Migrating between payment processors

Overview

Migrating between payment processors is usually a complex and challenging operation. All cards with the old payment processor need to be canceled, and each cardholder should be delivered a new card. Then, the system needs to be migrated from the old transaction data feed onto the new one. This process often results in downtime, during which cardholders cannot use their cards.

Nautilus greatly simplifies this process. With Nautilus, it is even possible to migrate between payment processors without any downtime at all. Here is a brief outline of payment processor migration with Nautilus.

1. Modify card creation and map replacement cards with the old cards

Have the system create a new card on the new payment processor for each existing active card on the old payment processor, and have it bind the token from the new payment processor to the existing card within Nautilus (using AddTokenToCard API call).

2. Modify card control logic in the system

Modify your system to call the appropriate card control functions on both new and old processors.

3. No need to do anything about transaction data

Since, from Nautilus’ perspective, a new token on a new payment processor and an old token on an old payment processor designate the same card, Nautilus will continue to deliver data from both payment processors in an identical way (with a field indicating the source payment processor on the transaction, in case you need to make a distinction).

There is no need to make any modifications to the wallet code.

4. Send new cards to the cardholders and notify them to stop using the old cards

You need to send out newly issued cards from the new payment processor to the cardholders, and in the meantime both new cards and old cards will work completely normally (in fact it is completely transparent to the wallet which card was used, the old or the new one).

You should also notify your cardholders that they have some time to stop using the old cards and to only use the new cards.

5. Once the transition period expires, cancel old cards

After the transition period expires you should cancel old cards with the old payment processor. Nautilus will continue to send transaction data to the wallet the same way as before, so this transition will be completely invisible to the wallet.

Conclusion

Because Nautilus makes the wallet independent of the payment processor, it also simplifies the process of switching from one processor to another, with the wallet not even needing to be aware of this change. This makes payment processor migration a straightforward exercise for Nautilus users.