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Overview
PayPal is an online payment system used for money transfers. CRM.COM is integrated with PayPal to refund customers through manual and automated processes.
For integration with other payment gateways, refer to Stripe and Generic Gateways.
PayPal functionality
- Conduct online refunds on behalf of CRM.COM.
- Redeem instant spend awards earned by the customer for participating in a rewards program.
- Requests are triggered by manual refunds or PayPal runs.
PayPal requests can be updated through WEB APIs. Refer to Integrating Payment Systems for comprehensive instructions on integrating PayPal with CRM.COM.
Setting Up PayPal
PayPal provider
PayPal provider is used to define communication parameters and to set up triggers for refund requests.
Provider fields
The table describes the sections of PayPal Provider Data Entry page and explains how the fields in the page are used.
Mandatory
Configurable
Main Information | |
|---|---|
Mode of operation can be 'Test' or 'Live'. Payment Gateway (Set automatically to PayPal) Email Subject: For communications that the customer will receive through PayPal, whenever a PayPal refund is processed. | |
| Authentication Settings | |
The credentials used to connect to the PayPal system ('Test' or 'Live') depend on the 'Mode' selected under Main Information.
| |
| Supported Attributes Defines the attributes that must be used by refunds which should be processed by PayPal | |
| Refund Methods | Select refund methods that will trigger the creation of a PayPal refund request on refund posting. |
The list of currencies supported by PayPal. An accounts payment preference associated with PayPal can only be selected if the currency of the accounts receivable is included in the list. There is the option to support all currencies or specific currencies. | |
Related configuration areas
Mandatory modules must be configured for the PayPal module to work.
Optional modules may be configured for the module to operate at its full capacity.
| Manual Link | Area | Description | Configuration Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Transactions | Refund Methods | Create the methods of refund associated with PayPal that will trigger gateway requests. A method must be added in the 'allowed refund type methods' to be available. | Optional |
| Financial Transactions | Refund (Financial Transaction Type) | Create the refund type used to create refunds. A method must be added in the 'allowed refund type methods' to be available. | Mandatory |
| Accounts Receivable | Payment Preference | Create the payment preference that is associated with PayPal. The preference should be set on the customer's accounts receivable together with additional information, such as online account credentials. | Mandatory |
| Platform | Currencies | Define the currencies that will be supported by PayPal. | Mandatory |
| Rewards - Up to R14 | Participating Rewards Merchants | Enable back-end reduction and set the refund method that should be used to refund PayPal accounts. | Optional |
Using PayPal
Finance > Payment Gateway > PayPal Payment Gateway > Manage Payment Gateway Requests
CRM.COM integrates with PayPal primarily to handle customer refund requests. Refunds are deposited in the customers' PayPal accounts.
Requests are triggered when refunds using methods supported by the provider are manually created through financial transactions or when a PayPal Run creates refunds for rewards participants. Refer to refunding rewards participants for spending awards for more information.
All requests are available through a dedicated Summary page. Requests cannot be updated and not have a Data Entry page.
PayPal requests fields
The table describes the fields of Summary page and explains how the fields are used.
Number | An auto-generated unique ID for each PayPal request. |
|---|---|
| Payment Gateway Provider | Processes the PayPal request. |
| Payment Gateway Run | The PayPal processing run that automatically created the request. |
| Refund | The number of the refund created in CRM.COM. |
| Account Number | The number of the accounts receivable associated with the PayPal request. |
| Accounts Receivable Payment Preference | The preference which was used to perform the refund and holds the customer's PayPal account information. |
| Execution Date | The date on which the request was posted or rejected by the PayPal provider. |
| Life Cycle State | Requests can be in one of the following states:
Refund transactions associated with a refund request are created in a 'Pending Verification' life cycle state and are 'Posted' or 'Rejected' once the payment gateway request is updated. |
| Error Code | Generated by the PayPal provider. |
Creating and processing PayPal requests
Validations take place before an action is initiated (prerequisite) or after it is submitted (postcondition).
Creating PayPal refund requests through manual financial transactions
Customer PayPal accounts can be refunded by creating a refund financial transaction in CRM.COM and using the refund method which is associated with the PayPal provider (through the 'Supported Attributes' tab at the PayPal Provider).
