[Imc-bookkeeper] can now do custom auto-response to Paypal
payments! got IPN working for UCIMC, Bike Project, etc. [was:
[UCIMC-Tech] Re: IMC membership - paypal follow-up]
Barry Isralewitz
barryi at ks.uiuc.edu
Wed Jul 9 18:39:15 CDT 2008
Hi Jay,
On Tue, Jul 01, 2008 at 07:21:35AM -0600, Jay Schubert wrote:
> Barry,
>
> Nice work. I will put together some copy for a welcome email and get some
> feedback on it shortly.
You might also make a "goodbye" letter for cancellations, including fields and text
like
"Dear $memberFirstName $memberLastName
Your membership subscription (Paypal #$subscription_number) has been cancelled.
You remain a member of [group], Your membership rights will last until $expiration_date".
If you wish to re-join in the future, see [some web page].
Please contact jay.schubert at gmail.com if you have any questions.
Farewell until we meet again.
"
Danielle Chynoweth <chyn at ojctech.com> wrote:
> By setting up CiviCRM to work off of our Drupal site, CiviCRM can send auto
> thank yous. We need to do this anyway to collect better info on everyone
> who signs up as a member, donates, or asks that we stay on touch with them
> about X, Y, and Z group. Now we just have to sweet talk Dan or someone
> from tech to plug it in :)
Drupal + CiviCRM sounds great (and maybe a goal for Bike Project, too), but
they won't be able to respond to events only Paypal knows about thus must tell
us about: subscription cancellations (tested with IPN), expirations, and payment
failures. IPN seems to be working with this now. The email notices would do
this as well, but no telling when Paypal will fix.
Note that "Instant" Notifications may actually take some hours for Paypal to
actually generate event, but plenty fast for most uses. Most (not all) payment
events really are instant, with event generated in seconds.
Below are some of the fields in a subscription signup notice my script generates..
Note on Item Numbers: I've been using a convention for identifying IMC group in a Paypal items
"Item number" since the Bike Project started with PP: indicate your group with
a unique 4-digit number as the first 4 digits of all the items you offer via
Paypal. The item number is always the same for a given item (e.g. not a
transaction number). Bike Project has "2000", others should 'register' unqiue
numbers between 1000 and 9999 with mail to the Fianance group. Only takes a
minute or two to add this to all your current buttons. Note that "business"
field should serve this purpose, but Paypal regularly gets this field wrong, as
seen below (Business on the orignating button was "thebikeproject at gmail.com",
paypal misreports this, substituting the main account address)
======================================================================
======================================================================
Item_name = The Bike Project - Annual Membership Subscription ($00.07/yr., test rate);
Item_number = 2000-0023-test2;
Address_name = Barry Isralewitz;
Address_street = 305 W. Park Street, Apt. 1;
Address_city= Urbana; Address_state = IL; Address_zip = 61801;
Contact_phone = ;
Custom = ;
Business = imc-paypal at ucimc.org;
Tax = ;
Memo = ;
Payment_date = ;
Txn_id = ;
Parent_txn_id = ;
Subscription-only Info
========================
Txn_type = subscr_signup;
Subscr_date = 11:28:35 Jul 03, 2008 PDT;
Subscr_effective = ;
Period3 = 1 Y;
Amount3 = 0.07;
Mc_amount3 = 0.07;
Mc_currency =USD;
Recurring = 1;
Reattempt = 1;
Retry_at = ;
Recur_times = ;
Username = pp-abbeyboo;
Password = lkdC2O1fTBs9E;
Subscr_id = S-3AU45654HW473631R;
========================
First_name = Barry; Last_name = Isralewitz;
Payer_email = isralewi at uiuc.edu; Payment_amount = USD; Country = United States (US)
======================================================================
======================================================================
Cheers,
Barry
>
> Thanks,
> Jay
>
> On Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 9:01 PM, Danielle Chynoweth <chyn at ojctech.com>
> wrote:
>
> > If there is no downside to turning IPN on except some email notifications,
> > then go ahead and turn it on. No need for a decision about such a small
> > item. Can you have finance at ucimc.org be notified any time a person gets a
> > thank you from us? That's how I have it set up with other Paypal accounts I
> > admin. thanks Barry! - Danielle
> >
> > On Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 8:54 PM, Barry Isralewitz <barryi at ks.uiuc.edu>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> On Mon, Jun 30, 2008 at 01:22:43PM -0500, Barry Isralewitz wrote:
> >> > ----- Forwarded message from Barry Isralewitz <barryi at ks.uiuc.edu>
> >> -----
> >> >
> >> > Hello,
> >> >
> >> > > On Sun, Jun 29, 2008 at 12:03 PM, Jay Schubert <
> >> jay.schubert at gmail.com>
> >> > > >
> >> > > > Does anyone know if paypal allows us to customize our response? Is
> >> there
> >> > > > any simple way that new memberships and renewals via paypal can
> >> trigger an
> >> > > > automated email?
