# Use Cases
source: https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-initiation-api/documentation/use-cases/index.md

This section describes how Debtor Agents can initiate and manage card‑based B2B payments using the Payment Initiation API. These use cases cover the complete payment initiation lifecycle, from submitting a new card payment request to managing payment status, onboarding Debtors, and retrieving related Creditor information.

## Payment Initiation API Requests {#payment-initiation-api-requests}

The Payment Initiation API supports seven API request types:

|              Use Case              |                                                                                                         Description                                                                                                          |
|------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Commercial Card Payment Initiation | Submits a commercial card payment initiation request in ISO format for processing. [Learn more](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-initiation-api/documentation/use-cases/commercial-card-payment-initiation/index.md) |
| Card Payment Status Update         | Updates an existing card payment instruction for cancellation. [Learn more](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-initiation-api/documentation/use-cases/card-payment-status-update/index.md)                             |
| Card Payment Status Inquiry        | Retrieves the current status of a submitted card payment instruction. [Learn more](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-initiation-api/documentation/use-cases/card-payment-status-inquiry/index.md)                     |
| Register a Debtor                  | Registers and validates Debtor details to enable secure Commercial Direct Payments (CDP) workflows. [Learn more](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-initiation-api/documentation/use-cases/register-debtor/index.md)   |
| Debtor Profiles                    | Maintains debtor payment profiles by enabling updates or deletions. [Learn more](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-initiation-api/documentation/use-cases/debtor-profiles/index.md)                                   |
| Retrieve Creditor Details          | Retrieves creditor information to support payment routing and reconciliation. [Learn more](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-initiation-api/documentation/use-cases/retrieve-creditor-details/index.md)               |
| Debtor Agent Webhook Notifications | Notifies Debtor Agents through webhook of payment status updates from Creditor Agents. [Learn more](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-initiation-api/documentation/use-cases/event-notifications/index.md)            |

## End‑to‑end Commercial Card Payment Process {#endtoend-commercial-card-payment-process}

Diagram paymentinitiation-copy

1. The Debtor Agent initiates the card payment request to the CDP.
   API Reference: `POST /debtor-agents/{ica}/payment-initiations`

2. CDP validates the request.
3. CDP sends APPROVED, DECLINED, or REJECTED status to the Debtor Agent.

#### Scenario 1: Creditor set up to pay through a Creditor Agent {#scenario-1-creditor-set-up-to-pay-through-a-creditor-agent}

4. CDP sends payment initiation notification to the Creditor Agent.
5. The Creditor Agent sends an acknowledgment of payment notification to CDP.
6. CDP sends a **SUBMITTED** payment status notification to the Debtor Agent.
7. Creditor Agent sends an authorization status; APPROVED, DECLINED, or REJECTED to CDP.
8. CDP forwards the authorization status to the Debtor Agent.
9. The Creditor Agent delivers reconciliation data to the Creditor.
10. The Creditor Agent sends a SETTLED reconciliation status to CDP.
11. CDP forwards the SETTLED status to the Debtor Agent.

#### Scenario 2: Creditor set up to pay through Mastercard Gateway (MPGS) {#scenario-2-creditor-set-up-to-pay-through-mastercard-gateway-mpgs}

12. CDP sends the card payment request to Mastercard Gateway (MPGS).
13. MPGS sends an acknowledgment of the payment to CDP.
14. CDP sends a **SUBMITTED** payment status notification to the Debtor Agent.
15. MPGS sends an APPROVED, DECLINED, or REJECTED status back to CDP.
16. CDP forwards the status to the Debtor Agent.
17. For **APPROVED** payments, CDP delivers remittance data to the Creditor (if requested).

#### Scenario 3: Email payment when the Creditor is not registered with the CDP {#scenario-3-email-payment-when-the-creditor-is-not-registered-with-the-cdp}

18. CDP sends the card payment request payload and remittance data through the Mastercard email service.
19. The email service sends an acknowledgment to CDP.
20. CDP delivers a secure email containing the payment request and remittance data to the Creditor.
21. CDP sends a **SUBMITTED** payment status notification to the Debtor Agent.
22. CDP captures the payment status for Mastercard‑generated virtual cards.
23. CDP sends the payment status for Mastercard‑generated virtual cards to the Debtor Agent.

Note: For non‑Mastercard‑branded cards and real cards used in email delivery, payment status updates are not returned.

## Error Handling {#error-handling}

To see information about possible errors that can be returned from the service, refer to the [Codes and Formats](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-initiation-api/documentation/code-and-formats/index.md) page.

## Next Steps {#next-steps}

Now that you have an understanding of the different use cases the service uses, proceed to the [API Reference](https://developer.mastercard.com/payment-initiation-api/documentation/api-reference/index.md) section to interact with all of our endpoints on the API explorer.