# Payment requests

> Create and send Ozow payment requests from the Dashboard, no code required.

Source: https://hub.ozow.com/integration-methods/no-code/payment-requests/

Payment requests let you collect payments from customers without writing a single line of code. You
create and send them directly from the Ozow Dashboard or Request Portal. Each one carries a link the
customer opens to pay. Customers click
the link, select their preferred payment method, and complete the payment; no integration required
on your side.

> ℹ️ **Pay by Bank is enabled by default** on all payment requests. Any additional payment methods
> enabled by Ozow on your account will automatically appear on the payment page, no further action
> required on your side.

## Before you start

- You need an active Ozow merchant account. If you don't have one, sign up at [ozow.com/merchants](https://ozow.com/merchants)
- Log in to your Ozow Dashboard at [dash.ozow.com](https://dash.ozow.com)
- You need access to the Payment Requests section of the Dashboard. If you don't see it, contact
  [support@ozow.com](mailto:support@ozow.com) or your account manager

## How to create a single payment request

### Step 1: Navigate to Payment Requests

In the left-hand navigation menu of the Ozow Dashboard, scroll down to **Payment Requests** and
click **Create**.

### Step 2: Select single payment request

Click **Create** to create a single payment request.

### Step 3: Fill in the payment details

Complete the following fields:

**Site**: select the Ozow site you want to associate this payment with. If you have multiple sites,
make sure you select the correct one. The list of your sites can be found under the **Sites** tab in
the Dashboard.

**Customer name**: enter the name of the customer you are sending the payment link to.

**Amount**: enter the amount you want to collect.

- **Fixed amount**: enter a specific amount. The customer will not be able to change it.
- **Variable amount**: if Ozow has enabled variable amounts on your account, you can leave the
  amount blank and set a minimum and maximum range instead. The customer will be able to enter their
  own amount within that range. Contact [support@ozow.com](mailto:support@ozow.com) to request
  variable amounts on your account.

**Payment reference**: enter a reference for your own reconciliation purposes, such as an invoice number.

**Delivery method**: select how you want to send the payment link to the customer:

| Delivery method | What to enter |
|---|---|
| SMS | Enter the customer's cell phone number |
| Email | Enter the customer's email address |
| WhatsApp | Enter the customer's WhatsApp number |
| QR code | See note below |

> ℹ️ **QR codes**: QR codes are only available via the Request Portal, not via the main Ozow
> Dashboard. See [Request Portal](#the-request-portal) below for details.

### Step 4: Create the request

Click **Create Request**. On the confirmation screen you will see:

- The payment link, which you can copy directly from the screen if required
- Confirmation that the payment link has been sent via your chosen delivery method

### Step 5: Track the payment

Once the request has been sent, you can track its status:

- Navigate to **Payment Requests** → **View Requests** to see all payment requests you have created,
  their status, and a direct copy of the payment URL
- Navigate to **Transactions** → **View Transactions** to see completed, pending, or cancelled payments

> ℹ️ **Note**: A transaction is only created once the customer clicks on a payment method on the
> payment page. Simply opening the payment link does not create a transaction.

---

## How to create bulk payment requests

If you need to send payment requests to multiple customers at once, you can upload them in bulk using
an Excel template.

### Step 1: Download the template

Navigate to **Payment Requests** → **Create** → **Bulk Payment Request**. Click to download the
Excel template.

### Step 2: Complete the template

Open the downloaded template and complete the required fields:

| Column | Field | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A | Site code | Found under the Sites tab in the Dashboard. Format: XXX-XXX-XXX |
| B | Country code | Always `ZA` |
| C | Currency code | Always `ZAR` |
| D | Amount | Enter as a number with up to two decimal places |
| E | Transaction reference | Your reference for reconciliation. It appears on the customer's bank statement |
| F | Bank reference | The reference that appears on your bank statement for the payment |
| G | Is test | Always set to `false`, setting to `true` means the payment will not appear on the Dashboard |
| H | Allow variable amount | Set to `true` to allow variable amounts, requires Ozow approval |
| I | Variable amount min | Minimum amount if variable amounts are enabled |
| J | Variable amount max | Maximum amount if variable amounts are enabled |
| K | Recipient address | Email address or cell phone number of the customer |
| L | Correspondence type | `Email`, `SMS`, or `WhatsApp`; QR code is only available via the Request Portal |
| M | Customer identifier | Only required for high-risk merchants: see [Customer Identity Verification](https://hub.ozow.com/integration-methods/apis/payin/identity-verification.md) |
| N | Customer | Name or identifier of the person receiving the payment link |
| O | Expiry date UTC | Optional: set an expiry date for the payment request |
| P-T | Optional 1-5 | Optional custom fields for your own use |
| U | Cancel URL | Optional, URL to redirect the customer to if they cancel |
| V | Error URL | Optional, URL to redirect the customer to if an error occurs |
| W | Success URL | Optional, URL to redirect the customer to on successful payment |
| X | Notify URL | Optional, URL to receive payment notifications |

