Open topic with navigation

Payment Processing - The Basics

How Does Payment Processing Work?

The image below is a high-level overview of payment processing. CyberSource is ACTIVE Network Faith's payment gateway provider while ProfitStars is the ACH (eCheck) provider.

Credit Card Processing

The church member pays for an event or submits their tithe through the Church's website and InFellowship.

  1. Fellowship One securely transfers the order information to CyberSource
  2. CyberSource receives the order information and routes the transaction through an Internet Merchant Account (IMA)
  3. The IMA routes the transaction to Visa or MasterCard, who in turn route it to the issuing bank (cardholder bank) for authorization.

    Note: Discover and American Express act as their own issuers and acquiring banks.

  4. The issuing bank returns an authorization approval or decline
  5. CyberSource returns the authorization approval/decline message to Fellowship One, which in turn notifies the user
  6. CyberSource sends a settlement request to the processor, who then routes it to Visa or MasterCard
  7. The issuing bank approves transfer of money to the acquiring bank (church’s bank)

Bank Draft (ACH/eCheck) Processing

  1. Fellowship One securely transfers the transaction to ProfitStars, a subsidiary of Jack Henry & Associates
  2. A debit request is made by ProfitStars through the Originating Depository Financial Institution (ODFI)
  3. Monies are withdrawn from the user’s bank and deposited into the ODFI
  4. ProfitStars then issues a Settlement request to the ODFI
  5. The monies are released to the church’s bank