# Configure processing channel routing

You can use processing channels to group processing configurations for different parts of your business operations. For example, you may want to use processing channels to segregate traffic by payment website, brand, or [merchant category code (MCC)](https://www.checkout.com/docs/developer-resources/codes/merchant-category-codes.md).

This gives you the flexibility to define the processing configuration for all of your payments. You can:

- Filter by processing channels in reports and entity segments.
- Set fraud detection rules for different processing channels.

By default, every entity has at least one processing channel. Within a processing channel you can set up:

- Processing configurations – Settings to process payments such as allowed payment methods and MCCs.
  - A payment method is associated with a single MCC and one or more currencies. A processing channel can have multiple payment methods.
- Redirect URLs – Success or failure URLs the cardholder is redirected to after the payment flow.

> **Information**
>
> In the Dashboard, you can [view the list of processing channels](https://www.checkout.com/docs/business-operations/use-the-dashboard/view-processing-channels.md) configured for an entity. To create or update a processing channel, contact your account manager or [request support](https://dashboard.checkout.com/support/new?topic=case_account_management_and_access&issue=issue_account_changes).

You can route payments through different processing channels by configuring the API key or payment request. This lets you choose the appropriate channel for each payment depending on your specific processing requirements.

---

## Route payments using an API key

Create a unique API key for each processing channel:

1. Sign in to the Dashboard.
2. Select _Developers_ in the left navigation bar and open the _Keys_ tab.
3. Select _Create a new key_.
4. Select _Public API key_ in the _Key details_ section. Optionally, you can add a description.
5. In the _Processing channels_ section that opens, select the required processing channel.
6. When you call the API, authenticate the request by specifying the appropriate processing channel's API key in the authorization header.

### Authorization request example

```curl
curl --location --request POST 'https://{prefix}.api.checkout.com/{{path}}' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--header 'Accept: application/json' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer {{Processing_channel_API_key}}' \
--data-raw '{
"amount": 10000,
"currency": "USD",
"reference": "Visa-USD-Test",
...
}'
```

---

## Route payments in the request

If you do not want to use unique API keys for each processing channel, you can route a payment through a specific processing channel when you [request a payment](https://api-reference.checkout.com/#tag/Payments). Provide the `processing_channel_id` field in the request.

> **Information**
>
> If you only have one processing channel configured, all payments are routed through it by default. You do not need to specify the processing channel ID in your request.

> **Information**
>
> Your base URL's `{prefix}` value is unique to your account and environment. To learn how to retrieve your base URLs for the sandbox and production environments, see [API endpoints](https://www.checkout.com/docs/developer-resources/api/api-endpoints.md).

**Production**

`POST` `https://{prefix}.api.checkout.com/payments`

**Sandbox**

`POST` `https://{prefix}.api.sandbox.checkout.com/payments`

### Request example

```json
{
  "source": {
    "type": "token",
    "token": "tok_4gzeau5o2uqubbk6fufs3m7p54",
    "billing_address": {
      "address_line1": "123 High St.",
      "city": "London",
      "zip": "SW1A 1AA",
      "country": "GB"
    }
  },
  "amount": 6540,
  "currency": "USD",
  "processing_channel_id": "pc_bxq7mfydz2k9t3vhg5jspwloen",
  "payment_type": "Regular",
  "reference": "ORD-5023-4E89",
  "capture": true,
  "previous_payment_id": "pay_fun26akvvjjerahhctaq2uzhu4",
  "success_url": "https://example.com/payments/success",
  "failure_url": "https://example.com/payments/fail",
  "segment": {
    "brand": "Acme Corporation",
    "business_category": "Inward Payment",
    "market": "UK"
  }
}
```