PayTabs Repeat Billing API Workflow (Agreements)
PayTabs provides a Repeat Billing API that allows merchants to automate billing agreements with their customers. This API enables the creation of recurring payments for services or products, with the merchant managing the billing schedule and PayTabs handling the payment processing and invoicing.
1. Initial Setup: Transaction API Request
The merchant initiates the repeat billing process by making a Transaction API request to PayTabs. This request must include the necessary agreement details, such as the customer’s billing schedule, the invoice amount, and frequency.
API Request Parameters:
- Agreement Details: Specifies the payment schedule (e.g., monthly, quarterly).
- Customer Information: Includes customer name, contact details, and payment method.
- Agreement Invoice Details: Total amount, currency, and description of the billing plan.
Upon receiving this request, PayTabs will return a response containing a payment page link. This link is essential for customer interaction, as it redirects the customer to a secure payment environment to complete the initial invoice payment.
2. Redirecting the Customer
Once the API request is processed, the merchant must navigate or redirect the customer to the payment page URL provided in the API response. This step is critical for allowing the customer to manually complete the first payment.
- The customer accesses the payment page via the provided URL.
- The first invoice must be paid manually by the customer.
Important Features:
- Checkbox for Consent: The payment page will display a checkbox prompting the customer to confirm approval for automatic card storage. By agreeing, the customer authorizes PayTabs to use the stored card for future installments.
3. Tokenization on Payment Result
On Successful First Payment:
If the first invoice is paid successfully, PayTabs will tokenize the customer’s card. This tokenization allows future invoices to be automatically debited without requiring further action from the customer.
On First Payment Failure:
If the customer does not pay the first invoice, PayTabs will continue to send follow-up invoices until the initial payment is completed. The system will attempt to collect payment until successful completion and card tokenization.
4. Upcoming Recurring Payments
Once the card is tokenized after the initial payment, all subsequent payments will be processed automatically, according to the agreement schedule. The customer will no longer need to manually approve or interact with each installment.
In Case of Payment Failure:
In the case of a payment failure for any installment, PayTabs will automatically send a follow-up invoice to the customer, notifying them of the failure and requesting payment. This process will continue until the payment is successfully processed.
5. Managing the Agreement in the Merchant Dashboard
After the agreement is initiated and the customer has successfully paid the first invoice, the merchant will be able to view the agreement details inside the PayTabs Merchant Dashboard. This provides full visibility into the agreement, including:
- Agreement Status: Active or Inactive.
- Payment Schedule: Details of upcoming payments.
- Payment History: Previous payments made by the customer.
Actions you Can Do trough Merchant Dashboard:
The merchant will have the ability to manage the agreement through the dashboard with the following options:
- Pause Agreement: Temporarily stop the recurring payments without canceling the agreement.
- Cancel Agreement: Permanently terminate the agreement, preventing any further payments.
These management options provide flexibility for merchants to handle customer requests or modify agreements as necessary.
Workflow Overview
- Merchant sends a Transaction API request to PayTabs with agreement details.
- PayTabs returns a payment page URL for the customer to complete the initial payment.
- Customer manually completes the first invoice and consents to future payments by card storage.
- Card is tokenized for future automatic payments.
- Subsequent invoices are automatically billed according to the agreed schedule.
- In the case of payment failure, follow-up invoices are sent until successful payment.
- Merchant manages the agreement in the dashboard, with options to pause or cancel the agreement.
This workflow simplifies the process for merchants and customers, ensuring smooth recurring billing, providing automated handling of payment failures, and giving merchants full control over managing agreements via the dashboard. PayTabs' Repeat Billing API offers a secure, user-friendly solution for managing subscription or installment-based payments.