# Straight Through Processing
source: https://developer.mastercard.com/straight-through-processing/documentation/index.md

## Overview {#overview}

Straight Through Processing (STP) is a value-added service designed to increase virtual card account acceptance by Suppliers.
With Mastercard STP, Suppliers no longer need to manually enter each card account number into their point of sale to accept payment.
The Acquirer automatically generates an authorization request on behalf of the Supplier and delivers the funds for approved transactions to the Supplier's bank account.

STP is offered as part of the Mastercard In Control for Commercial Payments (ICCP) platform but can also be utilized independently of the platform.

#### Supplier benefits: {#supplier-benefits}

STP enables Suppliers to optimize virtual card payment processes with the following benefits:

* **Increased processing efficiencies:** Reduced manual entry of Virtual Card Number (VCN) data and exception handling.
* **Improved cash flow:** Suppliers can accept more commercial card payments instantaneously.
* **Reduced Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance costs:** Mastercard handles buyer card numbers, not Suppliers.
* **More security:** No need to supply sensitive bank account information to buyers.
* **Automated reconciliation:** Receive remittance data in flexible formats and free up accounts receivable staff to focus on more strategic opportunities.

#### Buyer benefits: {#buyer-benefits}

STP enables Issuers and Buyers to maintain the growth of their Virtual Card programs with the following benefits:

* **Greater process efficiencies:** Improve the acceptance experience of Suppliers.
* **More rebates:** Increased acceptance leads to increased card spend.

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

The following figure illustrates the flow of a payment in STP:

Diagram stp-pymt-flow

The following steps explain the flow of a payment in STP:

1. A Buyer initiates the payment process by creating a VCN using the VCN generator. (*An Issuer can also initiate the payment process on behalf of the Buyer with the Buyer's consent.* )   
   The Buyer or Issuer sends the VCN to either of the following:
   * **Track Business Payment Service (BPS):** When the Issuer is within the network.
   * **STP:** When the Issuer is not within the network. Tip: Track BPS is a service used for exchange of payments-related data between the world's Buyers and Suppliers.
2. (*Optional*) Track BPS parses the VCN and sends the submitted transaction request to STP.
3. STP receives the transaction request and passes the VCN to Mastercard Payment Gateway Services (MPGS) for automatic processing on behalf of the Supplier. Tip: MPGS is a payment gateway that enables point-of-sale (POS) and mobile payments.
4. MPGS validates the Value-Added Reseller (VAR) data and routes the transaction request to the appropriate Acquirer.
5. The Acquirer routes the transaction request to Mastercard Network for Authorization, Clearing, and Settlement.
6. Mastercard Network validates the transaction request and sends a message to the Issuer Processor with primary funding account for normal processing.
7. The Issuer Processor validates and sends back the transaction request to the Mastercard Network.
8. Mastercard Network sends back the transaction request to the Acquirer.
9. The Acquirer funds the Merchant Direct Debit Account (DDA) for approved STP transactions to the Supplier.
10. The Acquirer sends the deposit confirmation back to the Issuer or Buyer.
11. The Issuer or Buyer sends the reconciliation data upon authorization of transaction to Mastercard Virtual Card Receivables Service through Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).
12. Mastercard Virtual Card Receivables Service sends the reconciliation data to the Supplier through an email.

## Before you start {#before-you-start}

Please contact your Mastercard Representative and complete the STP enrollment form. After enrolling with STP, create a Mastercard Developers project and share your client ID with the STP team. For more information, see the [Create a Sandbox project](https://developer.mastercard.com/straight-through-processing/tutorial/create-sandbox-project/index.md) tutorial. Granting access can take up to five days.

STP is available globally. Please reach out to your Mastercard Representative for further details.

## Good to know {#good-to-know}

#### Enable Supplier within STP {#enable-supplier-within-stp}

Share the Supplier details with your Mastercard Representative and request them to onboard the Suppliers within the STP Platform. These Supplier details may include information from the Supplier's VAR sheet. If you are looking to pay a Supplier that is already a part of the STP platform, please work with your Mastercard Representative to retrieve necessary Gateway IDs for further use.

#### Activate Supplier within STP {#activate-supplier-within-stp}

To pay a Supplier, you must first create a unique STP ID using the Gateway ID provided by your Mastercard Representative. Your assigned Mastercard Representative can help you with this.

For detailed enablement and activation steps, please request your Mastercard Representative to share the STP Implementation Guide with you. To understand your integration options, familiarize yourself with [API Basics](https://developer.mastercard.com/straight-through-processing/documentation/api-basics/index.md).

## Next steps {#next-steps}

If you have already been in contact with the STP team and are onboarding to the STP ecosystem, you must create a Mastercard Developers project and generate your team credentials (which you must share with the STP team). Learn the steps by following the [Create a Sandbox project](https://developer.mastercard.com/straight-through-processing/tutorial/create-sandbox-project/index.md) tutorial.

For information on the terms used in the STP domain, see the [glossary of terms](https://developer.mastercard.com/straight-through-processing/documentation/getting-started/index.md#glossary).

For assistance with the technical implementation of the STP API, see the [tutorials](https://developer.mastercard.com/straight-through-processing/documentation/tutorials-and-guides/index.md) section.

If you want to learn more about STP, please contact your Mastercard Representative for information about implementing this service.