Recurring / Installment Payments

Merchants can make recurring and installment transactions. This is achieved by:

1. Set ECM value accordingly
2. Set stored_credential_indicator to indicate if it's the first or subsequent transaction.
3. Using the card_token from the initial transaction where the customer authorized the recurring or installment cycle, as well as specifying the authorization_tracking_id returned on the initial transaction in all subsequent recurring or installment transactions.
4. If the card is expired, you can set omit_expiry to true to allow payment to go through.

The definition of ECM, card_on_file and omit_expiry can be found here.

A Recurring Scenario Example

Below is a scenario example to illustrate how to use card_token and authorization_tracking_id for first and subsequent transactions:

First Recurring Transaction

We can create the first recurring transaction via create a purchase.

/* 
 * Request: POST /v1.0/purchases
 */
{
  "amount": 100,
  "currency": "AUD",
  "card_holder": "John Smith",
  "card_number": "411111xxxxxx1111",
  "card_expiry": "01/2025",
  "cvv": "123",
  "reference": "first_recurring_transaction",
  "extra": {
  "ecm": 32,
  "stored_credential_indicator": "I"
  }
}

In the response, we will get the card_token as well as the authorization_tracking_id. These values will need to be stored for the subsequent transaction.

• card_token: this is a token for the card number used in the initial transaction and can be used in subsequent transactions so that the actual card number does not need to be entered
• metadata.authorization_tracking_id: this is an ID returned by the card schemes which must be presented on subsequent recurring or installment transactions.

/*
 * Response
 */
{
  "successful": true,
  "response": {
  "authorization": "123456",
  "id": "1-P-VBF4KCE9",
  "card_number": "411111xxxxxx1111",
  "card_holder": "John Smith",
  "card_expiry": "2025-01-31",
  "card_token": "lk78b0xadcdek2hffvkadif",
  "card_type": "VISA",
  "card_category": "Credit",
  "card_subcategory": "Standard",
  "amount": 100,
  "decimal_amount": 1.0,
  "successful": true,
  "message": "approved - balance avail",
  "reference": "first_recurring_transaction",
  "currency": "AUD",
  "transaction_id": "1-P-VBF4KCE9",
  "settlement_date": "2020-04-23",
  "transaction_date": "2020-04-23T10:21:31+10:00",
  "response_code": "00",
  "captured": true,
  "captured_amount": 100,
  "rrn": "042321000062",
  "cvv_match": "M",
  "metadata": {
    "authorization_tracking_id": "HNR0003960518",
    "card_sequence_number": "",
    "sca_exemption": "",
    "original_transaction_reference": ""
  },
  "addendum_data": {}
  },
  "errors": [],
  "test": false
}

Subsequent Transaction

The authorization_tracking_id should be supplied for every subsequent recurring transaction to increase approval rates.

Some schemes do not return an authorization_tracking_id after a first recurring payment. If this is not present in the payload, it's safe to create recurring transactions without it.

/* 
 * Request: POST /v1.0/purchases
 */
{
  "amount": 100,
  "currency": "AUD",
  "card_token": "lk78b0xadcdek2hffvkadif",
  "reference": "second_recurring_transaction",
  "extra": {
  "ecm": 32,
  "authorization_tracking_id": "HNR0003960518",
  "stored_credential_indicator": "S"
  }
}

Transact With Expired Tokenized Credit Card

If the tokenized credit card is expired, it will likely be rejected. You can set omit_expiry:true to attempt to increase approval rates.

Automatic Card Updates

Contact your account manager to enquire about Automatic Card Update capabilities (including automatic expiry date updates) to help uplift approval rates for expired cards.

/* 
 * Request: POST /v1.0/purchases
 */
{
  "amount": 100,
  "currency": "AUD",
  "card_token": "lk78b0xadcdek2hffvkadif",
  "reference": "second_recurring_transaction",
  "extra": {
  "ecm": 32,
  "omit_expiry": true,
  "authorization_tracking_id": "HNR0003960518",
  "stored_credential_indicator": "S"
  }
}