Create URLs

Depending on your business need, you can create and shape a variety of links as you can see below:

Create a Destination URL (URL)

To create a destination URL, do the following:

Create the URL in the Link Generator

In the Commerce Assistant, you can set up destination URLs using the Link Generator tool and the contextual panel. For more information about the options available in the Link Generator, see Set Up Your Checkout Pages .

Manually Create the URL

You can manually create destination URLs using the assortment of parameters that Cleverbridge offers. For information about the Cleverbridge URL structure and the available parameters, see Control & Configure Your Checkout Pages Using URL Parameters.

Create a Display URL (PURL)

To create a display URL, you can use the following tools in the Commerce Assistant:

Saved Links Portal

A display URL (PURL) stored in the Commerce Assistant is called a Saved Link. You can create a saved link directly in the Saved Link portal, by copying and pasting an existing link, or by saving a link in the Link Generator after you create it. The following information explains how to create and modify saved links:

  1. In the main menu, select Tools > Add Saved Link. The Saved Link portal opens.
  2. Enter a unique name for the saved link.
  3. In the Display URL field, enter a unique identifier to be added to the end of the display URL. The first part of the URL is pre-filled. This URL is visible to customers.
  4. In the Destination URL field, create a destination URL. This URL is not visible to customers. You can either manually create the URL (for information about the Cleverbridge URL structure, see Basic Components of Checkout Process URLs), or you can create it in the Link Generator with the following steps:
    1. Click the View in the Link Generator New link button to the right of the Destination URL field. The Link Generator contextual panel opens.
    2. Create the link in the Link Generator.
    3. Copy the link.
    4. Return to the saved link.
    5. In the Destination URL field, right-click and select Paste. The URL is pasted.
  5. In the Notes field, enter information about the link, such as its purpose. This is for internal use only and will not display online.
  6. Click Save.
  7. To open the link in a browser, click the Open button to the right of the Display URL field.
  1. In the Link Generator tool or contextual panel, create a link. For more information, see Create Links Using Link Generator. This link will be the destination URL for your saved link.
  2. Click Save. The Saved Link portal opens with the destination URL included in the Destination URL field.
  3. Enter a unique name for the saved link.
  4. In the Display URL field, enter a unique identifier to be added to the end of the display URL. The first part of the URL is pre-filled. This URL is visible to customers.
  5. In the Notes field, enter information about the link, such as its purpose. This is for internal use only and doesn't display online.
  6. Click Save.
  7. To open the link in a browser, click the Open button to the right of the Display URL field.

A saved link can be converted into an MVTClosed Multivariate testing (MVT) is a technique for testing two or more different variables in the checkout process to determine which variable creates more revenue or a higher conversion rate. campaign. After it is converted, it no longer exists as a saved link, and it can't be moved back to saved links.

Note

Multi-selecting two or more saved links to be converted into an MVT campaign is not supported.

  1. In the main menu, select Tools > Saved Links, or click this link to open the Saved Links search: View Saved Links. The Saved Links search opens.
  2. Search for the saved link you want to convert.
  3. Select the saved link line item in the search results.
  4. Right-click, and from the context menu select Convert to MVT Campaign. A message will display to verify that you want to convert the link.
  5. Click Yes. The MVT campaign portal opens with the saved link converted to a candidate in an MVT campaign.
  1. In the main menu, select Tools > Saved Links. The Saved Links search opens.
  2. Search for the saved link you want to view.
  3. Select the saved link line item in the search results.
  4. Click Open. The saved link opens.
  1. To create a copy of a saved link, right-click the saved link in the search results and select Create Copy. The saved link opens.
  2. Give the copy a unique name.
  3. Click Save.

 

Tip

The benefits of using saved links are:

MVT Campaign Portal

The following explains how to create and alter display URLs in the MVT Campaign portal:

In the main menu, select Tools > Add MVT Campaign. The MVT Campaign portal opens To add an MVT campaign, do the following:

  1. Click Add MVT Campaign and enter a unique name for the campaign. Enter a unique name for the campaign.
  2. In the Display URL field, enter a unique identifier to be added to the end of the display URL. The first part of the URL is pre-filled. This URL is used as the campaign URL and is visible to customers.
  3. Click the Copy Copy button to copy the URL and paste it in your website. The Active checkbox defines whether or not this campaign is actively used for testing.
  4. Add candidates to the campaign. For more information, see Step 2: Add an MVT Candidate.Enter information in the following sections:

Note

MVT campaigns offer flexible filter options, traffic routing, and parameter protection. Parameter protection means that parameters are added to the candidate URLs produced by the MVT Campaign tool. However, these parameters make the URLs inflexible and static. To make the MVT URLs more flexible, it is possible to add these parameters to a display URL. However, doing so also makes the URL parameters visible to customers. To solve this problem, MVT display URLs can be combined with session, protected, and dynamic protected URLs. This process gives you the advantages of the MVT campaign features and URL protection, with no customer-visible parameters.

