Making a Payment

Learn about the key steps in making a card payment using the Finix API.

You can use Finix to process several types of payments including:

While each payment method has it's nuances, many concepts and actions remain the same. This guide provides an overview of how to process a payment online that charges a card.

To process a card payment online:

  1. Create an Identity for your Buyer
  2. Collect and tokenize payment details
  3. Create a Payment Instrument
  4. Create a sale
  5. Handle the post-payments experience (processing refunds, managing disputes, etc.)

Before You Begin

Before you can process payments for a seller, you need the following:

Creating an Identity for your Buyer

The first step to process a card payment is to create an Identity to represent the buyer and their information.

An Identity resource can represent either a buyer or a seller. The Identity resource helps manage payments, payment methods, bank accounts, transaction history, identity verification, and payouts between buyers and merchants.

Sales and Payment Instruments must be associated with an Identity to get processed successfully.

The first step of making a payment is to create an Identity for your buyer.

  • When creating an Identity for a buyer, all fields are optional.
  • Do not provide the business_type field. Including a value for business_type configures the Identity to get processed as a seller.
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curl https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/identities \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/vnd.json+api' \
  -H 'Finix-Version:2022-02-01' \
  -u USsRhsHYZGBPnQw8CByJyEQW:8a14c2f9-d94b-4c72-8f5c-a62908e5b30e \
  -X POST \
  -d '{
    "entity": {
      "email": "user@example.org",
      "first_name": "John",
      "last_name": "Smith",
      "personal_address": {
        "city": "San Mateo",
        "country": "USA",
        "line1": "741 Douglass St",
        "line2": "Apartment 7",
        "postal_code": "94114",
        "region": "CA"
      },
      "phone": "7145677613"
    },
    "tags": {
      "key": "value"
    }
  }'
A successful response returns 201 and the newly created Identity for the buyer.
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{
  "id" : "IDoWPMqaMxiBypnYc7huXVBR",
  "created_at" : "2022-10-10T05:29:53.32Z",
  "updated_at" : "2022-10-10T05:29:53.32Z",
  "application" : "APgPDQrLD52TYvqazjHJJchM",
  "entity" : {
    "amex_mid" : null,
    "annual_card_volume" : 0,
    "business_address" : null,
    "business_name" : null,
    "business_phone" : null,
    "business_tax_id_provided" : false,
    "business_type" : null,
    "default_statement_descriptor" : null,
    "discover_mid" : null,
    "dob" : null,
    "doing_business_as" : null,
    "email" : "user@example.org",
    "first_name" : "John",
    "has_accepted_credit_cards_previously" : false,
    "incorporation_date" : null,
    "last_name" : "Smith",
    "max_transaction_amount" : 0,
    "mcc" : null,
    "ownership_type" : null,
    "personal_address" : {
      "line1" : "741 Douglass St",
      "line2" : "Apartment 7",
      "city" : "San Mateo",
      "region" : "CA",
      "postal_code" : "94114",
      "country" : "USA"
    },
    "phone" : "7145677613",
    "principal_percentage_ownership" : null,
    "short_business_name" : null,
    "tax_authority" : null,
    "tax_id_provided" : false,
    "title" : null,
    "url" : null
  },
  "tags" : {
    "key" : "value"
  },
  "_links" : {
    "self" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/identities/IDoWPMqaMxiBypnYc7huXVBR"
    },
    "verifications" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/identities/IDoWPMqaMxiBypnYc7huXVBR/verifications"
    },
    "merchants" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/identities/IDoWPMqaMxiBypnYc7huXVBR/merchants"
    },
    "settlements" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/identities/IDoWPMqaMxiBypnYc7huXVBR/settlements"
    },
    "authorizations" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/identities/IDoWPMqaMxiBypnYc7huXVBR/authorizations"
    },
    "transfers" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/identities/IDoWPMqaMxiBypnYc7huXVBR/transfers"
    },
    "payment_instruments" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/identities/IDoWPMqaMxiBypnYc7huXVBR/payment_instruments"
    },
    "associated_identities" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/identities/IDoWPMqaMxiBypnYc7huXVBR/associated_identities"
    },
    "disputes" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/identities/IDoWPMqaMxiBypnYc7huXVBR/disputes"
    },
    "application" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/applications/APgPDQrLD52TYvqazjHJJchM"
    }
  }
}

Collecting Payment Details

With the buyer's Identity created, the next step is collecting the payment details of the buyer.

