Many payment companies promise easy and fast payment integrations. Unfortunately, the reality doesn’t always live up to the promise. Mistakes have a ripple effect on any implementation and can delay the entire integration project. And, it leaves the whole deal susceptible to competition. Challengers who can get things done faster have a real opportunity when timelines stretch.
For the integration to truly be seamless, ISVs should review the following:
SDK documentation
Is it well written? Is it easy to understand? Is there support when questions arise?
Helpdesk during integration development
Does the ISV get a dedicated person to help them when they have questions during the development phase? We find that the most efficient integrations happen when both parties dedicate resources to get the project over the line.
Testing Process
Does the gateway provide good documentation if the code is failing during testing? What’s the turnaround for testing the code once the ISV submits it? Good testing takes time, plan for it. It’s important to get everything right, that means testing time needs to be accounted for. Make sure everyone is on the same page about timelines and turnarounds. Track and record everything you can. Make note of logging tools like:
Windows Event Viewer
Key Injection Logs
Payment Terminal Software Logs
Wireshark Logs
Any Transaction logs that exist at the gateway/processor
Test Devices
Who’s providing the test devices? What’s the waiting time for these?
Proactive Steps for ISVs
Do your research, knowing the challenges and how to overcome them takes experience. Working with solution providers, like ScanSource & POS Portal, means bringing to the table decades of practice in the often-complex payments space. Based on our collective experience with thousands of ISVs and most every major Gateway/ Processor, ScanSource & POS Portal can act as the bridge between you and the Payment solution provider.
Stuck in a Bad Integration? Take these Actions.
Reset everything and understand the gaps. Go back to and determine if all requirements have been sufficiently defined. Ambiguity and lack of consensus about responsibilities and timelines can cause problems. If all the groundwork is in place, then ask to leverage the resources of the integration partner. See if they can provide a dedicated Integration Engineer. Find out how much time he or she can commit to your project and come to an agreement with the gateway or processor about the path to completion.
Additional Payment Integration Tips
Know what types of resources the gateway or processor can provide and understand what you need to bring to the table. Make a project plan and ensure all parties agree on roles and responsibilities, then draw out a timeline and work towards it collectively. Get all your technical requirements defined up front, and ask questions like:
- What configurations (connectivity) options are required?
- What drivers are required? Who will set up and install those drivers?
- What encryptions/algorithms are needed, are there specifics?
- What payment terminal software is required?
- What gateway solution software is required?
- Are those software versions compatible with one another
