Notice of non-liability:
PayPal, Inc. is providing the information i n this document t o you “AS-IS” with all faults. PayPal, Inc. makes no warranties of any kind (whether express,
implied or statutory) with respect to the information co ntained herein. PayPal, Inc. assumes no liability for damages (whether direct or indirect), caused
by errors or omissions, or resulting from the use of this document or the information contained in this document or resultin g from the application or use
of the product or service described herein. PayPal, Inc. reserves the right to make changes to any information herein without further notice.
Merchant Setup and Administration GuideJanuary 20105
C
Contents
6January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
Preface
P
About This Guide
The Merchant Setup and Administra tion Guide describes how to perform set-up,
administrative, and other back-office tasks that let you manage your PayPal account.
The following table summarizes the contents of this guide.
TABLE P.1 Summary of the Contents of This Guide
FeatureDescriptionSee
Credit Card Statement
Name
Block Payments Choose options to block payments from certain
Manage Users Create separate user names for your account with
Manage Multiple
Currencies
Custom Payment Pages Brand the PayPal checkout pages with your own
Payer Contact
Telephone
Default Language and
Character Encoding
Account History Search and review account activity, activate
Create a name that appears on the payer’s credit
card statements.
payers, currencies, or funding sources.
different permission levels.
Choose the currencies that your account will hold a
balance and accept or deny cross-currency
payments.
logo and colors.
Prompt people for their contact telephone numbers
when they pay you on Paypal.
Set the default language and character encoding to
use for data exchange between your website and
PayPal.
monthly account statements, and download account
history.
“Adding Your Credit Card
Statement Name” on page 9
“Blocking Certain Kinds of
Payments” on page 10
“Adding Users to Y our PayPal
Account” on page 17
“Handling Multiple
Currencies” on page 23
“Co-Branding the PayPal
Checkout Pages” on page 29
“Getting Contact Telephone
Numbers” on page 35
“Language Encoding Y our
Data” on page 41
Chapter 3, “Viewing Your
Account History
Intended Audience
This guide is for merchants and secondary users who log in to PayPal accounts for a variety of
set-up and on-going administrative tasks.
Merchant Setup and Administration GuideJanuary 20107
Preface
P
Revision History
Revision History
The following table lists the revisions made to the Merchant Setup and Administration Guide.
TABLE P.2 Revision History for This Guide
Date PublishedDescription
January 2010 Added topics for
“Providing Your Customer Service Number” on page 37,
“Handling Gift Purchases” on page 37, “Prompting Buyers for Marketing
Messages” on page 40
page 40
October 2009 Updated
, which let you control the way your PayPal checkout pages operate.
“Handling Multiple Currencies” on page 23, “Co-Branding the
PayPal Checkout Pages” on page 29
Account History
. Added a field to “Fields and Values in Downloadable
History Logs” on page 67
September 2009 Updated
“Co-Branding the PayPal Checkout Pages” on page 29 and
Chapter 3, “Viewing Your Account History.
June 2009 New guide.
Where to Go for More Information
z www.paypal.com/developer > How To > Administration/Back Office > Recurring
Payments Administration
z Fraud Management Filters
z Virtual Terminal User’s Guide
, and “Asking Buyers a Survey Question” on
, and Chapter 3, “Viewing Your
.
Documentation Feedback
Help us improve this guide by sending feedback to:
documentationfeedback@paypal.com
8January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
1
Setting Up and Administering
Your Account
Before you take your first payment on your PayPal account, consider the following:
z How do you want your name to appear on credit card statements?
z Will you accept payments from other countries?
z Do you want to grant account access to other users in your organization?
z What currencies will you accept?
Use your PayPal account profile to set and edit these options.
Read the following topics to learn about the profile settings:
z “Adding Your Credit Card Statement Name” on page 9
z “Blocking Certain Kinds of Payments” on page 10
z “Adding Users to Yo ur PayPal Account” on page 17
z “Handling Multiple Currencies” on page 23
Adding Your Credit Card Statement Name
When PayPal members pay with credit cards on file with their PayPal accounts, the transaction
descriptions appear on their credit card statements in the following format:
PAYPAL*MERCHANT
By default, MERCHANT is:
z For premiere accounts, the mailbox name of the email address that you specified when you
signed up your account.
z For business accounts, the business name that you specified when you signed up for your
account.
The value you specified is converted to all upper-case letters, spaces are removed, and the
result is truncated to eleven characters. The result is stored in your account profile as your
Credit Card Statement Name.
The default value for your Credit Card Statement Name may be difficult for payers to
understand. To reduce chargebacks and payer confusion, replace the default Credit Card
Statement Name with one that accurately reflects your business or legal name. Use the
Payment Receiving Preferences page to make this change.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
https://www.paypal.com.
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1
Blocking Certain Kinds of Payments
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Payment Receiving Preferences link.
The Payment Receiving Preferences page opens.
4. Scroll down the page to the Credit Card Statement Name section, as shown below.
5. Change your credit card statement settings:
Setting Action
Credit Card St atement Name Enter up to 11 characters and spaces. Do not include special characters, such as
“&,” “#”, or “_”. The value is converted to all capital letters and might be
truncated by some credit card processors.
Extended Credit Card
Statement Name
Enter up to 19 characters and spaces. Do not include special characters, such as
“&,” “#”, or “_”.The value is converted to all capital letters and might be
truncated by some credit card processors.
6. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Save button.
Blocking Certain Kinds of Payments
Use the Payment Receiving Preferences page to block payments from certain payers,
currencies, or funding sources. For example, if your account maintains currency balances for
U.S. dollars and Euros, you can block payments that are in other currencies.
The Payment Receiving Preferences page contains several options that you can set to block
payments in certain situations.
10January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
Payment Receiving Preferences page
Setting Up and Administering Your Account
Blocking Certain Kinds of Payments
1
Read the following topics to learn more about blocking payments:
z Blocking Payments From U.S. Payers Without a Confirmed Address
z Blocking Payments in Currencies That You Do Not Hold
z Blocking Accidental Payments
z Blocking Payments from Payers With Non-U.S. PayPal Accounts
z Blocking Payments Initiated Through the Pay Anyone Subtab
z Blocking Payments Funded With eChecks
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Blocking Certain Kinds of Payments
Blocking Payments From U.S. Payers Without a Confirmed Address
You can better manage your risk by blocking payments where the payer chooses not to share
his Confirmed Address with you. PayPal provides Confirmed Addresses to help you make
informed decisions when shipping goods. To be eligible for PayPal's Seller Protection Policy
(SPP), and to help reduce your risk of dealing with fraudulent buyers, ship to a buyer’s
Confirmed Address.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Payment Receiving Preferences link.
The Payment Receiving Preferences page opens.
4. Select an option from the Block payments for items not sold on eBay from U.S. users
who do not provide a confirmed address section, as shown below:
5. Select one of the following options:
– Yes – Block all payments from U.S. payers without a Confirmed Address. This option
requires that all U.S. payers provide a Confirmed Address in order to pay you.
