# RevCent Gateway Overview This document explains how Gateways work in RevCent, why ecommerce businesses should add their payment gateways to RevCent, and how RevCent’s advanced routing features can improve payment operations. This is a broad overview, not a single operation guide. It covers: - Site Gateways - User Gateways - Secure gateway credential setup - Cascade rules - SmartBIN - Payment profiles - Gateway selection - Ecommerce use cases - Why RevCent is valuable for payment routing Sources: - RevCent User Gateway API schema - RevCent Site Gateway API schema - RevCent Payment Profile API schema - RevCent Gateway Knowledge Base - RevCent SmartBIN Knowledge Base --- # Why Gateways Matter in Ecommerce A payment gateway is not just a place where credit card payments are sent. For an ecommerce business, gateway configuration affects: - Approval rates - Decline rates - Revenue recovery - Checkout conversion - Subscription renewal success - Trial expiration billing - Failed sale recovery - Gateway/MID volume management - Processor risk management - Chargeback exposure - Routing by brand, business, store, or product - Payment reporting and cost analysis - Customer experience If all payments are sent blindly to one gateway, the business has limited control. RevCent improves this by allowing businesses to configure multiple gateways and route payments through advanced payment profiles. Conceptually: ```text Customer attempts payment ↓ Payment profile decides how the payment should be processed ↓ RevCent chooses the correct gateway ↓ Cascade rules and SmartBIN may affect gateway eligibility/selection ↓ Payment is processed through the best available gateway ``` This makes RevCent more than a payment processor connector. It becomes an advanced payment routing layer. --- # Site Gateway vs User Gateway RevCent separates payment gateway setup into two concepts: ```text Site Gateway User Gateway ``` Understanding the difference is critical. --- ## Site Gateway A Site Gateway is a RevCent-supported gateway provider/integration type. It represents the processor or gateway type that RevCent knows how to communicate with. Examples conceptually include provider types such as: ```text NMI Stripe Connect Checkout.com Braintree Worldpay Authorize.net-style gateways Other supported gateway integrations ``` A Site Gateway answers: ```text Which gateway provider is this? What secure credential fields are required? How does RevCent communicate with this provider? ``` MCP/AI should use: ```text GetSiteGateways GetSiteGateway ``` to identify the correct Site Gateway before creating a user gateway. The Site Gateway determines the credential/configuration fields the user must provide. --- ## User Gateway A User Gateway is the ecommerce business’s actual configured gateway or MID inside RevCent. It is created from a Site Gateway. A User Gateway answers: ```text Which specific merchant account, MID, gateway account, or processor account should RevCent use? ``` A User Gateway can include: - User Gateway ID - Name - Description - Enabled status - Site Gateway association - Securely submitted gateway credentials - Custom descriptor - Merchant account ID / MID - Discount rate - Transaction success fee - Transaction fail fee - Cascade rules - SmartBIN metadata In simple terms: ```text Site Gateway = RevCent-supported provider type. User Gateway = the user’s actual configured gateway/MID for that provider. ``` --- # Secure Gateway Credential Setup Gateway credentials are sensitive. They may include: - API login IDs - Transaction keys - Secret keys - Gateway usernames - Gateway passwords - Merchant tokens - Processor account identifiers RevCent supports secure gateway credential collection through Secure Forms. MCP/AI should not ask the user to paste gateway credentials directly into chat. Instead: ```text 1. MCP identifies the correct Site Gateway. 2. MCP creates a Secure Form with form_source = gateway. 3. User completes the Secure Form. 4. MCP uses secure_form_id when creating or editing the User Gateway. ``` Conceptual request: ```json { "form_source": "gateway", "form_source_id": "SITE_GATEWAY_ID" } ``` Then the User Gateway is created with: ```json { "name": "Brand A - Primary NMI Gateway", "site_gateway_id": "SITE_GATEWAY_ID", "secure_form_id": "SECURE_FORM_ID" } ``` This protects sensitive gateway credentials while still allowing MCP/API workflows to create and configure gateways. --- # User Gateway Naming and Organization Gateway names should be clear and operational. Good gateway names: ```text Brand A - NMI Primary MID 845678 Brand A - NMI Backup MID 1234 Brand B - Stripe Connect Main US Corp - Subscription Renewals Gateway EU Store - Backup Gateway Trial Expiration - High Approval Gateway ``` Poor names: ```text Gateway Primary Test Processor Main ``` Good naming matters because payment routing can become complex as an ecommerce business grows. A strong gateway name should usually identify: - Brand - Business/corporation - Processor - MID - Region - Use case - Primary/backup role --- # Enabled Status A User Gateway must be enabled to be actively used for processing. During setup, it may be safer to create a gateway disabled: ```json "enabled": false ``` Enable it only when: - The correct Site Gateway has been selected - Secure credentials have been submitted - Gateway details have been reviewed - Cascade rules are intentional - SmartBIN metadata is prepared, if used - Payment profile routing is ready - The business is ready for live payments to route through it A disabled gateway should not be relied on for active checkout, renewals, trials, or recovery payments. --- # Custom Descriptors A User Gateway can include a custom descriptor. A custom descriptor can include: - Name - Email - URL - Phone - Address - City - State - Postal code Custom descriptors matter because they may affect what customers see or what information is available in customer communications. Good descriptors reduce confusion and help customers recognize the business. Bad descriptors can increase: - Support tickets - Refund requests - Chargeback risk - Customer confusion Example: ```json { "custom_descriptor": { "enabled": true, "name": "Brand A", "email": "support@brand-a.example", "url": "https://brand-a.example", "phone": "888-867-5399" } } ``` --- # Merchant Account and Fee Data User Gateways can store merchant account and fee information, such as: ```text merchant_account_id discount_rate transaction_success_fee transaction_fail_fee ``` This helps with internal reporting and payment cost analysis. Example: ```json { "merchant_account_id": "845678", "discount_rate": 2.52, "transaction_success_fee": 0.55, "transaction_fail_fee": 0.25 } ``` These values should come from the user, processor, or merchant account paperwork. MCP/AI should not invent them. --- # Payment Profiles and Gateway Selection Payment profiles are where RevCent decides how payments should be processed. A payment profile can include gateway-selection logic that determines which gateway should be used for a transaction. Payment profiles are important because they let the business define payment logic such as: - Which gateway should be tried first - Whether to use a gateway group - Whether to use fallback gateways - Whether to retry on another gateway - Whether to use SmartBIN - Whether to exclude certain gateways - Whether to route by BIN, customer, product, campaign, or prior approval/decline history - Whether to stop or continue after a decline Conceptually: ```text Payment request enters RevCent ↓ Payment profile begins ↓ Choose Gateway node selects an eligible gateway ↓ Gateway cascade rules may allow or block gateway use ↓ SmartBIN may score eligible gateways ↓ Transaction is attempted ↓ Payment profile decides what happens next ``` Payment profiles are what turn gateway setup into payment routing strategy. A gateway can exist in RevCent, but the payment profile determines when and how that gateway is chosen. --- # Why Payment Profiles Matter for Ecommerce Businesses Payment profiles allow ecommerce businesses to move beyond simple one-gateway processing. They enable advanced strategies such as: ```text Use Brand A gateways only for Brand A transactions. Use subscription gateways for renewal payments. Use different gateways for trials vs initial purchases. Use backup gateways if the first gateway declines. Avoid gateways that already declined the same customer/entity. Protect a gateway after it reaches a volume threshold. Use SmartBIN to select the statistically strongest gateway. Route by gateway group instead of hardcoding individual gateways. ``` This is valuable because ecommerce payments are not uniform. Different transactions may have different routing needs depending on: - Brand - Website - Product - Campaign - Customer type - Card issuer - BIN - Country - Subscription status - Prior decline history - Risk level - Gateway capacity - MID performance RevCent payment profiles allow those decisions to be modeled instead of manually handled. --- # Cascade Rules Cascade rules are gateway-level eligibility controls. They determine whether a gateway should or should not be used for a specific transaction when RevCent is choosing a gateway. Cascade rules allow detailed gateway usage controls based on: - Gateway volume - Gateway decline activity - Gateway chargeback activity - Total transaction attempts - Percentage-based metrics - Counts - Sums - Past time windows - Day/time windows This makes cascade rules one of the most important gateway features for ecommerce businesses. --- ## Why Cascade Rules Matter Gateway and MID usage often has practical limits. A business may want to avoid: - Overloading a single MID - Sending too much volume to a new gateway - Continuing to use a gateway during a decline spike - Continuing to use a gateway with excessive chargebacks - Processing during maintenance windows - Exceeding processor or internal risk thresholds - Routing too much traffic to one provider - Hurting approval rates by repeatedly using a poor-performing gateway Cascade rules help automate those controls. --- ## Revenue Rules Revenue rules are a type of cascade rule. They can allow or disallow gateway use based on metrics over a past time range. A revenue rule can evaluate: ```text captured declined chargeback total amount ``` It can calculate: ```text count percent sum ``` It can evaluate over: ```text hour day week month ``` Common pattern for gateway-level limits: ```json { "source": "gateway" } ``` This means the rule evaluates the specific gateway’s own metrics. --- ## Example: Limit Captured Volume Per Day Business intent: ```text Do not use this gateway after it has captured more than $10,000 in the last day. ``` Cascade rule: ```json { "enabled": true, "bound": "max", "rule_value": 10000, "source": "gateway", "source_value": "captured", "calculation": "sum", "time_value": 1, "time_unit": "day" } ``` Plain English: ```text If this gateway has captured more than $10,000 in the last 1 day, skip it. ``` Business value: ```text Protect a MID from too much daily processing volume. ``` --- ## Example: Limit Decline Count Per Hour Business intent: ```text Stop using this gateway if it has more than 50 declines in the last hour. ``` Cascade rule: ```json { "enabled": true, "bound": "max", "rule_value": 50, "source": "gateway", "source_value": "declined", "calculation": "count", "time_value": 1, "time_unit": "hour" } ``` Plain English: ```text If this gateway has more than 50 declined transactions in the last 1 hour, skip it. ``` Business value: ```text Avoid sending more traffic to a gateway during a decline spike. ``` --- ## Example: Limit Decline Percentage Business intent: ```text Do not use this gateway if its decline rate is over 35% in the last day. ``` Cascade rule: ```json { "enabled": true, "bound": "max", "rule_value": 35, "source": "gateway", "source_value": "declined", "calculation": "percent", "time_value": 1, "time_unit": "day" } ``` Plain English: ```text If this gateway’s decline percentage is over 35% in the last 1 day, skip it. ``` Business value: ```text Improve customer experience by avoiding a poorly performing gateway. ``` --- ## Example: Limit Chargeback Count Business intent: ```text Do not use this gateway if it has more than 10 chargebacks in the last month. ``` Cascade rule: ```json { "enabled": true, "bound": "max", "rule_value": 10, "source": "gateway", "source_value": "chargeback", "calculation": "count", "time_value": 1, "time_unit": "month" } ``` Plain English: ```text If this gateway has more than 10 chargebacks in the last 1 month, skip it. ``` Business value: ```text Protect processor relationships and reduce MID risk. ``` --- ## Example: Limit Chargeback Percentage Business intent: ```text Do not use this gateway if chargebacks are above 1% over the last month. ``` Cascade rule: ```json { "enabled": true, "bound": "max", "rule_value": 1, "source": "gateway", "source_value": "chargeback", "calculation": "percent", "time_value": 1, "time_unit": "month" } ``` Plain English: ```text If this gateway’s chargeback percentage is over 1% in the last 1 month, skip it. ``` Business value: ```text Protect the MID from chargeback concentration. ``` --- ## Example: Multiple Cascade Rules Together Business intent: ```text Use this gateway only while: - Captured volume is under $10,000 per day - Declines are under 50 per hour - Chargebacks are under 1% per month ``` Cascade rule set: ```json { "global_cascade_rules": { "enabled": true, "revenue_rules": { "enabled": true, "options": [ { "enabled": true, "bound": "max", "rule_value": 10000, "source": "gateway", "source_value": "captured", "calculation": "sum", "time_value": 1, "time_unit": "day" }, { "enabled": true, "bound": "max", "rule_value": 50, "source": "gateway", "source_value": "declined", "calculation": "count", "time_value": 1, "time_unit": "hour" }, { "enabled": true, "bound": "max", "rule_value": 1, "source": "gateway", "source_value": "chargeback", "calculation": "percent", "time_value": 1, "time_unit": "month" } ] }, "time_rules": { "enabled": false, "options": [] } } } ``` Plain English: ```text This gateway should only be eligible while all enabled rules pass. If any rule fails, RevCent should skip the gateway during gateway selection. ``` --- ## Time Rules Time rules allow or deny gateway use based on weekday and time window. Important: ```text All time rules are GMT / UTC+0. ``` Example: ```json { "enabled": true, "name": "sunday", "start_time": "12:00am", "end_time": "11:59pm", "option": "deny" } ``` Plain English: ```text Do not use this gateway on Sundays in GMT time. ``` Time rules can be used for: - Processor maintenance windows - Business policy - MID pacing - Region-specific operating rules - Weekend restrictions - Known low-performing periods --- # Cascade Rules and Payment Profiles Together Cascade rules do not replace payment profile design. They work with payment profiles. Example: ```text Payment