# Getting Started
source: https://developer.mastercard.com/account-catalog-services/documentation/getting-started/index.md

Since the Account Catalog Services is a private API, therefore you must first request access to the API. Once the request access has been approved, you must create a project and add the Account Catalog Services API. Once the project is created, you have access to the Sandbox that you can use to test OAuth authentication, and validate whether the requests you sent are correctly formatted and encrypted.

Start by following the steps in [Create a new Account Catalog Services API project](https://developer.mastercard.com/account-catalog-services/documentation/getting-started/index.md#create-a-new-universal-specification-api-project).

Note: The Account Catalog Services API is secured with a payload encryption method. To call the Account Catalog Services API in the Sandbox (MTF) environment, use the Sandbox (MTF) keys generated when you created a new project.

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After you have tested your implementation and have met the eligibility requirements, you can ask your Mastercard representative for access to the production environment.

Production keys are generated instantaneously and subject to annual renewal, but they still need to be approved for production environment access before you go live. Once your production access request has been reviewed, you will receive a notification confirming whether your access has been approved or denied.

## Creating a New Account Catalog Services API project {#creating-a-new-account-catalog-services-api-project}

1. Log In to the [Mastercard developer portal](https://developer.mastercard.com/account/log-in).

2. Create a new project by clicking **Create New Project** , in the upper right-hand corner of the screen:
   ![Step 2](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/account-catalog-services/documentation/images/uss-get_started_step1.png)

3. Add Account Catalog Services API

   1. From the dropdown list, select the Account Catalog Services API.
   2. Click **Continue**.

   ![Step 3](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/account-catalog-services/documentation/images/uss-get_started_step2.png)
4. Click **Continue** .
   ![Step 4](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/account-catalog-services/documentation/images/uss_get_started_step4a.png)

5. Set up the project name **Account Catalog Services project** and click **Continue** .
   ![Step 5](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/account-catalog-services/documentation/images/uss-get_started_step5.png)

6. Download Sandbox OAuth Private Key

   1. When the project is successfully created, your Sandbox OAuth private key will be available for download.
      1. Click Download PKCS#12 Keystore to download a zip file containing the .p12 file with the OAuth private key required for OAuth authentication in Sandbox.
      2. Click **Continue**.
   2. Make a note of the Keystore password and key alias shown on the screen. The Keystore password is used with the .p12 file and Consumer Key identifier for OAuth authentication.
      1. Click **Confirm** and **Continue** to send the corresponding OAuth public key to Mastercard and complete the project creation.

   ![Step 6-1](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/account-catalog-services/documentation/images/uss-get_started_step6-1.png)

   ![Step 6-2](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/account-catalog-services/documentation/images/uss-get_started_step6-2.png)
7. Create Mastercard Encryption Key for Sandbox and click **Next**.

   ![Step7](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/account-catalog-services/documentation/images/uss-get_started_step7.png)
8. Confirm that Keystore credentials are saved and click **Confirm** and **Continue** .
   ![Step8](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/account-catalog-services/documentation/images/uss-get_started_step8.png)

9. Get the Sandbox Consumer Key that contains `client-id`.
   ![Step9](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/account-catalog-services/documentation/images/uss-get_started_step9.png)

10. An email is sent to you with the following keys:

    1. Sandbox Consumer Key ![Step10-1](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/account-catalog-services/documentation/images/uss-get_started_step10-1.png)
    2. Sandbox Client Encryption Key ![Step10-2](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/account-catalog-services/documentation/images/uss-get_started_step10-2.png)
    3. Sandbox Mastercard Encryption Key ![Step10-3](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/account-catalog-services/documentation/images/uss-get_started_step10-3.png)
11. You are ready to test in Sandbox (MTF).

You now have everything that you need to start sending Account Catalog Services API requests to the Sandbox. The Sandbox environment returns dummy data, as a result, you might see different response values in the responses to those you specified in the requests.

### Purpose of Sandbox Testing {#purpose-of-sandbox-testing}

* In the Sandbox environment, the Account Catalog Services API is mapped to API stubs that validate the format of the input data supplied.
* Sandbox APIs are designed to return a successful response for a limited set of sample data.
* The Sandbox environment allows the validation of connectivity, OAuth authentication, and field-level encryption including the format of the requests.
* It is recommended to test the full functionality of the Account Catalog Services API in Sandbox before proceeding to production environments.

## Next Steps {#next-steps}

[API Basics](https://developer.mastercard.com/account-catalog-services/documentation/api-basics/index.md)