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Setting up NMI Network Tokens

Modern payment processing requires advanced security measures to protect sensitive cardholder data while maintaining high transaction success rates. This comprehensive walkthrough covers the complete implementation process for NMI’s Customer Token Vault integration, ensuring your payment infrastructure meets the highest security standards.
What are Network Tokens?Network tokens are secure, non-sensitive representations of payment cards issued by card networks (Visa, Mastercard). They offer better security, higher authorization rates, and automatic card updates when cards are reissued.

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Prerequisites

Before You BeginEnsure you have:
  • Active NMI account with Paysight
  • Administrative access to your NMI gateway
  • Contact information for your NMI agent
  • Paysight account manager contact details

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Overview

The network token setup process involves three main steps:
1

Enable Customer Token Vault

Add Customer Token Vault to your NMI account and verify it’s enabled
2

Configure API Response Variables

Add ‘Network Token Used’ to your API response variables
3

Enable Network Tokens

Contact your Paysight account manager to enable network tokens

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Step 1: Enable Customer Token Vault

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Request Customer Token Vault Access

  1. Contact your NMI agent to enable Customer Token Vault on your account
  2. Provide access to Customer Token Vault functionality
  3. Reference the official documentation: Customer Token Vault Setup Guide
Getting Agent SupportWhen contacting your NMI agent, mention that you need Customer Token Vault enabled for network tokenization. This is a specific feature that requires agent activation.

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Verify Customer Token Vault is Enabled

Once enabled, you’ll see the Customer Token Vault option in your NMI settings:
  1. Navigate to Settings > Options in your NMI account
  2. Look for Customer Token Vault in the Transaction Options section
  3. Click on Customer Token Vault to access the configuration page
Finding Customer Token VaultThe Customer Token Vault option appears in the Transaction Options column of your NMI gateway settings. It should be visible once enabled by your agent.

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Verify Tokenization Status

On the Customer Token Vault page, verify the following:

Visa Status

Check that Visa shows a green “Ready” status under Onboarding Status

Mastercard Status

Verify Mastercard displays a green “Ready” status under Onboarding Status
Important Tokenization Notes
  • Account Updater Impact: When services like Account Updater update a card number, existing tokens linked to the old card are invalidated, which can sometimes lead to a double charge
  • First Transaction Limitation: Previously untokenized credit cards and debit cards may not be tokenized on their first transaction

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Step 2: Configure API Response Variables

  1. Go to Options > Settings > API Configuration in your NMI account
  2. Look for the Customize API Response Variables section

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Add Network Token Variable

1

Select Custom Format

Choose “Use custom format” instead of the system default
2

Find Network Token Field

Locate “Network Token Used” in the Available Fields list
3

Drag to Fields Returned

Drag “Network Token Used” from Available Fields to Fields Returned
4

Save Configuration

Save your API configuration changes
API Response VariablesThe following API response variables only apply to:
  • Payment API
  • Customer Vault
  • Browser Redirect name/value pair APIs
For detailed configuration instructions, see: Configuring Payment API Response Variables

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Verify Configuration

After adding “Network Token Used” to your Fields Returned, you should see it listed alongside other response fields like:
  • Response
  • Response Text
  • Authorization Code
  • Transaction ID
  • AVS Response
  • CVV Response

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Step 3: Enable Network Tokens with Paysight

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Contact Your Account Manager

Final StepSpeak to your Paysight account manager to enable Network Tokens on your account. This is the final step that activates network tokenization for your transactions.

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What to Provide

When contacting your Paysight account manager, have ready:
  • Your NMI account details
  • Confirmation that Customer Token Vault is enabled
  • Verification that Visa and Mastercard show “Ready” status
  • Confirmation that “Network Token Used” is added to API response variables
  • Screenshots of your API configuration if requested
  • Expected transaction volumes
  • Primary use cases for network tokens
  • Any specific requirements or concerns

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Testing Network Tokens

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Verify Token Generation

1

Process Test Transaction

Submit a test transaction through your integration
2

Check API Response

Verify that “Network Token Used” appears in the response
3

Confirm Token Creation

Check that a network token is generated and stored

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Test Scenarios

New Card Tokenization

Test with a new card to ensure tokenization occurs

Existing Token Usage

Verify that existing tokens are used for repeat transactions

Token Update

Test automatic token updates when cards are reissued

Error Handling

Verify proper error handling for tokenization failures

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Benefits of Network Tokens

  • Tokens replace sensitive card data
  • Reduced PCI compliance scope
  • Better fraud protection
  • Higher authorization rates
  • Reduced false declines
  • Better international transaction success
  • Cards automatically updated when reissued
  • Reduced customer service calls
  • Improved subscription continuity

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Troubleshooting

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Common Issues

1

Contact NMI Agent

Reach out to your NMI agent to enable the feature
2

Verify Account Status

Ensure your account meets the requirements for Customer Token Vault
3

Check Permissions

Verify you have the necessary permissions to access the feature
1

Verify Configuration

Double-check that “Network Token Used” is in Fields Returned
2

Test API Calls

Make test API calls to verify the variable is returned
3

Contact Support

Reach out to NMI support if the variable still doesn’t appear
1

Check Paysight Configuration

Verify that your Paysight account manager has enabled network tokens
2

Review Card Types

Ensure you’re testing with supported card types (Visa, Mastercard)
3

Check Integration

Verify your integration is properly configured for tokenization

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Best Practices

Network Token Best Practices
  • Monitor Token Usage: Regularly check that tokens are being generated and used
  • Handle Token Updates: Implement logic to handle token updates and replacements
  • Test Thoroughly: Test with various card types and scenarios
  • Monitor Performance: Track authorization rates and transaction success
  • Keep Documentation: Maintain records of your tokenization setup

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Support and Resources

NMI Customer Token Vault

Official NMI documentation for Customer Token Vault setup

API Response Variables

NMI guide for configuring API response variables

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Contact Information

Need Help?
  • NMI Support: Contact your NMI agent for Customer Token Vault issues
  • Paysight Support: Reach out to your Paysight account manager for network token activation
  • Technical Issues: Use the troubleshooting section above for common problems
Last UpdatedThis guide was last updated on . For the most current information, always refer to the latest version of this documentation.