Dealertrack Payment Integration: Setup, Costs, and Common Issues

Dealertrack, part of the Cox Automotive family, powers thousands of dealerships across North America. If you're running Dealertrack DMS, you're using a modern, capable system with solid integration potential.

The good news: Dealertrack has been relatively open to third-party integrations compared to some competitors. The challenge: navigating the Cox Automotive ecosystem and understanding what "integration" actually means for your specific setup.

This guide covers Dealertrack payment integration options, implementation considerations, and how to avoid common pitfalls.

The Cox Automotive Ecosystem

Understanding the Landscape

Cox Automotive owns Dealertrack along with numerous other automotive technology companies. This creates both opportunities and complexity:

Opportunities:

• Multiple Cox products may integrate well together
• Unified data across Cox solutions
• Single vendor for multiple needs

Complexity:

• Many products, many salespeople
• Not all Cox products integrate perfectly
• Easy to end up with overlapping solutions

Dealertrack Payment Options

Within the Cox ecosystem, you have options for payment processing. Cox Automotive has payment solutions that integrate natively with Dealertrack.

Cox/Dealertrack Payment Solutions:

• Tight integration (same company)
• Bundled with other Cox products
• May or may not be most competitive on rates

Third-Party Integration

Dealertrack's Openness

Compared to Reynolds, Dealertrack has been more welcoming to third-party integrations. Many payment processors have built connections to Dealertrack.

What this means for you:

• More options to choose from
• Competitive pressure on rates
• Varying integration quality

Evaluating Third-Party Processors

Not all Dealertrack integrations are equal. Ask:

• How long have you had Dealertrack integration?
• How many dealerships use it?
• What specifically syncs? (Amount? Card type? Refunds?)
• What's the update process when Dealertrack changes?
• Can I speak with references?

Integration Levels with Dealertrack

Basic: Amount Posting Only

The minimum viable integration:

• Payment processes on terminal
• Dollar amount posts to Dealertrack
• Everything else is manual

Verdict: Barely better than no integration.

Standard: Transaction Details

A reasonable integration:

• Amount, date, approval code post automatically
• Card type may or may not sync
• Refunds require manual adjustment

Verdict: Reduces work but not seamless.

Full: Complete Automation

What you should expect from a modern integration:

• All transaction data flows automatically
• Card type, last four digits captured
• Refunds sync back in real-time
• No manual data entry required

Verdict: This is the goal.

Implementation Guide

Step 1: Document Current State

Before changing anything:

• What's your current payment setup?
• What manual work happens today?
• What's your transaction volume by department?
• What pain points exist?

Step 2: Research Options

Identify potential processors:

• Ask Dealertrack for partner recommendations
• Ask other Dealertrack dealerships what they use
• Contact processors directly about integration

Step 3: Deep-Dive on Integration

For each serious candidate:

• Get detailed integration documentation
• Ask for a demo with Dealertrack
• Speak with reference dealerships
• Understand exactly what syncs and what doesn't

Step 4: Plan Transition

• Schedule implementation during slower period
• Plan for 2-4 weeks of transition
• Arrange staff training
• Prepare rollback plan

Step 5: Test Thoroughly

Before full go-live:

• Process test transactions in each department
• Verify data appears correctly in Dealertrack
• Test refund workflow
• Test edge cases (split payments, voids)

Step 6: Go Live and Monitor

• Cut over to new system
• Monitor daily for first two weeks
• Verify reconciliation
• Gather and address feedback

Common Dealertrack Integration Issues

Issue: "Payments post to wrong RO"

Cause: Integration isn't correctly associating payment with repair order.

Fix: Verify RO number is being passed in transaction. May require configuration adjustment.

Issue: "Card type shows as generic 'credit card'"

Cause: Card brand data not flowing through integration.

Fix: Work with processor to enable card type transmission. May require integration update.

Issue: "Batch settles but Dealertrack totals don't match"

Cause: Timing or sync issues between terminal batch and Dealertrack posting.

Fix: Verify real-time sync is enabled. Check for transactions that failed to post.

Issue: "Integration stopped working"

Cause: Usually a system update on either side broke the connection.

Fix: Contact processor first. They should have monitoring and can diagnose quickly.

Dealertrack-Specific Considerations

Multi-Location Setups

Cox Automotive handles multi-rooftop dealerships well. For payments:

• Each location can have its own merchant account
• Reporting can be consolidated or separate
• Integration should work consistently across locations

Dealertrack DMS vs. Dealertrack F&I

Make sure your integration covers all the Dealertrack products you use:

• DMS integration for service and parts
• F&I integration for deal payments and deposits

These may be separate integration points.

Updates and Maintenance

Dealertrack updates their systems regularly. Ensure your processor:

• Monitors for Dealertrack updates
• Tests integrations proactively
• Communicates about any required changes

Comparing Your Options

Cox/Dealertrack Native Payments

Pros: Tightest integration, single vendor Cons: May not be most competitive, vendor lock-in Best for: Dealerships prioritizing simplicity

Third-Party Integrated Processor

Pros: Competitive rates, flexibility, features like surcharging Cons: Integration varies, two vendors to manage Best for: Dealerships optimizing cost and capabilities

No/Poor Integration

Pros: None Cons: Manual work, errors, wasted time Best for: No one (fix this immediately)

What We See

Dealerships on Dealertrack generally have more integration options than those on Reynolds, but fewer than CDK with Fortellis. The key is finding a processor who has invested in maintaining a quality Dealertrack integration.

Red flags:

• Processor can't demo with Dealertrack
• No Dealertrack references available
• Vague answers about what data syncs

Green flags:

• Dedicated Dealertrack integration team
• Regular updates and maintenance
• Specific, detailed answers about data flow

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