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Study Abroad: CashNet TD Connect Integration Follow

The CashNet TD Connect integration combines the benefits of the CashNet payment gateway processing service with the ease of self-service use through Terra Dotta's e-marketplace platform. Administrators can deploy a payment material to a program application, and applicants can easily make payments from their application page. Transactions are returned to Terra Dotta with a log of payment receipt details for both applicants and administrators.

Are you an existing client? No problem! Existing Terra Dotta clients with a payment gateway integration can transition to the CashNet TD Connect platform to take advantage of efficient, self-service use.

This article introduces the CashNet TD Connect integration and covers the following topics:

Getting Started with CashNet TD Connect

To get started with aCashNet TD Connect integration, you must first contact CashNet directly to request a CashNet client account. The required values for a CashNet account, such as a CashNet URL, Gateway Customer Code, and Item Codes, needed for the TD Connect integration will be provided by CashNet directly.

After you’ve procured a CashNet account, contact Terra Dotta by submitting a Support request. Our team will guide you through the initial setup of the CashNet TD Connect integration. 

For existing clients with or without a payment gateway integration: Submit a Support request and request access to the CashNet TD Connect platform. 

For implementing CashNet clients: By default, implementing CashNet clients will integrate via the CashNet TD Connect platform - no conversion is needed. To launch this solution, you'll work with both your Project Manager and Account Executive.

Self-Service Setup 

After your CashNet TD Connect integration has been turned on and you’ve received confirmation from Terra Dotta that all required configurations have been enabled, the self-service setup can begin. Terra Dotta is available to assist you in determining the proper settings for your respective site during this process.

Important Note: The self-service setup instructions below are the same for both a sandbox or production site as both will require their own respective setup. When engaging in the setup process on a sandbox site, use the "test" CashNet account settings (i.e. CashNet URL, Gateway Customer Code, and Item Codes) when applicable.  

The self-service setup starts with these steps:

1) Set Permissions

To view the TD Connect marketplace, an admin must have the "System Settings: TD Connect" permission enabled under Staff > Staff Permissions > Facilitators > System Settings.

Important Note: This permission does give an admin access to the entire listing of available TD Connect integrations on your production site.

2) Create an Item Code and/or Gateway Customer Code Program Parameter (optional)

Using program parameters instead of hardcoding values for the Item Code and/or the Gateway Customer Code is an optional step. If you decide to utilize this functionality, these program parameters should be set up prior to configuring the related settings in the CashNet TD Connect modal.

To create a program parameter of Item Code:

  • Navigate to Settings > Program Params > New Parameter. This brings you to the "Program Parameter: Add" page. 
  • For Parameter Name, enter "Item Code".
  • For Parameter Type, choose "Single Selection" from the drop-down menu. This will trigger the appearance of a parameter options panel at the bottom of the page.
  • Add the applicable options by entering a value one at a time in the "Add Option" field. Then click "Add". Repeat as needed.
  • Click "Save" to preserve your changes. 

To create a program parameter of Gateway Customer Code:

  • Navigate to Settings > Program Params > New Parameter. This brings you to the "Program Parameter: Add" page. 
  • For Parameter Name, enter "Gateway Customer Code".
  • For Parameter Type, choose "Single Selection" from the drop-down menu. This will trigger the appearance of a parameter options panel at the bottom of the page.
  • Add the applicable options by entering a value one at a time in the "Add Option" field. Then click "Add". Repeat as needed.
  • Click "Save" to preserve your changes. 

These parameters are available as configuration options from the CashNet TD Connect modal.

For detailed information about program parameters, see the Managing Program Parameters Knowledgebase article.

3) Configure CashNet Settings

From the CashNet TD Connect modal, an admin can activate the service on their site and independently set applicable values and parameters. To configure the CashNet TD Connect settings, follow these steps:

  • Navigate to Settings > TD Connect > CashNet . Click on the cogwheel icon to open the CashNet modal.
  • Check the box next to "Activate" to enable the CashNet TD Connect service on your site.
  • Make the respective edits to the available modal fields.
  • Click "Save" to preserve your changes.

