How do I start?
1. Get to know billwerk
As a first step, we recommend that you watch our introductory videos and register on our sandbox.
This is the test system on which you can familiarize yourself with the operation of billwerk and explore the functions extensively. Functionally, the sandbox is largely identical to the productive system.
To help you get started with billwerk, your sandbox already contains demo data. Alternatively, you can set up your own product catalog directly. Instructions on how to configure your account can be found here.
2. Select payment provider
If you have decided to use a payment provider, you should apply for an account with them early on. The accreditation and activation of your account by the payment provider can take several weeks. You should also check in advance whether the payment methods you want to use are offered by the payment provider and whether they are integrated into billwerk. Credit card payments are only possible with payment providers. You conclude a merchant agreement directly with the respective payment provider. The costs of the payment providers are to be paid directly to them and are not billed via billwerk. Likewise, the disbursement of the funds received is handled directly between you and the payment provider.
In addition, set up a test account with your payment provider and transfer the data to the billwerk sandbox.
3. billwerk integration
If you want to offer a self-service ordering page and a customer portal for your customers, you generally have two options. For your customer's order process and customer portal, you have the option of using the billwerk-hosted order page or integrating your own page in conjunction with SubscriptionJS . Via webhooks you can have your system informed with status information about e.g. new registrations or problems with payment transactions. If you want to control billwerk via your backend, our REST API is available for this purpose. A detailed explanation of the basic concept and integration options can be found here.
4. Testing the sandbox
Now test your own product catalog and configured settings by creating any number of test customers and performing order and test payment transactions. Please note that you should not test with real customer data, as depending on the configuration, emails may actually be sent and real payment transactions may be performed. Therefore, use only test accounts and test data for simulation testing.
5. Set up live account
Once your test system is configured as expected, select the needed plan and before configuring your live account, get in contact with our Sales colleagues.
6. Migration of existing customers
If you want to migrate larger numbers of existing customers, please contact support. We recommend to start planning in time and to discuss the migration with our support beforehand and to agree on the procedure. Our support team will be happy to handle the migration for you as part of Professional Services. Please allow at least 3-4 weeks lead time for the migration.
7. Go-live
If you want to run additional tests on the productive account, unwind these contracts before you go live, e.g. by annulling the contracts. Now you can get started with billwerk.
For help with the setup, you can always contact support@billwerk.com.