> >> >
> >> > There is supposed to be one but it is broken; Paypal says they are
> >> fixing it.
> >> >
> >> > There are other approaches:
> >> > Easiest would be implement Instant Payment Notification.
> >>
> >> Got annoyed tonight over waiting for paypal to fix things, so I just
> >> implemented Instant Payment Notification on the ucimc.org Paypal account
> >> site.
> >> Works great with both ucimc.org and thebikeproject.org donations. We can
> >> send
> >> those custom emails as Jay wants, and dole them to different groups if we
> >> want.
> >> This was done via a PHP script (ipntest.php). Does anti-spoof
> >> verification by
> >> posting details back to Paypal. Then other stuff. Email me if you would
> >> like a
> >> copy of ipntest.php.
> >>
> >> After a payment, Paypal contacts the script on our server, with all
> >> the info from the transaction, and the script does the verification, then
> >> whatever we want it to.
> >> So far, all I had it do was mail my personal account with full transaction
> >> info.
> >> We could similar per-IMC-group, then have each group process the email
> >> they get.
> >> Or, just add lines to the PHP script to send "Thank You"/Orientation mails
> >> direct to subscribers.
> >>
> >> I just turned IPN back off, since I did this test without consulting
> >> Finance
> >> people. Looks like not really affect performance of the site, or , even
> >> when
> >> badly broken, interfere with a donation (this is Instant Payment
> >> _Notification_, it acts after the transaction has ended). I think
> >> ucimc.org
> >> site donations would still work even if thebikeproject.org tanked
> >> although
> >> ucimc.org kept going. But could make semi-personal data (but no credit
> >> card
> >> numbers or similar) a little bit less safe since being sent as stored as
> >> unencrypted email. At least worth discussion.
> >>
> >> I think this won't tell us about non-monetary events, such as
> >> subscription
> >> cancellations. Can use other means. or wait for Email Notices to get
> >> fixed...
> >>
> >> I'll talk to Finance group about turning IPN back on for testing out
> >> automatic "Welcome to The Bike Project!" messages.
> >>
> >> Cheers,
> >>
> >> Barry
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Or gather data on own website, use
> >> > Paypal SOAP API directly. I've been avoiding such server interactions,
> >> both
> >> > requires additional reliable features on chamabana.net servers, would
> >> be much
> >> > harder to find someone to maintain/alter/repair this after I leave, and
> >> might
> >> > be harder for other IMC groups to use than email-based solution.
> >> > -- periodically download transactions spreadsheet, and do automated
> >> search for relevant activities.
> >> > -- stop using Paypal, do web donations through a more competent
> >> company.
> >> > (Even if higher price/percentage, worth it in overral receipts to get
> >> extra
> >> > contacts -> improve donor relations -> increase donations).
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Details on Paypal Subscription Email Notices
> >> > ---
> >> > Here's the currently-relevant text from Paypal's latest documentation.
> >> If
> >> > you are familiar with Paypal documentation, note that the _Recurring
> >> Payments
> >> > Guide_ has recently been obseleted, the info. it contained is now found
> >> in the
> >> > _Website Payments Standard Integration Guide_.
> >> > Below is the relevant passage on Subscription Email Notices.
> >> > ========
> >> > From the Paypal _Website Payments Standard Integration Guide_
> >> > "June 2008" edition
> >> > Page 72
> >> > ====
> >> > Using Email Notices to Track Subscription Transactions
> >> > PayPal sends you email notices when:
> >> > * People sign up for new subscriptions.
> >> > * Subscription payments are made.
> >> > * Subscriptions end or are canceled.
