Setting up Monitors for processor outages

Traditionally, monitoring payment performance and potential outages fell within the domain of engineering teams. However, with Primer, you can move this responsibility to the payments team or product manager, streamlining the process and ensuring quicker responses. Here's how you can effectively set up a monitor to track processor outages:

Why Monitor Processors?

It's essential to be proactive in monitoring payment performance, especially when adding new payment methods or processors. We recommend creating a corresponding monitor for each new processor or payment method added. This enables you to identify any issues that may arise specifically for each promptly.

Monitor Configuration

1. 1
   Threshold Selection: Decide whether to use a static threshold or a dynamic monitor:
   • Static Monitor: Set a predefined threshold that triggers an alert after a certain number of declined or failed payments are received. This is the best option if you need immediate monitoring.
   • Dynamic Monitor: This option allows Primer to calculate the expected number of declined or failed payments based on historical data. Dynamic monitors take up to a week to become fully operational.
2. 2
   Failed or Declined Payments: Choose a metric that focuses on detecting failed or declined payments. This serves as an early warning system for potential processor issues. You can either set up multiple monitors using the Payments Count (Failed) and Payments Count (Declined) metrics or a single monitor using the Payments Count metric, with an additional filter for Declined and Failed Statuses.
3. 3
   Filter for the processor or payment method: Set the filter options to monitor the payment method or processor that you have added to Primer.

Notification Preferences

Configure your notification settings for the monitor:

• Dashboard: Receive notifications directly within the Primer dashboard, where you need to track them proactively.
• Slack: Get real-time alerts directly to Slack.
• Email: Receive email notifications for quick response.
• Webhook: Set up webhooks for integration with other systems.

Taking Action

When you receive a monitor notification, access the Payments Dashboard to examine the number of declined or failed payments for the specific payment method or processor.

• Apply a filter to show just the Failed or Declined payments for the processor, and look at the Payments Created tab.
• Check to see if the failing payments are for a range of customers and if it is not one single customer impacting performance.
• Identify if there is any other single reason for the declined payments. For example, they all relate to a single currency or issuing bank (where applicable).
• If a substantial portion of payments needs to be fixed for the new payment route, take swift action. Consider disabling the processor in your workflows or removing the payment method from your checkout.

This proactive response ensures minimal disruption to your payment processes and allows customers to continue making purchases through alternative methods.

Resuming Normal Operations

Once the processor outage is resolved, you can re-enable the previously disabled processors and payment methods. This ensures a smooth transition back to normal operations.

By implementing this approach, you can stay ahead of processor outages, minimize customer impact, and maintain the reliability of your payment processes.