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What are Reference Transactions (tokenization)?

When you perform a transaction, you generate a Transaction ID. You can use this ID, or token, to initiate subsequent transactions, even when you're not storing the credit card information in your local database. This can save you from:
  • Having to ask the buyer for their credit card ID again.
  • The burden of complying with PCI requirements for storing credit card information.

Enabling Reference Transactions on your PayflowPro account
If you're an admin user on the account, here's how to enable Reference Transactions:
  1. Log in to your Payflow Pro account.
  2. Click Account Administration.
  3. Click Transaction Settings.
  4. Click Yes for Allow reference transactions.
  5. Click Confirm.
Allow one hour for the changes to take effect on your account.

Note: If you're processing through PayPal, you'll also need to have PayPal enable Reference Transactions on your Live PayPal account. To request approval for your Live account, contact PayPal's Customer Service. 
Processing a Reference Transaction
You can process Reference Transactions within the PayPal Manager and via API. Here's how to perform a Reference Transaction within PayPal Manager:
  1. Log in to your PayPal Manager account.
  2. Click Search Transactions.
  3. Enter the transaction ID (PNREF) of the transaction you want to reference.
  4. Click Submit.
  5. Click Create Reference Transaction.
  6. Select the Transaction Type.
  7. Click Submit.
  8. Enter the Amount that you want to charge.
  9. Enter any other information you want to include in the transaction (such as expiration date, address, comment 1, etc.).
  10. Click Submit.
Note:  You can't perform Reference Transactions on Express Checkout transactions within PayPal Manager. See the Express Checkout for Payflow documentation for additional details on how to submit Express Checkout Reference Transactions via API.

Through the Payflow Pro API, you can perform a Reference Transactions via your website or application. To perform a Reference Transactions via Payflow Pro, you must include the ORIGID in the API request. Some examples follow:

Perform a Sale transaction to the same card used in the ORIGID
"TRXTYPE=S&TENDER=C&PARTNER=xpartner&VENDOR=xlogin&USER=xlogin&PWD=xpassword&ORIGID=PA0102000000&AMT=25.00"

Credit the same card used in the ORIGID for a different amount by adding the AMOUNT field to the paralist
"TRXTYPE=C&TENDER=C&PARTNER=xpartner&VENDOR=xlogin&USER=xlogin&PWD=xpassword&ORIGID=PA0102000000&AMT=25.00"

Perform an Authorization transaction to the same card used in the ORIGID
"TRXTYPE=A&TENDER=C&PARTNER=xpartner&VENDOR=xlogin&USER=xlogin&PWD=xpassword&ORIGID=PA0102000000&AMT=10.00"

Note: Payflow Pro transaction IDs (PNREFs) are valid for use in Reference Transactions for 12 months and possibly up to 15 months.


See also:
How do I use Express Checkout with Reference Transactions?
Reference transactions
How do I use Express Checkout with Reference Transactions and Payflow Pro?
Submitting Reference Transactions - Tokenization

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