> >> > Generally, PayPal sends email notices to the primary email address of
> >> your
> >> > account. PayPal can send email notices to an alternate email address,
> >> such as
> >> > to someone in your organization who handles accounting or manages access
> >> to
> >> > members-only content. Add the additional email address to your account
> >> profile.
> >> > Then, use that email address as the value for the business
> >> > ========
> >> >
> >> > I've had Bike Project subscriptions set to generate Email Notices to
> >> > thebikeproject at gmail.org from the very start, but it has never worked.
> >> An
> >> > internal Paypal user field "User Receives Subscription Payment
> >> Notification
> >> > Emails" must be set "True", but the user web GUI does not offer this
> >> option,
> >> > and top level Paypal tech support workers have been repeatedly shocked
> >> to find
> >> > that _they_, working on Paypal internal settings, cannot manually set
> >> the
> >> > field.
> >> >
> >> > Amazingly, there has been no bug report number or similar tracking
> >> information
> >> > available for this known bug. The best they can do, they told me, is
> >> promise to
> >> > contact me about this when the issue is solved. I cannot call Paypal
> >> and say
> >> > "It has been 6 months since bug XXXXXXX has been filed, what is the
> >> progress?"
> >> > More information on this issue available from me for those interested.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Cheers,
> >> >
> >> > Barry
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > On Sun, Jun 29, 2008 at 01:30:59PM -0500, Danielle Chynoweth wrote:
> >> > > Hi Jay,
> >> > > We have, Nicole Pion, a full time support person coming on to analyze
> >> and
> >> > > improve our membership, thanking, and outreach systems. She will be
> >> meeting
> >> > > with each working group to hear about needs in this regard. When you
> >> meet
> >> > > with her, give her details about what kind of thanking, membership
> >> alters,
> >> > > etc you want to see.
> >> > >
> >> > > As for what is possible, Paypal should be sending a confirmation of
> >> payment
> >> > > for membership already. I would like to see us track ALL of our
> >> contacts
> >> > > with CiviCRM connected to both Drupal and Paypal. CiviCRM is a open
> >> source
> >> > > Constituent Relationship Manager (made famous by Howard Dean) and can
> >> manage
> >> > > memberships and send reminders. We have in house knowledge about
> >> installing
> >> > > and maintaining it.
> >> > >
> >> > > - Danielle
> >> > >
> >> > >
> >> > > On Sun, Jun 29, 2008 at 12:03 PM, Jay Schubert <
> >> jay.schubert at gmail.com>
> >> > > wrote:
> >> > >
> >> > > > It has recently come to my attention that when people become members
> >> of the
> >> > > > IMC via the membership page on the IMC site, other than the generic
> >> paypal
> >> > > > receipt, they are not receiving any follow up acknowledgment.
> >> > > >
> >> > > > Does anyone know if paypal allows us to customize our response? Is
> >> there
> >> > > > any simple way that new memberships and renewals via paypal can
> >> trigger an
> >> > > > automated email?
> >> > > >
> >> > > > It seems like we're really missing an opportunity to greet new
> >> members,
> >> > > > extend an invitation to get involved with our projects and plant the
> >> seed
> >> > > > that we hope they will renew their membership annually (which as far
> >> as I
> >> > > > can tell is up to each member to keep track of currently). As you
> >> can see
> >> > > > below, a new member from books to prisoners was distraught after her
> >> > > > experience of joining the IMC using paypal.
> >> > > >
> >> > > > While the business of sending reminders for membership renewals is a
> >> > > > different can of worms, it seems like a simple follow up message for
> >> new &
> >> > > > renewing members would be a relatively simple matter. If anyone
> >> knows how
> >> > > > to set this up, I would be happy to write / propose some copy for
> >> such a
> >> > > > message.
> >> > > >
> >> > > > Thanks,
> >> > > >
> >> > > > Jay Schubert
> >> > > > (217) 721-7419
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> >> > > > From: ann h. <annhett at yahoo.com>
> >> > > > Date: Sun, Jun 29, 2008 at 10:25 AM
> >> > > > Subject: Re: Fwd: [Btp-jail-libraries] Fwd: Friday afternoon at the
> >> Main
> >> > > > Jail
> >> > > > To: Jay Schubert <jay.schubert at gmail.com>
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > > i became a member in may but never received any sort of
> >> confirmation,other
> >> > > > than from paypal. Should I have received something?
