Fortis: Streamline Your Business with Integrated Payment Solutions
Fortis provides integrated commerce solutions for software providers and developers, offering a unified platform for seamless, secure payment scaling.
Overview
Fortis (formerly FortisPay) is a leading provider of integrated commerce technology and payment processing services. Founded with the mission to simplify the complex world of payments, the company has evolved into a comprehensive fintech powerhouse that serves as the "backbone" for thousands of businesses across North America. Fortis specializes in providing the infrastructure necessary for software developers, VARs (Value-Added Resellers), and ISOs (Independent Sales Organizations) to embed payment capabilities directly into their platforms.
The company’s core offering revolves around a unified commerce platform that supports a wide array of payment methods, including credit and debit cards, ACH, and contactless payments. Fortis primarily serves mid-market and enterprise-level organizations in specialized verticals such as healthcare, specialty retail, hospitality, and professional services. Their solutions are designed to handle the nuances of these industries, such as complex insurance co-pays in healthcare or recurring billing in service industries.
Throughout its history, Fortis has grown both organically and through strategic acquisitions, expanding its technical capabilities and market reach. Today, they are recognized for their ability to manage the entire payment lifecycle—from secure transaction processing and automated reconciliation to comprehensive reporting and analytics. Headquartered in Novi, Michigan, Fortis continues to invest heavily in its technology stack to ensure it remains at the forefront of the rapidly evolving integrated payments landscape, focusing on security, scalability, and ease of integration.
Positioning
Fortis positions itself as the "Commerce Champion" for software providers and scaling businesses. Their market strategy is built on the premise that payments should be an integrated part of a business's software ecosystem, rather than a disconnected third-party service. They target the "underserved middle"—businesses that have outgrown basic, flat-rate aggregators but find legacy bank processors too rigid and technically antiquated.
In their messaging, Fortis emphasizes three core pillars:
- Experience-Driven Commerce: They position themselves as experts who understand the specific pain points of various industries, moving the conversation away from transaction rates and toward operational efficiency.
- The Power of Integration: Fortis highlights their ability to turn payment processing into a feature of their partners' software, helping those partners increase their own valuation and customer retention.
- Human-Centric Technology: While they lead with high-end tech, their brand positioning strongly features their support and advisory services, contrasting themselves with the "automated-only" support models of large competitors.
By focusing on white-glove service and deep technical integration, Fortis differentiates itself from commodity processors. They don't just compete on price; they compete on the total value of the commerce experience, positioning their platform as a strategic asset that drives revenue and simplifies back-office operations for their partners and merchants.
Differentiation
The Fortis product suite is engineered for deep integration and flexibility, centered around a proprietary platform that unifies disparate payment channels into a single, cohesive interface. A primary technical advantage is their "Lead with API" philosophy; their developer-friendly architecture allows software providers to embed sophisticated payment capabilities—including credit, debit, ACH, and gift cards—directly into their existing workflows with minimal friction. This reduces technical debt for partners and ensures a consistent user experience.
Key product differentiators include:
- Omnichannel Versatility: Unlike many competitors that struggle to bridge the gap between card-present and card-not-present environments, Fortis provides a truly unified ledger and reporting system for retail, mobile, and e-commerce transactions.
- Advanced Security and Compliance: Fortis integrates robust security features such as point-to-point encryption (P2PE) and tokenization, which offload PCI compliance burdens from the merchant and the software provider.
- ERP and CRM Integration: They offer pre-built connectors and deep integration capabilities for major business systems, allowing for automated reconciliation and reduced manual data entry.
- Customizable Merchant Onboarding: Their platform features streamlined, white-labelable onboarding tools that allow software partners to sign up new users quickly, enhancing the overall value proposition of the partner's software.
By focusing on the intersection of payments and business logic, Fortis products do more than move money; they provide the data and connectivity necessary for businesses to scale efficiently.
