Authorization Workflow

The customer purchases goods or services from the merchant using a payment card.

You send an authorization request over secure internet connection to

Cybersource

. When the customer buys a digitally delivered product or service, you can request both the authorization and the capture at the same time. When the customer buys a physically fulfilled product, do not request the capture until you ship the product.

Cybersource

validates the order information then contacts your payment processor and requests authorization.

The processor sends the transaction to the payment card company, which routes it to the issuing bank for the customer's payment card. Some card companies, including Discover

and American Express

, act as their own issuing banks.

The issuing bank approves or declines the request.

If funds are available, the issuing bank reserves the amount of the authorization request and returns an authorization approval to
Cybersource
.
If the issuing bank denies the request, it returns an authorization denial to
Cybersource
.

Cybersource

runs its own tests then tells you whether the authorization succeeded.