IPN value `payer_business_name` and Payment API

advance512
Contributor
Contributor

Hi there,

 

I know that as part of the IPN that Paypal, which we use to generate invoices using an external service, Paypal passes the `payer_business_name` parameter which is then used on the invoice.

 

However, looking at the documentation:
https://developer.paypal.com/docs/api/payments/v1/

there is no place to put in the `payer_business_name`. I do see, under `payee_display_metadata` a value called `brand_name` and described as: "The payer's business name", but this seems like a mistake to me - probably it would be the payee's business name, right?

 

If I am wrong and it is indeed the payer's business name, and this in turn would appear in the `payer_business_name` value in the IPN, then let me know and that is the answer I needed.

 

Otherwise, how do I pass in the name of the payer's business, to appear in the `payer_business_name` value in the IPN?

 

Thanks!

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8 REPLIES 8

angelleye
Advisor
Advisor

First, when using the REST APIs you need to be using Webhooks instead of IPN.  IPN is for PayPal Standard and Classic APIs. Webhooks are for REST APIs.

 

Second, the fields are not always going to map exactly.  So if IPN/Webhooks shows it will return "payer_business_name" that does not necessarily mean the API request field that passes that to PayPal is exactly the same name.  It's simply that if the business name is available, it's going to come back in IPN/Webhooks as whatever that field name shows.  

 

 

Angell EYE - www.angelleye.com
PayPal Partner and Certified Developer - Kudos are Greatly Appreciated!
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advance512
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks for the response.

 

Unfortunately, I don't have the choice on whether to use IPN or Webhooks. It must be IPN, as that is what the 3rd-party supports.

 

I'll try to make my question super concise:

 

How can I set the Business Name of the Payer using the Payments API?

I could not find any option to do that. The payer_info object does not contain a field where I can put the Business Name.

What am I missing?

 

Thanks!

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angelleye
Advisor
Advisor
If you're limited to IPN then you won't be able to use the Payments API. That's what I was trying to tell you. The REST services use Webhooks, not IPN. If you want to trigger IPNs you'll need to use PayPal Standard or Classic APIs.

Then, you'll just need to pass in the payer billing address / company info using the parameters available to the integration method you choose, and it will be passed back in IPN accordingly.

Angell EYE - www.angelleye.com
PayPal Partner and Certified Developer - Kudos are Greatly Appreciated!
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advance512
Contributor
Contributor

Okay, assuming I've moved to using Webhooks. How can I pass in the Payer's Business Name via the Payments API?

 

I don't see any way to do that in their documentation:

https://developer.paypal.com/docs/api/payments/v1/#definition-payer_info

 

 

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angelleye
Advisor
Advisor
Well, I'm actually not seeing any parameters specific to the buyer company name in Classic or REST API docs. I think that just comes down to whatever the buyer has setup in their PayPal account profile. If they have a company name included in their information then it will be returned in the Webhook data.

Of course, you can run some tests in the sandbox to verify this.
Angell EYE - www.angelleye.com
PayPal Partner and Certified Developer - Kudos are Greatly Appreciated!
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advance512
Contributor
Contributor

Okay, thanks. So it is as I thought. Kind of a strange omission by Paypal, don't you think?

 

Anyways, we need this, as we supply the Invoice Details from out system.

 

I'm hoping someone from Paypal will respond to this. I've also approached their Merchant Technical Support.

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angelleye
Advisor
Advisor
What's wrong with pulling it out of the API like I said? That would give you the data available inside your Webhook listener the same as if it was included there directly.
Angell EYE - www.angelleye.com
PayPal Partner and Certified Developer - Kudos are Greatly Appreciated!
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wombatello
Member
Member

Have you succeeded with that anyhow?

 

It's 4 years later and it looks like things haven't change. When someone with a business account makes a purchase, the payer's company name is passed successfully in "payer_business_name" property in the IPN payload (if IPNs are enabled, they will still arrive even if the payment was created via REST API). Even more, that company name is displayed in the Paypal interface of the seller - in the shipping address.

 

But there is no payer company name neither in the PAYMENT.CAPTURE.COMPLETED webhook payload, nor in the "Show order details" API call (https://developer.paypal.com/docs/api/orders/v2/#orders_get). All I get is the payer's first name and last name. But having the company name is often critical for the successful delivery in our case. I wonder why I see it in seller interface, but cannot get it via REST API.

 

Any ideas, anyone?

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