---
title: "Merchant Boarding Sandbox Simulator"
slug: "merchant-boarding-sandbox-simulator"
updated: 2026-01-02T18:02:30Z
published: 2026-01-02T18:02:30Z
stale: true
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://resource.payrix.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Merchant Boarding Sandbox Simulator

You can test and refine your merchant onboarding process by simulating risk review outcomes. Use merchant boarding simulators in the Payrix Pro Sandbox environment to build workflows with realistic platform responses for denied and held merchants. Emulate real-world risk scenarios, develop your response plan for held and denied merchants, and set accurate expectations for all onboarding experiences.

## Activate Merchant Boarding Simulators

Trigger each simulator by entering specific values in the [Merchant Signup Form](/docs/merchant-signup-form). These values simulate different risk review outcomes by platform:

Vantiv (VAP)Vantiv Core (VCore)

Vantiv merchant boarding simulators use the **Zip** field to trigger the realistic boarding status updates without manual Payrix Pro Underwriting Team intervention or review.

To trigger a VAP merchant boarding simulator:

1. Select **Signup Forms** in the left navigation panel.
2. Click **More Options (⋮)** for the relevant Signup Form to copy the link.
3. Paste the Signup Form link into a new browser tab.
4. Complete the Business Overview and Business Details sections.
5. Use one of the following triggers for the **Zip** field on the Business Address section to simulate a manual review or decline risk review response scenario:

| **Zip Value** | **Merchant Boarding Status** | **Simulator Response Message** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 11111 | *Manual Review* | *Platform denied boarding this merchant.* |
| 55555 | *Denied* | *Platform denied boarding this merchant.* |
| 44444 | *Duplicate* | None |

> [!NOTE]
> Notes
> 
> - A merchant boarding status of *Manual Review* does not mean the boarding process has failed. As a result, the merchant boarding status is reset to *Not Ready*. The associated history will still be visible in the Merchant Profile **Alerts** table.
> - New merchants created with the *Duplicate*zip value are all boarded with the same legal entity ID.
6. Complete the remaining sections as required and submit the completed Merchant Signup Form.

**Result:** The boarding status for your new Sandbox merchant is shown as *Manual Review, Denied*, or *Duplicate*depending on the trigger.

VCore Merchant boarding simulators use the **TIN**(tax identification number) field to trigger the realistic boarding status updates without manual Payrix Pro Underwriting Team intervention or review.

To trigger a VCore Merchant boarding simulator:

1. Select **Signup Forms** in the left navigation panel.
2. Click **More Options (⋮)** for the relevant Signup Form to copy the link.
3. Paste the Signup Form link into a new browser tab.
4. Select **EIN** from the **TIN Type** dropdown.
5. Use the following trigger value for the **TIN** field on the Business Overview section to simulate a decline risk review response scenario:

| TIN Value | Merchant Boarding Status | **Simulator Response Message** | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [2-9]*xxxxxxxx* | *Denied* | *Platform denied boarding this merchant.* | The TIN value can be any nine-digit number that starts with 2 through 9, such as*234567890*. The TIN can’t begin with the number 1 to trigger the simulator response. |
6. Complete the remaining sections as required and submit the completed Merchant Signup Form.

**Result:** Your new Sandbox Merchant’s boarding status becomes *Denied*.

> [!WARNING]
> Important!
> 
> To activate merchant boarding simulators, use only the specified trigger values. Non-trigger values return the standard *Successfully Boarded* response.

## Check Simulator Responses

When triggering the merchant boarding simulators, an artificial platform risk review updates the merchant's boarding status. You can verify expected responses and simulated platform messages.

Verify the merchant boarding simulator responses in two ways:

- **Boarding Status:** The **Boarding Status** field for the merchant account updates to show *Manual Review*, *Duplicate*, or *Denied*.
- **Alerts:**The **Alerts** table on the Merchant Profile page displays the simulator response message.

### Check the Boarding Status

To verify the merchant’s boarding status has successfully updated with the simulator response:

1. Select **Merchants** in the left navigation panel.
2. Select the relevant merchant to access the **Merchant Profile** page.
3. Select the **Account** tab on the Profile Overview menu.

**Result:** The **Boarding Status** field shows the boarding status for a merchant after boarding. When a simulator is successfully triggered, the merchant’s boarding status immediately updates to *Manual Review* or *Denied* based on the platform and trigger value entered on the Merchant Signup Form.

### Check for Platform Alerts

To verify the simulator response message was returned after submitting the trigger value:

1. Select **Merchants** in the left navigation panel.
2. Select the relevant merchant to access the **Merchant Profile** page.
3. Select **Alerts** in the Merchant Profile left menu.

**Result:** The **Alerts** menu displays a list of platform alerts and responses to merchant activity. For merchant boarding simulators, the response for submitting a successful trigger will always be *Platform denied boarding this merchant*, regardless of platform.

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> The **Alerts** page always shows the platform is **Vantiv**. However, VCore simulators can only be triggered using EIN values. This means if you receive an alert from using an EIN value, you’ve successfully triggered the VCore simulator.

An entity that can process transactions and has been onboarded through a Payrix Pro partner.

A PayFac-as-a-service platform. Software companies can act as payment facilitators without taking on the associated risks, compliance burdens, and investment.

The process of adding clients (merchants) to the Payrix Pro platform to use the Payrix Pro payment solutions. Also known as *boarding*.