Glossary

ABA Routing Number

A nine-digit bank code defined by the American Bankers Association (ABA) and used in the United States. The routing number is displayed on the bottom of a check and identifies the financial institution on which the check was drawn.

Account

An individual credit card account that contains a record of financial transactions. The account contains the card account profile, including the current balance, available credit, hierarchy ID, credit limit, and address information.

Accounting Codes

A set of alphanumeric values that can be allocated to transactions in order to track spending.

Addendum

Enhanced transaction detail information provided by a merchant; also referred to as addendum details. Cardholders can view this information (when it is available) by clicking the Addendum icon next to a transaction on the Transaction List screen.

Adding Lines

The process of dividing transaction information into different lines of accounting so that costs are allocated to specific cost centers.

Advanced Query

A type of search that allows the user to specify a complex set of criteria to locate transactions. The search criteria for an advanced query can be saved as a custom query and reused. Also see Custom Query.

Authorization

An approval from a credit card association for a request to receive payment.

Card Verification Code

A three- or four-digit security code that is printed on the back of debit and credit cards. This code helps validate that a genuine card is being used during a transaction, especially in situations like mail orders, telephone orders, or Internet orders where the card is not present. Also called Card Verification Value (CVV) or Card ID (CID).

Chart of Accounts

A predefined accounting system that is compatible with an organization’s particular financial structure and is in agreement with the amount of detail required in its financial statements.

Cost Center

A defined area of business, such as a department, division, or unit of an organization whose managers are responsible for all direct and indirect costs.

Credit Limit

The maximum dollar amount for a card account. Also called Limit.

Custom Field

A field label and corresponding values that are defined for a specific implementation.

Custom Query

A set of advanced search criteria saved by a user for filtering a list of transactions. Custom queries are available only to the user who created them.

Customer Code

An identifier that indicates the industry a supplier is associated with and the specific business the supplier performs.

Cycle

A customized billing structure for a period of time ending on the same date every month or having the same number of days.

Decline Reason

The explanation of why an authorization was declined.

Default Query

The query set by a user to be applied when first visiting the Transaction List screen in PaymentNet.

Dispute

To call into question an incorrect charge on a card account. Disputes can be handled online through PaymentNet or by calling the number on the back of your card.

Expiration Date

The date an account is no longer valid.

Export File

A text file used to extract transaction and credit card data from PaymentNet.

Fraud

Transactions made on a card or an account by a person other than the client or cardholder, who does not have actual, implied, or apparent authority for such use.

History

The list of changes that have been made to the details of a transaction; also known as the audit trail.

Mass Update Request

The act of applying an update or making a change to multiple transactions in PaymentNet.

Merchant

A commercial entity or person that, pursuant to a merchant agreement, is authorized to accept cards when properly presented.

Merchant Category Code (MCC)

A four-digit number assigned to a business by MasterCard or Visa when the business first starts accepting credit cards as a form of payment. The code identifies the type of goods or services provided by the merchant.

Notes

An editable field that can be used to communicate information about a transaction.

Notification

An email message that can be sent to notify a user when certain actions are complete or require attention; for example, completed reports, transactions awaiting review or approval, recurring payments, and bulk updates.  

Post Date

The date a transaction posts to a credit card account.

Purchasing Card

A form of company credit card that allows goods and services to be procured without using a traditional purchasing process; also known as a P-Card program.

Query

A request for specific information from PaymentNet using field labels and values to filter and sort the data relevant to a user’s workflow tasks. An advanced query allows for detailed searches by criteria, hierarchy, and order by fields. Also see Custom Query.

Review

The process of comparing card transactions to internal records of payments and receipts, including resolving discrepancies and validating or allocating transactions to the appropriate accounting codes.

Security Code

A security feature instituted to reduce the incidence of credit card fraud for "card not present" payment card transactions; also known as a card verification value (CVV).

Statement

A chronological summary of all the transactions associated with an account during a stated period and their effects on the account.

Transaction

A purchase, cash advance, fees, charges, or other activity charged to an account.

Transaction Date

The date a transaction posts to a credit card account.

Transaction Flag

An icon that reflects functionality used to track and monitor cardholder transactions by ensuring that they adhere to an organization’s card policy. It is used on the Transaction List screen to identify transactions that are split by the merchant, exceed certain spending thresholds, or are completed at questionable merchants or types of merchants.

Transaction ID

The unique identifier assigned to a transaction.

User Access Role

A three-part structure defined by role, hierarchy ID, and scope of view that designates a user’s ability to perform specific functions with respect to their job.