Dec 2008
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May 2011
May 2011
sbrindolona
Dec '08

Hi, I am using the trial version to set up a single e-pub. I am attempting an auth.net sale, and receive the message:



3



33

Description is required.



I'm not sure what description the message is talking about, and I was also wondering if there's anyway to make this a more user-friendly appearance (if I was a customer I'd freak at the format).



Thanks...hoping to take advantage of e-junkie once I get more familiar with it.

  • created

    Dec '08

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    May '11
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E-junkie_GuruWebmaster & Support Guru
Dec '08

That would seem to be a problem at Authorize.Net's end of things. After a bit of Googleing around, the only real helpful description/advice I could find was this:



"The error "Description is Required" is caused by a configuration problem with your account on the Authorize.net servers. In order to fix this, you will need to contact Authorize.net and let them know you are receiving this error."



Also, I'm not sure if this may be relevant or not, but bear in mind we do not support any payment processors' testing/demo/sandbox mode; we can only support processing live transactions.

sbrindolona
Jan '09

Hi...no demo mode, just attempting a real purchase of $ .01.



I saw the info that you Googled; I was just hoping someone else had encountered the error already. I will contact Authorize.net, and try Paypal in the meantime. I just wish the message was more descriptive...and was formatted a bit better, for customers' sake. :)



Thanks!

sbrindolona
Jan '09

Hi, I went to auth.net and searched the return code. It says that the field "Description" is required, i.e., by the shopping cart. Can you tell me where to find that field so that I can put something in it? I assumed product description, but can't find the corresponding field.



Haven't tried paypal yet.



Thanks for any clues...n

sbrindolona
Jan '09

The auth.net tech said its somewhere in the back end of your shopping cart. If I just understood what field that needed data I'd put some in it. :slight_smile:

stefanie
Jan '09

I'm going to bring this post to the attention of development to take a look. :slight_smile:

sbrindolona
Jan '09

Thanks so much.



I will try it with Paypal instead and see if I receive the same message, or if it works fine. Will let you know.

2 years later
redplanet
May '11

I am getting the same problem. I am not using test mode. What is the answer? I see nothing here since 2009...

E-junkie_GuruWebmaster & Support Guru
May '11

That's an error specific to Authorize.Net checkouts. Everything appears fine with our system and your Authorize.Net integration settings at our end, and other sellers using our system with Authorize.Net are not having problems, so that suggests something to do with your account settings at Authorize.Net's end.



In Authorize.Net's terminology, apparently this "Description" is an extra field for each item (beyond Item Name, Number, Price, etc.) that we do not transmit, so you should make sure that field is not set to "Required" in your Authorize.Net account settings.



I found these steps posted elsewhere that should hopefully get you looking in the right place if they're still accurate:

1. Log into your Merchant Interface at https://account.authorize.net

2. Click Settings link on the left under Accounts.

3. Click Payment Form under the Transaction Format Settings heading.

4. Click Form Fields.

5. Make sure that the Description is not set to required [from what I can tell, setting this to Edit should work okay?]

6. Click Submit to save the settings.