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Payment System

This guide explains how to configure and manage payment gateways, process transactions, and handle financial management in Growfund.

Overview​

Growfund supports multiple payment gateways to accept donations and pledges. The plugin supports both native payment processing and WooCommerce integration, giving you flexibility in how you accept payments.

Supported Payment Gateways​

  • Stripe: Credit and debit card payments
  • PayPal: PayPal account and credit card payments
  • Offline Payments: Manual payments (bank transfers, checks)
  • WooCommerce: Integration with WooCommerce payment gateways

Payment Gateway Configuration​

Prerequisites​

Before configuring payment gateways:

  1. HTTPS Required

    • Your site must use HTTPS
    • SSL certificate must be valid
    • Required for secure payment processing

  2. Gateway Accounts

    • Create accounts with payment gateways
    • Obtain API keys and credentials
    • Verify account status

Stripe Configuration​

Stripe is a popular payment gateway that accepts credit and debit cards.

Setting Up Stripe​

  1. Navigate to Payment Settings

    • Go to Growfund > Settings > Payment
    • Click on Stripe settings

  2. Get Stripe API Keys

    • Log in to your Stripe account
    • Navigate to Developers > API Keys
    • Copy your Publishable Key and Secret Key

  3. Configure Stripe

    • Enter Publishable Key
    • Enter Secret Key
    • Select payment mode:
      • Test Mode: For testing payments
      • Live Mode: For production payments
    • Save configuration

  4. Test Stripe

    • Use test mode to verify configuration
    • Make test donation or pledge
    • Verify payment processing

Stripe Features​

  • Credit Cards: Accept all major credit cards
  • Debit Cards: Accept debit card payments
  • Multiple Currencies: Support for various currencies
  • Recurring Payments: Support for recurring donations (if configured)
  • 3D Secure: Enhanced security for card payments

PayPal Configuration​

PayPal is a widely used payment gateway that accepts PayPal account and credit card payments.

Setting Up PayPal​

  1. Navigate to Payment Settings

    • Go to Growfund > Settings > Payment
    • Click on PayPal settings

  2. Get PayPal Credentials

    • Log in to your PayPal account
    • Navigate to Account Settings > API Credentials
    • Generate API credentials if needed

  3. Configure PayPal

    • Enter PayPal API credentials
    • Select payment mode:
      • Sandbox: For testing payments
      • Live: For production payments
    • Save configuration

  4. Test PayPal

    • Use sandbox mode to verify configuration
    • Make test donation or pledge
    • Verify payment processing

PayPal Features​

  • PayPal Account: Accept payments from PayPal accounts
  • Credit Cards: Accept credit card payments without PayPal account
  • Multiple Currencies: Support for various currencies
  • Buyer Protection: PayPal buyer protection included

Offline Payment Configuration​

Offline payments allow you to accept manual payments such as bank transfers or checks.

Setting Up Offline Payments​

  1. Navigate to Payment Settings

    • Go to Growfund > Settings > Payment
    • Click on Offline Payments settings

  2. Enable Offline Payments

    • Toggle offline payments on
    • Configure payment instructions
    • Set up payment methods

  3. Configure Instructions

    • Add bank transfer instructions
    • Add check payment instructions
    • Configure payment confirmation process

  4. Save Settings

    • Click Save Changes
    • Offline payments are now available

Offline Payment Process​

  1. Donor Selection

    • Donor selects offline payment option
    • Views payment instructions
    • Makes payment via bank transfer or check

  2. Payment Confirmation

    • Donor notifies admin of payment
    • Admin confirms payment manually
    • Transaction is marked as completed

  3. Receipt Generation

    • Receipt generated after confirmation
    • Sent to donor via email
    • Transaction recorded in system

WooCommerce Integration​

If you prefer to use WooCommerce for payment processing, you can integrate Growfund with WooCommerce.

Setting Up WooCommerce Integration​

  1. Install WooCommerce

    • Install and activate WooCommerce plugin
    • Configure WooCommerce settings

  2. Configure Integration

    • Go to Growfund > Settings > Payment
    • Enable WooCommerce integration
    • Configure integration settings

  3. Use WooCommerce Gateways

    • Configure payment gateways in WooCommerce
    • Available gateways will work with Growfund
    • Test payment processing

Transaction Management​

Viewing Transactions​

  1. Navigate to Transactions

    • Go to Growfund > Transactions (if available)
    • View all transactions across campaigns
    • Filter by campaign, status, or date

  2. Campaign Transactions

    • Go to campaign details
    • Click Transactions tab
    • View transactions for that campaign

Transaction Status​

Transactions can have different statuses:

  • Pending: Payment initiated but not yet processed
  • Processing: Payment is being processed
  • Completed: Payment successfully processed
  • Failed: Payment processing failed
  • Refunded: Payment refunded to donor/backer
  • Cancelled: Transaction cancelled

Processing Transactions​

  1. View Pending Transactions

    • Go to Growfund > Transactions
    • Filter by "Pending" status
    • Review pending transactions

