Accept PayPal payments in myShop¶
What changed
myblueboard no longer asks you for a PayPal Client ID or Secret Key. If you previously followed instructions to create an app in the PayPal Developer Dashboard, you can disregard them — that step is gone. Connecting your account is now a guided process that takes a couple of minutes.
Before you start¶
You'll need:
- A PayPal Business account. A personal PayPal account won't work. If you don't have one, you can create it during the connection process.
- Admin Access or Financials Access in myblueboard. If you don't see the settings described below, ask a Full Director to grant you access.
You will not need a PayPal Developer account, an API key, a Client ID, or a Secret Key. myblueboard connects to your PayPal account as an approved PayPal partner, so your PayPal credentials are never entered into or stored by myblueboard.
Connect your PayPal account¶
- In myblueboard, go to Settings → Financials.
- Under Payment processors, the PayPal box shows the current status. If it reads Not connected, select Connect PayPal.
- Review the summary of what connecting allows, then select Connect PayPal Account to continue to PayPal.
- Sign in to your PayPal account — or create a PayPal Business account if you don't have one.
- Grant permission to connect your PayPal account to myblueboard.
- Complete any validation or verification steps PayPal asks for. These vary by organization and are set by PayPal, not myblueboard.
- PayPal redirects you back to myblueboard automatically. That's it.
Once the connection succeeds, you'll receive a confirmation email letting you know your PayPal account has been onboarded and verified. PayPal is switched on for every payment type that didn't already have a processor — see Which processor handles which payment.
Understanding your connection status¶
The PayPal box under Settings → Financials → Payment processors always shows one of three states.
Not connected¶
No PayPal account is linked yet. Select Connect PayPal to begin.
Connected — verification needed¶
Your account is linked, but PayPal still needs something from you — commonly a confirmed email address, or business details PayPal requires before releasing funds. Select Check verification status to see what's outstanding and to re-check after you've completed it on PayPal's side.
This state is normal right after connecting. It usually resolves once you confirm your email with PayPal.
Connected¶
Everything is verified and PayPal can be chosen for online fees and myShop orders. A Disconnect button appears here if you ever need to unlink the account.
What connecting enables¶
Once connected, myShop can accept:
- Credit and debit cards — purchasers can pay by card without signing in to PayPal, or even having a PayPal account
- Standard PayPal payments — purchasers sign in to PayPal and choose their payment method, including Venmo
PayPal handles online payments only: fees paid from a statement and orders in your public myShop store. In-person sales through POS View take cards through Stripe — see Payment processors.
Covering PayPal's fees¶
Under Settings → Financials → PayPal fees you can set a percentage and a fixed amount that families are charged on top, to cover PayPal's processing fee — one pair for fees, one for myShop. Leave them blank to absorb the fee yourself. The Statement descriptor there is the short text shown beside the charge on a family's bank statement.
Frequently asked questions¶
Do I need to give myblueboard my PayPal password or API keys?¶
No. myblueboard connects as an approved PayPal partner. You sign in on PayPal's own site and grant permission there. myblueboard stores only your PayPal merchant ID — never your password, Client Secret, or API credentials.
I already set up PayPal using a Client ID and Secret. Do I need to redo it?¶
Check Settings → Financials. If the PayPal box reads Connected, you're set and nothing is required. If it reads Not connected, follow the connection steps above — the older credential fields are no longer used.
Can I use a personal PayPal account?¶
No. PayPal requires a Business account to accept payments on behalf of an organization. You can create one during the connection process.
What happens to money from myShop sales?¶
Funds go to your organization's connected PayPal account. myblueboard's commission is handled automatically as part of each transaction.
Can I disconnect later?¶
Yes. Select Disconnect in the PayPal box under Settings → Financials. Every payment type that used PayPal switches to None until a processor is connected again, so avoid doing this mid-sale.
Something went wrong during connection.¶
Return to Settings → Financials and check the status. If it shows Connected — verification needed, select Check verification status. If it still shows Not connected, try the connection process again — an interrupted or abandoned PayPal session is the most common cause. If it keeps failing, contact myblueboard support.