# Creating a Project
source: https://developer.mastercard.com/mdes-customer-service/documentation/tutorials/create-project/index.md

## Overview {#overview}

This tutorials walks you through the step-by-step guidance on creating a project, configuring the required credentials to test the API in the Sandbox (Mock/MTF) environment. Completing these steps will ensure that your project is ready to move to the Production environment.

### What You'll Learn: {#what-youll-learn}

* How to create a MDES Customer Service API project
* How to get access to the Sandbox (Mock/MTF) environment
* How to obtain the keys required for testing in Sandbox (Mock/MTF) environment
* How to test the API in the Sandbox (Mock/MTF) environment

## Sign up for a Mastercard Developers Account {#sign-up-for-a-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

## Creating a new API project {#creating-a-new-api-project}

1. To start, log in to your Mastercard Developers account and go to the [Projects](https://developer.mastercard.com/dashboard) page. Click the **Create new project** button in the top right corner.
2. Enter a relevant **Project name**.
3. If you are an issuer creating the project for your own CID, click **No**.
4. If you are a processor or a service provider creating this project for an issuer or a different CID, click **Yes** .
   1. Provide the **Client company name**.
   2. Provide the **Client legal business address** . ![Creating a new API project](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/mdes-customer-service/documentation/tutorials/tutorial-6/csprojectcreation.png "Creating a new API project")

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

1. From the dropdown list, select **MDES Customer Service**.
2. Click **Proceed**.

## Select Test Environment {#select-test-environment}

1. Test environment details
   * Mock - static service endpoints used for development and initial evaluation.
   * MTF - the interactive Member Test facility (MTF) environment for a pre-production integration and testing. ![Creating a new API project](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/mdes-customer-service/documentation/tutorials/tutorial-6/csselecttestevnironment.png "Select environment")
2. Click **Proceed**.

## Legal Agreements {#legal-agreements}

1. Accept the MDES product legal agreement and Mastercard privacy notice. ![Agree to the Mastercard MDES API Terms](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/mdes-customer-service/documentation/tutorials/tutorial-6/cslegalagreement.png)
2. Click **Proceed**.

## Project Credentials {#project-credentials}

1. Enter **Key alias** and **Keystore password** . A key alias is a label for a specific key within a keystore. Ensure that you make a note of the key alias and the keystore password as you will need this information when you send the API request to Mastercard. ![Add Sandbox consumer key alias and password](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/mdes-customer-service/documentation/tutorials/tutorial-6/csprojectcrenditals.png "Add Sandbox consumer key alias and password") Note: If you are using a CSR to generate the project keys, click **Skip this step** , and continue with the project creation. Refer to [Adding Keys and CSR](https://developer.mastercard.com/mdes-customer-service/documentation/tutorials/add-key/index.md) for details.
2. Click **Proceed**.

## Additional Credentials {#additional-credentials}

1. As this service uses only the Client Encryption key, it will be generated automatically. Click **Create Project** to generate the key. The project key creation process starts and completes in a few seconds. ![Confirm sandbox client encryption key will be generated](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/mdes-customer-service/documentation/tutorials/tutorial-6/csadditionalcrendenitial.png)

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

1. To download the key information, click **Download key file** . The downloaded key file contains the key information for sandbox testing as per your selection. ![Generating sandbox credentials](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/mdes-customer-service/documentation/tutorials/tutorial-6/sandbox-create-project.png "Generating sandbox credentials")
2. To see the project details, click **Open project**

## Ready to Test in Mock environment {#ready-to-test-in-mock-environment}

You now have everything you need to start sending MDES Customer Service API requests to the Sandbox (Mock).

1. From the Mastercard Developers project summary page, navigate to the Summary section. ![Copy sandbox client ID](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/mdes-customer-service/documentation/tutorials/tutorial-6/csproductionclientid.png)
2. Copy the Sandbox client ID and the corresponding keys (OAuth signing keys and client encryption keys) for testing the MDES Customer Service APIs.
3. You are ready to test in Sandbox (Mock) environment.

Tip: You can use an API Interface Tool like Insomnia or Postman to test your project Sandbox (Mock) credentials. Refer the [tutorials](https://developer.mastercard.com/platform/documentation/developer-tools/insomnia-collection/) for details.

### What is Sandbox (Mock) Testing For? {#what-is-sandbox-mock-testing-for}

1. The Sandbox (Mock) environment allows the validation of connectivity, OAUTH authentication and field level encryption including the format of the requests.
2. It is recommended to test the full functionality of MDES Customer Service API in Sandbox (Mock) before proceeding through to the Sandbox (MTF) environment.

## Ready to Test in MTF environment {#ready-to-test-in-mtf-environment}

1. From the Mastercard Developers project summary page, navigate to the Summary section. ![Copy sandbox client ID](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/mdes-customer-service/documentation/tutorials/tutorial-6/cssandboxsummaryclientid.png)
2. Copy the Sandbox client ID and provide it to your CIS IM.
3. After you are onboarded to MTF, you are ready to test in Sandbox (MTF) environment.

Note: After you finish testing in Sandbox (MTF), you are ready to move to [Production](https://developer.mastercard.com/mdes-customer-service/documentation/tutorials/prod-create-project/index.md)