Payment window or payment page: the two checkout flows

Payment flow in the gateway settings controls where the card form appears. Both flows show the same form and take the same payment.

Modal on checkout

This is the default. When the customer clicks Place order, a payment window opens over the checkout page, so the customer stays on your checkout.

Order pay page

When the customer clicks Place order, they go to a separate payment page on your site, which shows the card form. Choose this if your theme or another plugin conflicts with the modal.

What happens in both flows

1. The card form loads from PowerTranz and is shown inside a frame on your site.
2. The customer enters their card and clicks pay.
3. If the card issuer wants to verify the customer, the bank’s 3-D Secure step appears in the same frame.
4. A short Processing your payment message shows while the payment is completed.
5. The customer lands on the order received page.

Card details never touch your site

The card form is served by PowerTranz, so card numbers go from the customer’s browser straight to PowerTranz and are never sent to your server or stored in your database.

Good to know

• Refreshing is safe. If a customer refreshes while the card form is showing, they get a fresh form and the order does not fail.
• Closing the window is safe. If a customer closes the payment window, nothing is charged and they can place the order again.
• Sessions are short. A payment session lasts five minutes. If it runs out, the customer is told their card was not charged and asked to try again.
• Saved cards skip the form. A customer who pays with a saved card sees no card form at all. See saved cards.

How to switch

Go to the gateway settings, change Payment flow and click Save changes. You do not need to change anything in the PowerTranz portal.