ARB from prior tran instead of cc number?

[larrykluger]

The arb api doc requires a credit card number for new arb subscriptions. 

See http://www.authorize.net/support/ARB_guide.pdf pg 10, CreditCard xml element.

BUT, the online merchant interface transaction detail screen on the web site enables an ARB Subscription to be created from a previous transaction. 

I want to use the same capabiliy via an api--creating an arb subscription by sending a prior transaction id for a person. -- It would be also ok to use a CIM ref number.

Why: I want to create an arb without the credit card number passing through my system (to minimize PCI issues).

Is this possible now? Is it planned?

Thanks.

[TJPride]

Sorry to ask stupid questions, but if you have a CIM profile ID / billing profile ID, why are you bothering with ARB? Just run a utility every morning that looks for charges coming due and then processes a charge against the CIM profile. ARB is a pain to implement properly anyway.

[larrykluger]

@TJPride -- excellent point, I could do the monthly re-billing myself.

But I'd rather use the ARB system for a couple a bucks a month than re-invent the whole thing. 

I haven't had any problem using the ARB API, it's in production now at one of my sites.

But I want to move out of the PCI scope--and current ARB api doesn't support that. I know that you don't feel that PCI has no value. We disagree on that issue, I think it has important marketing and paperwork value. I do agree that in many technical ways it is a fig leaf.

[TJPride]

Well, if you can figure out how to do this, then more power to you. I'd be interested myself, since it would eliminate some code from my AIM / ARB implementation. I just rather doubt it's possible through the API, or if it is, the explanation of how to do it is hidden somewhere nobody will be able to find it. A lot of the documentation is like that.

[Michelle]

Hey larrykluger, 

Currently, when using ARB, the only way to create a subscription from a previous transaction is from within the Merchant Interface. You cannot submit a previous transaction ID via the API to start a subscription. You also cannot use a CIM profile ID to create an ARB subscription. CIM and ARB do not work together.

However, both of these requests have been requested from the community multiple times and we have passed that info on to our development teams.

Thanks,

Michelle

Developer Community Manager

[larrykluger]

Thanks Michelle,

Please forward this latest request msg on to the product manager--the squeaky wheel is the one that gets the grease.

Also, please pass on my thanks for the new hosted CIM feature of the api. I look forward to upgrading to use it.

--Larry 

[Michelle]

You got it Larry! Thanks for the feedback too. :smileyhappy:

Michelle

[reema14a]

Hi Michelle

Has there been any updates on this?

Is this feature availablenow or will be in the near future?

As an alternative, can I just get the transaction details using Transaction API and then supply the retrieved details back to ARB Create subscription API. Issue seems to be that Transaction API returns Credit Card and expiration date in encrypted form, would ARB Create Subscription accept the encrytped form in the request for creating subscription?

[TJPride]

I think you can get Authorize.net to send you a dump of the credit card info by submitting a ticket through your account, then you can use that to create the profiles using regular CIM.

[reema14a]

I am just trying to automate the steps that I am currently performing manually.

In current process,

STEP 1: I bill the customer using website A,

STEP 2: Customer billing details sent to Authorize.NET by website A.

STEP 3: A transaction id is returned to the website.

STEP 4: I login to Authorize.NET search the transaction id and use 'Create ARB subscription from transaction' link to setup recurring payments.

Now, I would like to change Step 4 to be done automatically using website B, which has knowledge of Transaction id only (retrieved from website A).