CFT Pay Integration

Crossroads Financial Technologies (CFT) serves as a payment gateway linking the FORTH CRM system to merchant processors. Through CFT Pay, clients enrolled in a debt relief program can utilize integrated financial options to settle their obligations.

This article is organized into the following sections:

• Overview

• Prerequisite

• How to Access and Enable

• How it Works

• Troubleshooting / FAQ

• Assistance

Overview

The CFT Pay integration is designed to be "invisible yet verifiable." It eliminates the friction of manual data entry by automating the settlement lifecycle from the moment an offer is negotiated to the final payment.

Prerequisites

• You must be enrolled in the CFT Pay program. Contact FORTH Sales or your Account Manager to confirm your enrollment status.
• You must have Admin role access to add, edit or configure integrations.
• You must upload a signed CFT Dedicated Account Agreement (DAA) to the Docs subtab on the Client Dashboard before you enroll a consumer.

How to Access and Enable

Requesting Gateway Activation

To enable the CFT Pay gateway, email an activation request to Support@setforth.com with the following details: 

• Company Name
• API Credentials: Username and Password.
• FTP Details: Username, Password, and Port Number.
• Fee Schedule: Your specific CFT Setup and Gateway Fees.

Creating a New CFT Gateway Account (If Needed)

If you do not have a CFT gateway account:

1. Go to: https://prioritycommerce.com/solutions/priority-commerce-engine/cftpay/
2. Select CFT Pay from the Affected Product dropdown menu 
3. Follow the onscreen setup instructions to complete the creation of a CFT Gateway Account.

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How to Configure

Once FORTH Support has enabled the gateway, users can configure the Gateway Fee structure, credentials, and field mappings:

Establish Gateway Fees

1. Log in to the FORTH CRM. 
2. Go to the Settlements Tab and select Settings from the navigation bar. (NOTE: CFT transactions now auto-load upon opening the Settlement Tab).
    
3. Select Gateway Fees from the left hand panel. You will then see a page like that shown below:
   
4. Select CFT Pay from the Gateway dropdown menu, and the fee fields on this page will auto-populate.
5. Verify the fee amounts and click Save Settings.

Configure Credentials and Access Control

1. Click the Admin tab, and navigate to Integrations.
   
2. Click Payment Gateway from the Integration Category column on the left side of the page.
3. Locate the Currently Enabled section and click Crossroads Financial Technologies.
   
4. Go to the Credentials section. Click Create a New Set or select an existing set from the left panel to edit.
   
5. Enter the authorization key, environment type (Live or Sandbox), and the system URL provided by CFT.
6. Set your company access rules in the Access Control section at the bottom of the page.

Map System Fields

To link CRM data fields with the CFT API, select Mappings from the Credentials dropdown. You can create a new mapping set or edit an existing one.

• Integration Fields: Data points made available by the third-party CFT API.
• System Fields: Corresponding data points within the FORTH CRM.

Important: Field requirements depend on your specific CFT company account setup. Not every field is required for every setup.

These mappings depend on having custom fields available. Common mapped fields include:

• Settlement Fee
• Veritas Setup Fee / Veritas Monthly Fee: Veritas registration payments are locked to exactly four (4) payments for specific enrollment plan IDs. You cannot adjust this payment length. 
  
  (Unclear context - the document introduces "Veritas" without explaining its relation to CFT or FORTH).
   
• Freedom Legal Plan Fees: Mapped custom fields used to track specific enrollment and monthly legal plan fees. 
  (Unclear context - "Freedom Legal Plan" enrollment/monthly fees are introduced without explanation).
  

Data mapped here will pre-populate the CFT Fee Code Mapping page which you can access by navigating to Admin tab > cft_fee_map.

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Enrollment Plan Frequency

When configuring enrollment plans, weekly, bi-weekly, and semi-monthly plans schedule only one fee per month instead of a fee per individual payment. This ensures accurate savings calculations and prevents oversized final payments.

How it Works

The integration automatically synchronizes information between FORTH and CFT via daily background processes..

Submission Qualification

A contact profile must contain the following data before it can be submitted to CFT Pay:

• First and Last Name
• Date of Birth (DOB)
• Email Address
• Escrow Account Balance
• Saved FICO Score (automatically populated via integrated credit pull utilities)

Automated Synchronization & Creditor Matching

The synchronization process runs automatically in the background. You do not need to manually trigger the update.

• Daily Updates: FORTH automatically synchronizes its internal database against the CFT creditor database twice per day at:
  • 1:00 AM CST and
  • 3:00 PM CST.
• Database Cleanup: The system scans the database using the Name and Creditor Reference ID. If no exact match is found (e.g., "Chase" vs. "JPM Chase"), FORTH creates a new record based on the CFT source data to keep reporting clean.
• Client Balance Forecaster (CBF): You can customize transaction status rules for the CBF per account.
• Transaction Adjustments: This integration supports an Adjust transaction type to reconcile banking discrepancies, such as when an ACH/ICL debit amount differs from a phone payment. To map this capability, go to Admin > Integrations > Payment Gateways > CFT > Mappings, and link your transaction type to the Adjustment label. Adjustments made at the bank will sync to FORTH, and adjustments made in the FORTH CRM will sync back to the bank as CFT Adjusts.