> ⚠️ **Bank ID, account number, branch code, and account name columns**: these fields are no longer
> supported. Leave them blank.

> ⚠️ **Is test field**: this field is being deprecated. Always set it to `false` to ensure payments
> appear on your Dashboard.

### Step 3: Upload the template

Save the completed template and return to **Payment Requests** → **Create** → **Bulk Payment
Request**. Upload your file.

- If there are errors, an error message will be returned and you will be able to see exactly which
  lines have errors
- Fix the errors and re-submit the corrected entries
- If there are no errors, the requests will be sent immediately

### Step 4: View bulk request results

Navigate to **Payment Requests** → **View File Bulk Payment Requests** to see the status of your
bulk uploads.

| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Complete | All payment requests were sent successfully |
| Completed with errors | Some lines had errors, download the result file to see which lines failed |
| Error | A technical error occurred, redo the upload entirely |

If your upload returns **Completed with errors**, download the result file. You will see three
additional columns:

- **Payment link**: populated if the payment link was sent successfully
- **Errors**: populated with the error reason if the line failed
- **Sent UTC**: the date and time the payment link was sent, if successful

Fix the lines with errors and resubmit them either as a new bulk upload or as individual single
payment requests.

---

## Message templates

You can customise the message that is sent to customers when a payment request is delivered via email,
SMS, or WhatsApp.

### Creating a message template

Navigate to **Payment Requests** → **Message Templates** → **Add Message Template**.

**Email and SMS templates**

Select **Email and SMS** as the template type. Choose your site, then customise:

- Your SMS message text
- Your email subject line
- Your email message body

Follow the instructions provided in the template fields. Email and SMS templates are generally
approved immediately.

**WhatsApp templates**

Select **WhatsApp** as the template type. The recommended template type is **Message with text
header**. You can also select **Message with image header** and upload a JPG of your logo.

> ℹ️ **WhatsApp approval**: WhatsApp templates go through a review period of 24 to 48 hours before
> they are approved. Once approved, the template becomes the default used for all WhatsApp payment
> links.

**Important notes on templates:**

- If you do not create a template, Ozow's default template will be used
- Only one template per delivery method is supported, the approved template becomes the default

---

## The Request Portal

The Request Portal is a simplified dashboard designed for payment collection teams who do not need
access to the full Ozow merchant Dashboard. It allows team members to create and send payment requests
without seeing any merchant account information.

**Key differences from the main Dashboard:**

| Feature | Ozow Dashboard | Request Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Create payment requests | ✅ | ✅ |
| View payment request status | ✅ | ✅ |
| QR code delivery | ❌ | ✅ |
| View merchant account details | ✅ | ❌ |
| View transactions | ✅ | ❌ |

**Getting access to the Request Portal**

Contact [support@ozow.com](mailto:support@ozow.com) to request access for your team members. Ozow
will add the relevant users and provide login credentials.

**Creating a QR code via the Request Portal**

1. Log in to the Request Portal
2. Create a payment request as normal
3. Leave the delivery method and recipient fields empty
4. Create the request, the QR code will be displayed immediately on the confirmation screen
5. Download and save the QR code

> ℹ️ **Note**: Any payment requests created via the Request Portal are also visible and trackable on
> the main Ozow Dashboard under Transactions.

---

## Tracking payment request status

Payment request statuses can be tracked in two places:

**Payment Requests → View Requests**: shows all individual payment requests created, including:

- Payment reference
- Customer name
- Amount
- Status (pending, complete, cancelled)
- Payment URL for easy copying
- Option to resend the link

**Transactions → View Transactions**: shows all transactions initiated from payment requests once a
customer has clicked on a payment method.

> ℹ️ **Remember**: A transaction is only created once the customer selects a payment method. Opening
> the link alone does not create a transaction.

## Support

For assistance with payment requests contact [support@ozow.com](mailto:support@ozow.com) or reach out
to your account manager.