How to Connect CDK Global to Your Payment Terminal

CDK Global is the 800-pound gorilla of dealer management systems. If you're running CDK Drive (formerly CDK Dealer Management), you're in good company — thousands of dealerships rely on it daily.

But connecting CDK to your payment processing? That's where things get interesting.

CDK has historically been protective of their ecosystem. For years, integrating third-party payment processors meant either using CDK's own payment solutions or dealing with limited, clunky connections. The Fortellis marketplace changed that — somewhat — but the integration landscape is still more complex than it should be.

This guide covers what's actually possible with CDK payment integration today, how to evaluate your options, and how to implement without the usual headaches.

CDK Payment Integration Options

Option 1: CDK Global Payments

CDK offers their own payment processing solution, fully integrated with CDK Drive.

Pros:

• Tightest possible integration (same company)
• Single vendor relationship
• Support is streamlined

Cons:

• Historically less competitive rates (captive market)
• Less flexibility to switch
• Vendor lock-in increases over time

When it makes sense: If you prioritize simplicity over cost optimization and don't want to manage multiple vendor relationships.

Option 2: Fortellis Marketplace Partners

CDK's Fortellis platform opened up integrations to third-party providers. Several payment processors now offer Fortellis-certified integrations.

Pros:

• Can shop for competitive rates
• Real integration (not just "compatible")
• CDK-sanctioned approach

Cons:

• Integration depth varies by partner
• May require Fortellis subscription fees
• Some integrations are better maintained than others

When it makes sense: If you want competitive processing rates with legitimate integration.

Option 3: Legacy/Direct Integrations

Some processors built direct integrations with CDK before Fortellis existed. These vary widely in quality.

Pros:

• May already be in place
• Some are quite robust

Cons:

• Often outdated
• May break with CDK updates
• Support can be unclear (who's responsible?)

When it makes sense: If you have a working legacy integration and switching cost is high.

What "Integration" Actually Means with CDK

Not all CDK integrations are equal. Here's what to verify:

Level 1: Basic Posting

• Payment amount posts to CDK
• Requires manual entry of payment details
• Better than nothing, but barely

Level 2: Automatic Posting

• Payment processes on terminal
• Amount, date, and approval code post automatically
• Still may lack card type, last four digits

Level 3: Full Integration

• All transaction data flows automatically
• Card type, last four, full authorization details
• Refunds sync back to CDK
• Real-time, not batch

Level 4: Embedded Experience

• Payment processed from within CDK interface
• No switching between applications
• Seamless for staff

Aim for Level 3 or 4. Anything less means you're still doing manual work somewhere.

Fortellis Integration: What to Know

How Fortellis Works

Fortellis is CDK's API marketplace. Third-party apps connect to CDK through standardized APIs, with CDK acting as gatekeeper.

To integrate via Fortellis:

1. Your payment processor must be a Fortellis partner
2. You subscribe to the integration through Fortellis
3. Connection is established between processor and CDK
4. Data flows according to the integration's capabilities

Fortellis Fees

CDK charges for Fortellis access. This can include:

• Monthly subscription fees
• Per-transaction fees
• Setup fees

Ask your processor who covers these costs — sometimes they're bundled, sometimes they're passed to you.

Fortellis Limitations

Not everything is possible through Fortellis. Some dealers report:

• Certain data fields don't sync
• Real-time posting is actually delayed
• Refund handling is incomplete

Always test the specific integration you're considering, with your specific use cases.

Implementation Steps

Step 1: Assess Current State

Document what you have today:

• Current payment processor
• Current integration level (if any)
• Pain points and manual workarounds
• Volume by department

Step 2: Evaluate Options

Contact potential processors and ask:

• Are you a Fortellis-certified partner?
• What data fields sync with CDK?
• Is posting real-time or batch?
• How are refunds handled?
• Who covers Fortellis fees?

Get references from dealerships of similar size running CDK.

Step 3: Plan the Transition

• Choose a low-volume period for cutover
• Plan parallel operation if possible
• Schedule staff training before go-live
• Have rollback plan if issues arise

Step 4: Configure and Test

• Work with processor to establish Fortellis connection
• Configure terminal settings
• Test transactions in each department
• Verify data appears correctly in CDK
• Test refund workflow

Step 5: Go Live and Monitor

• Switch to new system
• Monitor closely for first two weeks
• Verify reconciliation daily
• Address any issues immediately
• Gather staff feedback

Common CDK Integration Issues

"Payment posts but card type is wrong"

Cause: Integration isn't passing card type data correctly, or CDK isn't mapping it.

Fix: Work with processor to verify card type transmission. May require Fortellis configuration adjustment.

"Refunds don't appear in CDK"

Cause: Refund sync not enabled or not working.

Fix: Verify refund handling is part of the integration. Test refund workflow explicitly.

"There's a delay before payments show up"

Cause: Integration is batch-based, not real-time.

Fix: Confirm with processor that real-time posting is enabled. Some integrations default to batch.

"Integration broke after CDK update"

Cause: CDK system updates can affect Fortellis integrations.

Fix: Contact processor immediately. Fortellis partners should maintain compatibility with CDK updates.

Making the Decision

Choose CDK Global Payments if:

• Simplicity is your top priority
• You're not price-sensitive on processing rates
• You want single-vendor accountability

Choose a Fortellis Partner if:

• You want competitive processing rates
• You need features CDK Payments doesn't offer (like surcharging)
• You're comfortable managing the integration relationship

Evaluate carefully if:

• Your current integration "works" but has limitations
• You're considering a non-Fortellis integration
• You're unsure what integration level you actually have

What We See at Anchorbase

Most dealerships running CDK come to us with one of two situations:

1. Using CDK Payments but unhappy with rates. They want to switch but fear losing integration quality.

2. Using a third-party processor with poor integration. They're doing manual entry and want real automation.

In both cases, the answer is the same: a properly implemented Fortellis integration gives you competitive rates AND real integration. You don't have to choose.

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