For more information on CFT Pay synchronization, see our guide titled, Managing Automated CFTPay Debt and Settlement Synchronization.

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Automated Debt Rules

The system handles debt discrepancies based on whether the record exists in FORTH.

IMPORTANT: The Original Amount in CFTPay differs from the Original Amount within FORTH.

Every time the system modifies an original amount, it logs a transaction trail in the System Logs. This trail shows the original and new values, the timestamp, and tags the source as "CFT-Originated".

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CFT API Debt Amount Handling

When you settle a debt, the integration passes the original debt amount instead of the current amount to the CFT API. The system removes the current amount from debt updates to maintain accurate Earned Performance Fee (EPF) audits.

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Payment Processing and Financial Rules

Batching and Fees Timeline

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Advanced Transactions and Recoups

When you create a settlement advance, the system automatically generates corresponding Recoup transactions.

• Cap Rules: The total value of a recoup (or combined split recoups) cannot exceed the parent advance amount.
• Timeline Rules: You cannot schedule recoups before the date of their associated advance. You must enter a Recoup Date to schedule the transaction.
• UI Location: Go to the Accounting Tab > CFT Report > Fee Accounts > Advance and Recoup to open the management popup. Adjusting the advance amount automatically updates the Recoup amount.
  
  
• API Recoups: You can generate recoups programmatically via a POST request to the Create Recoup API. This applies to advances marked SCHEDULED, IN_TRANSIT, COMPLETED, or PENDING across active, dormant, or closing accounts.

Rebalancing Fees

You can adjust future Earned Performance Fees (EPFs) post-settlement, using bidirectional synchronization of the Debt Fee Percent field. See the Rebalancing Fees article for details.

Reversals vs. Refund Reversals

In the FORTH CRM, accounts integrated with the CFT Gateway utilize two distinct transaction types to adjust ledger balances. While they sound similar, they serve entirely different purposes and handle funds differently.

Transaction Type Breakdown

Reversal (Type: RV)

• Subtype: 8090 – Fee Reversal

• Purpose: Used when CFT reverses a standard gateway fee (e.g., an ACH Credit Fee).

• How it works: The original fee transaction is not modified and remains in a Cleared status. Instead, the CRM creates a new, separate transaction for the reversal and links it to the original fee.

• Balance Impact: Treated as a credit (inflow). Only completed reversals will impact the account balance.

Refund Reversal (Type: RR)

• Subtype: 8094 – Refund Reversal

• Purpose: Used specifically to reverse a refund that was previously issued to a consumer.

• How it works: Maps directly to CFT’s "Refund Reversal" entity. This ensures that when a consumer refund is turned back or cancelled by the gateway, the CRM captures it accurately to prevent balance discrepancies.

• Balance Impact: Reverses the outbound refund, adjusting the consumer's balance back to its pre-refund state.

REMEMBER: A Reversal undoes a fee that was collected. A Refund Reversal undoes a refund that was returned to the consumer.

Creating a Reversal Directly in Forth CRM

Authorized users can manually initiate both transaction types for an EPF (CFT Client) directly within the platform.

1. Navigate to the Contact: Open the specific consumer profile and go to their Enrollment Details page.

2. Initiate a New Transaction: Click to create a new transaction. From the Transaction Type dropdown menu, select Reversal.
   

3. Select the Subtype: Choose the appropriate subtype depending on your objective (see highlighted area above):

   • Select Fee Reversal (8090) (general fee reversal)

   • Select Refund Reversal (8094) (to undo a prior consumer refund)

4. Associate and Save: Link the transaction to the correct debt item and enter the exact dollar amount.

5. Click the Action dropdown menu, select Schedule Transaction, and then click Save.

System Behavior & Syncing

Once a reversal is saved, the system automatically processes it in the background:

• Real-Time Gateway Sync: The CRM queues the transaction for sync with CFT, which is processed through the continuous sync using the designated type and subtype.

• Validation Guardrails: The transaction undergoes standard system checks to ensure user authorization, verify the required debt association, and prevent duplicate entries.

• Two-Way Alignment: Full bidirectional sync ensures that whether a reversal is initiated in Forth CRM or on the CFT gateway side, both systems stay aligned.

The system is designed to keep both platforms aligned. Updates and cancellations are synced through the continuous sync process.

• Note on "Delete" Unavailability for CFT Transactions
  The "Delete" option was removed from the Action dropdown for all CFT-processed transactions. If a reversal is created in error, the user must use "Cancel Transaction."

Common Errors

Agents may encounter CFT-specific errors when creating reversals, such as:

• "Can not reverse CFT owned fee."
• "Fee with external reference: xxxxxxxxxx already exists."

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Gateway Pause Behavior

When you change a client status to Paused in FORTH, the system blocks outbound API calls to the payment system for ACH Client Debits (D), Credit Card Debits (CC), and Debit Card Debits (DC). This prevents unauthorized drafts.

