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Payment Gateway Setup Guide

Updated

Accept credit card payments in real-time by connecting a payment gateway to your Pulse Commerce store. This guide covers choosing a payment gateway, setting up your merchant account, and configuring payment processing options.

Important: Only one online credit card payment gateway may be enabled at one time. You will also need a merchant account from your bank to accept credit card transactions.
🔍 Before You Start - Understanding Payment Gateways

Payment gateways and merchant accounts work together to process credit card transactions for your online store.

What is a Payment Gateway?

A payment gateway is an online system that automates credit card processing in real-time. When customers enter their credit card information during checkout, the payment gateway securely transmits that information to your merchant account provider for authorization and processing. Without a payment gateway, you would need to manually process each credit card transaction, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

What is a Merchant Account?

A merchant account is a special account set up with a bank that allows you to accept credit card transactions. This account receives the funds from credit card payments before they are transferred to your business bank account.

Key point: You need BOTH a merchant account and a payment gateway to accept credit cards in real-time.

Popular Payment Gateway Options

Pulse Commerce supports many payment gateways. The most commonly used options include:

  • Authorize.net - One of the most popular gateways with reliable service and robust features
  • PayPal Payments Pro - On-site checkout with PayPal processing
  • PayPal Express Checkout - Fast checkout with no monthly fees
  • CyberSource - Enterprise-level payment processing
  • Merchant Focus - Cost-effective option with Authorize.net integration
  • Many others
Need Help Choosing? Authorize.net is the most popular choice among Pulse Commerce merchants for its reliability and feature set. See our Authorize.net Setup Guide for detailed instructions.

What You'll Need

Before you begin, gather the following information:

  • Payment gateway account credentials (API Login ID, Transaction Key, or Merchant ID)
  • Merchant account set up with your bank
  • Access to your Pulse Commerce admin panel with SuperAdmin or appropriate permissions
🏦 Setting Up Your Merchant Account - Saving Money on Processing Fees

Before you can process credit cards, you need a merchant account. Understanding your options can help you save significantly on processing fees.

How Merchant Accounts Work

When you accept a credit card payment, the transaction goes through your payment gateway to your merchant account provider. Your merchant account provider charges fees for processing these transactions, typically including:

  • Transaction fees - A percentage of each sale (typically 2-3%)
  • Per-transaction fees - A flat fee per transaction (typically $0.20-$0.30)
  • Monthly fees - Monthly service or gateway fees
  • Interchange fees - Fees set by credit card networks (Visa, Mastercard)

Cost-Saving Options for Pulse Commerce Merchants

Pulse Commerce partners with Merchant Focus Processing to offer exclusive pricing programs designed to reduce your credit card processing costs:

Option 1: Competitive Fixed-Rate Pricing

Best for: New merchants or those processing less than $250,000 per year in Visa/MasterCard transactions

  • Simple, predictable pricing structure
  • No surprises with variable rates
  • Easy to understand and budget for
  • Includes payment gateway access

Option 2: Interchange-Plus Pricing

Best for: Established merchants processing more than $250,000 per year in Visa/MasterCard transactions

  • Lowest possible processing rates
  • No monthly fees of any kind
  • Transparent cost breakdown
  • Significant savings for high-volume merchants
Cost Savings Tip: Merchants processing over $250,000 per year can save thousands of dollars annually by switching to Interchange-Plus pricing with no monthly fees. Contact your Account Manager to learn more about these exclusive programs.

Questions to Ask Your Merchant Account Provider

  • What are the transaction fees and per-transaction costs?
  • Are there monthly minimums or monthly fees?
  • What payment gateways do you support?
  • Are there setup fees or cancellation fees?
  • What fraud protection tools are included?
  • How quickly will funds be deposited to my bank account?
⚙️ Connecting Your Payment Gateway to Pulse Commerce

Once you have your merchant account and payment gateway credentials, you can connect them to your Pulse Commerce store.

Understanding the Pay Methods Page

The Pay Methods page in Pulse Commerce is organized into three tabs:

  • Online - Payment Options (Credit Cards Only) - Real-time credit card processing gateways like Authorize.net, PayPal Payments Pro, and CyberSource
  • Other Real-Time Payment Options - Alternative payment methods like PayPal Express Checkout, PayPal Standard, and Gift Certificates
  • Offline Custom Payment Options - Offline payment methods like Check, Cash, Purchase Orders, and custom payment types

How to Enable a Payment Gateway

1Navigate to Settings in the top right corner of the admin panel.

2Click Pay Methods.

3You will see three tabs. Click the Online - Payment Options (Credit Cards Only) tab to view available credit card payment gateways.

4Locate your payment gateway in the list (e.g., Authorize.net, PayPal Payments Pro, CyberSource).

5Click Enable on the right side next to your chosen gateway.

Important: Only one payment gateway in the "Online - Payment Options (Credit Cards Only)" tab can be enabled at a time. If you enable a different gateway, the previously enabled gateway will be disabled automatically.

How to Configure Gateway Settings

After enabling your payment gateway, you need to enter your credentials and configure settings.

1Click Edit next to your enabled payment gateway.

2In the Edit Online Pay Method window, enter your gateway credentials. Common fields include:

  • Merchant ID or API Login ID - Your unique identifier from the payment gateway
  • Transaction Key or Password - Your secure authentication key
  • Payment Type - Select your processing mode

3Configure security settings:

  • Use AVS - Enable Address Verification System to verify billing addresses
  • Use CVV - Enable CVV verification to verify the security code on the back of credit cards

4Select your authorization mode from the dropdown at the top:

  • Authorize and Capture - Charge the customer's card immediately when the order is placed
  • Authorize Only Capture Later - Reserve the funds but don't charge until you ship the order

5Add optional information:

  • Description - Internal note about this payment method
  • Order Confirmation Message - Message displayed to customers on storefront checkout
  • Sort Order - Display order if multiple payment methods are available

6Click Update to save your configuration.

