# Quick Start Guide
source: https://developer.mastercard.com/mastercard-benefits-and-experiences-portal/documentation/quick-start-guide/index.md

## Overview {#overview}

Use this guide to create your Mastercard Developers account, set up a project, test your integration in Sandbox, and request Production access when you are ready to go live.
> \[!TIP\]
>
> **Insomnia Collection Quick Start:** If you're ready to start making calls, go to our \[Insomnia Collection\] to use the Sandbox and Production environments without writing code.

## What You Will Learn {#what-you-will-learn}

* How to create and activate your Mastercard Developers account.
* How to create a project and generate your Sandbox and Production credentials.
* How to generate an API client and test your integration in the Sandbox Mock environment.
* How to verify your company details.
* How to request Production access and go live.

## Step 1: Create and Activate Your Mastercard Developers Account {#step-1-create-and-activate-your-mastercard-developers-account}

1. Create a [Mastercard Developers account](https://developer.mastercard.com/dashboard).
2. Activate your account by opening the link sent to your email address.

## Step 2: Create a Project and Add APIs {#step-2-create-a-project-and-add-apis}

To generate your Sandbox and Production credentials, create a new Mastercard Developers project, select the **Mastercard Benefits and Experiences Portal** service, and download your keys. Generating Sandbox credentials gives you access to the Sandbox, which has rich, mocked data that helps you understand the API.

### Create a Project {#create-a-project}

1. Sign in to your Mastercard Developers account and go to the [Projects](https://developer.mastercard.com/dashboard) page.
2. Select **Create new project** in the upper-right corner of the page. ![dashboard](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/mastercard-benefits-and-experiences-portal/uploads/tutorial/create-new-project-button.png)
3. Enter a relevant **Project name** . ![dashboard](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/mastercard-benefits-and-experiences-portal/uploads/tutorial/select-api-service.png)
4. Indicate whether you're creating the project for your own company or for a client:
   * If you're an issuer creating the project for your own company ID (CID), select **No**.
   * If you're a processor or service provider creating the project for an issuer or another CID, select **Yes** , and then enter the **Client company name** and **Client legal business address**.

### Select API Service {#select-api-service}

1. Select **Mastercard Benefits and Experiences Portal** from the API service list.
2. Select **Proceed**.

> \[!NOTE\]
>
> If client-side encryption is enabled, the Mastercard Benefits and Experiences Portal service requires you to generate encryption certificates to securely encrypt and decrypt requests and responses.

3. Provide the commercial countries for the project. This field represents where you---or your customer, if applicable---do business.

### Configure Project Credentials {#configure-project-credentials}

1. Enter a **Key alias** and **Keystore password** . A key alias labels a specific key in a keystore. Record the key alias and keystore password because you need them to send API requests to Mastercard. ![dashboard](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/mastercard-benefits-and-experiences-portal/uploads/tutorial/Project-credentials-key-alias.png)
2. If you use a certificate signing request (CSR) to generate project keys, select **Skip this step** and continue creating the project.
3. Select **Create Project** and wait for the key creation process to finish.

> \[!NOTE\]
>
> Mastercard generates the client encryption key automatically.
> \[!TIP\]
>
> **OAuth 2.0:** These instructions support the OAuth 1.0a authentication protocol. For OAuth 2.0 guidance, see [Using OAuth 2.0 to Access Mastercard APIs](https://developer.mastercard.com/platform/documentation/authentication/using-oauth-2-to-access-mastercard-apis/).

### Download Project Keys {#download-project-keys}

1. Select **Download key file** to download and securely store your PKCS#12 (`.p12`) keystore file for the selected Sandbox environment.
2. Select **Open project** to view the project details, including your consumer key.

## Step 3: Integrate \& Test {#step-3-integrate--test}

### Generate your own API client {#generate-your-own-api-client}

1. Navigate to the API documentation page.
2. Download the API specification (OpenAPI or Swagger).
3. Generate and configure an API client for this API.

### Test in the Mock Environment {#test-in-the-mock-environment}

1. On the Mastercard Developers project summary page, go to the **Summary** section.
2. Copy the Sandbox Client ID and the corresponding OAuth signing and client encryption keys. ![dashboard](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/mastercard-benefits-and-experiences-portal/uploads/tutorial/sandbox-client-id.png)
3. Use these credentials to test the Mastercard Benefits and Experiences Portal API in the Sandbox Mock environment.

