Primary and Secondary Cards

The primary card is the main card which your customer uses to load funds into their account. The primary card can be linked to one or more secondary cards, which are loaded with funds from the primary card. Typically funds are transferred from the primary card to the secondary card.

Setting up Card Linkage Rules

Thredd can set up one or more card control groups to control the rules related to linked primary and secondary cards. This is called a Linkage Group. Examples of configuration settings for the Linkage Group are listed below.

Field

Description

Single transfer max limit

The maximum value to be transferred from the primary to the secondary per transaction. (For Separate Balances this is set to 0: Limits will be controlled by the Velocity Limit Group linked to the secondary card.)

Daily transfer max limit

The maximum value to be transferred from the primary to the secondary card in a day. (For Separate Balances this is set to 0: Limits will be controlled by the Velocity Limit Group linked to the secondary card.)

Overnight Sweep of funds

Enables an overnight sweep of any balance left on secondary card back to the primary card.

Share Limits with Primary

  • Auths enabled - any secondary cards will share the Authorisation limits and frequencies with the Primary Cards (i.e., if an authorisation comes in it will count towards an authorisation on primary card not on the secondary).

  • Loads enabled- any secondary cards will share the Load limits and frequencies with the Primary Cards (i.e., secondary cards will not have their own load limits and frequencies)

Allow on Secondary

  • Loads enabled - allow card loads (using the Thredd API) on a secondary card.

For more information, please contact your Account Manager.

Using Thredd API to Create and Link Cards

The Thredd API are used to create primary and secondary cards, as well as to update card linkages. We offer a choice of API: traditional SOAP web services or our REST-based Cards API. See Card Management APIs.

Creating Primary and Secondary Cards

When you create a card, using the Create Card API, the card will automatically be created as a Primary card; alternatively you can link your new card to an existing primary card. More than one secondary card can be linked to a primary card. For more information, see the Cards API Website (REST) > Create Card or the Web Services Guide (SOAP) > Card Create.

Updating Primary and Secondary Card Links

You can use the Thredd API to update your secondary cards to point to a primary card's new public token or PAN. This is useful when a primary card has secondary cards and the primary card needs to be replaced with a new token or PAN.

For more information, see the Cards API Website (REST) > Update a Card or the Web Services Guide (SOAP) > Cards Link.

Linked Cards and Card Fees

Relevant for customers using the Thredd Fees module.

Where there is a primary card and linked secondary cards, the recurring fee can be set to apply separately to each card/token, or be taken from one of the cards. For example, if you have the following linked cards:

  • Primary card token: 123456789 (holds the main account balance)

  • Sub-card token: 123456897 (is topped up when required from available funds in the primary card)

You can set up the fee to be deducted from the primary card.

For more information, refer to the Thredd Fees Guide.