> **Description:** Guide for partners to onboard new merchants and set up their services.

# How to sign up merchants

A new merchant must [apply for services with Vipps MobilePay](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/knowledge-base/applying-for-services.md)
and order a product.
Once they have a Vipps MobilePay sales unit, they can begin to use a partner.

Partners can sign up merchants using one of three methods:

* [Management API and its prefill functionality](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/partner/merchant-signup.md#signing-up-merchants-with-the-management-api)
* [Product order templates](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/partner/merchant-signup.md#signing-up-merchants-with-product-order-templates)
* [Manual signup](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/partner/merchant-signup.md#manually-signing-up-a-merchant)

See a flowchart showing the three types of merchant sign-ups

The flowchart below illustrates the decision points and actions for each method.
The process includes steps for the Merchant Agreement (MA) and Product Order (PO).

```mermaid
flowchart TD
  A[Manual signup] --> B(Log in. Check if merchant already exists)
  T[Template signup] --> B
  C[Prefill signup] --> B

  B --> |New merchant| E(Show Merchant Agreement form)
  B --> |Existing merchant| H

  E --> F(Sign and submit Merchant Agreement)
  F --> H(Product Order form: Check signup type)

  H --> |Manual| I[Show empty<br>Product Order form]
  H --> |Template| J[Show template<br>Product Order form]
  H --> |Prefill| K[Show prefilled<br>Product Order form]

  I --> L(Submit Product Order)
  J --> L
  K --> L
  L --> |Product Order status is available on the partner portal| O(Product Order is processed)
  O --> |Product Order approved| P(Merchant and partner notified)
  O --> |Product Order rejected| Q(Merchant notified)
```

Merchant signup flow: A signup begins as Manual, Template, or Prefill. All types first check whether the merchant already exists. New merchants must complete a Merchant Agreement form first. Existing merchants skip directly to the Product Order form. The Product Order form is empty for manual sign-ups, pre-populated from a template for template sign-ups, or prefilled via the API for prefill sign-ups. All three paths lead to submitting the Product Order. The Product Order status is trackable on the partner portal. If approved, both the merchant and partner are notified. If rejected, only the merchant is notified.

To sign up a merchant that is working with another partner, see
[How can a merchant change partners](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/partner/how-to-change-partners.md).

**INFO**

The product order process is continuously improved, and the product order forms
are frequently changed to make it as easy as possible for merchants to order.
Because of this we cannot provide a detailed guide with step-by-step instructions or screenshots.
If you have received a PDF or presentation with details of the product order process,
it is most likely outdated now.

**NOTE**

It is not possible for users to pay the partner instead of the merchant. See:
[Can I create a marketplace with multiple merchants?](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/knowledge-base/merchant-info.md#creating-a-marketplace-with-multiple-merchants)

## How we notify partners of a completed signup

When a new merchant gets their Vipps MobilePay application approved, an email is sent
to both the merchant and the partner with information about:

* The merchant's organization number
* The merchant's name
* The sales unit's MSN
* The sales unit's name

If the signup was done with the Management API's
[prefill functionality](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/partner/merchant-signup.md#signing-up-merchants-with-the-management-api),
the API can also be used to
[get information about a product order](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/APIs/management-api/management-api-guide.md#get-information-about-a-product-order).

## Signing up merchants with the Management API

Partners that have their own API keys can use the
[Management API](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/APIs/management-api/README.md) and its
[prefill functionality](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/APIs/management-api/management-api-guide.md#prefill-a-product-order)
that enables a merchant to go to a prefilled product order form on the
[business portal](https://portal.vippsmobilepay.com),
so the merchant can simply log in, check the data, and submit the product order.

**Sequence diagram for signup with prefill**

```mermaid
sequenceDiagram
  autonumber
  Partner->>+Management API: Prefill product order (PO)
  Management API->>+Partner: URL to prefilled PO
  Partner->>+Merchant: "Here is your PO, please check and submit"
  loop Every day, hour, etc. (up to the partner)
      Partner-->Management API: "Does merchant X have any sales units connected to me?"
  end
  Merchant->>+portal.vippsmobilepay.com: Checks and submits PO
  Note over portal.vippsmobilepay.com: If the merchant does not have a MA, that is done here too.
  Vipps MobilePay->>+Vipps MobilePay: The PO is processed: KYC, AML, etc.
  Note over Vipps MobilePay: Follow-up emails may be required.
  alt PO (and MA): Approved
      Note over Merchant: The merchant is now onboarded.
      Vipps MobilePay->>+Merchant: Email with sales unit details
      Vipps MobilePay->>+Partner: Email with sales unit details
      Note over Partner: The partner can now initiate payments.
      Note over Partner: "Partner Plus" and "Partner Premium": Use partner keys.
      Note over Partner: "Partner": Use merchant's keys.
  else Rejected
      Vipps MobilePay->>+Merchant: Email: "Sorry, PO rejected."
  end
```