– No – Accept all payments. To maximize your sales, select this option.
– Ask Me – Choose whether to accept or deny payment without a Con firmed Ad dress on
a transaction-by-transaction basis. This option lets you decide whether to take on the risk
of not having the payer’s Confirmed Address for each transaction. If you accept the
payment, it becomes a completed transaction. If you deny a particular payment, PayPal
notifies the payment sender that their payment was denied and credits the sender with the
payment amount. PayPal does not charge fees for denied payments.
https://www.paypal.com.
6. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save.
Blocking Payments in Currencies That You Do Not Hold
When you receive a payment in a currency you do not hold, PayPal prompts you to open a
balance for that currency, convert it to your primary balance, or deny the payment. Payments
12January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
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Blocking Certain Kinds of Payments
in currencies for which you hold a balance are applied to the appropriate balance. You see a
summary of each currency balance in your Account Overview page.
For more information about currencies associated with your account, see “Managing Currency
Balances” on page 24.
1
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Payment Receiving Preferences link.
The Payment Receiving Preferences page opens.
4. Scroll down the page to the Block payments sent to me in a currency I do not hold
section as shown below.
5. Select one of the following options:
– Yes – Accept the payment regardless of the currency in which the payment is made.
– No, accept them and convert them to U.S. Dollars – Accept the payment, but
automatically converts to U.S. Dollars.
– Ask Me – Choose whether to accept or deny payment in a currency you do not currently
hold on a transaction-by-transaction basis. If you accept the payment, it becomes a
completed transaction. If you deny a particular payment, the sender of the payment is
notified that the payment has been denied and is credited with the payment amount.
PayPal does not charge fees for denied payments.
https://www.paypal.com.
6. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save.
Blocking Accidental Payments
You can choose whether to accept payments with the same Invoice ID or to block payments
when the Invoice ID was already used.
When you receive payments from buyers, you can include an optional Invoice ID field to
track payments; buyers will not see this ID. A buyer's Invoice ID must be unique for each
transaction. If PayPal receives a payment with an Invoice ID that was used for another
payment, PayPal will not accept the transaction.
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Blocking Certain Kinds of Payments
1. Log in to your PayPal website at https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Payment Receiving Preferences link.
The Payment Receiving Preferences page opens.
4. Scroll down the page to the Block accidental payments section as shown below.
5. Select one of the following options:
– Yes, block multiple payments per invoice ID – Do not accept more than one payment
per invoice. This option prevents duplicate payments that you must refund.
– No, allow multiple payments per invoice ID – Do not limit the number of payments
received for an invoice. Choosing this option might result in duplicate payments that
require a refund.
6. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save.
Blocking Payments from Payers With Non-U.S. PayPal Accounts
Because many international addresses cannot be confirmed, you may choose to block
payments from users with non-U.S. PayPal accounts in order to qua l ify for the Seller
Protection Policy.
NOTE: By choosing this preference, you will deny non-U.S. users the ability to send you
payments. This may significantly reduce your sales volume.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
https://www.paypal.com.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Payment Receiving Preferences link.
The Payment Receiving Preferences page opens.
14January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
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Blocking Certain Kinds of Payments
4. Scroll down to the Block payments from users who section, as shown below.
5. Select Have non-U.S. PayPal accounts.
6. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save.
Blocking Payments Initiated Through the Pay Anyone Subtab
1
You can choose whether or not to receive payments initiated via the Pay Anyone subtab of the
Send Money tab on the PayPal website. Selecting this option might help you manage your
account, because the payments you receive will be associated with a specific item or
transaction that you defined.
If you block these payments, you accept only payments initiated from Buy Now, PayPal Shopping Cart, Gift Certificate, Subscription, and Donate buttons, as well as Winning
Buyer Notification, Mass Payments, Money Requests, Smart Logos, or eBay Checkout
Payments.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Payment Receiving Preferences link.
The Payment Receiving Preferences page opens.
4. Scroll down to the Block payments from users who section, as shown below
https://www.paypal.com.
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Blocking Certain Kinds of Payments
5. Select Initiate payments from the Pay Anyone subtab of the Send Money tab.
6. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save.
Blocking Payments Funded With eChecks
You can block payments from PayPal members who pay with eChecks. Because eCheck
payments take three to four business days to clear, you might want to block them for your
Instant Purchase and Buy Now buttons.
If you choose to block these payments, users who attempt to pay via eCheck are prompted to
add a credit card to their account before completing the transaction.
If you choose not to block these payments, you can receive eCheck payments through PayPal
Website Payments or Auction Logos. eCheck payments are listed as Pending and are not
credited to your PayPal account for three to four business days.
NOTE: You may not block eCheck payments on eBay.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Payment Receiving Preferences link.
The Payment Receiving Preferences page opens.
4. Scroll down to the Block the following payments section, as shown below.
16January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
Setting Up and Administering Your Account
5. Select the option in the Block following payments section.
6. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save.
Adding Users to Your PayPal Account
If you have a PayPal Business account, you can let people in your organization access your
account by adding them as users and granting them specific access privileges. This chapter
describes how to determine which privileges to set for users and how to add, edit, and remove
users of your account.
Read the following topics to learn more about managing users:
z Managing Users of Your Account
z Determining Access Privileges
z Granting Administrative Access to Another User
z About PayPal Account Access Privileges
Adding Users to Your PayPal Account
1
z Adding a User to Your Account
z Resetting the Password for a User
z Removing a User
Managing Users of Your Account
As the holder of a PayPal Business account, you are the primary user of the account. You
automatically receive all access privileges for your account. One of those privileges is to add
users to your account.
To have people in your organization complete tasks for you, add them as secondary users to
your account by using the Manage users function page. For example, you can grant privileges
to your accountant to manage funds in your account.
Manage Users lets you add and remove users, add and edit access privileges granted to users,
and change user’s passwords. Access the Manage users page using a link in your account
profile.
NOTE: You can add up to 200 users to your PayPal account.
Determining Access Privileges
When you add users to your account, grant them access to different account areas based on
their business roles. For example, grant your developers the API Activation & Authorization
privilege so they can help complete your account’s implementation.
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Adding Users to Your PayPal Acco unt
Before adding users to your account, determine which account areas and functions they should
access. By granting access only to the information or features they need, you can maintain
better control of your account.
When you add a user or modify a user’s access, you must select which privileges to grant;
PayPal does not set them. You can change the privileges that you grant later, if necessary.
The following chart recommends privileges for different roles in your organization.
NOTE: If your account doe s not have one of the PayPal features listed, you cannot assign
access privileges for it.
NOTE: If you assign the Schedule and download T ransactio n History, and run Settlement
Report privilege to a user, it must be the only privilege assigned to that user.
When you are adding or editing a user, you can display a popup that contains this chart by
clicking the What privileges do we recommend? link on the Add Users or Edit user access
pages.
18January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
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Adding Users to Your PayPal Account
For more details about access privileges, see “About PayPal Account Access Privileges” on
page 19.
