Initial payment for recurring payments

PSPs offer a variety of options for initial payment when setting up a new recurring payment. Typically used with recurring credit card payments, a PSP may require in initial payment, make it option, or not allow it at all.

The FinDock Payment API tells you what is allowed with payment method parameter, InitialPaymentonRecurring. This is only available through custom front-end integrations and FinDock Giving Pages.

The parameter is returned by the GET PaymentMethods endpoint. The returned options are:

• Required: The recurring payment setup must include a one-time payment block.
• Optional: The recurring payment setup may include a one-time payment block.
• No: The recurring payment setup must not include a one-time payment block.

If an initial payment is required or optional, you use the OneTime block to set the first payment. Below is an example of an API POST message where InitialPaymentonRecurring is required.

    {
      "Recurring": {
        "Amount": 10,
        "Frequency": "Monthly",
        "StartDate": "2025-01-01",
        "EndDate": "2026-01-01"
      },
      "OneTime": {
        "Amount": 10
      },
      "SuccessURL": "https://www.example.com/success",
      "FailureURL": "https://www.example.com/failure",
      "Payer": {
        "Contact": {
          "SalesforceFields": {
            "FirstName": "First",
            "LastName": "Last",
            "Email": "first.last@email.address",
          }
        }
      },
      "PaymentMethod": {
        "Name": "CreditCard"
      }
    }