Important Note: If you attempt to select "Activate" and click "Save" before entering the CashNet OrderID Location, CashNet URL, Gateway Customer Code, Item Code, and Pay Now Text, you will receive an error message.

The modal fields available for editing are as follows:

OrderID: Enter a hard-coded value to send at the OrderID information to CashNet, or select the program parameter which will store the value at the program level. This location is used to send information to CashNet to associate successful payments to a user's application and material.

"Pay Now" Text: Customize the text which displays on the payment button. Example: Pay Today.

CashNet URL: Enter the URL provided by CashNet . This will be a URL specific to your production site and should not be changed.

Gateway Customer Code:

  • Choose to hardcode a value (i.e. store a fixed, default value) for the Gateway Customer Code to be used for all payments across the entire site. Or,
  • Select one parameter that will be used for programs for the Gateway Customer Code.

Item Code:

  • Choose to hardcode a value for the Item Code to be used for all payments across the entire site. Or,
  • Select one parameter that will be used for programs for the Item Code.

Description:

  • Description information related to the payment can be included with the transaction information sent to CashNet . This information will be included in the Ref Value not selected for OrderID Location. If the Send Description option is selected, then a Description Text (usually set to DESC) is entered.
  • A Description option can be selected to determine the information sent as the transaction description. Options include:
    • Program Group Name
    • User Last Name First Name
    • User Last Name-User First Name-Program Name-App Cycle (Term-Year)
    • Applicant Parameter: If this option is selected, then the admin can choose one of the Applicant Parameter options on the client site. 

Important Note: 

  • Both program and Applicant parameters should be created before setting up the Gateway Customer Code, Item Code, and Description value options. 

4) Create Payment Program Parameter (optional)

Payment program parameters should be configured before creating the payment material. To create a payment program parameter: 

  • Navigate to Settings > Program Params > New Parameter. This brings you to the "Program Parameter: Add" page. 
  • For Parameter Type, select "Payment" from the drop-down menu. This will trigger the appearance of a parameter options panel at the bottom of the page.
  • Add the applicable numeric options, such as 10, 100, 1000, one at a time by entering the value, clicking "Add", and repeating this action.
  • Once done, click "Save" to preserve your changes. 

5) Apply Program-Level Payment Amount (optional)

Once you have created a payment program parameter, you can choose to assign it at the program level by following these steps:

  • Navigate to Programs > List All (or search) > (edit program) > Parameters tab.
  • Click the edit pencil for the respective payment program parameter. Choose one option from the "Available'" box. Click "Add" to move this option down to the "Selected" box.
  • Click the "Add" button at the bottom of the page to preserve your changes.

6) Create Payment Materials

Admins have the ability to set a material process element as a payment material and make edits without the need to submit a Support request.

Important Note: The option to create a payment material in the Admin Console's Content Management only appears after both the CashNet TD Connect solution is live and Terra Dotta has updated the required system setting. Admins should keep this in mind before creating payment materials and deploying them to programs that are actively accepting applications. If a payment material has been created for testing purposes and is deployed to an application prior to confirming the desired settings, then the payment process could either fail or process payments with the wrong settings.  

Materials should be assigned to a deployment rule so that when the desired conditions of the rule are met, the material will be deployed to the program application. For more information, see the Admin Console: Deployment Rules article.  

To create a new payment material, follow these steps:

  • Navigate to Admin Console > Content Management and click on the "Material Submissions" tab.
  • Click on the "+" icon in the lower right of the screen. This opens the "Materials: Add" page from which you can configure your material.
  • Material Title: Provide a name for your material which reflects the payment type. For example: "Application Fee". The recommended best practice is to not reference a monetary amount in the material title as this amount could change.
  • Is this a Payment Material: Clients must enable this toggle in order for the payment functionality to operate (this toggle is deactivated by default). Enabling this setting will trigger the appearance of additional payment setting options which provide admins with two choices, Payment Amount and Item Code, both of which can be set using one of the following options:

Option 1) Admins can hard-code values for this material across all programs to which it is deployed.