Granting Administrative Access to Another User
When you select the Discuss account with customer service privilege, the Account
administrator agreement page displays. This page outlines the terms that you must accept to
grant administrative access to a secondary user.
Read the terms and click Accept to grant administrative access to the user. If you click
Decline, the privilege will not be granted to the user.
About PayPal Account Access Privileges
T o help you determine which privileges to grant a user , you can disp lay a popup that describes
the access privileges. Each description tell you which tasks are included for the access
privilege. For example, if you grant the Request money privilege, the user can request money
from someone by email or through invoicing.
1
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Adding Users to Your PayPal Acco unt
To display the popup, click the What are PayPal account privileges? link on the Add Users
or Edit user access pages.
Adding a User to Your Account
When you add a user to your account, you must provide the following information:
z User ID – A unique ID that is 8 to 16 characters long and contains only letters and
numbers. Choose the user ID carefully; once assigned, you cannot change it.
NOTE: Do not use an email address as the user ID. User IDs for seconda ry users do not
permit special characters.
z Password – A combination of 8-20 characters that contains letters, numbers, and special
characters. You can change the password, as needed.
z User Access – Select one or more privileges from the list on the page. To help you choose,
the recommended privileges are grouped by common roles in an organization.
For more information, see “Determining Access Privileges” on page 17.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Account Information column, click the Manage Users link.
The Manage users page opens.
4. Click the Add User button.
The Add Users page opens.
20January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
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Adding Users to Your PayPal Account
1
5. Change the user settings:
Setting Action
User’s first and last nameEnter the first and last name of the person to whom you want to give access to
your account.
User ID Enter a combination of 8-16 characters. Special characters are not allowed.
Password Enter a combination of 8-20 letters, numbers, and special characters. Letters in
the password are case-sensitive.
Re-enter User ID Enter the same combination of characters that you entered for User ID.
User Access Select any of the checkboxes to grant the user specific privileges within your
account. Privileges are grouped by user role; each role lists its recommended
privileges.
Administration
– View balance
– View prof ile
– Edit profile
– Discuss account with Customer Service
– Handle authorizations & settlements
Integration
– Activate & authorize APIs
Virtual Agent
– Schedule and download Transaction History and run Settlement Report
Shipping Agent
– Use PayPal shipping
6. Click the Save button.
Merchant Setup and Administration GuideJanuary 201021
Setting Up and Administering Your Account
1
Adding Users to Your PayPal Acco unt
Editing Access Privileges for a User
After you add a user, you can change the user’s access privileges. You ca nnot change the
user’s name or user ID.
For example, when a user’s responsibilities in your organization change, you can add or
remove access privileges to reflect the user’s adjusted role. Use the Edit user access page to
make these adjustments.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Account Information column, click the Manage Users link.
The Manage Users page opens:
4. Select the radio button next to the User Name, and click the Edit button.
The Edit user access page opens, with the User Name and User ID displayed as read-only
text.
https://www.paypal.com.
5. Select and deselect checkboxes for the access privileges that you want to grant or revoke.
6. Click the Save button.
Resetting the Password for a User
If users forget their passwords, you can reset them by using the Change user password page.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab. The Profile Summary page opens.
22January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
https://www.paypal.com.
Setting Up and Administering Your Account
Handling Multiple Currencies
1
3. In the Account Information column, click the Manage Users link.
The Manage users page opens.
4. Select the radio button next to the User Name for the user, and click the
Change Password button.
The Change user password page opens, with the User Name and User ID displayed as
read-only text.
5. Change the password settings:
Setting Action
PasswordEnter a combination of 8-20 letters, numbers, and special characters. Letters in
the password are case-sensitive.
Re-enter PasswordEnter the same combination of characters and special characters that you entered
for Password.
6. Click the Save button.
Removing a User
When people leave your organization or change to roles that do not need account access, you
should remove them from your account. Use the Remove user page to remove a user from
your account. This page asks for confirmation before removing the user.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Account Information column, click the Manage Users link.
The Manage users page opens.
4. Select the radio button next to the User Name for the user, and click the Remove button.
The Remove user page opens, with the User Name and User ID displayed as read-only
text.
5. Click the Yes button to permanently remove the user from your account.
https://www.paypal.com.
Handling Multiple Currencies
PayPal helps you handle multiple currencies in the following ways:
Merchant Setup and Administration GuideJanuary 201023
Setting Up and Administering Your Account
1
Handling Multiple Currencies
z Managing Currency Balances
z Accepting or Denying Cross-Currency Payments
Managing Currency Balances
Use the Currency Balances section of your account profile to manage your currency
balances, including:
z Opening or closing currency balances
z Selecting your primary currency balance
z Converting funds from one currency balance to funds in another currency balance.
People can pay you in the following currencies; you maintain PayPal balances only in those
currencies that you specify.
24January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
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Handling Multiple Currencies
Currencies and Currency Codes Supported by PayPal
Currency Currency Code
Australian Dollar AUD
Brazilian Real
NOTE: This currency is supported as a payment
BRL
currency and a currency balance for in-country
PayPal accounts only.
Canadian Dollar CAD
Czech Koruna CZK
Danish Krone DKK
Euro EUR
Hong Kong Dollar HKD
Hungarian Forint HUF
Israeli New Sheqel ILS
Japanese Yen JPY
Malaysian Ringgit
NOTE: This currency is supported as a payment
MYR
currency and a currency balance for in-country
PayPal accounts only.
Mexican Peso MXN
Norwegian Krone NOK
New Zealand Dollar NZD
Philippine Peso PHP
Polish Zloty PLN
Pound Sterling GBP
Singapore Dollar SGD
Swedish Krona SEK
Swiss Franc CHF
Taiwan New Dollar TWD
Thai Baht THB
U.S. Dollar USD
NOTE: Use the IS0-4217 code for the currency_code HTML variable of HTML buttons
with monetary amounts in currencies in other than USD.
Merchant Setup and Administration GuideJanuary 201025
Setting Up and Administering Your Account
1
Handling Multiple Currencies
Selecting Your Primary Currency
Your primary currency is the default currency for sending and requesting payments. If your
account has multiple currency balances, you can change which currency is the primary.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Financial Information column, click the Currency Balances link.
The Manage Currencies page opens.
4. Click the radio button next to the currency you want to use as the default and click the
Make Primary button
The Manage Currencies page confirms that you changed your primary currency displays
(Primary) after the currency name.
Adding Currency Balances
If you want to accept payments in a particular currency, you must add that currency to your
account. When you add the new currency, all future payments that you receive in this currency
are automatically credited to this balance.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Financial Information column, click the Currency Balances link.
The Manage Currencies page opens.
4. Select a currency name from the Select new currency dropdown menu and click the Add
Currency button.
The Manage Currencies page confirms that you added a currency balance and displays it
in the Currency list.
Transferring Amounts Between Currency Balances
Use the Manage Currencies page to move amounts from one currency balance to another.
