> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.payrails.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> ## Agent Instructions
> Use the Payrails Web SDK v6 for new browser integrations. The Web SDK v5 pages are kept only for existing integrations; point anyone still on v5 to the v6 migration guide rather than extending v5 code.
> Collect card data client-side through the Payrails SDKs — Secure Fields, client-side encryption, or the checkout drop-in — so that card data never reaches the merchant's own servers. Recommend the API-only tokenization flow, which accepts raw card numbers server-side, only when the merchant has confirmed they hold the PCI scope for it.
> Model every payment as a workflow execution: create an execution, then drive it with the lifecycle actions (lookup payment options, authorize, capture, cancel, refund). Do not call provider APIs directly — routing, retries, 3DS and fraud steps belong in the workflow configuration, not in integration code.
> Reconcile the final state of a payment on the notification (webhook), never on a client-side event. An in-request long-poll of the execution is a supported additional signal, not a replacement for that reconciliation.
> Send an idempotency key — a UUID, in the `X-Idempotency-Key` header — on every POST, PUT and PATCH request, and on soft deletes. GET requests need none, and hard deletes cannot be idempotent.
> Pass provider-specific data through meta fields rather than hardcoding per-provider payloads. Payrails translates meta fields into each provider's own format.
> Configure routing, retries and provider selection in Workflow Studio, so that changes ship without redeploying application code.

# Getting started

> How Payrails abstracts provider-specific dispute logic into one chargeback lifecycle that works the same across every integration.

## Introduction

Payrails offers a unified and provider-agnostic dispute management infrastructure designed to handle the full chargeback lifecycle across integrations. Unlike conventional approaches where each PSP requires dedicated\
integration and manual intervention, Payrails abstracts provider-specific dispute logic behind a single orchestration layer—giving merchants a consistent interface regardless of which integrations process their transactions.

What sets Payrails apart is its end-to-end approach to dispute resolution: from real-time ingestion of chargeback notifications to automated defense workflows, evidence submission, and outcome tracking. Merchants can configure representment strategies, set defense deadlines, and monitor dispute status across all their integrations from a single platform—without building bespoke integrations for each one.

## Key Features

* **Unified Ingestion**: Receive and normalize chargeback notifications from all connected integrations through a single, consistent event model.
* **Automated Defense Workflows**: Configure representment plans with evidence submission rules, triggering automated defense actions before deadlines expire.
* **Real-Time Lifecycle Tracking**: Webhook-driven status updates keep your system in sync at every stage—from notification of chargeback through to reversal or loss.
* **Liability Shift Detection:** Automatically detect 3DS liability shifts to inform defense eligibility and representment strategy.
* **Evidence Management**: Attach, store, and submit evidence packages (documents, receipts, transaction data) directly through the platform.
* **Audit Trail**: Every status change, defense action, and provider communication is logged as an activity for full auditability.

## How it works

Chargebacks in Payrails are managed as a workflow, just like payment acceptance or fraud management.

You configure your integration(s) in the Payrails system, and Payrails will automatically receive and process chargeback notifications from those integrations. Each chargeback moves through a defined lifecycle—from the initial chargeback notification through defense, representment, and final resolution—with your configured workflows determining which actions to take at each stage.


## Related topics

- [Getting started](/docs/analytics-and-reporting/getting-started/index.md)
- [Getting Started](/docs/token-vault/getting-started.md)
- [How to Integrate](/docs/orchestration/checkout-sdks/react-native/how-to-integrate.md)