acquirer

Create a Meta Key as a Merchant Account User {#keys-meta-create-account}
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This section describes how to create a meta key as a merchant account user in the `Business Center`.  
IMPORTANT If you would like to create meta keys using the API, contact your support team for more information.  
Follow these steps to create a meta key:

1. Log in to the `Business Center`:  
   [`https://businesscentertest.cybersource.com`](https://businesscentertest.cybersource.com/ebc2/ "")
2. On the left navigation panel, choose ![](/content/dam/documentation/cybs/en-us/common/images/ebc/ebc-icon-pymt-config.svg/jcr:content/renditions/original) **Payment Configuration \> Key Management**.  
   If you are using a portfolio account to create a meta key for one of your merchant accounts, you can switch to a merchant account by clicking **Switch merchant**.  
   ![](/content/dam/documentation/cybs/en-us/topics/payments-processing/payment-services/sec-keys/images/security-keys-keymgmt-switch-merchant.jpg/jcr:content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg)  
   The Quick Merchant Switch page appears.  
   Choose the merchant account ID that you want to switch to, and click **Switch**.  
   ![](/content/dam/documentation/cybs/en-us/topics/payments-processing/payment-services/sec-keys/images/security-keys-keymgmt-merchant-switch.jpg/jcr:content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg) {#keys-meta-create-account_step-2}
   {#keys-meta-create-account_step-2}
3. In the **Merchant ID** search filter, choose your merchant account ID.  
   If you logged in from a portfolio user account or the account (*_acct* ) level, verify that the merchant ID you choose does not contain *_acct* in the ID name.  
   ![](/content/dam/documentation/cybs/en-us/topics/payments-processing/payment-services/sec-keys/images/security-keys-keymgmt-merchant-field.jpg/jcr:content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg) {#keys-meta-create-account_step-3}
   {#keys-meta-create-account_step-3}
4. Click **+ Generate key**.  
   ![](/content/dam/documentation/cybs/en-us/topics/payments-processing/payment-services/sec-keys/images/generate-key.png/jcr:content/renditions/original)  
   The Create Key page appears.
5. Choose a key type and click **Generate Key**.  
   ![](/content/dam/documentation/cybs/en-us/topics/payments-processing/payment-services/sec-keys/images/security-keys-keymgmt-create-key.png/jcr:content/renditions/original)  
   ![](/content/dam/documentation/cybs/en-us/topics/payments-processing/payment-services/sec-keys/images/security-keys-keymgmt-generate-key.png/jcr:content/renditions/original)  
   The Key options page appears.
6. Check the **Create as a Meta-Key** box and click **Continue**.  
   ![](/content/dam/documentation/cybs/en-us/topics/payments-processing/payment-services/sec-keys/images/meta1.jpg/jcr:content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg)
7. Choose one of these options to assign the key:
   * To assign this key to all accounts in the current portfolio, choose **All current and future Merchant IDs** , click **Create key**, and continue to the Create Key page. All future merchant IDs will be automatically assigned this key. You are done and do not need to proceed with the following steps.
   * To assign this key to a specific merchant or group of merchants, choose **Custom Merchant ID selection** and then click **Create key**. This key is not automatically assigned to any future merchants. Proceed to the following steps.  
     ![](/content/dam/documentation/cybs/en-us/topics/payments-processing/payment-services/sec-keys/images/meta2.PNG/jcr:content/renditions/original)
8. Click **+ Add custom merchant ids**. The Add Custom Merchant IDs page appears.  
   By default, all merchant IDs are shown in the Merchant IDs table. To limit the list to a subset of merchant IDs, click **+ Add filter** , choose a search filter from the drop-down menu, and click **Search**.  
   ![](/content/dam/documentation/cybs/en-us/topics/payments-processing/payment-services/sec-keys/images/meta3.PNG/jcr:content/renditions/original)
9. Check the boxes of one or more transacting MID accounts, and click **Submit**.  
   The Key Generation page opens.

   > IMPORTANT  
   > An error message displays if you choose a merchant account that has a meta key already assigned to it. Before you can assign a new meta key, remove the currently assigned meta key from the merchant account. For more information, see [Remove a Meta Key from all Merchants](/docs/cybs/en-us/security-keys/user/all/ada/security-keys/keys-meta-intro/keys-meta-assign-all-revoke.md "") and [Remove a Meta Key from Select Merchants](/docs/cybs/en-us/security-keys/user/all/ada/security-keys/keys-meta-intro/keys-meta-assign-all-revoke-selection.md "").

10. Click **Create key**.  
    Continue to the Create Key page to view your new key.  
    You can also generate a new key by clicking **+ Generate Key** again.