Before confirming the transfer, you can see the currency exchange rate that PayPal will use.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
26January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
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Handling Multiple Currencies
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Financial Information column, click the Currency Balances link.
The Manage Currencies page opens.
4. Type the amount that you want to transfer in the From field and select the currency name
from the dropdown menu.
5. Select the currency name that you want to receive the amount from the To dropdown menu.
6. Click the Calculate button to see the amount in the new currency that will be transferred
and the exchange rate used to calculate that amount.
7. Click the Review Exchange button to see the details of your transfer.
8. Click the Exchange Currency button to complete the transfer.
The Manage Currencies page displays the updated balances for the two currencies you
used.
1
Closing Currency Balances
You can close a currency only if there are no funds in that balance. If you still have available
funds in that currency, you must transfer those funds to a different currency before you
continue. If you receive any future payments in a closed currency, you will be given an option
to accept or deny each payment.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Financial Information column, click the Currency Balances link.
The Manage Currencies page opens.
4. Click the radio button next to the currency that you want to close.
Note: If the currency does not have a zero balance, you must transfer all funds to another
currency before you can remove it.
5. Click the Close Currency button.
The Manage Currencies page confirms the removal and displays an updated currency list.
https://www.paypal.com.
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Handling Multiple Currencies
Accepting or Denying Cross-Currency Payments
You choose which currencies you accept and how you want to accept them. You can set your
Payment Receiving Preferences to handle cross-currency payments in different ways.
For more information, see “Blocking Certain Kinds of Payments” on page 10.
When people make payments in currencies that you hold, the funds appear in your account in
the balance of that currency . When peop le make payments in currencies that you do not hold,
you choose whether to accept or deny the payments. These transaction display an Accept
dropdown menu in the Order status/Actions column.
If you accept a payment, receiving fees are assessed in the currency in which the funds were
sent. Payments converted to your primary currency are converted at a competitive exchange
rate.
1. In the Order status/Actions column for the transaction, select Accept or Deny.
The Accept or Deny this Payment page opens.
2. Select what to do with the payment:
– Accept the payment and convert it…
– Accept the payment and create a balance…
– Deny this payment and return the money to the sender.
3. Click the Submit button.
28January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
2
Setting Controls for PayPal
Checkout Pages
Your PayPal account profile lets you set options to control the way your PayPal checkout
pages look and operate. These options control the PayPal checkout pages regardless of which
PayPal payment solutions you use as a PayPal merchant.
Read the following topics to learn about controlling the PayPal checkout pages:
z “Co-Branding the PayPal Checkout Pages” on page 29
z “Getting Contact Telephone Numbers” on page 35
z “Providing Your Customer Service Number” on page 37
z “Handling Gift Purchases” on page 37
z “Prompting Buyers for Marketing Messages” on page 40
z “Asking Buyers a Survey Question” on page 40
z “Language Encoding Your Data” on page 41
Co-Branding the PayPal Checkout Pages
Custom payment pages let you co-brand the PayPal checkout pages with your own logo and
colors. You can add up to three custom payment page styles.
Read the following topics to learn about co-branding the PayPal checkout pages:
z “About Custom Payment Pages” on page 29
z “Accessing Your Custom Payment Pages” on pa ge 31
z “Adding or Editing a Page Style” on page 32
z “Making a Page Style Primary” on page 33
z “Removing a Page Style” on page 34
About Custom Payment Pages
When your account is created, PayPal sets up the default PayPal payment page style in your
account profile. Add your own custom payment page styles to co-brand the PayPal checkout
pages with your logo and colors.
The PayPal payment page style has PayPal branding only. Depending on your account type,
your business name or email address appears in the upper left of the pages.
Merchant Setup and Administration GuideJanuary 201029
Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
2
Co-Branding the PayPal Checkout Pages
Example of the Default PayPal Payment Page Style
You can add custom payment pages to your account to add the below co-branding features:
z Header image – you own logo image, in place of your business name or email address
z Header background – a fill color of your choice, above the main page area
z Header border – a line color of your choice, above the main page area
z Background – a fill color of your choice, surrounding the main page area
30January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
Co-Branding the PayPal Checkout Pages
Example of a Custom Payment Page Style with Co-Branding Options
2
Accessing Your Custom Payment Pages
1. Log in to your PayPal website at https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Custom Payment Pages link.
The Custom Payment Page Styles page opens.
Result:
From Custom Payment Page S tyles page, you can add, edit, preview, and remove page styles,
as well as making one of the page styles the primary page style.
Merchant Setup and Administration GuideJanuary 201031
Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
2
Co-Branding the PayPal Checkout Pages
Custom Payment Page Styles
NOTE: The PayPal page style is a permanent page style. You cannot edit or remove it.
Adding or Editing a Page Style
1. Log in to your PayPal website at https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Custom Payment Pages link.
The Custom Payment Page Styles page opens.
4. Click the Add button or the Edit button.
The Edit Custom Page Style page opens.
5. Enter your custom page style preferences.
Setting Action
Page Style Name (requir ed) Enter a name up to 30 characters long. The name can contain letters, numbers, and
underscores, but no other symbols or spaces. The Page S tyle Name is used to refer
Header Image URL
(optional)
to the page style in your PayPal account and in the
for your Website Payment buttons.
Enter the URL for an image that should appear at the top left of the payment page.
Maximum size of the image is 750 pixels wide by 90 pixels high; larger images are
reduced to this size. The image must be in a valid graphics format such as gif, jpg,
or png.
NOTE: PayPal recommends that you enter an image URL only if the image is
stored on a secure (https) server. Otherwise, your payer’s web browser
displays a message that the payment page contains insecure items.
page_style HTML variable
32January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
Co-Branding the PayPal Checkout Pages
Setting Action
2
Header Background Color
(optional)
Header Border Color
(optional)
Payment Flow Background
Color (optional)
6. Click the Preview button to view a mock-up of your page style.
7. Click the Save button to save it.
Making a Page Style Primary
When you make a page style primary, it is applied to all checkout pages unless you specify
otherwise in the programming code of individual payment transactions. If you do not
designate a page style as primary, the PayPal page style is used.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
Enter the border color for the header using HTML hex code. The color code must
be six digits long and should not contain the # symbol. The header border is a twopixel perimeter around the header space.
Enter the border color for the header using HTML hex code. The color code must
be six digits long and should not contain the # symbol. The header border is a twopixel perimeter around the header space.
Enter the background color for the payment page using HTML hex code. The color
code must be six digits long and should not contain the # symbol.
https://www.paypal.com.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Custom Payment Pages link.
The Custom Payment Page Styles page opens.
4. Click the radio button next to the page style you that want to make your primary sty l e.
5. Click the Make Primary button.The Make Custom Page Style Primary page opens.
Merchant Setup and Administration GuideJanuary 201033
Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
2
Co-Branding the PayPal Checkout Pages
6. Click the Make Primary button to confirm your choice. The designated primary page
moves to the top of the Custom Payment Page Styles list.
Removing a Page Style
1. Log in to your PayPal website at https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Custom Payment Pages link.
The Custom Payment Page Styles page opens.
