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Authorize.net API Login ID and Transaction Key In order to connect a website to the payment gateway

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Authorize.net API Login ID and Transaction Key

In order to connect a website to the payment gateway, you should be familiar with the API Login ID and Transaction Key. These values authenticate you as an authorized merchant when submitting transaction requests.

API Login ID

The API Login ID is a complex value that is at least eight characters in length, includes uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and/or symbols and identifies your account to the payment gateway. It is not the same as your login ID for logging into the Merchant Interface. The two perform two different functions. The API Login ID is a login ID that your website uses when communicating with the payment gateway to submit transactions. It is only ever used for your website or other business application’s connection to the payment gateway.

 

The API Login ID for your account is available in the Settings menu of the Merchant Interface.

 

IMPORTANT: The API Login ID is a sensitive piece of account information and should only be shared on a need-to-know basis, for example with your Web developer. Be sure to store it securely.

 

To obtain your API Login ID:

  1. Log into the Merchant Interface at https://login.authorize.net/ .

  2. Select Settings under Account in the main menu on the left

  3. Click API Login ID and Transaction Key in the Security Settings section

  4. If you have not already obtained an API Login ID and Transaction Key for your account, you will need to enter the secret answer to the secret question you configured at account activation.

  5. Click Submit.

The API Login ID for your account is displayed on the API Login ID and Transaction Key page.

 

It is highly recommended that you reset your API Login ID regularly, such as every six months, to strengthen the security of your payment gateway account. To reset your API Login ID you will need to contact Authorize.Net Customer Support. You will then need to communicate the new API Login ID to your Web developer immediately to update your website integration code. Failure to do so will result in a disruption in transaction processing.

Note: The above directions apply when Multiple User Accounts is activated for your account. If this feature is not enabled for your account, you will need to activate it in order to generate and view the API Login ID in the Merchant Interface. Otherwise your current login ID is the same as the API Login ID for your account.

Transaction Key

The Transaction Key is a 16-character alphanumeric value that is randomly generated in the Merchant Interface and works in conjunction with your API Login ID to authenticate you as an authorized user of the Authorize.Net Payment Gateway when submitting transactions from your website.

 

Like the API Login ID, the Transaction Key is a sensitive piece of account information that should only be shared on a need-to-know basis.

To obtain a Transaction Key:

  1. Log on to the Merchant Interface at https://login.authorize.net/ .

  2. Select Settings under Account in the main menu on the left

  3. Click API Login ID and Transaction Key in the Security Settings section

  4. Enter the secret answer to the secret question you configured when you activated your user account

  5. Click Submit

The Transaction Key for your account is displayed on a confirmation page.

 

IMPORTANT: Be sure to record your Transaction Key immediately in a secure manner or copy it immediately to a file in a secure location because it is not always visible in the Merchant Interface like the API Login ID. Once you navigate away from the confirmation page there will be no other way to access the Transaction Key in the Merchant Interface. You would have to generate a new Transaction Key.

 

IMPORTANT: Once a test of the connectivity for Authorize.net has been completed, change your account out of TEST MODE.  Also, uncheck all Address Verification Service (AVS) Settings and click the Submit button.  This is only beneficial if you are shipping goods (which we are not) to prevent fraud and actually causes declines if a credit card from Grandma is used to pay for Junior's signup fees and the addresses (account vs billing) don't match.

 

It is highly recommended that you create a new Transaction Key regularly, such as every six months, to strengthen the security of your payment gateway account. You will then need to communicate the new Transaction Key to your Web developer immediately to update your website integration code. Failure to do so will result in a disruption in transaction processing.

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