Testing Your Payment Gateway

After configuration, test your payment gateway by placing a test order:

  • Use your gateway's test credit card numbers (check your gateway's documentation)
  • Place an order through your storefront or admin panel
  • Verify the transaction appears in your payment gateway's control panel
  • Confirm the order shows as "Authorized" or "Paid" in Pulse Commerce

Gateway-Specific Guides: For detailed setup instructions for specific gateways, see our dedicated articles:

💳 Understanding Authorize & Capture vs Authorize Only

Payment gateways offer two authorization modes that determine when customer credit cards are actually charged. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right option for your business.

Authorize and Capture (Default)

How it works: Customer credit cards are authorized and charged immediately when orders are placed.

Best for:

  • Digital products or services delivered immediately
  • Businesses with same-day or next-day shipping
  • Drop-shipping operations
  • Businesses that want immediate payment confirmation

Advantages:

  • Funds are captured immediately
  • No risk of authorization expiring before capture
  • Simple workflow - one step processes payment

Authorize Only, Capture Later

How it works: Customer credit cards are authorized to reserve the funds, but not charged until you manually capture the payment (typically when the order ships).

Best for:

  • Businesses that verify inventory before shipping
  • Made-to-order or custom products
  • Businesses with longer fulfillment times
  • Merchants who want to verify orders before charging

Advantages:

  • Don't charge customers until you're ready to ship
  • Verify inventory availability before charging
  • Better for custom or made-to-order items
  • Complies with card network requirements (don't charge before shipping)
Important: Authorizations typically expire after 7-30 days depending on your payment gateway and the card issuing bank. If you don't capture the payment before the authorization expires, you'll need to request a new authorization or the customer will need to re-enter their payment information.

How to Configure Authorize Only, Capture Later

1Navigate to Settings > Pay Methods.

2Click Edit next to your enabled payment gateway.

3At the top of the Edit window, find the authorization mode dropdown.

4Select Authorize Only Capture Later.

5Click Update to save your changes.

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How to Capture Payment on an Authorized Order

When you're ready to capture payment (usually when marking the order as shipped):

1Navigate to Orders and open the order you want to capture payment for.

2Click the Payment History tab at the top of the order details page.

3You'll see the authorization listed with status "Authorized".

4Click the Capture button next to the authorized transaction.

5The payment will be captured and the customer's card will be charged.

Orders placed with Authorize Only will come into your admin panel with an "Authorized" status, making it easy to identify which orders need payment captured before shipping.

✏️ Updating or Changing Gateway Information

You may need to update your payment gateway information if your credentials change, you switch merchant accounts, or you want to change configuration settings.

How to Update Gateway Settings Yourself

1Navigate to Settings > Pay Methods.

2Click Edit next to your enabled payment gateway.

3Update any of the following information as needed:

  • Merchant ID, API Login ID, or Transaction Key
  • Authorization mode (Authorize & Capture vs Authorize Only)
  • AVS or CVV settings
  • Description or order confirmation message
  • Sort order

4Click Update to save your changes.

Switching to a Different Payment Gateway

If you want to switch to a completely different payment gateway:

1Navigate to Settings > Pay Methods.

2Click Disable next to your current payment gateway (optional - enabling a new one will automatically disable the old one).

3Click Enable next to your new payment gateway.

4Click Edit and enter the credentials for your new gateway.

5Configure settings and click Update.

6Test the new gateway by placing a test order.

Getting Help from Pulse Commerce Support

If you prefer assistance updating your payment gateway configuration, Pulse Commerce Support can help.

For security reasons: Do not send payment gateway credentials via email or support ticket. Contact Support for assistance. 

Have the following information for Support: 

  • Your complete payment gateway credentials
  • Merchant ID, API Login ID, or Transaction Key
  • Which payment gateway you're using
  • Your preferred authorization mode (Authorize & Capture or Authorize Only)
  • Whether you want AVS/CVV enabled

Support will integrate your payment gateway with your Pulse Commerce store and verify it's working correctly.

Security Best Practice: Never send payment gateway credentials via email or include them in support tickets. Always upload to our secure form or contact Support directly when sharing sensitive payment information.

Common Reasons to Update Gateway Settings

  • API key regenerated - Payment gateways periodically require new API keys for security
  • Switched merchant accounts - Changed banks or merchant account providers
  • Changed business model - Need to switch from Authorize & Capture to Authorize Only
  • Enhanced security - Want to enable AVS or CVV verification
  • Gateway problems - Troubleshooting connection or processing issues
📚 Additional Resources

Related Articles

Gateway-Specific Resources

Need Help?

If you need assistance with payment gateway setup or configuration:

  • Technical setup help: Call Pulse Commerce Support at 718-701-2944
  • Merchant account questions: Contact your Account Manager
  • Gateway-specific issues: Contact your payment gateway's support team

Best Practices

  • Always test your payment gateway after configuration or changes
  • Enable AVS and CVV verification for better fraud protection
  • Choose "Authorize Only" if you have multi-day fulfillment times
  • Keep your gateway credentials secure and update them if compromised
  • Review your merchant account fees annually to ensure competitive rates
  • Monitor authorization expiration times to avoid expired authorizations

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