4. Click the radio button next to the page style you that want to remove.
5. Click the Remove button.
6. The Remove Custom Page Style page opens.
7. Click the Remove button to confirm your choice.
The designated page no longer appears in the Custom Payment Page Styles list.
34January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
Getting Contact Telephone Numbers
Contact T elephone Number is a feature that lets you obtain the contact telephone numbers that
PayPal collects from people who pay you. Contact Telephone Number is off by default.
PayPal always collects contact telephone numbers from people when they sign up for PayPal
accounts. PayPal collects telephone numbers to help confirm the identities of account holders
and to contact them if necessary to help them with problems on their accounts.
You can turn on Contact Telephone Number in one of two ways:
z On (Optional Field) – During checkout PayPal gives people the option of sharing their
contact telephone numbers with you.
Merchants Allow People to Share Their Telephone Numbers During Checkout
Getting Contact Telephone Numbers
2
z On (Required Field) – During checkout PayPal informs people that their contact
telephone numbers will be shared with you because you require it.
Merchant Setup and Administration GuideJanuary 201035
Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
2
Getting Contact Telephone Numbers
Merchants Require People To Share Their Telephone Numbers During Checkout
When people share their contact telephone numbers with you, PayPal includes their shared
numbers in the transaction details section of payment authorization notices sent by email.
Also, PayPal displays the shared numbers in the Transaction Details page for transactions in
which contact telephone numbers were shared. These actions let you and your payers know
that contact telephone numbers were shared as part of the transaction.
IMPORTANT:In accordance with the PayPal user agreement, you may use contact telephone
numbers only to communicate with the payer about the related transaction.
You may not use them for unsolicited communication.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Website Payment Preferences link.
4. Scroll down the page to the Contact Telephone Number section.
5. Select one of the following options:
– On (Optional Field) – PayPal lets payers share their telep hone numbers with you, as an
option.
– On (Required Field) – PayPal informs payers that their telephone numbers will be
shared with you because you require it.
– Off (PayPal recommends this option) – PayPal does not share payers’ telephone
numbers with you.
6. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save.
36January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
Providing Your Customer Service Number
Providing Your Customer Service Number
If you offer buyers customer service by phone, you can provide your customer service phone
number on the PayPal checkout pages. Buyers who have questions during checkout can tal k to
customer service agents before completing their purchases.
For merchants who use Website Payments Standard, this option affects only Buy Now, Add to
Cart, and Cart Upload checkout pages.
2
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Custom Payment Pages link.
The Customize Your Payment Page page opens.
4. Click the Options tab.
5. Under the Merchant service options heading, select the Display your phone number to
customers checkbox.
The page expands to show your current phone number.
6. Click the Save button.
Handling Gift Purchases
If your buyers purchase items to give as gifts, you can enable support for gift purchases in the
PayPal checkout pages. Often, buyers want to add gift messages, gift wrap, and gift receipts to
their online gift purchases.
https://www.paypal.com.
Read the following topics to learn more about handling gift purchases:
z “Prompting Buyers for Gift Messages” on page 38
z “Prompting Buyers for Gift Wrapping” on page 38
z “Prompting Buyers for Gift Receipts” on page 39
NOTE: If you are an Express Checkout or a Website Payments Pro merchant, your developers
can control these settings through API programming.
Merchant Setup and Administration GuideJanuary 201037
Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
2
Handling Gift Purchases
Prompting Buyers for Gift Messages
Buyers of gift purchases may want to include a message to their gift recipients. Enable the
PayPal checkout pages to prompt buyers for gift messages, because buyers often ship their gift
purchases directly to recipients.
When you prompt buyers for gift messages during checkout, they can enter messages up to
150 characters in length.
For merchants who use Website Payments Standard, this option affects only Buy Now, Add to
Cart, and Cart Upload checkout pages.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Custom Payment Pages link.
The Customize Your Payment Page page opens.
4. Click the Options tab.
5. Under the Gift options heading, select the Allow gift messages checkbox.
6. Click the Save button.
Prompting Buyers for Gift Wrapping
Buyers may want their gift purchases gift wrapped. Enable the PayPal checkout pages to
prompt buyers for gift wrapping if you offer that service.
When you prompt buyers for gift wrapping during checkout, you specify the description of
your gift wrapping option. Also, you can specify an amount to charge buyers for the extra
service.
NOTE: PayPal displays the prompt to buyers only when the payment is in the same currency
as your primary balance.
For merchants who use Website Payments Standard, this option affects only Buy Now, Add to
Cart, and Cart Upload checkout pages.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
38January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Custom Payment Pages link.
The Customize Your Payment Page page opens.
4. Click the Options tab.
5. Under the Gift options heading, select the Offer gift wrap checkbox.
6. Enter your gift wrap settings:
Setting Action
Enter gift wrap description here Type a description of no more than 25 characters.
Amount Enter the amount you charge for give wrap, priced in
7. Click the Save button.
Prompting Buyers for Gift Receipts
Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
Handling Gift Purchases
the currency of your primary balance.
2
Buyers of gift purchases may want to include a gift receipt so that recipients can return gift
items to you. Enable the PayPal checkout pages to prompt buyers for gift receipts if you allow
gift returns.
Gift receipts allow recipients to return or exchange gifts directly , without showing the prices of
items.
For merchants who use Website Payments Standard, this option affects only Buy Now, Add to
Cart, and Cart Upload checkout pages.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Custom Payment Pages link.
The Customize Your Payment Page page opens.
4. Click the Options tab.
5. Under the Gift options heading, select the Send gift receipts checkbox.
6. Click the Save button.
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Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
2
Prompting Buyers for Marketing Messages
Prompting Buyers for Marketing Messages
You can increase sales by sending marketing messages to buyers. Enable the PayPal checkout
pages to prompt buyers for accepting marketing messages if you run a marketing program.
When you prompt buyers for marketing messages and they accept, you can send them
promotional information like sale announcements or newsletters by email. If you choose this
option, you also need to offer an unsubscribe service.
For merchants who use Website Payments Standard, this option affects only Buy Now, Add to
Cart, and Cart Upload checkout pages.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Custom Payment Pages link.
The Customize Your Payment Page page opens.
4. Click the Options tab.
5. Under the Merchant service options heading, select the Offer promotional emails
checkbox.
6. Click the Save button.
https://www.paypal.com.
Asking Buyers a Survey Question
You can better understanding your buyers by asking them a survey question during checkout.
Enable the PayPal checkout pages to ask buyers a survey question so you can find out how to
improve your products and services.
When you ask buyers a survey question during checkout, your question can be up to 50
characters long. Buyers answer by selecting choices from a dropdown menu. You can specify
up to 5 answers. Each answer can be up to 15 characters long.
For merchants who use Website Payments Standard, this option affects only Buy Now, Add to
Cart, and Cart Upload checkout pages.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
40January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
https://www.paypal.com.
Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
Language Encoding Your Data
2
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Custom Payment Pages link.