> >> > > >
> >> > > > thanks,
> >> > > > ann
> >> > > >
> >> > > > --- On *Sun, 6/29/08, Jay Schubert <jay.schubert at gmail.com>* wrote:
> >> > > >
> >> > > > From: Jay Schubert <jay.schubert at gmail.com>
> >> > > > Subject: Fwd: [Btp-jail-libraries] Fwd: Friday afternoon at the Main
> >> Jail
> >> > > > To: "BTP Libraries" <btp-jail-libraries at lists.chambana.net>
> >> > > > Date: Sunday, June 29, 2008, 11:18 AM
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > > re: IMC keys.
> >> > > >
> >> > > > I agree that it would be nice if more of our volunteers had access
> >> to the
> >> > > > IMC building and would like to take this opportunity to appeal to
> >> jail
> >> > > > librarians who do not have keys to the building to consider becoming
> >> a
> >> > > > member of the Independent Media Center.
> >> > > >
> >> > > > If you have been volunteering with books to prisoners for a while
> >> now and
> >> > > > enjoy doing it, please consider becoming a member and supporting the
> >> parent
> >> > > > organization that makes it possible for books to prisoners to
> >> operate the
> >> > > > way we do. The IMC relies on membership dues to help pay for the
> >> mortgage
> >> > > > on our building, utilities and other costs not covered by the rent
> >> we
> >> > > > collect.
> >> > > >
> >> > > > Membership costs as little as $25 a year. Once you are a member you
> >> are
> >> > > > entitled to a building key in exchange for a nominal deposit.
> >> > > >
> >> > > > - Books to Prisoners needs more volunteers with keys to the building
> >> > > > - The IMC would not exist without the financial support of its
> >> members
> >> > > > - Have you ever thought that it would be convenient to have a key /
> >> 24 hour
> >> > > > access to the building?
> >> > > > - Have you been volunteering with BTP and like what you see?
> >> > > > *
> >> > > > Please consider joining the IMC*
> >> > > >
> >> > > > Here is a link to more information about becoming a member:
> >> > > > http://www.ucimc.org/info/membership
> >> > > >
> >> > > > Thanks,
> >> > > > Jay
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > > On Sun, Jun 8, 2008 at 10:47 PM, Barbara kessel <barkes at gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >> > > >
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> >> > > >> From: Barbara kessel <barkes at gmail.com>
> >> > > >> Date: Jun 8, 2008 11:39 PM
> >> > > >> Subject: Fwd: Friday afternoon at the Main Jail
> >> > > >> To: Josh Seiter <jseiter2 at uiuc.edu>, Kristin Palmer <
> >> palmerk3 at gmail.com>
> >> > > >> Cc: Jail library <btp-jail-libraries at books2prisoners.org>
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> Tracy Dace and I met with 65 prisoners. The air conditioning had
> >> gone out
> >> > > >> in the men's cells.The library was OK.
> >> > > >> Neither Kristin nor Josh have a key to the Books to Prisoners room
> >> and
> >> > > >> access to the jail box. I am going to go and meet one of them
> >> around 5:45.
> >> > > >> If it is Josh with a car, he can take the box and we can figure out
> >> later
> >> > > >> how and when to get it back. If it is Kristin on her bicycle, then
> >> I can
> >> > > >> give her the books and magazines in a bag that she can carry.
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> I have a proposal to the keystaff that we purchase 2 or 3 keys for
> >> our
> >> > > >> Monday nighters so that the jail inmates don't have to always be
> >> "sad" as
> >> > > >> Frances Jacobson reports when there is no jail box with their
> >> long-awaited
> >> > > >> orders. The Friday afternoon people all know we will be there on
> >> Monday
> >> > > >> night and they are eager.
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> Here were the Friday orders:
> >> > > >> 1-2. Deborah Kissel and Adrien White want word search books. These
> >> have to
> >> > > >> be bought at the grocery store.
> >> > > >> Deborah is still hpoing for one of two Dave Pelzer books - Help
> >> Yourself
> >> > > >> and The Privilege of Youth.
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> 3. Valerie Gordon wants the little booklets Daily Bread.
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> 4. Marcus Williams wants True to the Game 2, which is checked out
> >> to a
> >> > > >> woman prisoner named Chantrel (or something similar) Brown, who
> >> promises to
> >> > > >> bring it back rather than give it to her cell mate. This idea is
> >> tough sell,
> >> > > >> but if the books comes in from Ms. Brown, please put it in the box
> >> until Mr.
