ePAY FY21 update and FY22 planning

Summary

As previously announced, the ePAY Project (e-Commerce Payment Acceptance at Yale) is working with University departments to standardize credit card payment acceptance, processing, and reporting across the university to meet Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). 

• In FY21, ePAY completed e-commerce sites for 38 volunteer departments, processing $1 million in revenue. 
• In FY22, as the university community returns to campus, departments and business operations (not using EPIC) with current or expected credit card processing needs are asked to contact epay@yale.edu to build their e-commerce site. 
• Departments needing a credit card processing system or upgrade must contact epay@yale.edu before beginning their search.

Details

FY21 Accomplishments

Since the project launch in FY21, the ePAY project has: 

1. Selected TouchNet as its e-commerce vendor solution for standardizing credit card acceptance at Yale. 
2. Launched the Yale ePAY website.
3. Created a centralized e-commerce support function with Chelsey Toong, our new e-Commerce Manager, who oversees the coordination of the PCI compliance efforts across departments.
4. Established ePAY sites for departments that volunteered to be the first group to adopt the new ePAY system to collect credit card payments for various products including, merchandise, apparel, courses, subscriptions, digital products, and more. In FY21, there were:

• 38 ePAY sites created 
• 412 products offered 
• 6,000 transactions processed 
• $1 million in revenue processed

Migrating their credit card processing to TouchNet’s standardized, user-friendly system, these departments have experienced:

1. reduced set-up time for a credit card processing site; 
2. additional central support for credit card processing needs; 
3. a consistent, user-friendly customer experience;
4. the elimination of the annual PCI SAQ attestation requirement; 
5. streamlined reporting and reconciliation of credit card transactions;
6. automated accounting, resulting in fewer journal entries; and 
7. consistent patient experience when paying for health services, reducing calls for assistance.

Here is what the departments are saying about ePAY: 

• “The ePAY store is a great addition to our website. It has saved us extra work. We are extremely pleased with the ePAY site at yale.edu.” –  American Journal of Science
• “Today I rolled out the ePAY TouchNet site and users are paying for invoices already without a hitch. One person sent an email to thank us for this option and said she “LOVED!” it.” – Yale DNA Analysis Facility
• “…They (the ePAY team) were thorough, very responsive, and personable – a dream to work with. They helped us think through what we needed and asked questions we hadn’t thought of ourselves. The result is a beautifully integrated online payment system. Thank you!” – Yale Stress Center

Looking Forward to FY22

As the university community returns to campus, departments and business operations (not using EPIC) with current or expected credit card processing needs are asked to contact epay@yale.edu to begin building their e-commerce site. ePAY has built customized sites to enable departments to accept payments for webinars, seat reservations, product sales, published materials, subscriptions, and much more. 

The ePAY team will collaborate with the department’s representative(s) to build an ePAY site configuration plan that meets the department’s needs in terms of timing and capability. For example, sites can be built well in advance of go-live; once the site is built, departments may choose to go live immediately or provide the ePAY team with the go-live timing that meets their needs. 

FAQ

Our department is satisfied with our current credit card solution, are we required to use the ePAY solution? 

Standardizing all credit card acceptance and migrating to the new ePAY solution will ensure the University remains PCI DSS compliant. Adoption of the ePAY system by departments is critical to achieving and maintaining PCI compliance. 

Our department currently uses event software or another credit card processing vendor. Can we continue to use that vendor with ePAY? 

TouchNet, our ePAY system, can be integrated with a number of third-party providers. Contact epay@yale.edu to discuss the best solution for your department’s needs. 

What is the time commitment required of departments during the configuration process? 

While the timeline may vary depending on the site’s complexity and level of customization, in most instances, Departments will be asked to:

• attend an initial discovery meeting lasting between 30-60 minutes;
• complete a brief ePAY Store Set-up Survey that will provide the ePAY team with information about its products (product name, product description, product images, etc.), return/cancellation policy, branding, etc.;
• attend an initial site review, where the ePAY site developer will review the initial configuration of the site with the department once the site is built; the department will provide feedback and recommended edits; 
• attend a final pre-go live review of the site. 

How long does the configuration process generally take? 

After the initial discovery meeting, the site can be built within a matter of weeks. The timeframe may vary depending on the complexity and level of customization required. After receiving the completed ePAY Store Set-up Survey, an ePAY team member will provide an estimated timeline. Since sites can be built well before going live, departments can partner with ePAY to identify the timeframe to work on the configuration and the go-live date. 

My department is sourcing a new solution for accepting payments. What is my next step? 

To ensure we build consistency in our credit card acceptance system and processes, departments must contact epay@yale.edu before searching for a solution or an upgrade. Departments currently in a search should contact epay@yale.edu before selecting a new system or finalizing any agreements. Our objective is to standardize credit card hardware and software; therefore, deploying the ePAY system for your department will be within this project’s scope. A member of the team will contact you to discuss the ePAY solution with you. 

Questions about the Project?