Frequently Asked Questions and Glossary
Get the answers to your pressing questions about Orchestra and explore our glossary of key payment industry terms.
A Payment Industry Glossary
- 3D Secure: A security protocol for online card transactions, adding an authentication step for fraud prevention.
- ACH Payments: Automated Clearing House payments, a method for transferring funds between banks electronically, often used for direct deposits or eChecks.
- Acquirer: An entity that processes payment card transactions for merchants. The payment gateway connects to an acquirer behind the scenes.
- Apple Pay: A mobile payment and digital wallet service by Apple, enabling users to make secure purchases online or in-store.
- Charge: The process of initiating a payment by a merchant to collect funds from a customer’s account.
- Gateway Token: The result of sending the raw card details to the payment gateway and tokenizing it there. The gateway token is then returned as the identifier for the stored card.
- GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation): A European Union law governing the collection, use, and storage of personal data, enhancing consumer privacy rights.
- Google Pay: A digital wallet platform and online payment system by Google, allowing users to make secure purchases through their devices.
- Hosted Payment Forms: Secure, customizable forms hosted by Orchestra to ensure PCI compliance and streamlined payment experiences.
- Merchant Account: An account a company or individual has with the payment processor for accepting and processing payments.
- Multi-Currency Support: The ability to process payments in multiple currencies, enabling businesses to serve international customers.
- Network Token: The result of sending the raw card details to the card schemes (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) and tokenizing it there. The network token is then returned as the identifier for the stored card.
- Open Banking: The ability for customers to share banking details with service providers to streamline payment processing.
- Payment Flow: The journey a payment takes from initiation to final approval, including validation, processing, and storage steps.
- Payment Gateway: A service that connects your business to payment processors, allowing secure transaction authorization.
- Payment Gateway Provider: A company that supplies payment gateways, enabling merchants to accept online payments securely.
- Payments Library: A JavaScript library provided by Orchestra to facilitate and simplify the connection to payment methods such as card payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and more.
- PayPal: A widely used digital payment platform allowing users to send and receive payments securely online.
- PCI Compliance: Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, a set of security standards to protect cardholder data.
- Reauthorize: The process of validating a previously authorized payment again to ensure funds are still available.
- Refund: The process of returning funds to a customer for a completed transaction, often for a returned product or service issue.
- Settlement Account: Also known as Payout Account. This is the bank account that the payment gateway will transfer the money of the transaction.
- Tokenization: The process of replacing sensitive payment information with a secure, unique identifier or token to enhance transaction security.
Get Your Questions Answered
Still have questions? If you’re looking for answers beyond our FAQ or dictionary, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. Contact us today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Orchestra
What’s the difference between Orchestra and *insert payment processor here*?
While traditional payment processors handle individual transactions, Orchestra goes beyond that. Think of us as your payment gateway connector and customizer. We integrate with 80+ payment gateways worldwide, making it easier to meet your customers’ preferences.
Unlike a standard processor, we allow you to design flexible, secure, and optimized payment flows tailored to your needs. With multi-currency support and seamless gateway switching, Orchestra delivers a level of customization and ease unmatched by single payment processors.
How do I go about adding a new payment processor?
Adding a payment processor is simple with Orchestra Connect. You’ll have complete flexibility to customize how payments flow. Start by choosing your processor, set up validation rules, and link your business account. The process ensures your payment journeys are optimized while integrating seamlessly with your existing systems.
If you would like to request Orchestra integrate with a new payment processor, simply contact our team and let us know who you would like to add. There is no cost to integrating a new payment processor.
How do I get started?
Getting started with Orchestra is as easy as registering for an account. Once you’ve signed up, you can start configuring your payment flows and integrating your preferred gateways. If you need any assistance, our dedicated support team is just a click away.
Does Orchestra ever hold my funds directly?
Absolutely not—we don’t touch your funds. Your customers’ money flows directly from them to the payment gateway you used and from there to the settlement account defined with the gateway. We focus on facilitating and securing your transactions, leaving the financial handling to your payment providers.
What currencies does Orchestra support?
We support all currencies offered by the payment gateways integrated with our platform. If your gateway can handle it, Orchestra can, too. Multi-currency support has never been easier to manage.
Can Orchestra handle ACH payments?
Yes! You can add support to bank accounts as a payment method through Orchestra.
How secure is Orchestra?
Security is at the heart of what we do. We abide by all the major payment compliance frameworks. By offloading security concerns to us, you’ll stay protected without compromising on ease of use.
Can Orchestra help me switch payment processors?
Of course. Whether you’re looking to replace an existing processor or add more options, Orchestra makes switching effortless. With our platform, you can test new gateways or payment methods without disrupting your current systems.
Does Orchestra support payment routing?
Yes, and it’s one of our standout features! With Orchestra, you can set up routing rules based on transaction type, currency, or even the geographic location of your customer. This flexibility allows you to optimize your payment strategy for efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Does Orchestra support digital wallets?
Yes! Orchestra offers the ability to collect payments using many of the most common digital wallets in the market, such as ApplePay, GooglePay, PayPal and more.
What credit cards does Orchestra support?
We support all credit cards around the world. If your gateway can handle it, Orchestra can, too.
Can Orchestra support payment on both credit and debit cards?
Yes! Orchestra can support payment on any type of card—credit cards, debit cards, corporate cards, virtual cards, and more. If your gateway can handle it, Orchestra can, too.
I have a working process for credit card payments. Can I use Orchestra just for processing digital wallet payments?
Absolutely! Orchestra is built with flexibility in mind. Customers can pick and choose which payment methods and which payment gateways they want to use for each transaction.
Where is Orchestra located?
Orchestra is headquartered in Ireland and our cloud hosting is in Ireland as well.
Let’s Make Payment Integration Easy
Need more support? Reach out to our team—we’re here to help!
Orchestra Solutions offers a robust, JavaScript-based payments library designed for seamless payment integrations.