• Scheduled Transactions: Any transactions scheduled during the pause remain Open but are skipped, in other words they are not processed. You must manually reschedule them.
• In-Process Transactions: Transactions already processing are exempt from the pause and will complete.
• Sync Blocking: The background status sync from CFT to FORTH is blocked while paused. Status updates in CFT (such as Active, Inactive, Cancelled, or Suspended) will not alter FORTH's status.
• Logging: The system automatically logs "Client cancellation was initiated in CFT PAY" in the client's activity history.

Managing Payments and Creditors Manually

Adjusting Payments and Changing Creditors

To manually adjust a payment or update creditor details for a CFT consumer:

1. Go to the Enrollments tab and select the client to open their Enrollment Details page.
2. Click Adjust Payment, then select the Settlement Payments tab.
3. Fill out all of the required fields. When creating settlement payments, you must complete the mandatory Creditor Reference field. 
   • This field maps to Settlement Reference / Addendum on the CFT UI and prints on the check memo line to identify the account.
4. Select a Payment Method to display CFT-specific configuration options at the bottom of the page.
5. To update creditor info on active settlements (such as "change of hands" collection scenarios), update the creditor info directly on this screen.
6. The system automatically checks the Check this box to update CFT creditor information option by default.

Managing Creditor Addresses

• Adding/Updating Addresses: You can add new creditor addresses or update existing ones directly through the settlement interface. These changes automatically sync to CFT.
• Mass Editing Addresses: You can mass edit creditor mailing addresses for existing settlement payments. The updated addresses sync to CFT automatically.

NOTE: The CFT creditor database only shows the mailing address for that creditor IF it's in CFT referenced as such. If it's the permanent address, it will not show up in the dropdown.

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Client Re-enrollment and Reinstatement Workflow

If a client re-enrolls after being canceled or dropped, or if they un-graduate within FORTH, you must reinstate their account with CFT.

1. The system triggers a reinstatement API call when the client moves out of these statuses: Cancellation Initiated, Cancelled, Graduated, or Graduation Initiated.
2. The API transmission includes the linked Single Payment Authorization Agreement (SPAA) document.
3. This process places the CFT enrollment into an Inactive status until processing completes.
4. You 

Monitoring Client Progress

Affiliates with the proper user permissions can view live client progress directly from the Contact Dashboard by clicking the Servicing nested tab.  If changes are needed, the FORTH System provides the ability to add/remove debts via an Update Record data source for affiliate-to-servicing webhook resubmission

This tab displays:

• Current client status
• Number of cleared drafts
• Number of Non-Sufficient Funds (NSFs) entries
• Last draft date and next scheduled draft date
• Settlement summary
• Full transaction ledger

Troubleshooting / FAQ

Why is my new CFT creditor not appearing in Forth CRM?

The synchronization occurs daily at 1:00 AM CST and 3:00 PM CST. If you create a creditor in CFT at 4:00 PM CST, it will not appear in the CRM until the next scheduled cycle at 1:00 AM CST the following morning.

Will this increased sync schedule create duplicate records?

No. The system matches existing records during every synchronization cycle to prevent duplicate entries.

Why is the dynamic Current Amount field out of sync with my external CFT balances?

CFT does not store or return a dynamic "Current Amount" value. The integration updates the Original Amount field to maintain historical consistency but leaves the Current Amount untouched to preserve your manual workspace updates.

Why am I unable to see a specific creditor address in the selection dropdown menu?

The database dropdown menu only displays the mailing address for a creditor if CFT specifically flags it as a mailing address. It does not display addresses designated as permanent.

Can our team manually clear transaction items within this integration framework?

No. The ability to manually clear payments is not supported in the CFT Pay integration. Statuses clear automatically through background system updates.

The SPAA was sent post-enrollment when the client was already labeled as ACTIVE in CFT. Is this supposed to happen?

No. the SPAA should not have been sent post-enrollment as described. We disabled the duplicate API call to address this.

Why am I receiving validation errors when creating an Earned Performance Fee (EPF)?

EPFs cannot be scheduled in the past. To avoid errors, create same-day transactions before the designated batch cutoff times, and verify that you have assigned both a Sub Type and a Payee.

What happened to the "CFT Enrollment is Inactive" hold reason?

This option is no longer available. FORTH does not parse general system statuses for gateway holds. It pulls specific text messages directly from the CFT API for individual transactions to provide better context.

Why did I get an error when sending a post-enrollment SPAA document?

Previously, the system sent duplicate API calls if the client was already Active in CFT, resulting in processing errors. The system now automatically blocks duplicate post-enrollment SPAA API calls.

How do I sync past open or pending transactions?

Continuous automatic sync cycles exclude past open transactions. To synchronize past open or pending transactions between RAM and CFT, you must manually initiate the sync process within the integration settings page. This would also involve requesting a CSV from RAM with transaction statuses and dates.

I am seeing data discrepancies on a migrated account. How do I fix this?

Accounts migrated from historical data sources (such as DM, Debtonator, or JWF) may exhibit unique data quirks. Common issues include non-enrolled settlements created during the migration phase or migrated settlement payments failing to sync. If a migrated payment or settlement is stuck, contact support@setforth.com to manually align the record.

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Assistance

For more information, contact us at support@setforth.com.

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