Sharing a Test Link
The Share Test Link feature lets you generate a secure, temporary URL that gives anyone — a teammate, a client, a QA tester, or a stakeholder — access to a live CartAI checkout experience without needing a CartAI account or API credentials.
It is the fastest way to demo the checkout flow, validate the end-to-end experience with a non-technical audience, or hand off a test environment to someone outside your team.
What is a Test Link?
A Test Link is a pre-authenticated, time-limited URL that opens a CartAI checkout test environment directly in the browser — no login, no API key, no setup required on the recipient's end.
When someone opens the link, they land in a safe, checkout flow powered by CartAI's test environment. They can experience the full checkout journey without accessing admin portal.
Think of it as a shareable preview of your CartAI-powered checkout, ready to send in a Slack message or email in seconds.
Who Should Use This
| Role | Use case |
|---|---|
| Developer | Quickly validate the checkout flow without building a UI |
| Product Manager | Share a live demo with stakeholders or leadership for sign-off |
| QA Tester | Give testers access to the checkout environment without Portal credentials |
| Sales / BD | Demo CartAI's capabilities to a prospective client or partner |
| Client / Agency | Let a client preview the checkout experience before go-live |
Before You Begin
- You must be logged in to the CartAI Portal at portal.cartai.ai.
Do not use real credit card details when testing through a Test Link if your account is not activated for production yet.
Step-by-Step: Generating a Test Link
Step 1 — Navigate to Share Test Link
Log in to the CartAI Portal. In the left-hand navigation sidebar, click Share Test Link.
You will land on the Share Test Link page. At the top you will see the page title and a brief description:
"Generate a secure test link that can be shared with anyone to preview and test the checkout experience."
Step 2 — Generate the link
Click the Generate Shareable Link button.
CartAI will generate a unique, tokenized URL — something like:
https://web.cartai.ai/?token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9...This URL is:
- Secure — encoded with a signed token tied to your account and session.
- Temporary — it will expire automatically. See Security & Expiry.
- Easy to share — no additional setup or credentials required for the recipient.
Step 3 — Copy the link
Once the URL appears, two action icons appear to the right of the URL field:
- Copy icon — click to copy the full URL to your clipboard instantly.
- Open icon — click to open the link in a new browser tab so you can preview it yourself before sharing.
Always preview the link yourself first before sending it to a client or stakeholder. This confirms the checkout experience is working as expected and that the link is active.
Step 4 — Share the link
Paste the copied URL into your preferred channel — email, Slack, Teams, WhatsApp, a Notion doc, or wherever your recipient will see it. No additional context is required for the link to work, but providing a short note helps set expectations. See Sharing the Link for suggested messaging.
Sharing the Link
The Test Link is self-contained — recipients need nothing other than the URL and a browser. That said, giving them a little context improves the experience. Here are a few message templates depending on your audience:
For a teammate or QA tester:
Here's the CartAI test checkout link for your review. Use the test card details below when prompted for payment. The link is temporary so test it today.
https://web.cartai.ai/?token=...Test card:4242 4242 4242 4242· Expiry:12/29· CVV:234
For a client or stakeholder:
I've put together a live preview of the checkout experience we're building for you. No login needed — just click the link below and walk through it. Let me know what you think!
https://web.cartai.ai/?token=...
For a product or design review:
Test link for today's checkout review session. This is the live environment — go ahead and complete a full checkout to see the end-to-end flow. Use test cards only.
https://web.cartai.ai/?token=...
What the Recipient Sees
When a recipient opens the Test Link in their browser, they land directly in CartAI's checkout flow. There is no login screen, no Portal access, and no visibility into your account or API credentials.
The checkout experience they see is the full CartAI-powered checkout flow — the same one your integration will deliver to end users — including:
- User will add the product that they want to checkout
- Add their own shipping address
- Shipping option selection
All steps can use test data. The experience is safe to share with anyone.
Security & Expiry
Test Links are designed to be temporary and scoped. Here is what you need to know about how they are secured:
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Token-based | Each URL contains a signed JWT token tied to your CartAI account and the session it was generated in. The token cannot be forged or reused across accounts. |
| Time-limited | Links expire automatically after a set period. Once expired, the URL will no longer load the checkout experience. |
| No account access | A recipient with the link cannot access your CartAI Portal, API keys, webhooks, or any account data. The link only opens the checkout test environment. |
| Anyone with the link | The link is not restricted to specific email addresses. Anyone who has the URL can open it while it is active — treat it like a shareable preview link, not a private credential. |
If you need to invalidate a Test Link before it naturally expires — for example, if you shared it with the wrong person — generate a new link. Each generation creates a new token. The old URL will still be active until its natural expiry, so avoid sharing links publicly or in open channels.
Important Limitations
- Credits are consumed when someone completes a checkout through a Test Link. Each full checkout run draws from your credit balance. If your balance reaches zero, the checkout flow will not complete. Monitor your Remaining Credits in the Portal header.
- Test cards only — real credit card numbers must never be used if you not turn production mode on your account.
- No customisation per link — the Test Link opens the default CartAI test checkout. You cannot currently pre-load a specific product URL or customer details into a Test Link.
- Link expiry is not configurable — expiry duration is set by CartAI and cannot be extended or shortened from the Portal at this time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I generate multiple Test Links at the same time? Yes. Each time you click Generate Shareable Link, a new unique URL is created. Previous links remain active until they expire.
Does opening the link cost credits? No — simply opening the link does not consume credits. Credits are consumed only when a checkout is completed through the link.
Can the recipient see my API keys or account details? No. The Test Link gives access only to the sandboxed checkout experience. Your API keys, webhook configurations, and account data are completely separate and inaccessible via the link.
What happens when the link expires? The URL will no longer load the checkout environment. The recipient will see an error or an expired session message. Generate a new link if you need to continue testing.
Can I use a Test Link to test a specific product URL? Not directly from the Share Test Link page. The link opens the default CartAI test checkout. For testing a specific product URL end-to-end, use the API directly with a test card and sandbox credentials.