  Partner sends a prefill product order request to the Management API.
  Management API returns a URL to the prefilled product order to the Partner.
  Partner sends the URL to the Merchant with instructions to check and submit.
  Partner polls the Management API periodically to check if the merchant has any connected sales units.
  Merchant checks and submits the product order on portal.vippsmobilepay.com. If the merchant does not yet have a Merchant Agreement, that is completed here too.
  Vipps MobilePay processes the product order through KYC, AML, and other checks. Follow-up emails may be required.
  If approved: the merchant is onboarded, and Vipps MobilePay emails both the Merchant and the Partner with sales unit details. The partner can now initiate payments using partner keys (Partner Plus/Premium) or the merchant's own keys (Partner).
  If rejected: Vipps MobilePay emails the Merchant to inform them the product order was rejected.

## Signing up merchants with product order templates

*Product order templates* are the recommended approach for partners without API keys.

A product order template is a prefilled link to the product order form, with fields such as the *partner* and *price* already set. Fields can optionally be locked, so the merchant cannot change them. This keeps submissions consistent, reduces errors, and speeds up onboarding.

These product order templates can be created and edited directly through the partner portal.
See: [Manage your product order templates](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/partner/partner-portal.md#manage-your-product-order-templates).

Alternatively, they can be made or edited by Vipps MobilePay at the request of the partner, usually
through the partner manager.

Screenshot: "Product Order Templates" page showing a table with Template URL, Name, Product Type, Details, and Edit columns. Five example templates are listed. A "New Template" button is in the top right.

You can create multiple links for different products and prices,
for instance both for web/app payments and for physical in-person payments.

These parameters can be set in the product order template:

* Price package: The partner's price package for this product order template.
  **Please note:**
  If the partner only has one price package, or the price package is specified,
  the price will not be displayed in the product order form.
* Intended purpose: Description and explanation of the product or products that will be sold.
  This can include hints such as specifying "POS integration in physical store" to indicate
  that the sales unit needs `skipLandingPage` activated.
* MCC: The merchant category code is used to determine the risk level of the merchant.
  Our product order form contains a user-friendly MCC selector, which contains a subset of all MCCs.
* Product use case: Where will sales take place? A website? A website that is not yet launched,
  so a test website must be used? A native app? Something else?

These fields are a subset of the fields that can be set when you
[Prefill a product order](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/APIs/management-api/management-api-guide.md#prefill-a-product-order)
in the
[Management API](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/APIs/management-api/README.md).

The fields can be locked, so the merchant cannot change them when they
complete (fill out the rest of) the product order form.

URLs to product order templates follow this format:
`https://portal.vippsmobilepay.com/register/template/{templateId}`.

**Sequence diagram for product order templates**

```mermaid
sequenceDiagram
  autonumber
  Partner->>+portal.vippsmobilepay.com: "Create a PO template"
  portal.vippsmobilepay.com->>+Partner: Ok, here's your URL
  Partner->>+Merchant: "Here is your PO template link, please complete and submit"
  Merchant->>+portal.vippsmobilepay.com: Completes and submits PO
  Note over portal.vippsmobilepay.com: If the merchant does not have a MA, that is done here too.
  Vipps MobilePay->>+Vipps MobilePay: The PO is processed: KYC, AML, etc.
  Note over Vipps MobilePay: Follow-up emails may be required.
  alt PO (and MA): Approved
      Note over Merchant: The merchant is now onboarded.
      Vipps MobilePay->>+Merchant: Email with sales unit details
      Vipps MobilePay->>+Partner: Email with sales unit details
      Note over Partner: The partner can now initiate payments.
      Note over Partner: "Partner Plus" and "Partner Premium": Use partner keys.
      Note over Partner: "Partner": Use merchant's keys.
  else Rejected
      Vipps MobilePay->>+Merchant: Email: "Sorry, PO rejected."
  end
```

  Partner creates a product order template on portal.vippsmobilepay.com.
  Portal returns the template URL to the Partner.
  Partner sends the template link to the Merchant with instructions to complete and submit.
  Merchant completes and submits the product order on portal.vippsmobilepay.com. If the merchant does not yet have a Merchant Agreement, that is completed here too.
  Vipps MobilePay processes the product order through KYC, AML, and other checks. Follow-up emails may be required.
  If approved: the merchant is onboarded, and Vipps MobilePay emails both the Merchant and the Partner with sales unit details. The partner can now initiate payments using partner keys (Partner Plus/Premium) or the merchant's own keys (Partner).
  If rejected: Vipps MobilePay emails the Merchant to inform them the product order was rejected.

