Variable |
Value |
Description |
business |
Transaction specific |
Email address or account ID of the payment recipient (i.e., the merchant). Essentially an echo of the "business" variable passed in the website payment button HTML code |
receiver_email |
Transaction specific |
Primary email address of the payment recipient (i.e., the merchant). If the payment is sent to a non-primary email address on your PayPal account, the receiver_email will still be your primary email |
item_name |
Transaction specific |
Item name as passed by you, the merchant. Or, if not passed by you, as entered by your customer. If this is a shopping cart transaction we will append the number of the item (e.g. item_name1, item_name2) |
item_number |
Transaction specific |
Item number as passed by you, the merchant. If this is a shopping cart transaction we will append the number of the item (e.g. item_number1, item_number2) |
quantity |
Transaction specific |
Quantity as entered by your customer or as passed by you, the merchant. If this is a shopping cart transaction we will append the number of the item (e.g. quantity1, quantity 2) |
invoice |
Transaction specific |
Invoice number as passed by you, the merchant. Your customer is not able to view or edit this. It must be unique per transaction |
custom |
Transaction specific |
Custom value as passed by you, the merchant. This is a pass-through variable that is never presented to your customer |
option_name1 |
Transaction specific |
Option 1 Name as requested by you |
option_selection1 |
Transaction specific |
Option 1 Choice as entered by your customer |
option_name2 |
Transaction specific |
Option 2 Name as requested by you |
option_selection2 |
Transaction specific |
Option 2 Choice as entered by your customer |
num_cart_items |
Shopping Cart transaction specific |
If this is a shopping cart transaction, number of items in cart |
payment_status |
"Completed" |
The payment has been completed and the funds are successfully in your account balance |
|
"Pending" |
The payment is pending - see the "pending reason" variable below for more information. Note: You will receive another instant payment notification when the payment becomes "completed", "failed", or "denied" |
|
"Failed" |
The payment has failed. This will only happen if the payment was made from your customer's bank account |
|
"Denied" |
You, the merchant, denied the payment. This will only happen if the payment was previously pending due to one of the "pending reasons" below |
pending_reason |
"echeck" |
The payment is pending because it was made by an eCheck, which has not yet cleared |
|
"multi_currency" |
You do not have a balance in the currency sent, and you do not have your Payment Receiving Preferences set to automatically convert and accept this payment. You must manually accept or deny this payment |
|
"intl" |
The payment is pending because you, the merchant, hold an international account and do not have a withdrawal mechanism. You must manually accept or deny this payment from your Account Overview |
|
"verify" |
The payment is pending because you, the merchant, are not yet verified. You must verify your account before you can accept this payment |
|
"address" |
The payment is pending because your customer did not include a confirmed shipping address and you, the merchant, have your Payment Receiving Preferences set such that you want to manually accept or deny each of these payments. To change your preference, go to the "Preferences" section of your "Profile" |
|
"upgrade" |
The payment is pending because it was made via credit card and you, the merchant, must upgrade your account to Business or Premier status in order to receive the funds |
|
"unilateral" |
The payment is pending because it was made to an email address that is not yet registered or confirmed |
|
"other" |
The payment is pending for an "other" reason. For more information, contact customer service |
payment_date |
Transaction specific |
Time/Date stamp generated by PayPal system [format: "18:30:30 Jan 1, 2000 PST"] |
settle_amount |
Transaction specific |
Amount that is deposited into the account's primary balance after a currency conversion from automatic conversion through your Payment Receiving Preferences or manual conversion through manually accepting a payment |
settle_currency |
Transaction specific |
Currency of settle_amount |
exchange_rate |
Transaction specific for Multiple Currencies |
Exchange rate used if a currency conversion occurred |
mc_gross |
Transaction specific for Multiple Currencies |
Full amount of the customer's payment, before transaction fee is subtracted. Equivalent to "payment_gross" for USD payments. |
mc_fee |
Transaction specific for Multiple Currencies |
Transaction fee associated with the payment. "mc_gross" minus "mc_fee" will equal the amount deposited into the "receiver_email" account. Equivalent to "payment_fee" for USD payments. |
mc_currency |
"USD" |
The currency of the payment is U.S. Dollars (payment IPNs only) |
|
"CAD" |
The currency of the payment is Canadian Dollars (payment IPNs only) |
|
"GBP" |
The currency of the payment is Pounds Sterling (payment IPNs only) |
|
"EUR" |
The currency of the payment is Euros (payment IPNs only) |
|
"JPY" |
The currency of the payment is Yen (payment IPNs only) |
txn_id |
Transaction specific |
A unique transaction ID generated by the PayPal system |
txn_type |
"web_accept" |
The payment was sent by your customer via Single Item Purchases or Donations |
|
"cart" |
This payment was sent by your customer via the Shopping Cart feature |
|
"send_money" |
This payment was sent by your customer from the PayPal website, using the "Send Money" tab |
first_name |
Transaction specific |
Customer's first name |
last_name |
Transaction specific |
Customer's last name |
address_street |
Transaction specific |
Customer's street address |
address_city |
Transaction specific |
City of customer's address |
address_state |
Transaction specific |
State of customer's address |
address_zip |
Transaction specific |
Zip code of customer's address |
address_country |
Transaction specific |
Country of customer's address |
address_status |
"confirmed" |
Customer provided a Confirmed Address |
|
"unconfirmed" |
Customer provided an Unconfirmed Address |
payer_email |
Transaction specific |
Customer's primary email address. Use this email to provide any credits |
payer_id |
Transaction specific |
Unique customer ID |
payer_status |
"verified" |
Customer has a Verified U.S. PayPal account |
|
"unverified" |
Customer has an Unverified U.S. PayPal account |
|
"intl_verified" |
Customer has a Verified International PayPal account |
|
"intl_unverified" |
Customer has an Unverified International PayPal account |
payment_type |
"echeck" |
This payment was funded with an eCheck |
|
"instant" |
This payment was funded with PayPal balance, credit card, or Instant Transfer |
notify_version |
"1.4" |
Version of Instant Payment Notification |
verify_sign |
Transaction specific |
An encrypted string used to validate the authenticity of the transaction (see below) |
payment_gross |
Transaction specific |
Full USD amount of the customer's payment, before transaction fee is subtracted. Will be empty for non-USD payments. This is a legacy field replaced by "mc_gross" |
payment_fee |
Transaction specific |
USD transaction fee associated with the payment. "payment_gross" minus "payment_fee" will equal the amount deposited into the "receiver_email" account. Will be empty for non-USD payments. This is a legacy field replaced by "mc_fee" |