profile chooses from a set of gateways ↓ Gateway A is checked ↓ Gateway A is over its daily captured volume cap ↓ Gateway A is skipped ↓ Payment profile attempts another eligible gateway ``` For cascade rules to work well, the payment profile should usually have: - More than one gateway option - A fallback path - A failsafe strategy - Clear routing logic - A gateway group or gateway selection strategy If a gateway becomes ineligible and there is no valid fallback, payments may fail. --- # SmartBIN SmartBIN is an advanced RevCent feature designed to improve approval rates by selecting the gateway with the highest statistical likelihood of approval for a specific payment request. SmartBIN is useful because approval rates can vary by: - Card issuer - BIN - Card brand - Gateway - Acquirer - Processor - Transaction pattern - Recent performance - Historical performance - Risk conditions Instead of always using a static gateway order, SmartBIN can score eligible gateways and choose the best candidate. Conceptually: ```text Payment request enters payment profile ↓ Choose Gateway node has SmartBIN enabled ↓ RevCent scores available eligible gateways ↓ Gateway with strongest SmartBIN score is selected ↓ Payment is attempted ``` --- ## SmartBIN Requirements SmartBIN requires two separate enablement steps: ```text 1. SmartBIN must be enabled for the RevCent account. 2. SmartBIN must be enabled in a Choose Gateway node inside a payment profile. ``` Gateway-level SmartBIN settings prepare metadata for scoring, but they do not activate SmartBIN routing by themselves. A gateway can have SmartBIN metadata configured, but SmartBIN will not route payments unless the payment profile’s Choose Gateway node is configured to use SmartBIN. --- ## When SmartBIN Is Useful SmartBIN is useful when: - The business has multiple gateways - Different gateways perform differently by issuer/BIN - The business wants higher approval rates - The business uses payment profiles - SmartBIN is enabled for the RevCent account - The Choose Gateway node has SmartBIN enabled - Gateway acquirer information has been prepared - The business has enough payment activity for scoring to become meaningful SmartBIN is not very useful when: - There is only one gateway - The payment profile does not use a SmartBIN-enabled Choose Gateway node - SmartBIN is not enabled for the RevCent account - There are no meaningful gateway performance differences - Prefer-gateway logic should override SmartBIN --- ## SmartBIN Gateway Metadata A User Gateway can store SmartBIN metadata, including: ```text mcc processor visa mastercard discover amex ``` Card-brand-specific objects can include: ```text mid bin acquirer ``` Example: ```json { "smart_bin": { "mcc": "5968", "processor": "nmi", "visa": { "mid": "VISA_MID_123", "bin": "123456", "acquirer": "elavon" }, "mastercard": { "mid": "MC_MID_123", "bin": "654321", "acquirer": "elavon" }, "discover": { "mid": "DISC_MID_123", "bin": "601100", "acquirer": "elavon" }, "amex": { "mid": "AMEX_MID_123", "bin": "10000000002", "acquirer": "elavon" } } } ``` MCP/AI should not invent SmartBIN values. Processor, acquirer, MID, BIN, and MCC values should come from the user, merchant account provider, gateway documentation, or authoritative account records. --- ## SmartBIN and Gateway Preparation SmartBIN works best when gateways have as much useful metadata as possible. Preparation may include: - Setting acquirer information per card brand - Setting MID per card brand - Setting BIN per card brand - Setting gateway MCC - Setting processor enum value - Updating all active and relevant gateways - Making sure payment profile Choose Gateway nodes are configured to use SmartBIN A business should think of SmartBIN preparation as part of payment optimization. --- # Why Ecommerce Businesses Should Use RevCent for Payment Routing RevCent gives ecommerce businesses a more powerful payment routing layer than basic gateway integrations. ## 1. Multiple Gateways in One System Businesses can add multiple User Gateways and manage them in one RevCent account. This supports: - Multiple brands - Multiple websites - Multiple corporations - Multiple MIDs - Multiple processors - Backup gateway strategies - Subscription-specific gateways - Trial-specific gateways - Region-specific routing --- ## 2. Payment Profiles Create Logic, Not Just Connections A basic integration sends payments to one processor. A RevCent payment profile can define logic. Examples: ```text Try this gateway first. Use a gateway group. Avoid gateways that already declined this customer. Use SmartBIN. Skip gateways over volume thresholds. Fallback to another route after decline. Use different gateways for subscription renewals. Use different routing for different brands or campaigns. ``` This lets an ecommerce business design payment behavior instead of accepting one static gateway path. --- ## 3. Cascade Rules Protect Gateways Cascade rules help businesses avoid overusing or misusing gateways. They