The Customize Your Payment Page page opens.
4. Click the Options tab.
5. Under the Merchant service options heading, select the Add a customer service survey
checkbox.
6. Enter your survey settings:
Setting Action
QuestionEnter the question that you want to ask buyers, up to 50 characters in length.
For example, you might ask, “How did you hear about us?”
AnswersEnter up to 5 answers. Each answer can be up to 15 characters in length.
For example, your answers might be:
“the web”
“email”
“radio or TV add”
“someone I know”
“other”
7. Click the Save button.
Language Encoding Your Data
Websites that use PayPal in different parts of the world work with different languages and
different character encoding schemes. Use your account profile settings to match the character
encoding of the PayPal checkout pages with the character encoding of yo ur website.
PayPal refers collectively to differences between languages and character encoding as
language encoding.You can specify default settings in your account profile for the language
encoding that your website uses to exchange data with PayPal. These settings are used for all
transactions sent from your website to PayPal and all automated notifications sent from PayPal
to your website. However, you can override the default settings on individual transactions.
Character Sets
A character set is a defined set of individual letters and symbols used in a particular language.
For instance, the ASCII character is commonly used to define the characters in written
American English. The Big 5 character set is commonly used to define the characters in
written Chinese.
In your account profile, the character set for your default language encoding preferences is
known as your website‘s language.
Merchant Setup and Administration GuideJanuary 201041
Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
2
Language Encoding Your Data
Character Encoding
Character encoding is the way a computer system represents internally the letters and symbols
of a particular character set. Computers use the internal representation to store, transmit, and
process data.
Different character encoding schemes define the number of bytes each character requires and
the pattern of on/off bits that identify a particular charac ter. For example, single-byte encoding
schemes, such as ANSI and extended ASCII, allocate one byte for each character or symbol in
character set for Western European languages. Other encoding schemes, such as Unicode and
UTF-8, allocate several bytes for each character in their multiple-language character sets.
In your account profile, the character encoding for your default language encoding preferences
is known simply as encoding.
Your Default Language Encoding
When you sign up for a PayPal account, the system determines your default language
encoding based on your country of origin. For example, if you sign up with a French postal
address, your language encoding preferences are set as:
z Your website’s language – Western European
z Encoding – ANSI
Generally, the default language encoding preferences selected by PayPal is appropriate. In
some cases, particularly in Asian countries or with certain operating systems, your website
language and/or encoding preferences may not match those used by your website. If not, you
must set your language encoding preferences to match the language and encoding that your
website uses. Otherwise, data cannot be exchanged with PayPal.
Changing Your Default Website Language
Changing your website language changes the character set used on your website, such as
Western European, Japanese, or Russian.
1. Log in to your PayPal account at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Language Encoding link.
The Language Encoding page opens, as shown below.
https://www.paypal.com.
42January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
4. From the Your website’s language dropdown menu, select an appropriate setting.
5. Click the Save button.
Changing the Encoding Used by Your Website
Changing your encoding changes the character encoding scheme used on your website, such
as UTF-8, EUC-JP, or KOI8-R.
You might need to select the encoding for data that your website sends to PayPal with Website
Payments Standard buttons separately from the data sent by PayPal through Instant Payment
Notification, downloadable history logs, and email notifications.
Language Encoding Your Data
2
1. Log in to your PayPal account at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Selling Preferences column, click the Language Encoding link.
The Language Encoding page opens.
4. Ensure that setting for Your website’s language is correct.
5. Click the More Options button.
The More Encoding Options page opens.
https://www.paypal.com.
6. From the Encoding dropdown menu, select the appropriate character encoding scheme for
data that your website sends to PayPal.
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Setting Controls for PayPal Checkout Pages
2
Language Encoding Your Data
– If you want to use the same encoding scheme for receiving data that PayPal sends to your
website, ensure that the Yes radio button is selected.
– If you want to use a different encoding scheme, click the No radio button and select the
encoding scheme you want to use to receive data from PayPal from the No, use
dropdown menu.
7. Click the Save button to preserve both the encoding options that you selected on this page
and the website language you selected on the previous page.
NOTE: You can click the Cancel button to return to the previous page and review your
choice for website language. However, selections that you made on the More
Encoding Options page are lost.
44January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
Viewing Your Account History
3
With account history and reporting tools, you can access monthly account statements, search
your account history for different kinds payments and transactions, download history to your
local computer, and access reports about disputed transactions.
Read the following topics to learn about using your account history:
z “Using Monthly Account Statements” on page 45
z “Accessing Your Account History” on page 50
z “Searching History” on page 51
z “Monitoring Disputed Transactions” on page 63
Using Monthly Account Statements
Monthly account statements list the totals of the payments received, payments sent, fees
charged, and other credits and debits that occurred in your account. You must activate monthly
account statements to see this information. You activate and view monthly account statements
from the Profile Summary page. New statements become available on the 15th of each
month. Up to three past monthly statements are available at one time. You can print the
monthly statement or download it to a spreadsheet.
The monthly account statement displays one line for each date included in the statement.
When you first open the statement, account activity amounts display in your default currency;
you can view other currencies that your account uses by selecting a currency type.
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Viewing Your Account History
3
Using Monthly Account Statements
Monthly Account Statement
Activating Monthly Account Statements
46January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
Viewing Your Account History
Using Monthly Account Statements
1. Log in to your PayPal website at https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Financial Information column, click the Monthly Account Statements link.
The Monthly Account Statements page opens.
4. On the Monthly Account Statements page, click the Yes radio button.
3
5. Click the Save button.
Viewing Monthly Account Statements
You can view and print each statement for three months before it is removed from PayPal’s
servers. You select a statement from a dropdown menu by its month and year.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Financial Information column, click the Monthly Account Statements link.
The Monthly Account Statements page opens.
https://www.paypal.com.
Merchant Setup and Administration GuideJanuary 201047
Viewing Your Account History
3
Using Monthly Account Statements
4. On the Monthly Account Statements page, select a report from the dropdown menu.
5. Click the View button.The Monthly Account Statement page opens for the month and year you selected.
6. To view monthly account information for another currency, select a currency from the
Currency Type dropdown menu.
7. Click the Done button to close the statement.
Printing Monthly Account Statements
The monthly account statement displays a button at the bottom of the page that lets you open a
printable version of the statement.
48January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
Viewing Your Account History
Using Monthly Account Statements
1. Log in to your PayPal website at https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Financial Information column, click the Monthly Account Statements link.
The Monthly Account Statements page opens.
4. On the Monthly Account Statements page, select a report from the dropdown menu.
5. Click the View button.The Monthly Account Statement page opens for the month and year you selected.
6. Click the Get Printable Version button at the bottom of the page.
A printable version of the statement opens in a separate window.
7. Click the Print button to print the statement.
3
8. Click the Close Window button to close the printable version.
9. Click the Done button to close the statement.
Downloading Monthly Account Statements
The monthly account statement displays a button at the bottom of the page that lets you
download the statement information to a comma-delimited value (CSV) file.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Financial Information column, click the Monthly Account Statements link.
