First Data Global Gateway API – Rolling Your Own Recurring Payments Using TransArmor Token PHP JSON REST Example

Unfortunately, First Data’s Globa Gateway API doesn’t allow for recurring payments. You either have to use their hosted payment pages (not a viable option for most of my clients) OR you have to roll your own so to speak.

Using the TransArmor Token option, it is possible to write your own code for recurring payments. On the initial payment, First Data will store the customer’s credit card and payment information and send back a token. By saving the token to use again later, you can charge the same credit card again at a later date. Here’s how I’ve implemented recurring payments using the Global Gateway E4 API and the TransArmor token:

Step 1 – Set up TransArmor Token in Your First Data Account

You will need to call First Data Support and get them to set your TransArmor token. This is a token that is set on your account and allows the API to send you token information when you make a qualified API call.

Step 2 – The Initial First Data Global Gateway API Call for a Purchase

I called the First Data GGE4 API as usual for a one-time purchase. This will be the first monthly payment. The call was really no different from the other calls I make for one time purchases. To see how I did that, see this article.

Step 3 – Save the TransArmor Token Provided from the First Data GGE4 Transaction

Here is the code I used to get the TransArmor Token:

$data_string = json_decode($result);
if ($data_string) {
    $token = $data_string->transarmor_token;
}

I then saved the $token to the database along with the credit card type and the credit card expiration date which is needed for any later TransArmor Token calls.

Step 4 – Call the First Data API to Charge the Card again

You can set up a Cron job or use any other script to charge the card again. When it’s time for another charge, I pull the saved data from the database for the TransArmor Token, credit card expiry, and the credit card type. Then I just use the following code:

$url = 'https://api.demo.globalgatewaye4.firstdata.com/transaction/v14';
$data = array("gateway_id" => FD_ID, "password" => FD_PW, "transaction_type" => "00", "amount" =>     $_POST['chargetotal'], "cardholder_name" => $billing_name, "transarmor_token" => $token, "cc_expiry" => $expiration, "credit_card_type" => $card_type);

$data_string= json_encode($data);
$content_type = 'application/json; charset=UTF-8';
$hashtime = gmdate("c");
$content_digest = sha1($data_string);
$api_uri = '/transaction/v14';
$hashstr = "POST\n".$content_type."\n".$content_digest."\n".$hashtime."\n".$api_uri;
$authstr = base64_encode(hash_hmac("sha1",$hashstr,HMAC_KEY,TRUE));

$curl_headers = array('Content-Type:'.$content_type, 'Accept: application/json');
$curl_headers[] = 'Authorization: GGE4_API '.KEY_ID.':'.$authstr;
$curl_headers[] = 'X-GGe4-Date:'.$hashtime;
$curl_headers[] = 'X-GGe4-Content-SHA1:'.$content_digest;

// Initializing curl
$ch = curl_init( $url );
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST, "POST");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $data_string);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $curl_headers);

// Getting results
$result = curl_exec($ch);

// Getting jSON result string
$data_string = json_decode($result);
if ($data_string) {
    if ($data_string->bank_resp_code == '100') {
        echo 'Approved!';
        //print receipt
        echo str_replace("\n",'',$data_string->ctr);
    } else {
        // print error message
        echo $data_string->bank_message;
    }
} else {
    echo 'There was an error';
}

That’s all there is to it! Charge as often as you need! Or until the credit card expires.