Sandbox & Test Mode
Audit1 has a sandbox you can use to try things out — upload payroll files, create policies, test an integration — without touching real data or moving real money. Everything you do in sandbox is kept separate from your live account, and nothing in sandbox can ever trigger a real bank charge.
There are two ways to work in sandbox, depending on how you use Audit1:
| You are… | Use |
|---|---|
| Working in the web portal (admin, carrier, provider, employer) | The Test Mode toggle in the top bar |
| Building an integration against the API | Sandbox API keys |
Both point at the same system — sandbox is simply a separate, safe environment inside it.
Test Mode in the portal #
Every portal has a Live / Sandbox switch in the top navigation bar, next to the notifications bell.
- Live (the default for every account) — you're working with real customers, real policies, and real money. Submitting a payroll file here can trigger a real ACH charge.
- Sandbox — a safe test space. Data you create is kept separate, and files you upload here can never move real money.
Flip the switch to change modes. Switching into Live asks you to confirm first, because that's where real charges can happen.
Warning
Always check which mode you're in before submitting a payroll file. In Live mode, a submitted file can start a real ACH debit. If you're just testing, switch to Sandbox first.
What sandbox protects you from #
| Live | Sandbox | |
|---|---|---|
| Data | Your real business data | Isolated test data, kept separate |
| Money / ACH | Real charges can be initiated | Never — sandbox files can't trigger a real debit |
| Reversible | Real records | Throwaway — nothing persists to your live account |
Sandbox is safe by design, not just by convention: a file uploaded in sandbox is tagged as test data, and Audit1's payment engine refuses to send any charge that originates from a sandbox file.
Sandbox for the API #
If you're integrating with the Audit1 API, your API key prefix decides the environment automatically — you don't pass a separate flag.
| Environment | Client key prefix | Secret key prefix |
|---|---|---|
| Sandbox | audit1_test_cli_ |
audit1_test_sec_ |
| Production | audit1_live_cli_ |
audit1_live_sec_ |
Sandbox and production use the same base URL — the key you send determines which environment you hit. Use audit1_test_* keys while you build and test; switch to audit1_live_* only when you're ready for real data. See Authentication for full details on keys and environments.
Switching back to Live #
In the portal, flip the top-bar switch back to Live (you'll be asked to confirm). For the API, use your audit1_live_* keys.
Good to know
Every account starts in Live by default — sandbox is something you opt into when you want to test. Turning on sandbox is safe and reversible; you can switch back at any time.