Receipts and returning from test mode

[hwdornbush]

I created a test account on Paypal, and a donation form in CiviContribute (1.8.beta.10594, using Drupal 5.2).  I tried to test the donation form.  In test mode, the test seemed to be a success.  I went to Paypal and made my payment.  When I searched for the donation, I found it, including the custom field I created.

When I returned from Paypal, I came back to the donations form as if I had not yet made a donation.  Is this because I was in test mode?

I also did not receive a receipt, which I would like to also test.  Is this also because I was in test mode?  Is there a way to test the receipt without actually making a live donation?

[Dave Greenberg]

You should be returned to the "Thank-you Page" after completing PayPal transaction - both in TEST-DRIVE and LIVE modes.  However, PayPal has been making some changes in their Website Payments Standard protocol. Can you confirm the following:

* The PayPal service you used (i.e. PayPal Website Payments Standard vs. PayPal Express)
* Whether you entered a credit card directly or used a PayPal test account to pay from
* Whether you clicked a link to return to your CiviCRM site from PayPal or where redirected automatically
* If possible - the exact URL in your browser location bar when you get back to the donation form.

Regarding receipts - they should be generated for test contributions IF
* The contribution page configuration is set to send receipts (this is configurable under Manage Contribution Pages >> Thankyou and Receipting
* The contribution is "completed". For PayPal Std - this means that your contribution status has been updated from Pending to Completed - which happens when PayPal "IPN" posts the payment result back to CiviCRM. Note that your CiviCRM site must be accessible on the public internet for this step to occur (i.e. NOT running as localhost or behind a firewall etc.).

[hwdornbush]

I used PayPal Standard as I have a requirement to allow recurring payments.
I used a PayPal test account to pay.
After I paid with the test account, I was sent to a PayPal form: Thank You for your Order. 
I clicked the link: Return to Merchant.
The link in the browser location bar is:
http://chtest.dreamhosters.com/civicrm/contribute/transact?txn_type=web_accept&payment_date=15%3A30%3A34+Jul+31%2C+2007+PDT&last_name=User&residence_country=US&pending_reason=unilateral&item_name=Online+Contribution%3A+Donation&payment_gross=2.00&mc_currency=USD&payment_type=instant&payer_status=verified&verify_sign=AvGjnJcoJJkiDComx7PsIljxNC-IAR1.MrFcwNTj.SeN01NDGlfXESTF&test_ipn=1&payer_email=testcl_1185901643_per%40dornbush.net&tax=0.00&txn_id=0&quantity=1&receiver_email=testmerchant%40dornbush.net&first_name=Test&invoice=777a0422aa03e037511f3747ec8cb606&payer_id=DGTQ2C2QZ737C&item_number=&payment_status=Pending&shipping=0.00&mc_gross=2.00&custom=&charset=windows-1252&notify_version=2.4&merchant_return_link=Return+to+Merchant

chtest.dreamhosters.com is accessible on the public Internet.

I configured the contribution page to send receipts.
I checked the contribution in PayPal Standard.  The status is listed as Unclaimed.  There is a related transaction: Add funds from a bank account which is listed as Completed.

[Yashodha Chaku]

1. Make sure that the email address you sent money to is associated with a 'valid' PayPal account.

2. Check whether the recipient has a confirmed email address. Any payments sent to an account will not appear in the account balance until the user has completed the registration process by confirming his email address.

3. Having done the above two, you may need to manually accept or deny the payment in merchant account.

hth
-Yashodha

[hwdornbush]

I have confirmed the email account with Paypal.  However, I am not seeing the merchant transactions.  When I look at the merchant account, it is listed as a Website Payments Pro account.  I don't want that, I want a Website Payments Standard account so that I can send donations to PayPal without needing a secure certificate for my site, and so I can support recurring payments.  I tried to sign up again, but I see no option for Website Payments Standard.  I get Pro whether or not I want it.

How can I set up a test account for Website Payments Standard?

[Dave Greenberg]

After I paid with the test account, I was sent to a PayPal form: Thank You for your Order. 
I clicked the link: Return to Merchant.
The link in the browser location bar is:
http://chtest.dreamhosters.com/civicrm/contribute/transact?txn_type=web_accept&payment_date=15%3A30%3A34+Jul+31%2C+2007+PDT&last_name=User&residence_country=US&pending_reason=unilateral&item_name=Online+Contribution%3A+Donation&payment_gross=2.00&mc_currency=USD&payment_type=instant&payer_status=verified&verify_sign=AvGjnJcoJJkiDComx7PsIljxNC-IAR1.MrFcwNTj.SeN01NDGlfXESTF&test_ipn=1&payer_email=testcl_1185901643_per%40dornbush.net&tax=0.00&txn_id=0&quantity=1&receiver_email=testmerchant%40dornbush.net&first_name=Test&invoice=777a0422aa03e037511f3747ec8cb606&payer_id=DGTQ2C2QZ737C&item_number=&payment_status=Pending&shipping=0.00&mc_gross=2.00&custom=&charset=windows-1252&notify_version=2.4&merchant_return_link=Return+to+Merchant

A few comments...
1. You shouldn't have to click "Return to Merchant" to get back to your CiviCRM site. Do you have Auto-Return set to Yes as described in the PP Std Configuration info here: http://wiki.civicrm.org/confluence/display/CRMDOC/PayPal+Website+Payments+Standard+and+Recurring+Contributions

2. When you look at the record of the contribution in CiviCRM (from Find Contributions - "Find Test Contributions")... what is the status of the contribution record. If the status in CiviCRM is "Pending" - that means that the Instant Payment Notification (IPN) from PayPal wasn't posted back to CiviCRM successfully. Again, review the setup steps in the document above AND review the Troubleshooting info at the bottom of that page.

Regarding the TYPE of test merchant account...I just tried applying for a new test merchant account and saw the behavior you described - i.e. it "forces" me to get a "Pro" account. Not sure what's up with that - you'll probably need to contact PayPal about it. HOWEVER, I'm pretty sure you can still use the PP Std Service (in the sandbox as well as live) with a PP Pro account.

[hwdornbush]

I found part of my problem: even though I signed up with PayPal with an email account for my test merchant, they assigned a new email address to that email account that looked like: test_nnnnnn_biz@xx.net.  When I changed my email address for the test account in CiviCRM to that email address, the transaction went through, including automatically redirecting me back to my site.

However, I still did not get an email receipt from CiviCRM.  I checked the donation configuration, and it is set for email receipt.  I found the transaction, and it shows nothing in the "Thank You Sent" column.  If I search for test transactions and also check "Receipt not sent," I don't see the transaction.  If I uncheck "Receipt not sent," then I see the transaction, but yet I didn't receive an email receipt.

I also set the configuration to CC me but that email also was not received.

[hwdornbush]

I found the rest of my problem.  I had not configured Outbound Email (SMTP).  Silly me - I assumed that since CiviCRM ran under Drupal and Drupal could send email, that CiviCRM would use the same mechanism.  I suggest that a checkbox option should be added to Email to use the parent (like Drupal) email configuration.  Or is there a good reason for the separate email configuration?

[Donald Lobo]

We try to maintain our own config for simplicity and ability to integrate with multiple CMS's easily

If you do feel strongly about the below, please do submit a patch and ensure it works across Drupal and Joomla that does what you suggest below

lobo