CashNet Custom Integration

This is a hypothetical integration that would enable us to process payments through CashNet without using an eMarket, but using SmartPay (or some other CashNet transaction gateway).  

Model

Open

Requirements:  Pay User Fines / Fees API (link no longer available December 2024), Export User Blocks, Users API, CashNet "SmartPay"

See:  Ex Libris Tech Blog:  Integrating Alma and PayPal with the Alma REST APIs

Through a CashNet portal, a payment type is set up through a campus' existing CashNet system, enabling users to login, view their balance of library fines, and make payments.    When the user logs into the portal, their username is sent to the Users API to retrieve fine amounts. The user pays the fines and fees through CashNet, and upon payment completion, information about the payment is generated and sent back to a script to be manipulated for import into Alma using the Pay User Fines / Fees API.  The fine is then logged as paid in Alma.

With this option, the only interaction with PeopleSoft would involve placing blocks / holds on the user's PeopleSoft record (for example, if the library places holds on student's registration for unpaid library fees).  Using the Export User Blocks integration with Alma, patrons with blocks such as registration holds can be exported and prepared for ingest to PeopleSoft.  We are still investigating removal of blocks, which may remain manual.  Could also use once-a-day Analytics data export to export fine amounts into PeopleSoft.

Issues/ Questions with this approach:

• Removing Blocks/Holds in PeopleSoft remain manual; fine amount owed not available in PeopleSoft (necessarily) - if using Analytics API export, however, this could be available in PeopleSoft, once a day.

• Need more information about CashNet portal setup (Christian Ward (Sacramento) is researching)

  • Info from Christian:  Requires CashNet add-on called "Smart Pay" used to build a "Storefront" web application.  Sacramento's parking services is using this type of integration with a third party parking tickets application that enables guests and campus users to pay citations through CashNet.   We may be able to work with CashNet to create an interface that all campuses could use but would need the CO to help with that.  It may be more efficient to straight into CashNet without using the unique account page, but that would be worked out with CashNet.  See Information re: Parking Fine Payment @ Sac State

• Need to research any differences in approach for campuses using PayPal (e.g., Pomona) OR whether all CSUs using PayPal could move to CashNet for this integration.

Step-by-step guide

This is a higher-level overview of required steps

1. Build web app that includes the following.

   1. user authentication/verification (utilize EZproxy, Drupal, Wordpress, or other intermediary application that already has authentication functionality)

   2. retrieval of user account data via Alma User API (code exists in PHP)

   3. web form that sends via data to CASHNet eMarket via POST

2. User logins using CASHNet's eMarket authentication

3. User confirms amount and enters credit card information

4. CASHNet sends data via HTTPS to custom processing script

   1. custom processing script posts to Alma user account (releasing blocks as necessary) and to PeopleSoft general ledger account (not PS user account)

   2. CASHNet generates emails to payee (user) and to library mailbox (??)

   3. Alma generates payment confirmation email to patron (??)

Considerations

• How are holds placed on user's PeopleSoft accounts (if at all)?

• If hold is placed on user account, PeopleSoft web interface will need some method of directing user to web app described in step 1 above.

• CASHNet does not need to maintain account balance for user because web app (step 1 above) will pull that data directly from Alma when user logins.