Ideal Customer Profile
The ideal Fortis customer is a mid-market to enterprise-level organization ($10M–$500M+ in annual revenue) that operates in the B2B, healthcare, or technology sectors. These companies typically have complex operational workflows and use professional-grade software like ERPs or CRMs to manage their business. They are often moving away from "flat-rate" processors (like Square or PayPal) in search of lower processing costs, better technical support, and deeper data integration. They value a partnership approach where the payment provider acts as an extension of their technical and financial teams.
Best Fit
- Complex B2B Ecosystems: Companies that need to bridge the gap between ERP/accounting software and digital payments while managing complex invoicing.
- Software Developers (ISVs): Platforms looking to embed white-labeled payment processing directly into their software to create a seamless user experience.
- High-Growth Retail and Hospitality: Businesses operating across multiple channels (online, in-store, mobile) that require a single, unified view of their transaction data.
- Regulated Industries: Organizations in healthcare or professional services that require strict adherence to security standards like PCI and HIPAA during the payment lifecycle.
Offerings
- Fortis Platform: The core cloud-based command center for managing transactions, users, and reporting.
- Fortis Go: A mobile commerce solution for businesses that need to accept payments on the move.
- Embedded Payments (ISV): A specialized suite for software developers to integrate, monetize, and scale payment capabilities within their own software products.
- ERP Experience: A set of purpose-built integrations for major accounting and ERP platforms like Sage, Acumatica, and Microsoft Dynamics.
- Virtual Terminal: A browser-based interface for keying in mail-order or telephone-order (MOTO) transactions securely.
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Introduction
Welcome to the Comprehensive Buying Guide for Fortis. In an increasingly fragmented financial landscape, businesses require more than just a way to "swipe a card." They need a holistic commerce solution that integrates deeply with their existing business logic, ERPs, and customer-facing platforms.
Fortis (formerly FortisPay) has positioned itself as a leading provider of integrated commerce technology, specifically targeting B2B, healthcare, and specialty retail sectors. This guide is designed to help IT decision-makers, CFOs, and Product Managers evaluate whether Fortis is the right partner to streamline their payment operations, reduce processing costs, and enhance the overall customer experience. You will learn about the platform's core capabilities, technical requirements, and the strategic advantages of choosing an integrated commerce partner over a traditional merchant bank.
Key Features
- Integrated Commerce Platform: A unified engine that handles credit card, ACH, and digital wallet transactions across all sales channels from a single interface.
- Advanced ERP & CRM Integration: Deep, bi-directional sync with leading enterprise software, ensuring that payment data automatically updates accounting ledgers and customer records.
- Developer-Friendly API & SDKs: Extensive documentation and tools for ISVs to embed payments into their own products, including white-labeling options.
- Secure Vault & Tokenization: Industry-leading security that stores sensitive payment data in a secure vault, allowing for recurring billing and "one-click" checkouts without increasing PCI scope.
- Comprehensive Reporting & Analytics: Real-time dashboards and customizable reports that provide insights into transaction trends, interchange optimization, and reconciliation status.
- Smart Invoicing: Automated electronic invoicing with "Pay Now" links that allow customers to settle balances via a secure web portal.
Use Cases
- Case 1: B2B Wholesale Distribution: A distributor integrates Fortis with their Sage ERP. Sales reps can now take payments in the field via mobile devices, and the accounting department sees invoices automatically marked as "paid" in real-time, eliminating manual data entry.
- Case 2: Healthcare Specialty Practice: A multi-location clinic uses Fortis to manage patient co-pays. By utilizing the HIPAA-compliant vault, they securely store payment methods for recurring therapy sessions, reducing billing overhead and improving cash flow.
- Case 3: SaaS Platform (ISV): A property management software company embeds Fortis into their platform. Landlords can now accept rent payments directly within the app, and the software company generates a new revenue stream through a managed payment partnership.
- Case 4: Omnichannel Retail: A specialty retailer uses Fortis to bridge their Shopify e-commerce store with their physical boutique terminals. Inventory and sales data are unified, providing a 360-degree view of customer behavior.
Pricing Models
Fortis typically utilizes a consultative pricing model tailored to transaction volume and business complexity:
- Interchange-Plus Pricing: Often the preferred model for transparent businesses, where Fortis passes through the raw cost from card networks plus a small, fixed margin.
