Use Cases & Integration
Group Payments supports various payment scenarios to accommodate different business models and customer requirements. Understanding these use cases will help you select the most appropriate integration approach for your application.
Common Payment Scenarios
The following table outlines typical payment use cases and their corresponding Stripe implementation patterns:
| Use Case | Description | Stripe Documentation |
|---|---|---|
| One-time Payment | Process a single payment transaction without storing payment details | Accept a payment |
| Payment with Method Storage | Process a payment while securely storing the payment method for future transactions | Save payment method during payment |
| Payment Method Setup | Collect and store payment method details without processing an immediate payment | Save payment method without payment |
| Recurring Payments | Process automated payments using previously stored payment methods without customer interaction | Charge saved payment methods |
Required Implementation: Direct Charges
Group Payments requires the use of Direct Charges for all payment processing. This approach creates charges directly on connected Stripe accounts, ensuring proper fee distribution and compliance with platform requirements.
All payment implementations must use Direct Charges as described in the Stripe Connect documentation.
Important: Alternative charge types require explicit approval from Group Payments. Contact our support team if your use case requires a different charging method.
Transaction Fee Management
Automatic Fee Calculation
When creating payment requests through Stripe Payment Intents or Checkout Sessions, do not include the application_fee_amount parameter in your API requests.
Transaction fees are calculated automatically by Stripe based on the payment method used, ensuring accurate fee distribution according to your Group Payments configuration.
Critical: Including application_fee_amount will override automatic calculations and result in incorrect fee processing.
For reference, see the application_fee_amount parameter documentation.
Required Metadata
Compliance Requirements
During project setup, Group Payments conducts a risk assessment of your business model and customer base. Based on this assessment, you may be required to provide specific metadata with each payment transaction to support ongoing compliance and transaction monitoring.
Implementation
Include required metadata using the metadata parameter when creating payment requests.
Your required metadata fields will be specified during the project setup process and documented in your integration guide.
Payment Status Reconciliation
Handling Payment Completion
Your application must implement proper payment status reconciliation using Stripe's redirect and webhook mechanisms:
Redirect Handling: Configure return URLs to handle customers returning to your application after payment completion or cancellation.
Status Verification: Always verify payment status using Stripe's APIs rather than relying solely on redirect parameters.
Event Processing: Implement webhook handling for real-time payment status updates and reliable transaction reconciliation.
Implementation Guide
Different Stripe integration methods provide different return data structures. Ensure your application handles the specific fields returned by your chosen integration approach.
For detailed implementation guidance, refer to Stripe's post-payment handling documentation.
Next Steps
Work with the Group Payments team during project setup to:
- Identify your specific payment use cases
- Determine required metadata fields
- Configure appropriate integration methods
- Set up proper reconciliation workflows