# Mastercard Track Search
source: https://developer.mastercard.com/track-search/documentation/index.md

## Overview {#overview}

The current business-to-business (B2B) landscape requires buyers and Buyer Payment Agents to go through lengthy and costly processes to contact their suppliers and Supplier Payment Agents to determine if they previously accepted card payments for their commercial payments. Mastercard Track Search is a B2B API service that allows you to search for the businesses that your customers trade with, using Mastercard databases to identify opportunities to optimize commercial payments.

Mastercard Track Search returns match from Mastercard's merchant acceptance and [Mastercard Track Business Payment Service](https://developer.mastercard.com/product/mastercard-track-business-payment-service) databases. Matches found return key insights such as the type of Supplier defined by the Acceptor Business Code, the amount of data provided with transaction messages, and transaction recency data, which feed into commercial payment program planning and analysis.

Mastercard Track Business Payment Service agents can use details from the Business Payment Service (BPS) database to determine forward-looking payment preferences and payment rail options to inform commercial payment optimization. Once BPS payment agents complete Track Search activities, they can then use the data returned by Track Search to link their trading partners in BPS. Mastercard Track Search enables issuers, payment service providers, BPS agents, and corporates to launch new or optimize existing commercial payment programs.

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

Issuers, corporates, or BPS payment agents may want to increase the efficiencies of commercial payment programs. An Account Manager or sales executive can submit a list of corporates to Mastercard Track Search, which then matches against data sourced from the Mastercard merchant acceptance and BPS databases. For identified matches, Mastercard Track Search provides access to key data for optimized commercial payment program planning and can be leveraged to update payment methods in existing ERP systems.

The diagram below details the Mastercard Track Search ecosystem.

![how_it_works](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/track-search/uploads/new_how_it_works.png)

* Search API calls are asynchronous. Users can submit up to three concurrent requests, but the best practice is to wait until requests are completed before submitting additional requests.
* Users can submit up to 3000 records in a single API call.
* The Mastercard Track Search API can handle up to 20 requests per minute (per customer).
* The request is routed to Search and the requester receives a unique ID for their search request. This ID can be used to check the status of the search request and retrieve results.
* Users can configure a notification URL to get notified when the search request is completed.
* The search results are shared with the requester in a predefined format.

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

* **User responsibilities:** Before you access the Search API, reach out to your Mastercard Account Manager and complete the Mastercard Track Search or Mastercard Track Business Payment Service enrollment form. If you do not have an Account Manager, contact **[commercial.support@Mastercard.com](mailto:commercial.support@Mastercard.com)** for support. Once the agreement is signed, a delivery and implementation manager will be assigned to assist with onboarding. The user should use the provided BPS Interbank Card Association (ICA) number. The user should set up a unique [event notification URL](https://developer.mastercard.com/track-search/tutorial/event-notifications/index.md) to receive notifications from Search.
* **Region availability:** Mastercard Track Search is available globally, though data availability is dependent on Mastercard's presence in specific countries.

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

### Roles in Search {#roles-in-search}

The various roles associated for the APIs under the Mastercard Track Search service landscape are:

|                   Term                    |                                                                                                            Description                                                                                                             |
|-------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Mastercard Track Business Payment Service | Mastercard Track Business Payment Service is a two-sided network for agents that represent buyers and suppliers to simplify and automate payments in a complex B2B ecosystem.                                                      |
| Buyer Payment Agent                       | The entity acting on behalf of a Buyer to submit payment instructions. Buyer Payment Agents include procure-to-pay networks, banks, and other specialty players, such as accounts payable automation companies.                    |
| Supplier Payment Agent                    | The entity acting on behalf of a Supplier to retrieve and process payment instructions. Supplier Payment Agents include procure-to-pay networks, banks, and other specialty players like accounts receivable automation companies. |
| Buyer                                     | The entity making payments to a Supplier to procure goods or services.                                                                                                                                                             |
| Supplier                                  | The entity receiving payments from a Buyer for selling goods or services.                                                                                                                                                          |
| Customer Service Provider                 | A person (entity) that performs Program Service that is an agent of the customer, receives or otherwise benefits from Program service, whether directly or indirectly, performed by such service provider.                         |

Mastercard Track Search ensures that users are authorized to search for the entity requested. Users permission to search for different types of entities depends on their role in the Mastercard Track ecosystem.

The following table describes different roles and their authorized entities to search:

|                               Role                                |  Lookup   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|
| Issuers                                                           | Suppliers |
| Mastercard Track Business Payment Service Buyer Payment Agents    | Suppliers |
| Mastercard Track Business Payment Service Supplier Payment Agents | Buyers    |
| Institutions acting on behalf of buyers                           | Suppliers |

## Next steps {#next-steps}

Now that you have an understanding of what the service does, proceed to the [API Basics](https://developer.mastercard.com/track-search/documentation/api-basics/index.md) section for details on authentication and encryption.