# Bill Payments
source: https://developer.mastercard.com/open-finance-europe/documentation/licensed/use-cases/bill-payments/index.md

Our payment initiation service can be embedded into your bill payment application, offering broader payment options for your end users.

### How it works {#how-it-works}

When a user begins the payment process, your application offers the option of Open Finance alongside your existing payment methods.

When the user chooses to pay by Open Finance, a payment initiation journey is requested through our APIs.

We handle the communication with the user's bank, including user authentication using Strong Customer Authentication (SCA).

Once the payment is initiated, the user is returned to your application to continue their journey.

The following screenshots show sample screens that can be rendered using this service:
![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/open-finance-europe/uploads/Bill_Pay/licensed/Bill_1.png) The customer selects "Pay with your bank" as the payment option. ![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/open-finance-europe/uploads/Bill_Pay/licensed/Bill_3.png) The customer selects their bank. ![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/open-finance-europe/uploads/Bill_Pay/licensed/Bill_4.png) The customer authenticates themselves using the bank's existing authentication method. ![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/open-finance-europe/uploads/Bill_Pay/licensed/Bill_5.png) Available accounts are displayed, and the customer selects the preferred account and confirms the payment. ![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/open-finance-europe/uploads/Bill_Pay/licensed/Bill_6.png) Confirmation of the completed payment is displayed and the customer is provided with a reference number. ![](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/open-finance-europe/uploads/Bill_Pay/licensed/Bill_7.png) The customer is automatically redirected back to the merchant's app upon completion.

### Data flow {#data-flow}

Diagram bill-payments-flow

1. The Payment Service User (PSU) initiates a request to make a bill payment in the TPP's application or service.
2. The TPP (PISP\*) submits a Payment Initiation request to Mastercard Open Finance.
3. Mastercard Open Finance processes the payment with the ASPSP (PSU bank) and the PSU performs SCA to initiate the payment.
4. The ASPSP initiates the money transfer to the destination account (through the requested payment scheme). This may be the TPP's own account or another creditor.
5. The ASPSP returns the payment initiation status to Mastercard Open Finance.
6. Mastercard Open Finance returns the payment initiation status to the TPP (PISP).
7. The TPP (or other creditor) reconciles the payment.

\*Payment Initiation Service Provider

### Endpoints used {#endpoints-used}

A payment request is initiated using the `/v1/payments/create` endpoint.

API Reference: `POST /v1/payments/create`

Or, if the PSU is already in session, a payment request can be initiated using the `/v1/payments/create/session` endpoint:

API Reference: `POST /v1/payments/create/session`

The updated status of the payment is retrieved using the `/v1/payments/{paymentId}/refresh-status` endpoint.

API Reference: `POST /v1/payments/{paymentId}/refresh-status`

### Error handling {#error-handling}

For an invalid request, a request with any missing parameters, or where the provider fails to process the request, information is returned in the `status.details` property of the payment response. Refer to the **Payment Errors** section of [Error Handing](https://developer.mastercard.com/open-finance-europe/documentation/licensed/aiia-enterprise/codes-formats/index.md) for additional information, and for steps on how to proceed.

### See more {#see-more}

Refer to the [Payment Initiation](https://developer.mastercard.com/open-finance-europe/documentation/licensed/aiia-enterprise/payments/payment-initiation/index.md) guide for additional details on how payments are requested and initiated.