The Monthly Account Statements page opens.
4. On the Monthly Account Statements page, select a report from the dropdown menu.
5. Click the View button.
The Monthly Account Statement page opens for the month and year you selected.
https://www.paypal.com.
6. Click the Download button at the bottom of the page.
The Opening Download.csv dialog box opens.
7. When prompted, select whether to open the file or to save it on your local computer.
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Viewing Your Account History
3
Accessing Your Account History
8. Click the Done button to close the statement.
Deactivating Monthly Account Statements
1. Log in to your PayPal website at https://www.paypal.com.
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the Profile subtab.
The Profile Summary page opens.
3. In the Financial Information column, click the Monthly Account Statements link.
The Monthly Account Statements page opens.
4. On the Monthly Account Statements page, click the No radio button.
The Monthly Account Statements page displays a message indicating that you have
deactivated monthly reports. You can reactivate the reports at a later time, if desired.
5. Click the Back to Profile Summary link.
Accessing Your Account History
Use the History page to see the transactions for your account. When you first open the page,
the History page displays your current account balance and a list of the transactions that
occurred in the last 30 days.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Click the History subtab.
The History page opens.
50January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
https://www.paypal.com.
Viewing Your Account History
Searching History
– or –
To go to a specific area of your account history, place the cursor over the History subtab
and select an one of the following options from the displayed list:
– Basic Search
– Advanced Search
– Download History
–Reports
–IPN History
3
For more information about searching history, see “Searching History” on page 51.
Searching History
Search your account history for payments and other activity using date ranges, activity types,
or field values. There are two ways to search your account history:
z Basic Searching by Activity
z Advanced Searching by Field Value
Use Basic Search to search your transaction history by specifying the kind of account activity
you want to view. In Basic Search, the History page displays date fields, and links for
frequently-used activity types to let you quickly filter your account information, It also
contains a More filters dropdown menu with additional activity options that you can use.
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Viewing Your Account History
3
Searching History
Use Advanced Search to search your transaction history by entering a value or a pattern of
values in a specific transaction field and specifying a date range. In Advanced Search, the
History page displays a search value field, a transaction field dropdown menu, and date range
fields.
Basic Searching by Activity
Use Basic Search to find transactions by account activity within a specific date range. When
you first open the History page, it uses the default choice of All Activity and displays your
account activity for the last 30 days. All Activity displays all transactions for any currency you
accept in your account. Select another activity type, time frame, or currency type to filter the
information you see.
For example, click All Activity (with balance) to display a Balance column to show how each
transaction affected your balance. Transactions that do not affect your account balance show
an ellipsis (...) in the column.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
52January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
https://www.paypal.com.
Viewing Your Account History
2. Select Basic Search from the History subtab.
The History page opens.
3. Select the time frame for the activity you want to display.
Searching History
3
– To search through recent transactions, click Recent Activity and select one of the
predefined date ranges from the dropdown menu:
– To search through all transactions, click All Activity. T ype the dates to use or select one
of the predefined date ranges from the dropdown menu. Click the Show button.
The History page displays the transactions that meet your selection criteria.
For detailed information on how to specify a time frame, see “Specifying Date Ranges for
Basic and Advanced History Search” on page 56.
4. To filter the information you see, click one of the activity links:
– Recent Activity
– All Activity
– All Activity (with balance)
– Payments Received
– Payments Sent
– Items to ship
- Or -
Select a filter from the More filters dropdown list. The table below shows a list of the
options you might see in the dropdown menu.
Merchant Setup and Administration GuideJanuary 201053
Viewing Your Account History
3
Searching History
Basic Search: Selectable Activity Type
CreditsFinancial products and
services: Reward voucher
Currency ConversionsFraud protectionPayments received: To:
eChecksMoney added and
withdrawn: Mass
payments
Financial products and
services: Gift cards
Financial products and
services: Gift cards (aged)
Financial products and
services: PayPal credit
Financial products and
services: PayPal credit
payment
Money added and
withdrawn: Money added
Money added and
withdrawn: Money
withdrawn
Money requestsReversalsSubscriptions and
Payments on hold: eBay
reserves
Payments on hold: Under
PayPal review
email address
Payments received: via:
PayPal mobile
ReferralsSubscriptions and
RefundsSubscriptions and
Shipping: Items to shipSubscriptions and
Shipping: Items shipped
Subscriptions and
agreements: Billing
agreements
Subscriptions and
agreements: Pay list:
Payments received
agreements: Pay list:
Payments sent
agreements: Recurring
payments: Transactions
agreements: Recurring
payments: My profiles
agreements: Subscriptions
5. To display the transactions in a particular currency, select a currency name from the All
Currencies dropdown menu.
Advanced Searching by Field Value
Use Advanced Search to find transactions that match a value or a pattern of values in a specific
field.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Select Advanced Search from the History subtab.
- or -
Click the Find a transaction link on the History page.
The History page opens.
https://www.paypal.com.
54January 2010Merchant Setup and Administration Guide
Viewing Your Account History
Searching History
3
3. Type the value or pattern in the Search for text box.
4. Select one of the following fields from the In dropdown menu.
FieldMatching Criteria
EmailThe text you enter must exactly match an email address.
Transaction IDExact match.
Last NameAny part of the text you enter can match. For example, the text mit matches
Smith and Mitty.
Last Name, First NameAny part of text can match.
Receipt IDExact match.
Invoice IDExact match.
Billing AgreementExact match.
Profile IDExact match.
5. Select one or more currency types in the Currency field.
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Viewing Your Account History
3
Searching History
6. Type the dates to use in the From and To date fields.
For detailed information on how to specify a date range, see “Specifying Date Ranges for
Basic and Advanced History Search” on page 56.
7. Click the Search button.
The History page displays the transactions that meet your selection criteria.
Selecting Predefined Time Frames for Basic History Search
You can confine your basic history search to a predefined time frame in one of the following
ways:
z Click the Recent Activity link and select one of these time frames from the dropdown
menu:
–Today
– This Week (Sun - Today)
– Last Week (Sun - Sat)
– This Month
– Last Month
z Click the All Activity link and select the time frame (first) radio button. Select one of these
time frames from the dropdown menu:
–Today
– This Week (Sun - Today)
– Last Week (Sun - Sat)
– This Month
– Last Month
– Last Three Months
When you select a predefined time frame, the search begins automatically. The Basic History
page lists the transactions within your selected time frame.
Specifying Date Ranges for Basic and Advanced History Search
You can confine your basic and advanced history search to a specific date range in the
following ways:
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z In the default History page, click the All Activity link and select the date range (second)
radio button.
Specify the beginning and ending dates of the date range using the text boxes or Calendar
controls.
z In the advanced search version of the History page, specify the From and To dates of the
date range using the text boxes or Calendar controls.
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IMPORTANT:The duration of the date range you specify affects how quickly you can view
the search results. The longer the duration, the longer the search results take.
For faster results, narrow the date range.