The Sandbox Mock environment lets you validate connectivity, OAuth authentication, field-level encryption, and request formats.

Use an API interface tool, such as Insomnia or Postman, to test your Sandbox Mock credentials. For Insomnia guidance, see [Testing the API with Insomnia](https://developer.mastercard.com/mastercard-benefits-and-experiences-portal/documentation/tutorials-and-guides/test-api-insomnia/index.md).

## Step 4: Production Prerequisites {#step-4-production-prerequisites}

Company verification is a prerequisite for requesting Production access to a service on Mastercard Developers. It confirms that Mastercard engages with real organizations, which reduces fraud and regulatory compliance risks. It also links your developer activity to your existing business relationship with Mastercard, which streamlines onboarding and improves transparency.

You can verify your company details in three ways:

1. Confirm your company details by linking your Mastercard Developers profile to an existing Mastercard Connect profile. This link allows instant self-verification.
2. Link a Mastercard Company ID by providing your Company ID (CID) number.
3. Search for your company and match your details to our database.

### Initiate Verification {#initiate-verification}

1. Sign in to [Mastercard Developers](https://developer.mastercard.com/).
2. Go to the Project Summary page.
3. The **Production access prerequisite** section shows a **Verify your company details** task.
4. Select **Get Started**.

> \[!NOTE\]
>
> You can also start company verification from the **My Account** page.
>
> 1. Go to the **Developers API Keys** section.
> 2. Select **Update and verify your company details**.

### Complete Verification {#complete-verification}

#### Option 1: Confirm company details {#option-1-confirm-company-details}

> \[!NOTE\]
>
> You can link your Mastercard Developers profile to your Mastercard Connect profile if these conditions apply:
>
> 1. The email on your Mastercard Developers profile matches the email you used to register with  
>    [Mastercard Connect](https://www.mastercardconnect.com/).
> 2. Your Mastercard Connect company details are fully verified, and the account status is active.

1. Select the top option, **Confirm company details**.
2. Select **Confirm**.

**Results**:

* Your company details are confirmed, and the prerequisite card disappears.
* A **VERIFIED** status badge appears on your **My Account** page.

#### Option 2: Linking Mastercard Company ID {#option-2-linking-mastercard-company-id}

1. On the Company Verification card, select the second option, **Link a Mastercard Company ID**.
2. Provide your Company ID (CID) and select **Search**.
3. Select the matching company and select **Request verification**.

**Results**:

* A company verification request goes to the appropriate API owner for review.
* A **PENDING VERIFICATION** status badge appears on the prerequisite step.
* After the API owner completes your request, the Production access prerequisite card disappears.

#### Option 3: Search for your company {#option-3-search-for-your-company}

1. On the Company Verification card, select the **Search for your company** option.
2. Fill in all of the required fields and select **Search**.
3. Select the company that matches your company details and select **Request verification**.

**Results**:

* A company verification request goes to the appropriate API owner for review.
* A **PENDING VERIFICATION** status badge appears on the prerequisite step.
* After the API owner completes your request, the Production access prerequisite card disappears.
* A **VERIFIED** status badge appears on your **My Account** page.

### FAQs {#faqs}

After verification, can I re-verify with different company details?

Yes. Contact [API Support](https://developer.mastercard.com/support/) for assistance.

Why do I see a **Link your Mastercard Connect account** banner, and what does it mean?

After you sign in, Mastercard Developers checks whether your email address is registered and your company details are verified in Mastercard Connect. If they are, and your user profile isn't verified in Mastercard Developers, the banner appears. To verify your company details, follow the steps in **Option 1: Confirm company details**.

## Step 5: Go Live in Production {#step-5-go-live-in-production}

After you test your implementation in the Sandbox environments and complete the company verification prerequisite, you're ready to move to Production.

### Steps to moving to Production {#steps-to-moving-to-production}

1. Within your project, select **Request Production Access**.
2. Enter your Production key alias and keystore password.
3. Save your key alias and keystore password for future reference.
4. Confirm and download your Production keys.

> \[!NOTE\]
>
> Production credentials are generated instantly, but they still need approval for Production environment access before you can go live. After Mastercard reviews your Production access request, you receive a notification that confirms whether your access is approved or denied.