Transactions and Payments
Controls to enhance and simplify the payments and transactions experience
TX-1: Digital-First Approach
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Design digital transactions to be fully digital from start to finish, unless otherwise stated in legal regulations.
Control Recommendations
Avoid requiring non-digital interactions such as physical signatures, paper-based approvals, or in-person submissions as part of a digital service.
Implement digital signature solutions such as Singpass, and enable common digital payment methods like credit card and Paynow.
Rationale
A transaction that is not fully digital diminishes the convenience of being able to transact anywhere and anytime.
TX-2: Transaction Prerequisites
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Provide all information required to complete the transaction before the start of the transaction.
Control Recommendations
Information to include where applicable:
a) Prerequisites or eligibility criteria
b) Estimated completion time/time range
c) Required documents and accepted file formats
d) Cost and payment modes available
Rationale
Knowing the information and documents required allows end users to assess their readiness and ability to complete the transaction before committing to it.
TX-3: Break Down Long Transactions
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Break long transactions down into logical steps or sections.
Control Recommendations
Group related input fields together to reduce cognitive load and streamline data entry.
Rationale
Makes long or multi-step tasks feel more manageable.
TX-4: Progress Indicators
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Provide progress indicators for multi-step transactions.
Control Recommendations
Use a clear and intuitive design to visually convey the process and progress.
Rationale
Progress indicators can help end users estimate time required for a task, and know their progress within a transaction or flow.
TX-5: Save Draft Function
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Provide a save draft function for long transactions.
Control Recommendations
Ensure the option to save drafts is clearly visible and accessible. Provide clear feedback when a draft has been saved and provide easy access to retrieve and resume the draft.
Rationale
Some transactions have long estimated completion time or many fields. An option to save and continue later provides end users with the flexibility of performing the transaction in chunks, and assurance that input can be retrieved if something goes wrong.
TX-6: Pre-fill Data
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Pre-fill forms with known data where applicable;
Where SingPass/CorpPass is used, provide the option to pre-fill personal or business data with MyInfo and Enterprise Data Hub (EDH).
Control Recommendations
Properly assess accuracy and relevance of any pre-filled data before implementation.
Rationale
Pre-filled data saves end users time and minimises the risk of errors from manual input.
TX-7: Payment and Refund
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Provide payment and refund information before payment is made.
Control Recommendations
Ensure this information is easily accessible on the payment page and before the start of the transaction.
Rationale
Being transparent and upfront about payment related details reassures end users and minimises the unpleasantness of rectifying an error.
TX-8: Managing Stored Payment Details
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Allow updating and removal of stored payment details in all digital services involving payments.
Control Recommendations
Provide clear instructions and confirmation prompts to guide end users through the process to minimise errors.
Rationale
Provides end users with control over sensitive payment information.
TX-9: Success or failure message
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Display a success or failure message at the end of the transaction.
Control Recommendations
Use familiar and unambiguous visual cues, such as clear copy, iconography, and colour(e.g. green for success, red for failure) to enhance immediate recognition.
Rationale
Clear feedback on the outcome of the transaction reassures end users.
TX-10: Failed Transaction Details
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Provide the following details for failed transactions:
- a) Clear reasons for failure or rejection (unless limited by policy considerations)
- b) Alternative actions
- c) Channels for appeals or further enquiries
Control Recommendations
Ensuring explanations are clear and as detailed as possible within policy constraints.
Rationale
Providing specific and actionable information to end users when a transaction fails allows them to quickly understand the reasons, and resolve issues if applicable.
TX-11: Payment details
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Display payment details once payment has been completed.
Control Recommendations
Important payment details include:
i) Acknowledgement code or receipt number (where applicable);
ii) Transaction date;
iii) List of products and/or services transacted (where applicable);
iv) Chosen digital payment mechanism (where applicable);
v) Amount paid
Payment information can be displayed on the success screen and/or sent via other acknowledgement channels. Consider providing the option to download or print the receipt for record-keeping.
Rationale
Transactions involving payment are important to end users. Post transaction acknowledgement serves as a secondary check and can potentially reduce the consequences of errors.
TX-12: Transaction Outcome
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Provide an estimated timeframe for the transaction outcome when it is not immediately available.
Control Recommendations
This information can be provided before the start of the transaction, on the submission success screen, and/or in acknowledgement or receipts.
Rationale
Keeping users informed about when to expect a decision reduces uncertainty and manages user expectations.
TX-13: Post-transaction Acknowledgement
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Send and/or allow download of an acknowledgement after a successful transaction.
Control Recommendations
Send acknowledgement via channels like SMS, email, push notification, or in-app notifications. Ensure that the acknowledgment includes key details about the submission.
Rationale
Allowing the end user to retain a receipt or acknowledgement of the transaction that can be revisited provides reassurance that the submission or transaction has been received.
TX-14: Transaction Status Updates
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Provide notifications when there are updates to transaction status.
Control Recommendations
Notifications can be sent via SMS, email, push notification, or in-app notifications.
Rationale
An active approach of notifying end users when they are updates to their transaction status reduces the need to manually check, and allows for timely follow-ups.
TX-15: Tracking Transaction Status
Group: Transactions and Payments
Control Statement
Enable online tracking of transaction status.
Control Recommendations
Provide clear status labels and descriptions, estimated completion timelines, and any required end user actions.
Rationale
Allowing end users to track their transactions online increases transparency and builds trust. The ability to self-service provides a sense of control, reducing anxiety for users, and reducing reliance and load on customer support.