Getting Started
Getting Started provides the information you need to connect to our demo environment and begin testing your application.
Typical Boarding Implementations
Each API implementation is customized to your needs. Partners implement one of the following flows through the customer application and boarding process. Depending on your existing UI and document signing capabilities, one of these flows will work best for you.
Guided Flow
Integrate in the shortest time (4 to 8 weeks) and with the least effort. Your merchant customers are boarded using:
- Elavon’s documentation and signing UI
- Partner branded customer email notifications generated and sent by Elavon
- Includes functionality for Group Applications (one signature for multiple locations)
- Supports multiple e-signers
- Partner can receive API push notifications for status updates on application signing and submission status
Guided Flow Operations
| Guided Flow API Name | Guided Flow Definition |
|---|---|
creategroupdocumentpacket | Create Group Document Packet is used to create an ID for grouped applications. This operation must be called before using appendGroupDocumentPacket to add individual applications to a group. |
appendgroupdocumentpacket | Append Group Document Packet is used to add an individual application to your group packet. |
updatedocumentpacket | Update Document Packet is used to edit data in a document packet that may or may not be part of a group. |
deletedocumentpacket | Delete Document Packet is used to to delete a document packet that may or may not be part of a group. |
deletegroupdocumentpacket | Delete Group Document Packet is used to to delete the whole group packet, including all applications within the group. A group cannot be deleted if one or more applications within the group have already been submitted. |
executegroupdocumentpacket | Execute Group Document Packet is used when the group document packet is ready to be sent to the customer(s) for signing. |
Managed (Stateful) Flow
With a little more effort, integrate a seamless boarding experience within your own customer-facing environment using:
- Elavon’s documentation and signing API
- Partner is responsible for UI, flow, presenting application status, and communication with the customer
- Supports multiple e-signers
- Partner can receive API push notifications for status updates on application signing and submission status
Managed Flow Operations
| Managed Flow API Name | Managed Flow Definition |
|---|---|
createdocumentpacket | Create Document Packet is used to create the agreement to be signed. It returns the documentPacketId and a list of signer IDs along with their corresponding signer URLs. |
checkdocumentsignerstatus | Check Document Signer Status returns a list of signers’ statuses (DRAFT, ACCEPTED, SIGNED, or EXPIRED). |
refreshsignerusersessions | Refresh Signer User Sessions returns a list of signer IDs and signer URLs. The signer URLs are only active for 5 minutes. Depending on the flow with the customer, it may be necessary to call this operation. |
getunsignedpacket | Get Unsigned Packet returns the unsigned agreement documents in HTML or PDF format. A customer may want to read them before signing. |
getquiz | Get Quiz (North America only) returns the Know Your Customer (KYC) Quiz questions to help detect fraud. |
answerquiz | Answer Quiz (North America only) is the method to send in the merchant’s answers to the quiz questions. |
creditcheck | Credit Check (Europe Only) is used to validate merchants via Elavon’s credit check policy. Data required for boarding must pass unchanged from credit check to boarding. |
getsignedpacket | Get Signed Packet returns the signed agreement documents in PDF format. |
board | Board your application. This will return a boarding response (AWB for North America, MID for Europe, or an error message). |
uploaddocuments | Upload Documents can be called before or after boarding for the purpose of being able to upload any additional customer documents required by underwriting. |
boardstatus | Board Status is used to check the boarding status of your application. Valid responses are: COMPLETE, INPROGRESS, DECLINED, WITHDRAWN, ERROR, TIMED_OUT, or PEND. |
Unassisted (Stateless) Flow
This flow may only be used by partners that have the capability to receive real-time dynamically generated PDF (or HTML) documentation and get it signed prior to boarding the application. Integrate using:
- Elavon’s API to generate the PDF (or HTML) to be signed
- Partner’s document signing and PDF regeneration
- Partner is responsible for UI, flow, presenting application status, and communication with the customer
- Partner can receive API push notifications for application submission status
Stateless Flow Operations
| Stateless Flow API Name | Stateless Flow Definition |
|---|---|
listdocuments | List Documents returns a list of required documents for your application. |
getdocuments | Get Documents retrieves all documents in HTML or PDF format to present to the customer. |
getquiz | Get Quiz (North America only) returns the Know Your Customer (KYC) Quiz questions to help detect fraud. |
answerquiz | Answer Quiz (North America only) is the method to send in the merchant’s answers to the quiz questions. |
creditcheck | Credit Check (Europe Only) is used to validate merchants via Elavon’s credit check policy. Data required for boarding must pass unchanged from credit check to boarding. |
board | Board your application. This will return a boarding response (AWB for North America, MID for Europe, or an error message). |
uploaddocuments | Upload Documents can be called before or after boarding for the purpose of being able to upload any additional customer documents required by underwriting. |
boardstatus | Board Status is used to check the boarding status of your application. Valid responses are: COMPLETE, INPROGRESS, DECLINED, WITHDRAWN, ERROR, TIMED_OUT, or PEND. |
Pre-requisites
If you’ve already spoken with an Elavon representative and have an assigned Solutions Engineer, contact them to request an account and credentials.
If you are ready to begin but have not yet spoken to an Elavon representative, visit open_in_newContact UsLink opens new window to get started.
URLs and Credentials
Use the open_in_newCertification EnvironmentLink opens new window to run certification tests and resolve errors so your applications board as expected.
When your application passes all certification tests, you will receive production credentials and move to open_in_newProductionLink opens new window.
Authentication
Partners may use either Basic authentication or OAuth2 authentication to access Elavon APIs.
For OAuth2 authentication, Elavon provides the partner with a client ID, client Secret, username, password, authentication URL, and URL endpoint.
For Basic authentication, Elavon provides the partner with a username, password, and URL endpoint.
Using Swagger
open_in_newSwaggerLink opens new window is an online portal used to access the most recent API requests and responses that pertain to Elavon’s eBoarding Partner API.
Use your API username and password to access Swagger in these environments:
- open_in_newCertificationLink opens new window
- open_in_newProductionLink opens new window
Navigating Swagger
Once you are logged into Swagger, use CTRL+F or scroll to search for API operations.
Click on an API operation to open it and see its parameters. Click on it again to close it.
For example, clicking the POST button next to /v{versionNumber}/boardstatus opens the boarding status operation.
From here, you can toggle between two views–Model and Example Value, which are located in the middle of the screen in the body section.
Example Value appears first by default.
The Model provides descriptions of each variable. You can expand the data model by clicking the caret symbols.
You can tell which view you’re currently in by looking at the view’s name; the active view is in bold.
Click Example Value to return to the sample code view.
note
Due to the way software tools such as Swagger and Postman render the eBoarding API reference, example data may not be visible. When in doubt, refer to the eBoarding API Reference for sample data.
Using Postman
Although this online guide is a good way to get a high level understanding of how our eBoarding APIs work, when you’re ready to start playing with real data and testing our APIs, we recommend downloading open_in_newPostmanLink opens new window.
Please reach out to your Elavon Relationship Manager. See open_in_newContact UsLink opens new window to receive API credentials and import our Postman Collections.