Account Configurations

For each of your Blackbaud Merchant Services accounts, you can set up multiple account configurations. Account configurations determine:

  • Which credit card types you accept

  • Whether transactions process in live or test mode

  • The level of fraud protection with Card Security Code (CSC) and Address Verification Service (AVS) provided

For example, you may have separate configurations based on accepted card types or fraud protection levels, or to process live and test transactions separately.

From Control panel, Settings, you can add and manage your account configurations.

Tip: Account configurations may appear as merchant accounts in your Blackbaud solutions.

Note: For AVS levels, CSC levels, and card type settings, solutions using Blackbaud's new checkout experience (such as Blackbaud Donation Forms and Luminate Online) use industry best practice settings.

  1. From Control panel, select Settings.

  2. Under Account configurations, select Add configuration.

  3. Enter a unique name and description to help identify the account configuration.

  4. To set up the configuration but not make it available to process transactions, select Inactive.

  5. Choose the preferred security settings for Card Security Code (CSC) and Address Verification Service (AVS) levels. For more information, see Fraud Management.

  6. Choose the account's process mode:

    • Live — Process live credit card transactions

    • Test — Test Blackbaud Merchant Services and its connection to your Blackbaud solution without charging a card

    • Demo — Demonstrate how Blackbaud Merchant Services processes credit card transactions

      Tip: To test transactions in Test or Demo mode, use available test credit cards.

  7. Choose which credit cards to support.

  8. Choose whether to display an optional survey from Blackbaud to payers after checkout.

    Tip: To help Blackbaud improve the online payment experience, we recommend leaving this turned on. When enabled, Blackbaud periodically presents surveys and collects research on user interaction. For example, we may ask the payer how easy they found the checkout process or if they have suggestions to improve their experience.

  9. Select Save.

To edit an account configuration — such as to accept additional payment methods — select its menu, then select Edit. Make changes as needed, then Save.

Warning: If you mark a configuration inactive that is used by your online forms, it may cause an error that keeps transactions from processing.

To ensure you can accept payments, your organization should maintain at least one account configuration for each Blackbaud Merchant Services account.

To delete an account configuration — such as when it's no longer needed — select its menu, then select Delete.

Warning: For eTapestry users, to ensure transactions process correctly, we recommend you don't edit or delete the default configuration settings. Contact eTapestry Support before making changes.

Warning: If you delete a configuration used by your online forms, it may cause an error that keeps transactions from processing.

Note: Need to add a merchant account instead? Organization admins can add new merchant accounts through Blackbaud.com. For more information — including common reasons to create multiple accounts — see Manage Multiple Accounts.