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Zero Integration Onboarding

This guide is for platforms that need to add payment processing but can't dedicate engineering resources to build it. Instead of writing code, you'll use workflow automation tools to connect your platform to Shuttle's payment infrastructure.

Who This Is For

You run a software platform that:

  • Needs to collect payments on behalf of merchants
  • Has no available engineering capacity
  • Wants to validate payment demand before building properly
  • Has promised payment features that aren't on the roadmap

How It Works

You'll use Make, Zapier, or Cyclr as your integration layer. These tools will:

  1. Watch for payment triggers in your platform
  2. Generate Shuttle payment links automatically
  3. Deliver links to customers
  4. Handle payment notifications
  5. Update your platform when payments complete

Choosing Your Automation Tool

Make or Zapier

  • Merchant onboarding: One by one - each merchant needs individual setup
  • Best for: Platforms with fewer than 20 merchants
  • Setup time: 1-2 hours per merchant
  • Scaling: Gets painful after 20-30 merchants

Cyclr

  • Merchant onboarding: Template-based - set up once, deploy to many
  • Best for: Platforms planning to scale beyond 20 merchants
  • Setup time: 1-2 days initially, then minutes per merchant
  • Scaling: Handles hundreds of merchants efficiently

Setting Up Your Payment Flow

Step 1: Identify Your Payment Triggers

Look at your platform and identify when payments need to happen:

  • When an invoice is created?
  • When a subscription renewal is due?
  • When a booking is confirmed?
  • When a service request is submitted?

Your platform needs to send a webhook or have an API endpoint that the workflow tool can monitor.

Step 2: Configure Payment Link Generation

In your workflow tool, set up an action that:

  1. Receives the trigger from your platform
  2. Extracts the necessary information (amount, customer details, reference)
  3. Calls Shuttle's API to create a payment link
  4. Captures the payment link URL that Shuttle returns

The workflow tool handles all the API complexity - you just map fields from your trigger to Shuttle's requirements.

Step 3: Deliver the Payment Link

Decide how customers will receive payment links:

Option A: Workflow tool sends directly

  • Configure email/SMS action in the workflow
  • Tool sends payment link to customer
  • Simple but less control over branding

Option B: Send back to your platform

  • Workflow returns payment link URL to your platform
  • You attach it to invoices, emails, or customer portals
  • More work but maintains your brand experience

Step 4: Handle Payment Completion

When a customer pays:

  1. Shuttle sends a webhook to your workflow tool
  2. Workflow tool processes the payment notification
  3. You decide what happens next:
    • Update invoice status in your platform
    • Trigger fulfillment process
    • Notify merchant dashboard
    • Send confirmation emails

Merchant Onboarding Process

For Make/Zapier

Each merchant needs to:

  1. Create a Shuttle account
  2. Generate API credentials
  3. Either:
    • Share credentials with you (you set up their workflow)
    • Connect their own Make/Zapier account (they manage it)

This is manual and doesn't scale well, but works for getting started.

For Cyclr

You create a parent account with master workflows, then:

  1. Create child account for each merchant
  2. Merchant authenticates once via OAuth
  3. Deploy your payment workflow template
  4. All merchants get same workflow automatically

Much more scalable for platform businesses.

Common Implementation Patterns

Invoice Payment Collection

  • Trigger: New invoice created in your platform
  • Link delivery: Attach to invoice email or embed in invoice page
  • Completion: Mark invoice as paid, update accounting records

Recurring Subscriptions

  • Trigger: Subscription due date reached
  • Link delivery: Send renewal notice with payment link
  • Completion: Extend subscription period, update next billing date

Service Deposits

  • Trigger: Service booking confirmed
  • Link delivery: Include in booking confirmation
  • Completion: Mark deposit received, confirm appointment

What You Need From Your Platform

Outbound (to trigger payments)

  • Webhook when payment is needed, OR
  • API endpoint the workflow tool can poll
  • Include: amount, currency, customer email, your reference ID

Inbound (to receive updates)

  • Webhook endpoint to receive payment confirmations, OR
  • API endpoint the workflow tool can update
  • Ability to match payments using reference IDs

Limitations to Consider

  • Customers see Shuttle's payment page, not yours - however these are brandable
  • While straight forward, you need to learn the workflow tool or contract someone who knows it
  • You're dependent on three services (your platform, workflow tool, Shuttle)

When to Move Beyond Workflow Automation

Consider direct API integration when:

  • You're processing more than 100 transactions/day
  • Workflow tool costs exceed development costs
  • You need custom payment experiences
  • Latency becomes an issue
  • You have engineering resources available

Until then, workflow automation gets you to market without writing code.

Updated 11 days ago