> >> > > >> Williams comes in.
> >> > > >> Jay had an idea about checking out special books such as Goines. I
> >> want
> >> > > >> to hear it. (again).
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> 5. Charles Brown wants, has wanted, is wanting, will want Nikki
> >> Turner or
> >> > > >> Dutch 2. The latter is by Teri Woods, the author of True to the
> >> Game.
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> 6. Cody Decker wants anything by Zane except for Breaking the
> >> Cycle. I put
> >> > > >> something by Zane in the box with his name on it.
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> 7. William Kelly wants a Koran. We were completely out of them, and
> >> he
> >> > > >> wanted several to be there for others. I put three in the box and
> >> told Naeem
> >> > > >> Sheikh about this as people from the Mosque occasionally visit the
> >> jail and
> >> > > >> bring such things. Johnnie Ray
> >> > > >> Priester asked before for something on Hadith. Said he already had
> >> his
> >> > > >> own Koran. On Friday he was in Seg and they would not let him come.
> >> I had
> >> > > >> the slim book, Understanding Islam and gave it to the guard for
> >> him. They
> >> > > >> will usually do that for prisoners. The Mosque has also been
> >> informed about
> >> > > >> this request as we will not have that.
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> 8. One request for the small Alcoholics Anonymous blue backed book.
> >> Jay
> >> > > >> tells me that we don't supply them, but that the jail does.
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> 9. Vernon Jones has been reading our poetry collection most
> >> aggressively
> >> > > >> but has not found anything he likes yet. He wants some poetry that
> >> is
> >> > > >> "realistic." Another guy wanted love poetry that rhymed and I was
> >> able to
> >> > > >> help him with a lot of searching. I am working on something for
> >> Vernon
> >> > > >> through networking and inquiry. Hoping to have something by Monday
> >> night.
> >> > > >> Our poetry collection has not been hitting the spot for some time.
> >> Does
> >> > > >> anyone out there have a good idea for something that
> >> African-American men
> >> > > >> would like?
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> Barbara Kessel
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >> _______________________________________________
> >> > > >> Btp-jail-libraries mailing list
> >> > > >> Btp-jail-libraries at lists.chambana.net
> >> > > >> http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/btp-jail-libraries
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >>
> >> > > >
> >> > > > _______________________________________________
> >> > > > Btp-jail-libraries mailing list
> >> > > > Btp-jail-libraries at lists.chambana.net
> >> > > > http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/btp-jail-libraries
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> > > >
> >> >
> >> > > _______________________________________________
> >> > > IMC-Tech mailing list
> >> > > IMC-Tech at lists.ucimc.org
> >> > > http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/imc-tech
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Barry Isralewitz, Ph. D. Theoretical and Computational Biophysics
> >> Group, UIUC
> >> > Beckman 3043 Office Phone: (217) 244-1612 Home Phone: (217)
> >> 337-6364
> >> > email: barryi at ks.uiuc.edu http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/~barryi<http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/%7Ebarryi>
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > IMC-Tech mailing list
> >> > IMC-Tech at lists.ucimc.org
> >> > http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/imc-tech
> >> >
> >> > ----- End forwarded message -----
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Barry Isralewitz, Ph. D. Theoretical and Computational Biophysics
> >> Group, UIUC
> >> > Beckman 3043 Office Phone: (217) 244-1612 Home Phone: (217)
> >> 337-6364
> >> > email: barryi at ks.uiuc.edu http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/~barryi<http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/%7Ebarryi>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Barry Isralewitz, Ph. D. Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group,
> >> UIUC
> >> Beckman 3043 Office Phone: (217) 244-1612 Home Phone: (217) 337-6364
> >> email: barryi at ks.uiuc.edu http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/~barryi<http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/%7Ebarryi>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Imc-bookkeeper mailing list
> >> Imc-bookkeeper at lists.chambana.net
> >> http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/imc-bookkeeper
> >>
> >
> >
--
Barry Isralewitz, Ph. D. Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, UIUC
Beckman 3043 Office Phone: (217) 244-1612 Home Phone: (217) 337-6364
email: barryi at ks.uiuc.edu http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/~barryi
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