Authorize.Net’s Customer Information Manager (CIM) is a Value Added OPTIONAL Service that allows you to store your customers’ sensitive payment information on Authorize.Net's secure servers for use in future transactions. CIM helps eliminate steps in the checkout process for repeat customers, potentially increasing loyalty and revenue. It can also help you comply with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard, since customer information is no longer stored on your local servers.

By providing quick access to stored information, CIM is an ideal tool for companies that:

• Process recurring transactions where the date and/or amount is different each month (i.e. utility companies, etc.)

• Process usage charges – where you only bill when the service is used. (i.e. pay-as-you-go cell phones, etc.)

• Are concerned with PCI compliance

• Want to provide returning customers with the convenience of not re-entering personal data

How CIM Works

Your Web site integrates to CIM via an Application Programming Interface (API). Through the API, you can create, view, update and delete customer profiles that include billing, payment and shipping information. When a transaction is processed, a customer profile is created and stored on our secure servers. You receive a Customer Reference ID for that particular customer profile. From then on, you need only submit the Customer Reference ID in place of all customer information, including billing, payment and shipping information.

Note: Integrating the CIM API to your Web site requires the expertise of a Web developer. The CIM API Guide can be downloaded from our Integration Center. Your Web developer will be able to assist you with integrating the API to any proprietary systems you may be using, setting up customer accounts with user names and passwords, or designing other means for matching a returning customer to their stored profile. Please consult your Web developer for more information.

Payment Flexibility for Repeat Customers

CIM also supports multiple payment and shipping profiles for each customer profile you create. For example, if you have a returning customer who pays sometimes with a Visa and sometimes with a MasterCard, and also has two shipping addresses, you can create one customer profile that includes two payment profiles and two shipping profiles. CIM will assign a Payment Profile ID and an Address Profile ID for each profile you create. Then when you submit a transaction, simply submit the Customer Reference ID, Payment Profile ID and Address Profile ID in place of all billing, shipping and payment information.

Sign Up for CIM during "activation" of your Authorize.Net Payment Gateway

Whether your goal is to simplify your PCI compliance by storing your customer data on our servers, or you need a more flexible solution for recurring transactions and repeat customers, Customer Information Manager is the answer for you.