Use Finix Hosted Fields to collect the buyer's card details. When buyers enter their information into the hosted fields, Finix tokenizes the payment data and returns a token which you'll use to create a Payment Instrument.

Creating a Payment Instrument

A Payment Instrument represents the payment method of a buyer. A buyer can have multiple Payment Instruments associated with their Identity. You can use Finix's encrypted-vault to safely tokenize and store all of your buyers Payment Instruments.

To store the card details that were collected with the hosted fields, create a Payment Instrument:

  • Include the token that was generated.
  • Include the Identity that was created for the buyer.
CVV and AVS checks

You can also perform a CVV or AVS check to verify the submitted information matches what the issuing bank has saved for the buyer.

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curl https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/payment_instruments \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/vnd.json+api' \
  -H 'Finix-Version:2022-02-01' \
  -u USsRhsHYZGBPnQw8CByJyEQW:8a14c2f9-d94b-4c72-8f5c-a62908e5b30e \
  -X POST \
  -d '{
    "token": "TKiMxe323RE5Dq3wLVtG8kSW",
    "type": "TOKEN",
    "identity": "IDpYDM7J9n57q849o9E9yNrG"
  }'
A successful response returns 201 and the newly created Payment Instrument .
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{
  "id": "PIwWisLuZNwPBoLbCgQVTCoY",
  "application": "APgPDQrLD52TYvqazjHJJchM",
  "fingerprint": "FPRmYp7ejhA3yDjSor4A5Ji2D",
  "tags": {
    "card_name": "Business Card"
  },
  "expiration_month": 12,
  "expiration_year": 2029,
  "bin": "400000",
  "last_four": "9979",
  "brand": "VISA",
  "card_type": "UNKNOWN",
  "name": "Amy White",
  "address": {
    "line1": "900 Metro Center Blv",
    "line2": null,
    "city": "San Francisco",
    "region": "CA",
    "postal_code": "94404",
    "country": "USA"
  },
  "address_verification": "NO_MATCH",
  "security_code_verification": "UNMATCHED",
  "created_at": "2022-08-15T23:13:06.13Z",
  "updated_at": "2022-08-15T23:13:06.88Z",
  "instrument_type": "PAYMENT_CARD",
  "type": "PAYMENT_CARD",
  "currency": "USD",
  "identity": "IDgWxBhfGYLLdkhxx2ddYf9K",
  "_links": {
    "self": {
      "href": "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/payment_instruments/PIwWisLuZNwPBoLbCgQVTCoY"
    },
    "authorizations": {
      "href": "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/payment_instruments/PIwWisLuZNwPBoLbCgQVTCoY/authorizations"
    },
    "transfers": {
      "href": "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/payment_instruments/PIwWisLuZNwPBoLbCgQVTCoY/transfers"
    },
    "verifications": {
      "href": "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/payment_instruments/PIwWisLuZNwPBoLbCgQVTCoY/verifications"
    },
    "application": {
      "href": "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/applications/APgPDQrLD52TYvqazjHJJchM"
    },
    "identity": {
      "href": "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/identities/IDgWxBhfGYLLdkhxx2ddYf9K"
    },
    "updates": {
      "href": "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/payment_instruments/PIwWisLuZNwPBoLbCgQVTCoY/updates"
    }
  }
}

To collect and process payment data in your own PCI compliant cardholder data environment (CDE), see Handling Raw Card Data.

Make the Payment

Once you have a Payment Instrument that represents the buyers tokenized payment data, you can make the payment and charge the buyer's Payment Instrument.

There are two payment flows in Finix:

  • Sale: A one step transaction that immediately charges the payment instrument.
    • This is done by creating a Transfer
  • Authorization and Capture: A two step transaction that is only available for cards.
The Transfer is the core of our payments flow. This example details charging a Payment Instrument for a one-time sale. To make a payment, create a transfer:
  • Use the id of the buyer's Payment Instrument as the source.
  • Use the id of the seller's APPROVED Merchant .
  • Include a fraud_session_id.
Fraud Detection

Reviewing transactions for fraud helps stop any potentially fraudulent transactions performed by bad actors. For more information, see Fraud Detection.

