[bop-devel] MasterCard/Discover Partial Authorization

[Shane Corgatelli]

Has any one given any thought to implementing the new Partial
Authorization/Balance Response requirements. We currently use an
in-house solution for communicating with AuthorizeNet, but are looking
at adopting BOP if it will support partial authorizations.

I am willing to work on adding support to BOP and the AuthorizeNet
back-end, but I wanted to see if anyone else is working on it already.
If not I want to start the discussion on the best way to do this.

I'm not sure how other processors will handle this, but from what I have
read so far, AuthorizeNet and PayPal will handle this completely
differently.

It appears that for PayPal there is no further actions required for a
partial auth. However the AuthorizeNet AIM docs state that "All
transactions are put in a hold state until the final transaction is
received. This is the transaction with a splitTenderId where the
remaining amount is approved."

According to my understanding, under AuthorizeNet, you have to use the
x_split_tender_id field instead of the x_trans_id when working with
partial auth transactions. Under the AuthorizeNet back-end order_number
is always mapped to x_trans_id.

Some initial thoughts on API changes to BOP:

Perhaps the submit method should return a "Result" object:
  * This would reflect the status of the transaction. It would implement
    all of the Transaction Result Methods of BOP (these would still be 
    available as well for the BOP instance).
  * It can be passed back to submit() for void and other transactions 
    in place of order_number.
  * There would be a base result class that most back-ends could use 
    as-is, but each back-end could extend the base result class if 
    needed. All of the result classes would, of course, have to conform
    to a minimum API.
    * For example, the AuthorizeNet back-end would add a split_tender_id
      field that it would use instead of the order_number if present.
  * It may need some sort of serialization so it could be saved and 
    restored between web requests (at least the 
    order_number/split_tender_id). 

New Transaction Result Methods:
is_partial()      - returns true for partial approval/authorization
balance_amount()  - returns the balance on card after approval (partial
                    or otherwise), undef if not available.
approved_amount() - always returns the approved amount. If not partial,
                    equals the 'amount' transaction field

These would be available both under BOP like the current methods, and
also under the result object.

I'm not sure what the right thing for is_success() to do. I'm thinking
that it should return false in the case of a partial auth since there
may be further actions that may be required. 

Any thoughts?

Thanks
-- 
Shane Corgatelli

Programming Manager
EZ-NetTools
http://www.eznettools.net/