Recurring and Installment Import Overview
Merchants with an existing database of customers on a recurring payments or installment payments plan are able to import that database to the Virtual Terminal to save time and reduce the potential for manual error. This guide will walk you through how to do just that.
Recurring Import File Description and Specifications
Recurring File Description: The recurring import setup uses a simple comma-delimited file format to import data.
Fields must be in the following sequence:
Conventions:
N – Numeric only. AN – Alpha Numeric.
DATE – Date Format (DD/MM/YYYY)
An import file can only accommodate either recurring or installment payment at a time. Both recurring and installment payments cannot be included together within the same import file.
| Field Name | Format | Required | Description |
| Effective Date | DATE | R | Effective Date when the Payment Sequence will start (ex. 06/24/2019) |
| Frequency | N1 | R | 0 = Daily 1 = Weekly 2 = Bi-Weekly 3 = Monthly 4 = Yearly 5 = Quarterly 6 = Semi-Annually |
| Number Of Payments | N1-4 | Required | The Number of Payments to be executed Use (1) when Unlimited number of payments in recurring else use (0) |
| Customer Number | AN50 | Optional | Customer Number for the transaction |
| Payment Type | N1 | Required | 2 = Credit 3 = ACH |
| Account Number | N6-19 | Required | Credit card number with no dashes or spaces (ex. 4446661234567892) Bank Account number with no dashes or spaces (ex. 123456789) |
| Routing Number | AN9 | Required | Only applies when the payment type 3 = ACH. Routing number of the ACH Account Use blank if not used Use blank when payment type is 2 = Credit |
| Account Type | N1 | Required | Only applies when the payment type 3 = ACH. 0 = Personal Savings 1 = Personal Checking 2 = Business Checking Use blank when payment type is 2 = Credit |
| Expiration Date | AN4 | Required | Only applies when the payment type 2 = Credit Expiration Date for Card. (ex. 1224) Use blank when payment type is 3 = ACH |
| Address | AN50 | Optional | Street Address for the transaction |
| Zip Code | AN5-9 | Optional | Zip Code for the transaction |
| Amount | Required | No dollar signs allowed (ex. 1.01, 10.01) Recurring: Amount to process for the Frequency passed. Installment: Total Installment Amount | |
| Invoice Number | AN50 | Optional | Invoice Number of the transaction |
| Full Name | AN50 | Optional | Only applies when the payment type 3=ACH. Full Name of the transaction |
| Unlimited | N1 | Required | Recurring: (1) if Unlimited else (0) Installment: always (0) |
Importing Your File
From the Virtual Terminal Screen, select Recurring Database from the pull-down menu and then select Import at the bottom left-hand side of the screen.
You will then be brought to the following screen which provides options to Download Recurring Import Template or to select an existing file and then import.
When you click on Download Recurring Import Template, you will see a down arrow at the top right of your screen. Click on that and it will bring you to the template that you can populate
Once your file is populated according to the specifications provided above
then select Choose File to find the file you created. Once selected, the file name will appear to the right of Choose File. Then select import.
If there are any errors in the file, you will receive a message stating what needs correcting according to the specification. Otherwise, your file is uploaded and ready to be processed for recurring or for installment payments.
If you have customers where some are on recurring plans and others are on installment payment plans, create one file for all recurring customers and a second file for all installment payment customers so that you can upload both.