Stripe: Getting Started Guide

Note: The Stripe gateway is available in all regions upon request. Please contact your AiSP or CPIL to learn how to get started with the Stripe gateway.

The Stripe gateway is available in all regions and supports the following per region.

Region Supported payment types
United Kingdom
  • Direct debit

    • Note: Direct debit payments take six business days to confirm the success or failure of a payment for initial recurring payment enrollments, and 3 business days for subsequent recurring payments.

  • Credit card
  • New AutoPay enrollments
Euro
  • Credit card
  • New AutoPay enrollments
North America
  • Credit card
  • New AutoPay enrollments
Asia Pacific
  • Credit card
  • New AutoPay enrollments

Stripe Connect account

Part of the Stripe gateway configuration process is creating a Stripe Connect account and completing the onboarding steps. The onboarding process must take place in iMIS. See Configuring the Stripe gateway to get started.

Before beginning the onboarding process, gather the following important information:

  • Email and password dedicated to the Stripe Connect account
  • Phone number to use for multi-factor authentication
  • Bank details:
    • Currency
    • Country of bank account
    • Sort code
    • Account number
  • Business details:
    • Legal business name – This name must exactly match the name associated with the tax ID
    • Companies House Registration Number (CRN) - The 7 or 8-digit Company Number
    • Registered business address – If the business does not have an address, choose a home address
    • Business phone number
    • Business website - If the business does not have a website, use a social media page, LinkedIn, or other relevant link
    • Product description - A 1-2 sentence description, including when customers are typically charged (i.e. during checkout or three days later)

      • Note: Additional details may be required by Stripe.

Before you begin: Important items to perform before configuring the gateway

Perform the below before configuring the Stripe gateway.

Check the financial settings

There are certain financial settings that must be configured before setting up the gateway:

Important! Failing to configure these settings can result in errors and unsuccessful payments.

Do the following to configure financial settings:

  1. Go to Settings > Contacts > General.
  2. Set the Default country.
  3. Click Save.
  4. Go to Settings > Finance > General.
  5. Set the Default currency code.
  6. Click Save.

For more information regarding financial settings, see Finance: Getting Started & Best Practices.

Gather company details & configure the browser settings

  1. Ensure all required company details are gathered before the Stripe onboarding process begins.
  2. Ensure browser pop-ups are temporarily disabled. Disable browser pop-ups for the browser you intend to use for the Stripe onboarding process:

Configuring the Stripe gateway

Configuring the Stripe gateway includes creating a Stripe Connect account, completing the Stripe onboarding process, and saving the gateway in iMIS. Payments cannot be taken until the onboarding process is complete.

Once the details are submitted, they must be verified by Stripe. When the details are verified, the onboarding process is complete. Be sure to review the current Stripe limitations.

1. Onboard with Stripe

Do the following to onboard with the Stripe gateway:

  1. Go to Settings > Finance > Pay Central.
  2. Click the Gateways tab.
  3. Select Add new gateway account.
    1. From the Gateway drop-down, select Stripe.
    2. Enter an Account name, such as Stripe.
  4. Select the create a Stripe account link. Once the account is generated, the account Id displays on the screen and step one is marked as complete.

    5. Important! If you attempt to save and close the Stripe gateway before step one is complete, an error occurs. You must use the link to create a Stripe account before saving and closing.

    Selecting the begin the stripe onboarding process link

  5. Select Begin the Stripe onboarding process. Clicking the link saves and closes the gateway in iMIS and opens the Stripe onboarding site in a new browser tab.
  6. Continue through the Stripe onboarding process.

    7. Important! Payments cannot be accepted until the onboarding process is complete. If the onboarding process was stopped too early, navigate to the gateway in iMIS, then select the Begin the Stripe onboarding process link.

  7. When complete, Agree & Submit the Stripe account agreement.
  8. After finishing the stripe onboarding process you can return to iMIS..
  9. Stripe will verify the account details. This verification time will vary based on the information provided. Once verified, the gateway window displays a confirmation message that the onboarding process is complete, and charges are enabled. At this point, the onboarding process is complete.

    10. Editing the stripe gateway

2. Configure On Behalf Of & enter gifts payments

Before you can make On Behalf Of payments or Enter Gifts (Fundraising > Enter Gifts), you must have the Mail order/Telephone order (MOTO) functionality turned on in the Stripe account. MOTO functionality must be enabled by the Stripe technical support team:

  1. Open the Stripe MOTO page.
  2. Select the Contact Support link located on the right panel. From the drop-down menu, select Payment APIs and then click Send us an email.
  3. Enter a support request to have MOTO enabled. Be sure to include your account number, located in the accounts section of your Stripe profile.

    4. Note: You may have multiple accounts if you have attempted onboarding multiple times. Contact iMIS support for help locating the correct account number.

  4. The Stripe technical support team will turn on MOTO for the account. When confirmed, you can begin entering On Behalf Of payments using Stripe payment methods.

3. Create payment methods & add them to payment method sets

Create a payment method using the Stripe gateway, and connect the payment method to the Staff and Public payment methods sets. See Payment methods and payment method sets. For those in the UK needing to set up direct debit payment methods, see Setting up UK Direct debits

Important! Separate payment methods must be created for direct debit payments and credit card payments.

4. Test the gateway

Be sure to test payments before launching Stripe live. When you are ready, you can refund the test payments. See Refunding payments.

Important! If you are testing Stripe from a live instance of iMIS, you must do a payment and refund using a real credit card.