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curl https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/transfers \
    -H "Content-Type: application/vnd.json+api" \
    -H 'Finix-Version:2022-02-01' \
    -u  USsRhsHYZGBPnQw8CByJyEQW:8a14c2f9-d94b-4c72-8f5c-a62908e5b30e \
    -d '
	{
      "merchant": "MUeDVrf2ahuKc9Eg5TeZugvs",
      "currency": "USD",
      "amount": 662154,
      "source": "PIe2YvpcjvoVJ6PzoRPBK137",
      "fraud_session_id": "test_fraud"
    }'
A successful response returns 201, the newly created Transfer, and a SUCCEEDED response.
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{
  "id" : "TR29av3LN1TAGPbXscsup1tt",
  "amount" : 662154,
  "tags" : { },
  "state" : "SUCCEEDED",
  "trace_id" : "34f40e87-2599-414b-874b-f472790ff521",
  "currency" : "USD",
  "application" : "APgPDQrLD52TYvqazjHJJchM",
  "source" : "PIe2YvpcjvoVJ6PzoRPBK137",
  "destination" : null,
  "ready_to_settle_at" : null,
  "externally_funded" : "UNKNOWN",
  "fee" : 0,
  "statement_descriptor" : "FNX*DUNDER MIFFLIN",
  "type" : "DEBIT",
  "messages" : [ ],
  "raw" : null,
  "created_at" : "2022-08-25T20:39:37.59Z",
  "updated_at" : "2022-08-25T20:39:38.17Z",
  "idempotency_id" : null,
  "merchant_identity" : "IDuqZpDw28f2KK6YuDk4jNLg",
  "subtype" : "API",
  "failure_code" : null,
  "failure_message" : null,
  "additional_buyer_charges" : null,
  "_links" : {
    "application" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/applications/APgPDQrLD52TYvqazjHJJchM"
    },
    "self" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/transfers/TR29av3LN1TAGPbXscsup1tt"
    },
    "merchant_identity" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/identities/IDuqZpDw28f2KK6YuDk4jNLg"
    },
    "payment_instruments" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/transfers/TR29av3LN1TAGPbXscsup1tt/payment_instruments"
    },
    "reversals" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/transfers/TR29av3LN1TAGPbXscsup1tt/reversals"
    },
    "fees" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/transfers/TR29av3LN1TAGPbXscsup1tt/fees"
    },
    "disputes" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/transfers/TR29av3LN1TAGPbXscsup1tt/disputes"
    },
    "source" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/payment_instruments/PIe2YvpcjvoVJ6PzoRPBK137"
    },
    "fee_profile" : {
      "href" : "https://finix.sandbox-payments-api.com/fee_profiles/FPvCQUcnsueN3Bc3zR1qCBG8"
    }
  }
}
Though the Transfer is SUCCEEDED, the funds will be paid out to your seller after a short delay.

The approval of the payment will also generate the fees you collect.

Most sandboxes are configured to instantly approval Transfers. But some may be configured for asynchronous approval flows, in which case, the Transfer returns as PENDING. Additionally, some Transfers won't be approved (e.g. a buyer's card getting declined) so you'll need to handle these declines and failures.

Transfer States and Failures

While most Transfer are immediately approved, you'll need to handle all potential states:
  • PENDING: The Transfer is still processing. It will resolve to another state. If a Transfer stays PENDING for an extended period of time, reach out to Support.
  • SUCCEEDED: The Transfer was successful, and the funds will soon be available for the seller in a Payout. The ready_to_settle_at field indicates when the Transfer will be include (or batched) into a Settlement.
  • FAILED: The Payment was declined. Refer to the failure_code and failure_message for details on why the transaction was declined.
  • CANCELED: There was an issue with the processor, please reach out to the Finix Support team.
  • UNKNOWN: A connection or timeout issue occurred while the Transfer got created or updated. Reattempt the Transfer.

After the Payment

The funds from the payment are not immediately available. Instead, the Transfer#ready_to_settle_at field gets updated and details when it'll be batched into a Settlement and payed out.

Though the payment has been completed and paid out, there are still other important aspects of processing payments that you must support:

Additional features

When making a payment, there are other features or functionalities you may be relevant to your needs:

Next Steps

Other important aspects of processing payments that you need to support include:

Payouts

Learn how sellers receive the the funds from payments.

Refunding Payments

Process refunds or reversals.

Manage Disputes

Learn how to manage the dispute lifecycle.