When the financial transaction is created, CRM.COM also generates a PayPal refund request which is sent to PayPal for processing in the PayPal gateway run. The customer's CRM.COM account balance is not affected until the refund is successfully processed by PayPal.
The life cycle state of the refund financial transaction is set to 'Pending Verification' and the life cycle state of the request is set to 'Pending' until a 'reject' or 'post' response is received by PayPal for the transaction and request.
Creating PayPal refund requests through PayPal gateway runs
Finance > Payment Gateways > PayPal Payment Gateway > Perform PayPal Payment Gateway Requests Runs
PayPal requests are created when a refund is created in CRM.COM and associated with PayPal through its refund method. PayPal payment runs:
- Send the pending refund requests (created manually)
- Identify rewards participants whose PayPal accounts should be refunded due to an award
- Create refund requests
- Send the requests created through the run to PayPal
Refer to refunding rewards participants for spending awards for more information.
Navigate to PayPal payment runs and schedule a run. Once completed, SUBMIT the run to create and send all refund requests.
Mandatory
Configurable
| Main Information | |
|---|---|
The Only 'Effective' | |
| Process Runs | |
| Process Run Information related to processed requests. |
Applying business flows on PayPal
Refunding rewards participants for spending awards (back-end reduction)
Rewards participants can earn awards from a purchase and use them for an instant discount, usually applied at the point of sale (POS) as a front-end reduction.
Back-end reduction can be offered through PayPal, where the customer pays the regular price at the POS and is refunded the discount amount by CRM.COM (through the gateway). Funds are returned to the customer's bank or PayPal account.
In order to apply this option, a refund method that will trigger the refund in the PayPal provider must be selected and the back-end reduction settings of the merchant must be configured.
Refer to the business example at the end of the manual for a comprehensive description on how to set up and use CRM.COM for back-end reductions using PayPal.
Communicating PayPal refunds
PayPal refund information can be communicated through the communications Data Entry page. You can use PayPal related communication tags (text that is automatically replaced by values specific to selected records) when creating communications for PayPal. Tags are available for selection by typing '#'. There are tags available for PayPal requests and PayPal cards where applicable.
Refer to the communications manual for a comprehensive list of PayPal tags.
Configure CRM.COM to automatically inform customers when their PayPal accounts are refunded. For information on setting this up, refer to event-based communications.
PayPal Analytics
Segmenting PayPal
PayPal requests with common business characteristics can be grouped together. The resulting segments can be used in system business processes, such as identifying customers or for simple statistical calculations.
For information on segmentation and how you can create PayPal lists, refer to Segmentation.
PayPal Business Examples
Refunding PayPal accounts of rewards participants for back-end reductions
Scenario 2
Company ZX wants to return money awarded from auto-spends (instant discounts obtained by using an award earned from the actual purchase) into the customer's PayPal account, following a purchase that was paid in full at the point of sale (back-end reduction).
Solution
Configuration
- Configure the refund method that will be used for back-end reductions through PayPal.
- Configure a refund transaction type and add the refund method as 'Allowed'.
- Configure the PayPal provider and select the allowed refund method that will be logged by back-end reduction.
- Configure PayPal payment run definitions that will refund PayPal accounts of rewards participants. Schedule execution on an hourly basis.
- Enable the back-end reduction method and define the refund type and method that will be used to refund PayPal accounts of rewards participants.
- Configure an accounts receivable payment preference and associate it with PayPal gateway.
User Process
- Accounts Receivable:
- When the user registers an accounts receivable with PayPal, select the PayPal payment preference and provide the customer's email address as an identifier.
Notes
If you are using a previous release, view CRM.COM Release Changes.
Glossary
| CRM.COM Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Accounts Receivable | A ledger of the financial transactions carried out between a company and its customers, such as invoices and payments. The accounts receivable keeps a running balance of debits and credits and displays the amount a company is owed in exchange for goods supplied and services rendered. |
| Rewards Participant | A customer who can be awarded offers provided through a rewards program. |
| Rewards Participating Merchant | A merchant who collaborates with the rewards platform. |
| Auto-spend | An instant discount obtained by using an award earned from the actual purchase. |
| Back-end reduction | Awarded money returned to the customer's account as a discount, following a purchase that was paid in full at the point of sale. |