# Test payments before going live

> Put a real or test payment through your store with Admins only mode, check the order end to end, then switch the method Live.

Product: NijeesWeb online store builder · Source: https://www.nijeesweb.com/docs/ecommerce/payments/test-before-going-live · Updated 2026-10-06

Before customers pay you, pay yourself. Every payment method has an **Admins only** status for exactly this: the method appears at checkout **only when you are signed in as an admin**, so you can test on your real store without customers seeing a half-finished setup.

## Two ways to test

- **Test keys + Admins only** — set **Environment** to **Test / sandbox** with the gateway's test keys. Pay with the gateway's test cards or test UPI IDs; no real money moves. At checkout the method shows a small **Test** badge.
- **Live keys + Admins only** — set **Environment** to **Live** with live keys, and pay a small real amount yourself. This proves the live account works; refund yourself afterwards.

## Step by step

1. Go to **Payments**, open the method with **Configure**, and set **Switch it on** to **Admins only**. **Save changes**.
2. Make sure a cheap product is in stock and your own pincode is in **Configuration → Pincodes** (unless you use Shiprocket).
3. Sign in on your store with your **admin** email at `yourdomain/login`.
4. Add the product to the cart and go to checkout. Fill in a delivery address.
5. Choose the method — it is visible to you only — and select **Checkout**.
6. Pay on the gateway's page.
7. Back on your store you should see the order confirmation page.

## Check the result

In the admin panel:

- **Orders** — the order is there, **Confirmed**, with payment status **Paid**.
- **The order screen** — the totals, tax and shipping are what you expect. Generate the **invoice** and check your GSTIN, state and numbering. See [Invoices and labels](https://www.nijeesweb.com/docs/ecommerce/orders/invoices-and-labels).
- **The product** — its stock went down by one.
- **Payments** — the method's row now says *1 paid of 1*.

Then test a failure: start another order and cancel on the gateway's page. You should land on the failure page, and the order should stay **Pending** with payment **Pending**.

## Go live

1. If you tested with test keys, set **Environment** to **Live** and paste the live keys (and the live webhook secret).
2. Set **Switch it on** to **Live** and **Save changes**.
3. Cancel your test orders, and refund any real test payment from the gateway's dashboard.

> [!TIP]
> Keep a method on **Admins only** whenever you change its keys. Customers never see a broken checkout while you check the new keys work.