# API Setup
source: https://developer.mastercard.com/transaction-notifications/documentation/tutorials/setup/api-setup/index.md

This guide walks through the steps required to create a new Transaction Notifications API project, and how to gain access to the Sandbox environment.

## Create a Project {#create-a-project}

To begin you should go to your dashboard, you can do this by click on the My Projects option in the menu. You can then create a new Project by clicking the "Create New Project" button, in the upper right portion of the screen.

![Create New Project](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/transaction-notifications/documentation/tutorials/images/create-new-project.png "Create New Project")

## Name Your Project {#name-your-project}

First, you need to give the project a name.

![Project Name](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/transaction-notifications/documentation/tutorials/images/select-project-name.png "Project Name")

1. Enter a descriptive name for your project.
2. You also have the choice to build the project on behalf of a client.

## Add the Transaction Notifications API to Your Project {#add-the-transaction-notifications-api-to-your-project}

Next, you need to pick your API.

![Add Transaction Notifications](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/transaction-notifications/documentation/tutorials/images/select-api-service.png "Add Transaction Notifications")

1. From the dropdown list select the Transaction Notifications.
2. Click Proceed.

## OAUTH Project Key and Encryption {#oauth-project-key-and-encryption}

Enter a key alias and a keystore password.

![Sandbox Cert](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/transaction-notifications/documentation/tutorials/images/create-key.png "Sandbox Cert")

1. Make a note of the keystore password and key alias shown on the screen. The keystore password is used in conjunction with the .p12 file and Client ID for OAuth authentication.
2. Click create project.

![Download keyfile](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/transaction-notifications/documentation/tutorials/images/download-key.png "Download keyfile")

3. Click Download key file which is required for OAuth authentication in Sandbox.
4. You can now open your project.

Note: Mastercard APIs use OAuth 1.0a with a request body hash as the security standard. The PKCS#12 keystore contains the private key used for signing requests. The key downloaded from our portal will have been generated inside your browser and will not be stored by Mastercard Developers. The public key matching the generated private key will be uploaded to Mastercard Developers for signature verification purposes as part of the process. Make sure to keep this file in a secure place. For more details please check [Mastercard OAuth1.0 page](https://developer.mastercard.com/platform/documentation/security-and-authentication/using-oauth-1a-to-access-mastercard-apis/).

## Add the Consents API to Your Project {#add-the-consents-api-to-your-project}

The Transaction Notifications API requires that you also select the Consents API.

![Add new API](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/transaction-notifications/documentation/tutorials/images/add-newapi.png "Add new API")

1. Click Add a new API to this project.

![Add Consents API](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/transaction-notifications/documentation/tutorials/images/add-consents.png "Add Consents API")

2. From the dropdown list select the Consents API
3. Click Add API
4. Click Proceed on the next page

![Download keyfile](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/transaction-notifications/documentation/tutorials/images/save-keyfile.png "Download keyfile")

5. Download the key file

## Summary Page {#summary-page}

![Results](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/transaction-notifications/documentation/tutorials/images/results.png "Results")

You should now see both Consents and Transaction Notifications APIs in your Project APIs. You can also check the Sandbox credentials on the left column to view and manaage your project key. You can also manage your API keys in the credentials page.

### Next Steps {#next-steps}

Follow the either the java or python tutorials to run a test transaction.

* [Java Tutorial](https://developer.mastercard.com/transaction-notifications/documentation/tutorials/java-tutorial/index.md)
* [Python Tutorial](https://developer.mastercard.com/transaction-notifications/documentation/tutorials/python-tutorial/index.md)