To combine display URL with another URL type in the MVT Campaign portal, complete the following:

  1. Create the session, protected, or dynamic protected URL that you want to combine with the MVT display URL.
  2. Add an MVT campaign and MVT candidates.
  3. When adding MVT candidates, copy your session, protected, or dynamic protected URL in the Destination URL field. For more information, see Manage an MVT Campaign.

Tip

Combine MVT Display URL with other URL types in the following use cases:

  • Spontaneous link generation directing customers to the Cleverbridge cart
  • Link generation from your Customer Self-Service area that directs customers to the Cleverbridge cart (where the URL contains the customer’s details before Session URL generation)
  • Redirecting customers from different locations (for example, customers using websites in different languages, different browsers, or different operating systems)
  • Instances in which product variations exist that are not permanent

Create a Protected URL (UURL)

Warning

Do not use protected URLs (UURLs) if you plan on creating a large quantity of URLs (10,000 or more). This can hurt the Cleverbridge platform and slow down your customers' checkout experience. If you plan on creating a large quantity of URLs, you should use session URLs (SURLs) or dynamic protected URLs (dynamic UURLs). For more information, contact Client Experience.

The following information explains how to create and alter protected URLs:

Protect a URL in the Commerce Assistant

In the Link Generator, you can create a protected URL. A protected URL is an orderClosed An agreement between a seller and a buyer to exchange goods and/or services for money. An order can: - contain multiple products and quantities; - have multiple financial transactions. A preorder authorization is considered an order. URL containing a masked component invisible to customers. By using a protected URL, you can control the content of the shopping cart and protect private information, such as product price. To protect a link, complete the following steps:

  1. Click Protect in the action bar of the Link Generator. A window opens displaying the options for protecting the link.

    link gen quick start protect window

  2. Select from the following options:

    To limit the time frame for which the link can be used, select the checkboxes for Valid from and Valid to, and enter dates and times. This setting is based on the date and time settings of your computer.

    Enter the maximum number of orders for which the link is valid. Only submitted orders are counted. When the maximum is reached, the link automatically expires and no more orders are accepted.

    Warning

    If you use this setting for a promotion and the order limit is reached, the link can no longer be used for the promotion.

    Fraud protection ensures that suspicious orders are inspected by the Cleverbridge anti-fraud team. However, only a very small percentage, if any, of the total incoming orders must be inspected. Cleverbridge carries out fraud protection quickly – usually within 20 minutes of an order being placed.

    Warning

    Deactivate fraud protection only if it is important that none of the orders are delayed due to inspection. If you have any questions, contact orderstatus@cleverbridge.com before un-checking this box.

    Select this option if you want to enable purchaseClosed An order made by a customer and the records associated with it. orders without a review.

    Note

    This option is typically used for reliable B2B customers. When this option is selected, customers are no longer required to submit their purchase orders by fax, letter, or PDF to cleverbridge before the product is delivered.

  3. Do one of the following:
    • To display the UURL in the URL field, click Generate.
    • To copy the link to the clipboard, click Copy.
    • To open the link in a browser, click Open.
    • To close the link generator, click Close.

Example of a protected URL:

https://www.shieldwareexamplecompany.com/123/uurl-jdegscwdyz

To generate UURLs, you can use a REST-based API. For more information about the REST API, see the API Reference.

Important

The targetUrl that you send in the API request must be encoded. For more information, see HTML URL Encoding Reference.

Tip

Cleverbridge allows you to add self-defined, additional parameters, called x-parameters, to the session URLs that you generate. X-parameters can be used to mark the origin of orders, track your revenue, or submit your own transaction IDs to cleverbridge. For more information about x-parameters and how to use them effectively, see Revenue Tracking.

Edit a Protected URL

You can use the Edit Protected URL portal to change the settings of a protected URL that has been generated with the Link Generator.

To edit a protected URL, complete the following steps:

  1. Copy the URL you want to change.
  2. In the main menu, click Tools > Edit Protected URL. The Edit Protected URL window displays.
  3. In the Unique URL field, paste the URL.
  4. Click OK. If the URL is valid, the Edit Protected URL portal opens.
  5. Enter information in the following sections:

    You can use the General section to enter these settings for a protected URL:

    Name

    Enter a unique name for the protected URL.

