Function documentationPayment Card Processing

 

This function supports payments made using payment cards, for example, credit cards. Payment cards replace other forms of payment, and offer vendors a form of risk management, since the authorization of a transaction is a guarantee of payment.

Payment card processing in SAP CRM is designed for merchants, rather than for banks.

This section describes the processing of payment card data in scenarios where SAP ERP is used for billing, and in scenarios where SAP CRM is used for billing. Differences in functions are described where appropriate.

Integration

Billing data for payment card transactions can be transferred to an integrated SAP ERP system, which handles accounting and settlement with the clearing house. In particular, you can do the following in SAP ERP:

  • Set up an open item-managed, general ledger account for each clearing house

  • Record processing fees charged by the clearing house for its services

  • Manage information sent back by clearing houses to accept or reject card transactions

  • Carry out bill-back processing when a customer disputes a transaction

Prerequisites

The following are general prerequisites for processing payment card transactions:

  • You have arranged with a clearing house or bank for authorization and settlement services. Depending on your arrangements, and particularly if you work with Internet transactions, a third party may relay the electronic messages between you and the clearing house or bank.

  • You have set up the Interdependent Changes data exchange scenario (see Interdependent Changes).

  • You make general settings to enable payment card processing in Customizing for Customer Relationship Management under Start of the navigation path Basic Functions Next navigation step Payment Cards Next navigation step Basic Settings End of the navigation path.

  • If you want to use SAP CRM to perform billing for payment card transactions, you have made the appropriate Customizing settings, as described in Billing for Payment Card Transactions.

Features

Payment Cards in Business Partner Master Data

You can enter payment cards in the account master for your customers, in the Payment Cards assignment block, and then access this information during transaction processing. If one card is stored in the master data, this is automatically the standard card. If more than one card is stored, one card can be marked as the standard card.

Payment Card Master Data

You can enter and display payment card master data directly, independently of a business partner. You do this in the SAP GUI, on the SAP Easy Access screen under Start of the navigation path Master Data Next navigation step Payment Cards Next navigation step Maintain Payment Cards End of the navigation path.

Payment Card Transactions

Payers can use multiple cards for a transaction. In this case, you must enter a payment limit for all but one of the cards. The cards with limits are used first for payment up to the limit amount. Any remaining amount is billed to the unlimited card.

Authorization Checks

When you save a transaction involving a payment card that requires authorization, the card data and transaction amount are automatically sent to a clearing house for checking. For more information on the authorization process, see Authorization.

Information about each attempted authorization, for example, the authorized amount and authorization status, appears as a separate line in the Payment Method assignment block of the transaction.

In addition to the automatic authorization of the payable amount, the following authorization checks are supported:

  • Preauthorization

    If actual authorization can only take place at a later point in time, you can enable an initial check of the customer name, address, and card number. For more information, see Preauthorization.

  • Card verification value (CVV) check

    The CVV is sent to the clearing house for verification and is not saved in the database. For more information, see Card Verification Value Check.

  • Address verification

    You can use the address verification system at a clearing house to check whether the address on file for the customer matches the customer address that you have entered in the transaction. For more information, see Address Verification.

  • Manual authorization

    If the connection to the clearing house is disrupted, employees can contact the clearing house using another channels, for example, telephone, and enter the authorized amount and authorization number themselves.

  • Reauthorization

    If a payment card transaction is changed and saved, and the existing valid authorized amounts are insufficient to cover the payable amount, reauthorization takes place automatically. If required, you can re-trigger authorization of a transaction. For more information, see Reauthorization Report.

    If you use SAP CRM for billing, reauthorization is also automatically triggered during billing if authorized amounts are insufficient. For more information, see Billing for Payment Card Transactions.

Data Security
  • Encryption

    We recommend that you encrypt payment card data in the database.

  • Masking

    Encrypted card numbers are masked on the user interface. Users with authorization can display the full card number.

For more information on encryption and masking, see Security for Payment Card Data.