can protect against: - Daily volume overuse - Weekly processing concentration - Decline spikes - Chargeback concentration - Total attempt overload - Time-window restrictions This matters because gateway health affects revenue. A gateway that is overused, has too many declines, or has too many chargebacks may become less effective or create operational risk. --- ## 4. SmartBIN Can Improve Approval Strategy SmartBIN can help route transactions to the gateway most statistically likely to approve a specific payment request. This can be especially useful when the business has multiple gateways and issuer/BIN-level performance varies. SmartBIN is an advanced approval-rate optimization tool. --- ## 5. Better Revenue Recovery Gateway routing affects recovery flows such as: - Failed sale recovery - Subscription renewal recovery - Trial expiration recovery - Decline salvage - Customer support sale creation - Retry strategies If a payment fails on one gateway, RevCent payment profile logic may support trying another eligible gateway, depending on how the profile is configured. This can help recover revenue that might otherwise be lost. --- ## 6. Better Operational Control RevCent gateway setup helps businesses organize payment processing around real business structure. Examples: ```text Brand A traffic uses Brand A gateways. Brand B traffic uses Brand B gateways. Subscription renewals use subscription-optimized gateways. Trial expirations use recovery-focused routing. High-value orders use a different strategy. SmartBIN chooses the best eligible gateway. Cascade rules prevent overuse. ``` This is especially useful for ecommerce businesses with more than one product, website, MID, or brand. --- ## 7. Better Reporting and Cost Awareness Gateway fields such as: ```text merchant_account_id discount_rate transaction_success_fee transaction_fail_fee ``` help RevCent understand and report gateway-specific cost and routing context. This gives the business better visibility into: - Which gateways are being used - Which gateways approve best - Which gateways decline most - Which gateways are expensive - Which gateways are risky - Which gateways need routing adjustments --- # Practical Gateway Strategy Examples ## Single Brand With Two Gateways ```text Primary gateway Backup gateway Payment profile tries primary first Cascade rule skips primary if decline rate spikes Backup gateway handles overflow ``` ## Multi-Brand Ecommerce Account ```text Brand A gateways Brand B gateways Payment profiles route each brand to its own gateway set Cascade rules protect each MID SmartBIN optimizes within each eligible gateway set ``` ## Subscription Business ```text Initial sales use one gateway strategy Subscription renewals use another Trial expirations use a recovery-focused gateway strategy Cascade rules prevent overuse SmartBIN improves approval targeting ``` ## High-Volume Store ```text Multiple gateways share volume Captured amount caps prevent overuse Decline caps avoid poor-performing gateways Chargeback caps protect MIDs Payment profile fallback keeps processing moving ``` --- # MCP/AI Guidance When helping a user with RevCent gateways, MCP/AI should: 1. Identify the business purpose of the gateway. 2. Identify the correct Site Gateway. 3. Use Secure Forms for credentials. 4. Avoid collecting credentials in chat. 5. Use clear names and descriptions. 6. Ask whether the gateway should start enabled or disabled. 7. Ask about cascade rule needs. 8. Never invent cascade thresholds. 9. Ask whether SmartBIN is enabled for the RevCent account. 10. Ask whether SmartBIN will be used in a payment profile Choose Gateway node. 11. Ask for SmartBIN acquirer/MID/BIN/MCC details when needed. 12. Explain how the payment profile will actually use the gateway. 13. Warn that gateway and payment profile changes can affect live payments. 14. Encourage testing before live routing. --- # Summary RevCent Gateways give ecommerce businesses a powerful way to manage and optimize payment routing. The major pieces are: ```text Site Gateway = supported provider type. User Gateway = the business’s configured gateway/MID. Cascade Rules = eligibility controls that protect gateway usage. SmartBIN = advanced approval-rate optimization. Payment Profile = routing logic that chooses which gateway to use. ``` Together, these capabilities allow ecommerce businesses to: - Improve approval strategy - Reduce avoidable declines - Protect MIDs - Manage gateway volume - Support multiple brands and processors - Recover more revenue - Build smarter checkout and renewal flows - Gain better payment routing control RevCent is valuable because it does not simply store gateway credentials. It gives ecommerce businesses the tools to decide **when**, **why**, and **how** each gateway should be used. --- Document Parent Directory * [Operations](https://revcent.com/documentation/markdown/mcp/operation/index.md) - AI/MCP details and overviews for operations available within the RevCent MCP.