efficiency? Contact us today and find out how UniPay integrated payment solution can streamline payments for your business.

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