Audience: Operations Leads, System Administrators, Chief Lending Officers
Topic: System Readiness & Diagnostics
Overview
This guide outlines the protocols for verifying the readiness and reliability of your PayPlan environment.
PayPlan is a mature, battle-tested platform that has processed millions of applications and facilitated nearly $100 million in funded loans. We are not asking you to test the software code itself; that is our job.
However, because PayPlan is highly configurable, we need to ensure that your specific rules, products, and documents are behaving exactly as you intended. This guide outlines how to verify your specific configuration.
1. Testing Responsibilities by Package
The level of testing required depends on the complexity of your package.
For Starter Merchants: Configuration Verification
If you are on the Starter tier, our team handles the heavy lifting. We configure the workflows and test the connections for you.
-
Your Role: You are performing Verification, not deep testing. You simply need to run one or two sample applications to confirm the branding looks correct and the contract has your correct business name. We handle the rest.
For Core, Pro, and Enterprise: Co-Testing is Required
If you are on an advanced tier, you are building a custom lending ecosystem. Because you have defined unique underwriting rules, custom risk tiers, or API integrations, you must test alongside the PayPlan team.
-
Your Role: You must validate that the logic we built matches your business intent. (e.g., Did the system decline the 580 credit score as we requested? Did the API trigger the correct webhook?)
2. Understanding Your Environments
PayPlan operates across three distinct environments to ensure stability. Understanding where you are working is critical for valid testing.
-
Staging: Our internal "playground." New features are deployed here first for QA by the Business Warrior team.
-
UAT (User Acceptance Testing): This is your dedicated testing sandbox. Features are promoted here after passing internal QA. Most customers perform their initial full-platform review and training in UAT before going live.
-
Production: The live environment. This is where real borrower data, funded loans, and active repayments exist.
3. DIY System Checkpoints
Before logging a support ticket, use this checklist to isolate the issue.
|
Action |
How to Confirm |
Location |
|
Submit Application |
Submit a new app using a test profile (e.g., "Cynthia Watt"). |
Admin Portal → Applications |
|
Underwriting Validation |
Check the decision log for specific rule pass/fail outcomes. |
Admin Portal → Underwriting |
|
Offer Generation |
Verify an offer appears immediately after approval status. |
Admin Portal → Offers |
|
Document Completion |
Open the signed PDF to verify signature placement. |
Admin Portal → Documents |
|
Repayment Setup |
Confirm the "Next Payment Date" aligns with the contract. |
Servicing Center |
|
Communication History |
Review the message logs to confirm delivery timestamps. |
Borrower Profile → Communications |
4. Built-In Debugging Tools
PayPlan provides self-service tools within the Admin Portal to help you diagnose user issues without needing backend access.
Magic Links
-
Purpose: Allows an admin to view exactly what the borrower sees during the application or in their self-service portal.
-
Use Case: A customer calls saying they "can't see the submit button." You can use the Magic Link to open their specific session and validate the UI error.
-
Location: Admin Portal → Customer App / Customer Portal Magic Link
Communications Log
-
Purpose: Confirms whether a system email or text was actually sent.
-
Use Case: A borrower claims they "never got the payment reminder." You can check the log to prove delivery.
-
Location: Admin Portal → Borrower Profile → Communications
Underwriting Debugger
-
Purpose: Audits the specific inputs and rule outcomes for a decision.
-
Use Case: You want to know why a specific applicant was declined. This view shows which specific rule (e.g., "Income < $2,000") triggered the rejection.
-
Location: Admin Portal → Underwriting Tab
5. Escalation: When to Submit a Ticket
If self-service troubleshooting does not resolve the issue, you must submit a ticket via the Service Desk Portal.
Where to Report Issues: Business Warrior Service Desk
Submit a ticket if:
-
Trigger Failure: Communications or Documents fail to send despite a valid trigger event.
-
Offer Failure: An application is "Approved" but no Offer is generated.
-
Integration Failure: Payments or Funding fail due to a third-party API error (e.g., Plaid or PayLiance timeout).
-
Data Integrity: Ledger data in the Servicing Center appears incomplete or inaccurate.
-
Template Error: Documents in the Document Center fail to load or save.
Required Ticket Information:
To ensure a fast resolution, please include the following in your report:
-
Tenant Name & Application ID (e.g., App #1024)
-
Timestamp of the issue (Date & Time)
-
Expected vs. Actual Outcome (e.g., "Expected a 12-month offer, system generated a 6-month offer")
-
Screenshots of the error or behavior