Downloading History
In addition to viewing payment and transaction information online, you can download the
information and save it on your local computer using downloadable history logs. The
Download History page lets you specify a time frame for payments and transactions to
include in these logs. You can also specify the fields to include and the file format to use.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at
The My Account Overview page opens.
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https://www.paypal.com.
Viewing Your Account History
3
Downloading History
2. Select Download History from the History subtab.
The Download History page opens.
3. In the upper right area of the History Download page, click the Customize Download
Fields link to select which fields you want to include in your downloadable history log.
For more information, see “Selecting Which Fields to Include in the Download” on
page 59.
4. Specify a Custom Date Range for the history you want to download, and select an item
from the File Types for Download dropdown menu.
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– QuickBooks (.iif file format)
– or –
Select the Last Download to Present radio button to download transactions that occurred
after the last time you downloaded history. Select an item from the File Types for Download dropdown menu.
5. Select the Include Shopping Cart details checkbox if you want your downloadable
history log to include a row of information for each item associated with shopping cart
payments.
6. Click the Download History button.
7. When prompted, select whether to open the downloadable history log or to save it on your
local computer.
3
Selecting Which Fields to Include in the Download
Downloadable history logs always contains these fields:
z Date, Time, and Time zone
z Name
z Type, Status, and Currency
z Gross, Fee, and Net
z From Email Address and To Email Address
z Transaction ID and Reference Transaction ID
z Receipt ID
For details about these default fields, see Appendix A, “Downloadable History Log Fields.”
In addition, you can select other fields to include, using the Custom ize My History
Download page.
1. Log in to your PayPal website at The My Account Overview page opens.
2. Select Download History from the History subtab.
The Download History page opens.
https://www.paypal.com.
3. In the upper right area of the History Download page, click the Customize Download
Fields link, as shown below.
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Downloading History
4. In the Customize My History Download page, select the checkboxes next to the fields
that you want to include.
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For details about these optional fields, see Appendix A, “Downloadable History Log
Fields.”
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Downloading History
5. Click the Save button to preserve your choices for future downloadable history logs.
Understanding the Status and Life Cycle of Transactions
Each row in a downloadable history log shows a transaction, its status at the time of the
download, and its effect on your balance.
Various types of transaction statuses and scenarios can have a negative, positive, or neutral
balance effect. These statuses include:
z Pending
z Held
z Completed
z Denied
z Refunded
z Cancelled
z Reversed
For a complete list of possible transaction statuses, see Appendix A, “Downloadable Histo r y
Log Fields.”
Pending to Cleared or Uncleared
When a pending payment, such as an eCheck, clears after the three to four business days, the
transaction status changes from Uncleared to Cleared.
Status of Disputed Transactions
Transactions with a Placed status (for temporary holds) usually involve a customer dispute.
If you are found in favor in a dispute, the transaction will be updated with a new line-item to
indicate a Credit. However, if the opposite is true, the Balance Impact column will not change
from the Debit status for that transaction.
You can generate a dispute report that correlates the transaction to the customer and the reason
for the dispute. For more information, see “Monitoring Disputed Transactions” on page 63.
Reconciling Transactions using the Balance Impact Column
The optional Balance Impact column shows the word “Credit” for a positive effect or the word
“Debit” for a negative effect on your PayPal account balance.
Credit
When you receive an instant payment or credit card transaction, the Balance Impact column
indicates a credit. Other possible credits to your account are refunds, reversals, and payments
sent but never claimed.
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In some cases, a credit line-item can update a debit for a transaction. For example, if you send
a payment initially indicated as a debit, but it is denied by the recipient, a new line-item for
that transaction will indicate a credit.
Debit
Debits are transactions that reduce your available balance. For example, refunded transactions
are recorded as a debit in the Balance Impact column and as completed in the Status column.
Memo Entries
The Balance Impact column can display a Memo entry for transactions that do not affect your
balance, such as unclaimed or uncleared transactions. These kinds of transactions have no
effect on your balance, because they never become completed transactions.
Reconciling Transactions Using the Net Amount Column
The Net amount of a transaction can aid in faster reconciliation.
In most cases, the Net amount is the Gross minus Fee. When a History entry is updated (for
example, in the case of a refund), the Net amount column indicates the current net value of
the transaction on a separate line-item.
3
Gross, Fee, and Net Amount Calculations from History Log
Monitoring Disputed Transactions
With Resolution Center case reports, you can focus only on transactions that are disputed by
customers for some reason.
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Monitoring Disputed Transactions
Resolution Center Case Report
Programmatic Access to Resolution Center Case Reports
The Downloadable Dispute Report (DDR) provides merchants with a regular report of newly
created disputes and changes in the status of those cases that are already open and are in the
midst of processing.
The report is designed for the merchant that processes large volumes of payments. Thus, while
the report resembles the Resolution Center case report available via the Resolution Center
within the PayPal site, the DDR differs in that it contains all open records and the invoice ID,
which can be used to track dispute cases based on your transactional identifiers. The DDR
cannot filter on open records.
NOTE: To use this feature, you must sign up for the report through your PayPal Account
Manager.
About the DDR Report
The report contains information about all chargebacks and buyer complaints generated for
your account. This report does not contain information about ACH returns of PayPal
unauthorized complaints. PayPal maintains DDR reports for seven days after which the report
is no longer be available.
When you first sign up for the DDR, the report contains:
z All open chargebacks, regardless of the date the case was created or the current status of
the case
z All open buyer complaints, regardless of the date the case was created or the current status
of the case
Use this report as a starting point against which you will read future DDR reports.
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NOTE: If you need to regenerate the first report, contact your PayPal Account Manager and
ask them to generate a first day DDR report for you.
Subsequent DDR reports are generated daily and contain informatio n about dispute activity
for your account in the past 24 hours, or since the last report was generated, including:
z New cases created
z Cases that were modified, including cases that were closed
The DDR is generated every day based on activity for the previous day. Days with no activity
will generate an empty report.
To use the DDR you must:
1. Sign up for the report through your PayPal Account Manager.
2. Create a unique user to download the report.
3. Write code to download the report from a PayPal server.
Step 1. Sign up for the report via PayPal Account Management
Contact your PayPal Account Manager to sign up for the Downloadable Dispute Report.
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Step 2. Create a Unique User on PayPal to Download the Report
To use the DDR, you must use PayPal’s Manage User feature to create a unique user and
assign the correct access privileges for downloading reports.
For step-by-step instructions on how to add users to your account, see “Adding Users to Your
PayPal Account” on page 17.
Step 3. Write Code to Download the Report from the PayPal Server
Write code to request the report from a PayPal server. The code must send an HTTP POST to
the PayPal server. The POST must be sent from a secure server that uses HTTPS. PayPal does
not accept requests from servers using HTTP.
You can automate which details you want to be prioritized in your Settlement File reports by
assigning values as depicted in the sample HTML code.
The HTML code below is an example of the values that your DDR may contain. In the
following example, the uname value is the User Name you created in the Manage users page.