Note: You can also complete any of these steps later from the dashboard. This is useful when a merchant asks for changes after you've already onboarded them, such as adding a new MID or enabling a new alert type.
What you need before onboarding a merchant
Gather the information below before you start. Only some of it is required, depending on which services the merchant is signing up for.
Information | What it is | Required? |
Merchant name | The DBA, legal business name, or any name you use to identify the merchant | Always |
Merchant email | The merchant's contact email | Yes |
Merchant URL | The merchant's website address | For representment |
MID number or alias | The Merchant Identification Number their processor assigned to them, or a name you'll recognize | Yes |
Billing descriptor | The business name that appears on their customers' card statements | Yes |
Visa ARNs | 1–4 Visa Acquirer Reference Numbers. The merchant only has one if they've already processed transactions | Optional |
BIN, CAID, and MCC | The acquiring bank's Bank Identification Number (BIN), the Card Acceptor ID (CAID), and the Merchant Category Code (MCC). The BIN and MCC come with the merchant account approval. The CAID usually needs to be requested from the processor | Yes. Give ARN and BIN/CAID if you have both. |
CRM and gateway details | Which CRM and gateway the merchant uses, so you can connect them | If needed |
Processor or chargeback portal details | The processor the merchant uses, so we can export and respond to their chargebacks | For representment |
Contract | The signed agreement with the merchant | Optional |
Billing info | The merchant's billing details: ACH routing and account number. You should already have this information from the merchant account approval. | Yes |
Step 1: Add a merchant
Step 1: Add a merchant
Start by adding the merchant to the admin panel.
To add the merchant:
Click Merchants in the left sidebar menu
Click Add Enrollment in the top right. Then click Add Merchant and the form opens
Enter the Merchant Name. Use the DBA, legal business name, or whatever name you use to identify the merchant. This field is always required
Enter the Merchant Email that will be used to log in
Enter the Merchant URL. This field is required for representment
(Optional) Add any alternative contact details for the merchant
Choose whether to keep Send portal invitation checked. When it's checked, a login is automatically created for the merchant. Uncheck it if you'll be managing the account on the merchant's behalf.
(Optional) Add the merchant to a Merchant Group. Use this if the merchant has multiple accounts with you and wants to keep them separate, instead of adding multiple MIDs under one account
(Optional) Upload the merchant's contract. Disputifier does not require a signed chargeback service agreement, if you use one with your merchants, you can upload it here to keep on file.
For billing, select Prompt for new billing info and enter the merchant's ACH routing and account number. If you are adding a store to an existing group, you can reuse the existing billing information instead
Click Save & Continue
Step 2: Add the merchant's MID
Step 2: Add the merchant's MID
Next, add the MID (Merchant Identification Number) the merchant processes payments through. A MID is a unique number the payment processor assigns to a business to identify its merchant account.
To add the MID:
Enter the MID alias or number (which is usually 14 to 18 digits)
Enter the billing descriptor for that MID
Enter 1–4 Visa ARNs. This is optional, and you'll only have one if the merchant has already processed transactions.
Enter the BIN, CAID and MCC. The BIN and MCC come with the merchant account approval. The CAID usually needs to be requested from the processor
Select the programs you want to enroll this MID in. Ethoca and RDR are checked by default, and most resellers also enroll their merchants in CDRN. You can add OI/CE (Order Insight and Compelling Evidence), TC40 data, or Amex and Discover as well.
Click Save MID
Note: If the merchant has more than one MID, you can add the others in Step 3 under Add an additional MID.
Step 3: Complete additional setup (if needed)
Step 3: Complete additional setup (if needed)
Step 3 is made up of optional sections. Complete only the ones that apply to the merchant.
Section | Use it to… | Needed for |
Integrate the gateway | Connect the merchant's gateway | Alerts (to process refunds) |
Integrate the CRM | Connect the merchant's CRM | Alerts and representment, if the merchant uses a CRM |
Enable additional alerts | Add extra coverage beyond the programs chosen in Step 2 | Optional |
Enable fraud prevention | Flag high-risk orders | Optional |
Add an additional MID | Add another MID for the same merchant | Merchants with more than one MID |
Enable representment | Have us respond to the merchant's chargebacks | Representment |
Set custom pricing | Charge this merchant a different price | Optional |
Integrate the gateway
To connect the merchant's gateway:
Click integrate gateway or CRM.
Choose gateway configuration
Under Select Merchant's Gateway, choose the merchant's gateway from the dropdown.
