Specs
Merchant Pack specs
Setup notes and briefing numbers for Merchant Pack.
Merchant reference fields and controls
Merchant-related deposits need clear fields, records, and checks to be managed properly. It can cover settlement references, proof retention, exception handling, and the controls that help finance teams match incoming funds to the right merchant activity. Concrete operating detail matters here.
Set the Merchant Pack around the deposit route actually used: branch cash deposit, card settlement, PayShap, or standard EFT. Record the bank name, account holder, expected value date, and the reference format finance must see on the statement. For South African teams, include the bank cut-off in SAST and note whether weekends or public holidays push matching into the next business day.
Keep the first proof with the pack, not in a phone gallery that nobody can audit later. A usable record is the deposit slip, terminal settlement printout, or bank confirmation saved beside the merchant code and trading date. When an amount differs from the sales report, log the variance reason before month-end closes in on the team.
Records required in the pack
The pack should state each mandatory field, who captures it, and what document supports it. Typical entries include merchant name, store or channel ID, settlement date, gross amount, fees if shown separately, net receipt, and the reference expected on the bank statement. Add a simple exception rule so unmatched money is parked with a reason code instead of drifting through the ledger.
Link Merchant Pack specs to the matching operating note in the internal runbook before extra fields are added. Check the deposit amount, reference string, merchant identifier, and proof image naming convention before handover.
- Merchant code on every proof
- Settlement date captured in SAST
- Exception reason logged for each mismatch
SA banking checks worth specifying
Merchant deposit controls in South Africa need room for bank-specific statement references and varying cut-off behaviour. ABSA, FNB, Nedbank and Standard Bank may present incoming references differently across deposit types, so the pack must note what the reconciler should search for first. Where cash still moves through a branch or cash centre, capture the deposit location, bag identifier if used, and the person who completed the handover.
Load shedding, weak signal at outlying sites, and weekend trading can all delay proof capture even when the money is on its way. Build the pack so the settlement record can be filed first and the supporting image added when connectivity returns. Public holidays in South Africa also shift expected value dates, which should be marked in the reconciliation notes rather than treated as unexplained delays.
Operated by Astros Marketing (Pty) Ltd from 2 Makro Place, Sunnyrock 1401.
Inputs finance needs upfront
Send the merchant list, bank account details, expected reference patterns, and one sample statement line for each deposit rail in use. Add any fee treatment rules, split-settlement arrangements, and the naming convention used for proofs and remittance files.
By close of trade, store the Merchant Pack note with the cash-up sheet, bank slip, and any settlement advice so month-end support sits in one record set. When a bookkeeper queries a variance, those three items usually show whether the issue sits with the reference used, the amount banked, or the date the deposit hit the account.