How do I use Checkout with Reference Transactions and Payflow Pro?
Enable Reference Transactions
To process Reference Transactions, you must enable this feature on both your Payflow Pro and PayPal accounts. You must have admin permissions to perform these steps.
Payflow Pro account:
- Log in to PayPal Manager.
- Click Account Administration.
- Click Transaction Settings.
- Set Allow Reference Transactions to Yes.
- Click Confirm.
PayPal account:
- Sandbox:
- Reference Transactions are automatically enabled on Sandbox accounts created after December 15, 2015.
- If your Sandbox account was created before this date, contact PayPal's Customer Service and ask to have Reference Transactions enabled on your Sandbox account.
- Live/Production:
- PayPal must approve enablement of Reference Transactions for your Live account.
- To request approval for your Live account, contact PayPal's Customer Service.
Perform Reference Transactions
After the Reference Transactions feature has been enabled on your account, you'll be able to perform Reference Transactions using Checkout. As with any Checkout API call, you must first set up the Checkout Token: SetExpressCheckout Request
SetExpressCheckout API call
USER=xxxx
PWD=xxxxxx
VENDOR=xxxxxxx
PARTNER=PayPal
TRXTYPE=A
TENDER=P
ACTION=S
AMT=1.00
CURRENCY=USD
RETURNURL=https://localhost/return.php
CANCELURL=https://localhost
BILLINGTYPE=MerchantInitiatedBilling
BA_DESC=TestBA
SetExpressCheckout API response
Array
(
[0] => RESULT=0
[1] => RESPMSG=Approved
[2] => TOKEN=EC-71R89077TF0534055
[3] => CORRELATIONID=8610b9bb780fc
)
You'll then redirect to the appropriate URL as normal:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_express-checkout&token=EC-71R89077TF0534055
When the customer is returned to the RETURNURL as specified in the SetExpressCheckout API Call, the Token and PayerID are posted to you:
http://localhost/return.php?TOKEN=EC-71R89077TF0534055&PAYERID=WN26CFVF7686J
You can then take that Token and the PayerID to make the other calls.
Create a Billing Agreement ID (BAID)
To create the BAID, make the following API call (note that "ACTION=X").
API call
USER=xxxx
PWD=xxxx
VENDOR=xxxxx
PARTNER=PayPal
TENDER=P
TRXTYPE=A
ACTION=X
TOKEN=EC-71R89077TF0534055
API response
The response contains the BAID:
Array
(
[0] => RESULT=0
[1] => PNREF=E15P2EB5B6AF
[2] => RESPMSG=Approved
[3] => TOKEN=EC-71R89077TF0534055
[4] => CORRELATIONID=4f0614e13db1b
[5] => BAID=B-9B302069LC631824C
)
You should store the BAID number associated with a specified user so you can bill them later using Reference Transactions.
Example Reference Transaction with BAID
An example of a Reference Transaction using the BAID follows.
Reference Transaction API request
USER=xxxx
PWD=xxx
VENDOR=xxxx
PARTNER=PayPal
TENDER=P
TRXTYPE=S
ACTION=D
AMT=25.00
BAID=B-9B302069LC631824C
Note that the preceding request references the BAID from the response of the set of calls.
Reference Transaction API response
Array
(
[0] => RESULT=0
[1] => PNREF=E14P2EB5B7EC
[2] => RESPMSG=Approved
[3] => PPREF=3X3017474T589152S
[4] => CORRELATIONID=8b4fabed70e98
[5] => FEEAMT=1.03
[6] => BAID=B-9B302069LC631824C
[7] => PAYMENTTYPE=instant
[8] => PENDINGREASON=completed
)
Your Result is 0, and you get back your PayPal Reference Transaction ID (PPREF) and your Payflow Transaction ID (PNREF).
You can continue to use the BAID to make the Reference Transactions in the future. The BAID remains valid until canceled by the buyer or merchant.
See also:
Checkout for Payflow Guide
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