- Subscription/SaaS Fees: Depending on the level of integration and features (like advanced ERP connectors), there may be a monthly platform fee.
- Hardware Costs: One-time purchase or lease costs for physical EMV terminals and point-of-sale hardware.
- Implementation Fees: For complex enterprise setups or custom API development assistance, professional services fees may apply.
- Key Drivers: Pricing is most heavily influenced by annual processing volume, average transaction size, and the specific software integrations required.
Technical Requirements
- Web Browser: Access to the Fortis platform requires a modern, evergreen browser (Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox).
- Network Connectivity: High-speed internet for cloud-based processing; physical terminals require either Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or LTE connectivity.
- API Compatibility: For custom integrations, systems must support RESTful API calls and JSON data formats.
- ERP Versioning: If using pre-built connectors, ensure your ERP version (e.g., Sage 100, NetSuite) is supported by the current Fortis plugin.
- Operating System: Fortis virtual terminals are OS-agnostic, but local hardware drivers may have specific Windows or macOS requirements.
Business Requirements
To successfully deploy Fortis, organizations should have:
- Defined Payment Workflows: A clear understanding of how money moves through the organization—from initial quote to final reconciliation.
- Technical Liaison: A point of contact (either internal or a trusted partner) who understands the existing tech stack (ERP, CRM, POS) to oversee integration.
- Compliance Awareness: A team familiar with industry-specific regulations (e.g., HIPAA for healthcare) to ensure payment workflows meet legal standards.
- Change Management: Preparedness to train staff on new terminal hardware or virtual office interfaces to ensure high adoption rates.
Implementation Timeline
A typical Fortis implementation follows this schedule:
- Discovery & Scoping (Weeks 1-2): Assessment of current payment volume, technical environment, and specific feature requirements.
- Environment Setup & Configuration (Weeks 2-4): Merchant account underwriting, API key generation, and configuration of the Fortis platform settings.
- Integration & Testing (Weeks 4-8): Technical integration with the ERP or software platform. This includes Sandbox testing to ensure data flows correctly between systems.
- Training & Pilot (Week 9): Staff training on the Fortis interface and a limited pilot launch with select transactions.
- Full Go-Live (Week 10+): Complete transition to the Fortis platform across all channels. Note: Timelines may vary significantly based on the complexity of the ERP integration and the speed of merchant underwriting.
Support Options
- Dedicated Account Management: Enterprise-level clients often receive a dedicated point of contact for strategic planning and escalated issues.
- 24/7 Technical Support: Round-the-clock access to support specialists for urgent processing issues or hardware troubleshooting.
- Developer Support: Specialized technical resources for teams building custom integrations via the Fortis API.
- Knowledge Base: A comprehensive online library of documentation, "how-to" guides, and API references.
- Onboarding Services: Guided implementation to ensure merchant accounts and integrations are configured correctly from day one.
Integration Requirements
Fortis is built with an "API-first" philosophy, offering:
- Robust REST APIs: Comprehensive documentation for custom integrations into proprietary software.
- Pre-built Connectors: Native integrations for popular ERPs (like Sage, NetSuite, and Microsoft Dynamics), accounting software (QuickBooks), and various CRM platforms.
- Webhooks: Real-time notifications for transaction events (approvals, declines, refunds) to keep external databases synced.
- Hardware Integration: Support for a variety of EMV-certified terminals via cloud-based or local connections.
- Data Portability: Tools to assist in the secure migration of tokenized vault data from previous processors.
Security & Compliance
- PCI-DSS Level 1 Certified: The highest level of security certification in the payment industry.
- HIPAA Compliance: Features specifically designed to handle healthcare payments while protecting Patient Health Information (PHI).
- Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE): Ensures that sensitive data is encrypted from the moment of interaction (swipe/dip) until it reaches the secure processing environment.
- Tokenization: Replaces sensitive card data with unique digital identifiers, removing the need for the merchant to store actual credit card numbers.
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Secure access controls for the Fortis administrative dashboard to prevent unauthorized account access.
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