Choose how the integration will be completed:
Copy the integration instructions to complete it yourself
If you are setting it up, create a new user in the merchant's gateway with the email sent to onboarding@chargebackautomation.com
Enter that username here
Check the box to confirm the invite was sent, then create a private security key in the gateway and enter it here
Email the merchant the instructions so they can complete it
Follow the integration instructions, then under Select Status Update, choose:
The gateway has been connected, please verify access, if you completed the integration yourself
The merchant will add their gateway soon, instructions have been provided, if the merchant is completing it
Click Save
Integrate the CRM
To connect the merchant's CRM:
Click integrate gateway or CRM.
Under Select Merchant's CRM, choose the merchant's CRM from the dropdown.
Choose one of the following, if it applies:
Use this CRM for all merchant's MIDs, if the merchant uses the same CRM for every MID.
Reuse a CRM, if the merchant already connected this CRM on a different account with you.
Under Status Update, select the option that matches the situation.
Click Save
Enable additional alerts
Use this section to add extra coverage for the merchant. The available options are:
Order Insight
Compelling Evidence 3.0
Consumer Clarity
First Party Trust
AMEX Alerts
Discover Alerts
PayPal Alerts
Minna Sub Management
TC40 Data Feed
Enable fraud prevention
Use this section to turn on fraud prevention for high-risk orders. Choose what happens when a high-risk order is detected:
Auto refund the order, or
Email notification only, so the merchant can review the order and decide what to do.
Add an additional MID
Use this section to add another MID for the same merchant. Enter the same details as in Step 2. Once you save the new MID, you can connect a different processor or gateway to it if it uses a different one.
Check our How to Add a new MID article
Enable representment (chargeback responses)
Enable representment if you want us to respond to chargebacks on the merchant's behalf. Representment only works once we have a data source connected to load the merchant's chargebacks, which you set up in Portal configuration below.
Portal configuration
Connect the chargeback portal or processor that lets us export and respond to the merchant's chargebacks:
Under Select Processor, choose the processor the merchant uses.
Follow the integration instructions for that processor.
Template configuration
Use template configuration to collect the information we use to build stronger chargeback responses for the merchant:
Connect the merchant's payment processor, or email the merchant instructions so they can connect it themselves.
Have the merchant upload screenshots of any of the following that apply:
Checkout page
Refund policy
Terms of service
Subscription opt-in policy (if any)
Subscription cancellation policy (if any)
Any custom attachments
Set custom pricing
Use custom pricing to set a different price for one specific merchant. If you already have a set price for all your merchants, that price applies to everyone unless you set a custom price for a merchant.
To set custom pricing for a merchant:
In the left menu, click Merchants
Find the merchant in the list
In the merchant's row, click Pricing
Enter the custom price for this merchant and save your changes
Click Save changes
Step 4: Send the merchant their sign-up link
Step 4: Send the merchant their sign-up link
As a final step, copy the merchant's sign-up link and send it to them. The link gives the merchant access to their own dashboard.
Frequently asked questions
What information is required to onboard a merchant?
At minimum, you need the merchant's name, a MID alias or number, the billing descriptor, and the BIN & CAID. If the merchant is signing up for representment, you also need their website URL and a connected processor or chargeback portal.
What's the difference between a merchant group and adding multiple MIDs?
Adding multiple MIDs keeps all of a merchant's MIDs under a single account. A merchant group links separate merchant accounts together, for when a merchant has multiple accounts with you and wants to keep them separate.
Do I have to complete every section in Step 3?
No. Every section in Step 3 is optional. Complete only the sections that apply to the services the merchant is signing up for.
Can I integrate the merchant's gateway for them?
Yes. You can copy the integration instructions and complete the integration yourself, or email the instructions to the merchant so they can do it. Select the matching status update so we know who is completing it.
What do I need to enable representment?
To enable representment, you need the merchant's website URL and a connected processor or chargeback portal, set up in Portal configuration. This lets us load, export, and respond to the merchant's chargebacks. In Template configuration, the merchant can also upload screenshots of their checkout page, policies, and terms, which we use when responding to their chargebacks.
What happens if I don't set custom pricing?
If you don't set custom pricing, the merchant is charged the standard price you've set for all your merchants.
Can I make changes after a merchant is onboarded?
Yes. You can complete or update any onboarding step later from the dashboard, such as adding a new MID, enabling new alerts, or turning on representment.