    Destination URL

    The destination URL that the protected URL directs to. This field is automatically populated.

    Active

    Deselect the checkbox to deactivate the URL.

    Valid From and Valid To

    To limit the time frame for which the link can be used, select the checkboxes for Valid from and Valid to, and enter dates and times. This setting is based on the date and time settings of your computer.

    Maximum Quantity

    Enter the maximum number of orders for which the link is valid. Only submitted orders are counted. When the maximum is reached, the link automatically expires and no more orders are accepted.

    Warning

    If you use this setting for a promotion and the order limit is reached, the link can no longer be used for the promotion.

    Activate Fraud Protection

    Fraud protection ensures that suspicious orders are inspected by the Cleverbridge anti-fraud team. However, only a very small percentage, if any, of the total incoming orders must be inspected. Fraud protection is carried out quickly – usually within 20 minutes of an order being placed.

    Warning

    Deactivate fraud protection only if it is important that none of the orders are delayed due to inspection. If you have any questions, contact orderstatus@cleverbridge.com before un-checking this box.

    Allow Purchase Order

    Select to enable a purchase orderClosed A B2B payment option in which software is delivered either immediately without the upfront collection of payment or after prepayment with proforma invoice. without a review.

    Note

    This option is typically used for reliable B2B customers. When this option is selected, customers are no longer required to submit their purchase orders by fax, letter, or PDF to cleverbridge before the product is delivered.

    You can use the Unique URLs section to view the unique URLs pointing to the destination URL and the number of orders that have been submitted for them. You can also add more unique URLs, copy the URLs, and search for related purchases that have been submitted for the URLs.

    Add a Unique URL

    In the action bar, click Add. A new unique URL is added.

    Copy a Unique URL

    1. Select one or more unique URLs.
    2. Click Copy URLs. The URLs are copied to the clipboard.

    Search for Purchases

    1. Select one or more unique URLs.
    2. Click Search Purchases. The Purchases search opens with the relevant orders listed.

  6. Click Save.

Create a Session URL (SURL)

To generate a SURL, you can use the REST API. For more information, see the Generate User Session URL.

Important

The targetUrl that you send in the API request must be encoded. For more information, see HTML URL Encoding Reference.

Tips

  1. Use session URLs to implement a Single Sign-On (SSO). With SSO, Cleverbridge loads your customer's existing billing profile on the checkout page. We also extend the profile with any additional parameter values that you provide in the URL. For more information, see Single Sign-On (SSO).
  2. Use session URLs to pass tracking information through the checkout process via x-parameters. For more information about x-parameters and how to use them effectively, see Revenue Tracking.

Create a Dynamic Protected URL (Dynamic UURL)

Warning

Cleverbridge offers URL protection through the use of a checksum based on your Seed for query protection in the Commerce Assistant. Never disclose the seed to customers or third parties. Do not include the seed itself in applications shipped to customers.

To create a dynamic protected URL, complete the following steps:

  1. In the main menu of the Commerce Assistant, select Setup > Account Setup.
  2. Under General, select the Additional Details tab.
  3. Define the Seed for query protection.

    Example

    67bM8Wo0rC35082QzIl1e435

  4. Click Save.
  5. Create a link that includes the urlident and urlvalidurl parameters. Optionally, you can also include the urlusage parameter. For more information about the parameters, see Dynamic Protected URLs.

    Example

    https://www.cleverbridge.com/864/?scope=checkout&cart=s4014&dp_89858=__PRICE:666:
USD,666:EUR;N&dp_89859=__PRICE:999:USD,999:EUR;N&urlident=specialoffer0142&urlvaliduntil=2018-11-30

  6. Extract the query string of the URL, add the Seed for query protection to the end of the string, and encode the query string using the encodeURIComponent JavaScript function. For more information, see encodeURComponent().

    Example

    scope=checkout&cart=s4014&dp_89858=__PRICE:666:USD,666:EUR;N&dp_89859=__PRICE:999:
USD,999:EUR;N&urlident=specialoffer0142&urlvaliduntil=2018-11-3067bM8Wo0rC35082QzIl1e435

  7. Calculate the MD5 hash using the encoded string and add the MD5 hash to the URL using the queryhash parameter. The URL is now protected and cannot be manipulated by the customer. For more information about the parameters, see Dynamic Protected URLs.

    Example

    https://www.cleverbridge.com/864/?scope=checkout&cart=s4014&dp_89858=__PRICE:666:
USD,666:EUR;N&dp_89859=__PRICE:999:USD,999:EUR;N&urlident=specialoffer0142&urlvaliduntil=2018-11-30
&queryhash=1232759149e4d5e8ecccf3ddffca4112