  2. Process Payment

    • Click on transaction to view details
    • Verify payment information
    • Process payment through payment gateway

  3. Confirm Transaction

    • Mark transaction as completed
    • Send confirmation email
    • Generate receipt

Refunding Transactions​

  1. Navigate to Transaction

    • Go to transaction details
    • Click Refund button

  2. Process Refund

    • Enter refund amount
    • Select refund reason
    • Process refund through payment gateway

  3. Confirm Refund

    • Refund is processed
    • Transaction status updated
    • Donor/backer receives notification

Financial Management​

Processing Fees​

  1. Configure Processing Fees

    • Go to Growfund > Settings > Payment
    • Find "Processing Fees" section
    • Configure fee settings

  2. Fee Options

    • Set processing fee percentage
    • Configure fee recovery method
    • Set fee display options

  3. Fee Recovery

    • Fees can be passed to donor/backer
    • Or absorbed by organization
    • Configure fee recovery method

Admin Commission (Pro)​

Pro version allows you to set admin commission on transactions:

  1. Navigate to Settings

    • Go to Growfund > Settings > Payment
    • Find "Admin Commission" section

  2. Configure Commission

    • Set commission percentage
    • Configure commission type
    • Set commission calculation method

  3. Save Settings

    • Click Save Changes
    • Commission is applied to transactions

Wallet Functionality​

Growfund includes wallet functionality for users:

  1. User Wallets

    • Users can have wallet balances
    • Funds can be added to wallet
    • Wallet can be used for donations/pledges

  2. Wallet Management

    • View wallet balance
    • Add funds to wallet
    • Use wallet for payments

  3. Wallet Transactions

    • Track wallet transactions
    • View wallet history
    • Manage wallet settings

Fundraiser Payouts (Pro)​

Pro version includes fundraiser payout management:

  1. Navigate to Fundraisers

    • Go to Growfund > Fundraisers
    • Select fundraiser
    • Click Payouts tab

  2. Configure Payouts

    • Set payout schedule
    • Configure payout method
    • Set payout thresholds

  3. Process Payouts

    • Review pending payouts
    • Process payouts to fundraisers
    • Track payout history

Guest Checkout (Pro)​

Pro version allows guest checkout without requiring user registration:

  1. Navigate to Settings

    • Go to Growfund > Settings > Payment
    • Find "Guest Checkout" option

  2. Enable Guest Checkout

    • Toggle guest checkout on
    • Configure guest checkout settings
    • Save settings

  3. Guest Experience

    • Donors/backers can checkout without account
    • Payment processed without registration
    • Receipt sent to email address

Payment Security​

Security Best Practices​

  1. HTTPS Required

    • Always use HTTPS for payment processing
    • Ensure SSL certificate is valid
    • Regular SSL certificate renewal

  2. API Key Security

    • Keep API keys secure
    • Never share API keys publicly
    • Regularly rotate API keys

  3. Payment Data

    • Never store full payment card numbers
    • Use secure payment gateways
    • Follow PCI compliance guidelines

PCI Compliance​

Growfund uses payment gateways that handle PCI compliance:

  • Stripe: PCI Level 1 compliant
  • PayPal: PCI Level 1 compliant
  • WooCommerce: Depends on gateway used

Payment data is processed securely through gateways, not stored on your server.

Payment Testing​

Test Mode​

Before going live, test payment processing:

  1. Enable Test Mode

    • Configure payment gateways in test mode
    • Use test credentials
    • Make test donations/pledges

  2. Test Scenarios

    • Test successful payments
    • Test failed payments
    • Test refunds
    • Test recurring payments (if applicable)

  3. Verify Processing

    • Check transaction records
    • Verify email notifications
    • Confirm receipt generation

Going Live​

When ready to go live:

  1. Switch to Live Mode

    • Update payment gateway settings
    • Switch to live API keys
    • Disable test mode

  2. Final Testing

    • Make test live transaction
    • Verify processing
    • Confirm notifications

  3. Monitor Transactions

    • Monitor transaction processing
    • Check for errors
    • Verify payment processing

Best Practices​

Payment Gateway Configuration​

  • Multiple Gateways: Offer multiple payment options
  • Test Thoroughly: Test all payment gateways before going live
  • Monitor Regularly: Monitor payment processing regularly
  • Update Settings: Keep payment gateway settings updated

Transaction Management​

  • Quick Processing: Process transactions promptly
  • Clear Communication: Keep donors/backers informed
  • Accurate Records: Maintain accurate transaction records
  • Secure Handling: Handle payment data securely

Financial Management​

  • Track Fees: Monitor processing fees
  • Regular Reconciliation: Reconcile transactions regularly
  • Accurate Reporting: Generate accurate financial reports
  • Compliance: Ensure compliance with financial regulations

Note: Payment processing is critical for your fundraising platform. Proper configuration and security ensure smooth transactions and donor confidence.