Example:

  • Material Title: Application Fee
  • Fixed Amount Field: $100. This is the application fee for all applications that fall within the 2019/2020 app cycles.

For 2020/2021, the application fee goes up to $150. The software does utilize process version management, so if this application fee change does not cascade to the old app cycles, it will stay $100 for the old applications and $150 for the new ones.

Option 2) Admins can select a program parameter to determine the Item Code. This sets the value for the Item Code. (Program parameters should be created before setting up the material.)

Example:

An admin creates a program parameter for the application fee Item Code, deposit fee Item Code, and final payment Item Code. When creating a new payment material for an application fee, the admin would not enter a hard-coded value but would instead choose the application fee Item Code from the corresponding Item Code drop-down menu.

  • Use the WYSIWYG editor to add desired content. A rich-text editor provides styling options, mail merge options, and the ability to embed media.
  • Click "Add" or "Add and Create Rule" to preserve your changes.

Important Notes:

  • Edits that are made to the Item Code for a particular payment material in Content Management > Material Submissions will overwrite what was set in the TD Connect modal.
    • Example: If this is an application fee - and all application fees are associated with one Item Code, you can hard code that fee within this particular material. Or, if the Item Code varies by program, you can use a program parameter to set that fee for this particular material. 
  • The aforementioned instructions (for "Create Payment Materials") are unique to the payment material and are required. Otherwise, follow the general instructions for creating a Material process element which are outlined in the "Material Submissions" section of the Admin Console: Content Management article.

Applicant and Admin View

 Applicant View

On the application page, a payment material will appear by its designated material title as an online requirement.

When an applicant clicks on the material title, for example "Application Fee", a payment button will appear. After clicking on the payment button, a new window will open. The applicant will be redirected to CashNet to complete their payment. Once the payment has been processed, applicants are directed back to Terra Dotta where a message of their transaction (i.e. success/failure/cancelled) will appear.

Admin View

The CashNet TD Connect integration presents admins with updated options in Application Admin Manager. Here, a "Payments" tab will appear when an admin views an application that contains a payment material. Note that a TD Connect Payment Gateway integration must be configured to benefit from this feature.

Information is organized in columns, from left to right, as follows in the "Payments" tab:

  • Title: This displays the name of the payment material.
  • Current Amount: This is the current amount set for this material.
  • Determined By: This is the method by which the payment amount has been determined.
    • A "fixed" amount is configured in the payment material.
    • A "manual override" displays when the admin edits the default amount.
  • Payments: This column tracks payment history.
  • Actions: An admin can edit, cancel an edit action, or reset the "Current Amount" to the default.

After a payment has been paid and information is a payment history is available to view, the icon under the "Payments" column will become clickable. Clicking that icon will expand the row to display the full payment details.

Best Practice Information: Maintaining Your Payment Gateway

Test Payment Gateway Program

It's recommended that your sandbox and production sites have a "Test Payment Gateway" program which can be used to review updated payment material and related parameter settings. All payment materials should be associated with the "Test Payment Gateway" program. When investigating payment gateway behavior on your site, Terra Dotta Support may need to create applications for the "support@terradotta.com" user for the "Test Payment Gateway" program. These applications can be scrubbed after the investigation has concluded.

Reporting Unexpected Behavior

If you need to report unexpected behavior related to your payment gateway material, submit a Support request and provide the following information:

  • The name of the user experiencing the issue.
  • The name of the program and the term for which the application was created.
  • The name of the material impacted.
  • A description of the unexpected behavior: What steps were taken to arrive at the behavior?
  • The date and time of the unexpected behavior and if the behavior is still occurring.

Reporting

Terra Dotta's Analytics reporting tool provides the option to create reports on payment information. Use the available "SA-Payment Report" template to generate a query for payment materials with a payment status of "Success". This payment status filter can be modified to view other payment statuses, such as "Initiated" or "Failed". For more information, including a list of related data points for payment information, see the "Query Templates" section of the Analytics for Terra Dotta Study Abroad article 

 

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