## Manually signing up a merchant

If neither the Management API nor a product order template is available, merchants can sign up directly by filling out the product order form themselves. For the fastest onboarding, ensure the form is complete before submitting -- incomplete submissions require follow-up and slow the process down.

The merchant can manually sign up as follows:

1. The merchant logs in to the
   [business portal](https://portal.vippsmobilepay.com).

   If they don't already have a customer relationship with Vipps MobilePay, they need to register on the
   [business portal](https://portal.vippsmobilepay.com) and create a merchant agreement as described in
   [Applying for services](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/knowledge-base/applying-for-services.md).

1. Once the merchant has a customer relationship with Vipps MobilePay, they can apply for the relevant Vipps MobilePay product(s) on the
   [business portal](https://portal.vippsmobilepay.com).

   It's the partner's responsibility to make sure the merchant has all necessary
   information to fill out the application correctly.

   When the merchant applies for a product, they must select:
   * The product (or use a direct link as above)
   * The partner
   * The price package, typically "Price 1", "Price 2" or "Price 3".
      Although it's not ideal to let merchants select the price package,
      this is needed when not using the Management API.
      This field may be hidden if there is only one price package available.

1. We process the application and perform customer control (KYC, PEP, AML, and other compliance checks).
   This may take a few days, depending on the information provided, the workload,
   and the quality and completeness of the application.
   See the
   [Typical reasons for delays](#typical-reasons-for-delays).
1. The merchant can check the application status at any time on the
   [business portal](https://portal.vippsmobilepay.com).
   Please do not send status inquiry emails -- partners should ask the merchant directly instead.
1. We notify the merchant **and the partner** by email that the application is approved,
   with the new MSN, and that the merchant can now use the Vipps MobilePay products.
   Both the merchant and the partner receive exactly the same information.

   :::note
   If the application is declined, only the merchant is notified,
   as we may not be allowed to share the reason for declining.
   :::

The partner can now use their [partner keys](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/partner/partner-keys.md)
and the merchant's new MSN to make payments.
Alternatively, if the partner doesn't want to use partner keys, they can ask the merchant to
[create a business portal user](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/knowledge-base/portal.md#add-a-new-user) for them, so they can
get access to the merchant's MSN.

For information about user permissions, see:
[About the business portal: Users](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/knowledge-base/portal.md#manage-users).

## Typical reasons for delays

* Vipps MobilePay has sent an email requesting additional information, but has not received a reply.
  Merchants should check their "spam" and try to search their email for "vipps".
* The merchant has signed a merchant agreement, but has not ordered any
  Vipps MobilePay products.
* The application is not signed by a person that has signatory rights.
* The merchant's website does not meet the regional regulatory terms and conditions.
* The merchant's website does not have the organization number clearly visible.
* The merchant has not provided enough information about what they want to use
  Vipps MobilePay for.
* If the merchant's website is not the distribution channel, the requirements mentioned above
  also apply to the partner's platform.
* The application has been declined. Vipps MobilePay only informs the merchant about this,
  not the partner. The reason for declining may be related to risk and
  compliance, and thus sensitive.

See the application solution on the
[business portal](https://portal.vippsmobilepay.com)
for more help and tips.

## Related pages

* [How to check the status of a product order](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/partner/how-to-check-details.md#how-to-check-the-status-of-a-product-order)

## FAQ

### The product order template link gives an error. What's wrong?

This most commonly happens when the merchant already has a *merchant agreement*, but the person clicking the link is not registered as a user for that business and therefore lacks permission to order products for it. The error message will read:

> COMPANY NAME already has a merchant agreement
>
> COMPANY NAME (organization number 12345689) already has a merchant agreement, but you
> do not have the permission to access it, because you are not registered as a user for this business.
>
> You need to contact the person who created the existing merchant agreement, and have
> that person complete this product order.
>
> You can also ask the person to add you as a user for the existing merchant.
>
> If you don't know who has the rights to sign for the company, you can check THE OFFICIAL BUSINESS REGISTRY.

### A merchant has submitted a product order, but forgot to select us as partner. What do we do?

Contact your partner manager to resolve the existing order. To avoid this in the future, sign up merchants using the [Management API](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/partner/merchant-signup.md#signing-up-merchants-with-the-management-api) or [product order template links](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/partner/merchant-signup.md#signing-up-merchants-with-product-order-templates), both of which associate the partner automatically.

### How can I check the status of a product order?

Use the [View product orders](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/partner/partner-portal.md#view-product-orders) section of the partner portal, or the [Management API](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/docs/APIs/management-api/management-api-guide.md#get-a-list-of-product-orders).

> **Full site overview:** For every page in this documentation, read [https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/llms.txt](https://developer.vippsmobilepay.com/llms.txt).