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Revolv3 Appendix — quick operational reference and glossary
A compact page for on-call engineers and integrators. Use linked full docs for deep dives.
Quick reference
  • API reference: OpenAPI/Swagger spec for endpoints and payloads.
  • Changelog: Release notes and breaking changes.
  • Support: Log into the Revolv3 portal (production or sandbox) and use the help icon to submit a ticket. Include timestamps, request IDs, and sample payloads.

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Glossary

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Quick Reference (Short)

  • Merchant — account that owns configuration and processor credentials.
  • Customer — optional stored customer record; nullable on API calls.
  • PaymentMethod — vaulted card/ACH/token used for charges.
  • Invoice — billing document that drives payment attempts.
  • Attempt — single processing attempt for an invoice or payment action.
  • Subscription — recurring billing profile that generates invoices.
  • Dynamic descriptor — transaction descriptor shown on customer statements.
  • Network tokenization — network token used instead of PAN.

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Payment Industry Terms Explained

Authorization A two-step payment process where you first “authorize” (reserve) funds without actually charging the customer. Think of it like putting a hotel room on hold—the money is reserved, but not taken yet. You then “capture” the funds later when you’re ready to charge. This is useful for scenarios like hotel bookings (authorize at check-in, capture at checkout) or pre-orders (authorize when ordered, capture when shipped). Capture The second step in the authorization process. After you’ve authorized funds, you “capture” them to actually charge the customer. Authorizations typically expire after 7 days, so you need to capture within that window. If you don’t capture, the hold is released and the customer’s money becomes available again. ACH (Automated Clearing House) A system for transferring money directly between bank accounts. Unlike credit cards (which are instant), ACH transfers are batch-processed and can take 1-5 business days to complete. ACH is commonly used for recurring bills, subscriptions, or large transactions where the delay is acceptable. It’s also typically cheaper than credit card processing fees. Network Transaction ID A unique identifier assigned by the card network (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, etc.) for each transaction. This is different from Revolv3’s invoice ID—it’s the network’s own tracking number. You’ll need this for disputes, chargebacks, reconciliation with bank statements, and customer support. Always store this ID when processing payments. Tokenization The process of replacing sensitive payment information (like a full credit card number) with a secure token (like a paymentMethodId). Instead of storing card numbers in your database (which is a security risk), you store the token and use it for future charges. This is much more secure and helps you comply with payment industry security standards (PCI DSS). Revolv3 handles tokenization automatically—when you process a payment, you get back a paymentMethodId you can use instead of the full card details. Payment Method A stored payment credential (credit card, debit card, bank account, etc.) that can be reused for multiple transactions. In Revolv3, when you process a payment, you can optionally save the payment method and get back a paymentMethodId. Later, you can charge that customer again by just referencing the ID instead of asking for their card details again. This improves security and customer experience. Invoice vs Payment These terms are often used interchangeably, but in Revolv3 they have specific meanings:
  • Invoice: A billing document that represents what you’re charging the customer for. It has an amount, a due date, and can have multiple payment attempts.
  • Payment: The actual act of moving money. An invoice can have multiple payment attempts (if the first one fails, you might try again).
Think of an invoice like a bill you send, and a payment as the actual money transfer. Processor (Payment Processor) A company that handles the technical side of moving money between banks. Examples include WorldPay, Adyen, and BridgePay. When you send a payment request to Revolv3, we route it to one of these processors, which then communicates with the card networks and banks. You typically don’t interact with processors directly—Revolv3 handles that for you. Settlement The process of actually moving money from the customer’s account to your merchant account. When a payment is “authorized,” the money is held but not moved yet. “Settlement” is when the funds are actually transferred. For credit cards, settlement typically happens 1-3 business days after authorization. For ACH, it can take 1-5 business days. Chargeback When a customer disputes a charge with their bank (claiming fraud, unauthorized charge, or that they never received the product). The bank takes the money back from you and you have a chance to provide evidence to fight it. Chargebacks are expensive and time-consuming, so it’s important to have good records (like networkTransactionId) and clear customer communication to prevent them. 3DS (3D Secure) An extra security layer for online payments. When a customer uses a card that requires 3DS, they’re redirected to their bank’s website to enter a password or confirm via SMS. This adds friction to checkout but reduces fraud and chargebacks. Some cards require it, some don’t—Revolv3 handles this automatically when needed. Account Updater A service that automatically updates expired or replaced credit cards in your stored payment methods. For example, if a customer’s card expires or they get a new card number, Account Updater can update your records so recurring payments don’t fail. Not all processors support this, but when available, Revolv3 uses it automatically to keep your payment methods current. Dynamic Descriptor The text that appears on a customer’s credit card or bank statement describing the charge. Instead of just showing “REVOLV3” or your processor’s name, you can customize it to show something like “ACME STORE - ORDER #12345” so customers can easily identify the charge. This reduces confusion and support calls.

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Common integration notes

  • Customer is intentionally nullable — omit it for anonymous or externally-managed customer flows.
  • Merchant settings provide invoice-level fallbacks; set only the values you rely on.
  • Use payment method verification (card/ACH) for reliable recurring billing.