Microsoft Payment Service and Discussion with Red Maple

On Monday, I posted about the new Microsoft Online Services for Dynamics ERP, and focusing on what that means a little for Dynamics AX.
DAX ROI and Azure Dynamics ERP Services

I dug deeper into this, because the defacto credit card processing for Dynamics AX, has been and still is Red Maple. (www.redmaple.com).



At many of my clients, Red Maple Credit Card Processing for Dynamics AX is in use. With the news of the new Payment Services for Microsoft Dynamics ERP, I started thinking how this could be used in Dynamics AX? What about Red Maple? Can it be used with Red Maple? Can Red Maple's deep functional offerings be used with the new Payment Services? Does this mean Red Maple will be competing with this service?

I contacted Red Maple, and their CTO Patrick Hodo gave me this reponse.:
"Red Maple does not really compete with the Payment Services for Microsoft Dynamics ERP. Basically, they are a “gateway” to payment processors, much like Cybersource or PayPal are gateways.

The only difference is that their service is a closed API, which means that we cannot integrate with them—as much as we would like to. We have asked for the API but they refuse to make it available. This would be very helpful for customers that decided to use the standard credit card processing in DAX 2009, but cannot perform credits and voids. We understand that their processor list is limited right now (basically they only work with TSYS and PayPal) but is expanding. I think the main issue is that most customers purchase DAX so that they can customize and enhance their business through the software. Currently, they cannot do that with Payment Services for Microsoft Dynamics ERP. It is up to customers to decide whether that is important enough to use or not use it."

And...
"Really, we are focused on the software aspect of credit cards, enhancing the delivered functionality. We don’t care about the “acquiring” aspect of the business (getting new merchants is a big money making venture). So our focus is on PCI compliance (which we are now certified for), business processes for eCommerce and the types of enhancements that most customers are accustomed to us delivering."

In response, I asked the following.:
So is it possible for a customer to still use Red Maple, and create a custom Gateway, that makes use of this service? Even though it's a closed API, since it's just a Gateway, you would think a customer could create a custom gateway from Red Maple to this service?

Patrick Replied with.:
"We have not received nor found any information on the API, so until new information is released we understand that it is a closed API. So if a customer decided to enhance the standard functionality, let’s say to add CVD information (which is the little code on the back of a Visa card), the customer would not be able to do so because they wouldn’t even know where the code goes in the submission to the service.

So if a user wanted to use Red Maple Credit Cards and then integrate with a custom gateway (perhaps FastCharge, for example) they could absolutely do so. If the user wanted to use our software to integrate to Microsoft Payment Services for Dynamics ERP, they are out of luck."

I myself searched and could not find anyone or anything yet that offered anything on having an Open API to this service. I do know this can be used now, the service that is. If you go to the following Fact Sheet for Dynamics AX on the service you will see it in use, with Screen shots.:
Microsoft Dynamics AX Payment Services Factsheet

For now it seems that you choose between either Red Maple, or this service for Dynamics AX. I would think, that this will change in the future, but this is very important to understand for when recommending which path to take.

It would then come down to need. Red Maple has a lot of deep functionality, and the service is exactly that.

This is very interesting, and look for me to talk on this more in the future. See you next time!




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