Account Updater is a vital service that automatically checks and updates account numbers and expiration dates for stored cards on file, ensuring seamless transactions and reducing declines for recurring payments. This comprehensive guide covers the key aspects of Account Updater to help merchants optimize their payment processes.

Setting Up Account Updater

Before getting started, you must ensure your account is enabled for the Account Updater feature.

To confirm the Account Updater service is enabled:

1. Log into the Portal and click Customers from the navigation sidebar.

2. If a ➕ (plus) icon and dropdown reveal the Payment Updates page, your account is enabled.

If you do not see the Payment Updates page in the Portal, your account still needs the Account Updater feature enabled. Contact your Partner Success Manager to have the feature enabled.

Note

Account Updater supports Visa, Mastercard, and Discover cards. Token IDs will remain the same throughout each update.

Reviewing Updated Account Information

When cardholder account information is updated, you’ll receive one of the following response codes upon successful update:

• Account number was changed: Submit the account number returned in the completion response.

• Account was closed: Contact the cardholder for updated information.

• Expiration date was changed: Submit the expiration date returned in the completion response.

• Issuing bank does not participate in the update program: The issuer does not participate in the Account Updater program. Submit original card information.

• Contact cardholder for updated information: Contact the cardholder for their updated card information

• No match found: There was no match found in the updated information. Submit the original card information

• No changes found: Submit the original card information.

Important!

A status of Failed will return the following response codes:

• Invalid credit card number: The card data failed validation. You will need to correct the issue and resubmit.

• Invalid expiration date: The expiration date failed validation. You will need to correct the issue and resubmit.

To review updated account information after enabling the Account Updater feature, follow these steps:

Use the portal to verify updated account info

1. Click the “+” icon next to Customers on the Portal navigation sidebar, then select Payment Updates.

2. You now have a view of the token information, or “Payment Updates” for all cardholders on file.

   • Displayed Data: Use the list icon to customize your displayed table data.

   • More Info: Use the arrow on each listing to show or hide additional data.

   • Filter: Use the SORT BY box to sort table listings by your preferred criteria

   • Search: Utilize the search bar to locate cardholders, the last 4 of their card, or other criteria quickly.

   • Export: Download the table data in CSV or XLS format for efficient customer communication

Use the API to verify updated account info

GET /paymentUpdates HTTP /1.1
Content-Type: application/json
Accept: application/json
APIKEY:{{apiKey or txnSessionKey}}
Host: api-test.payrix.com

Example Response Body

{
    "id": "p1_pmu_123abc4d567890efg1h2i34",
    "created": "2023-03-18 01:03:27.5514",
    "modified": "2024-03-18 01:03:27.5514",
    "creator": "t1_log_123abc4d567890efg1h2i34",
    "modifier": "t1_log_123abc4d567890efg1h2i34",
    "paymentUpdateGroup": "p1_pug_123abc4d567890efg1h2i34",
    "status": "pending",
    "token": "p1_tok_123abc4d567890efg1h2i34",
    "account": null,
    "platform": "VANTIV",
    "ref": null,
    "clientRef": "123456789",
    "message": "The expiration date was changed.",
    "expiration": "1024"               
}

Tip

You can also download the Account Updater Report from the Reports page to easily filter and set time ranges or specific Merchant entities.

Account Updates (paymentUpdates) vs. Account Updater Groups (paymentUpdateGroups)

1. Account Updates: An individual record of the token submitted to the Account Updater Service. This indicates the token associated with the payment and its status.

2. Account Update Groups: A group created for each entity payment that is associated with all payment updates created for each valid token.

Account Updater Setup Costs and Ongoing Fees

When the Account Updater feature is enabled ongoing fees may be assessed from the Platform or a Partner when cardholders' account information is updated within a Merchant’s portfolio.

For details on setting up a fee using the Account Updater schedule, visit our Fee Management guide.

Whether using the Portal or the API, you can configure fees on an event-triggered basis so that Merchants are charged each time you pay an Account Updater fee for a cardholder payment token (card info) that has been updated through this automatic feature to pass the cost along to your Merchant.

The following fee schedules can be used to assess Account Updater-related fees to Merchants:

• Account Updater Update (44): Triggers Fee on token update.

• Account Updater Group Update (46): Triggers on payment update.

Fee Cost Analysis

Charges are calculated per response from the Account Updater service and charged per updated token. Service responses that will trigger a fee include:

• Contact the cardholder for updated information.

• The account number was changed.

• The account was closed.

• The expiration date was changed.

Note

If no updates occur on a card, the Merchant will not be charged. You will only be billed a service fee for cards that are updated.