Resources
Photo Protocol
A photo protocol for deposit slips, ATM receipts, and branch proofs that need to stand up in reconciliation.
How Photo Protocol works in practice each week
The Photo Protocol page covers how to photograph deposit slips, ATM receipts, and branch proofs so they can still be used during reconciliation. Keep the full slip in frame, make the reference legible, and avoid cropped images that hide the date or amount.
Start with the document type and the light in the room. A branch deposit slip needs the full page, while an ATM receipt must show the time stamp, terminal details, and the printed amount without glare. On South African slips, faded thermal print and blue branch stamps often disappear in poor photos, so angle and distance matter more than phone model.
Photograph the first proof before it is folded into a cash-up file or clipped to other papers. One clean image, taken immediately, prevents later arguments over whether the date, reference, or account number was visible on the original. Keep that image stored beside the remittance record so finance can trace the same deposit from handover to bank entry.
Full-frame slip photo standard
Use one photo routine for each proof type so the filing stays consistent. Deposit slips need the full page, ATM receipts need the terminal details, and branch proofs need the stamped section visible. Good images reduce guesswork when someone matches date, amount, and reference later.
Use Photo Protocol with your filing routine, not as a separate admin step. Before papers leave the branch counter or ATM area, check that the image shows the whole proof, the deposit reference, and any machine or branch identifier needed later. Writing in?
- Whole document visible in one frame
- Reference, date, and amount kept readable
- Sample image checked for glare and blur
Receipt conditions at South African branches
Photo quality changes between a mall branch queue, a forecourt ATM, and a back-office cash desk in Johannesburg or Durban. Thermal receipts fade fast in heat, while stamped deposit slips from Cape Town winter mornings can pick up shadows and moisture marks that hide branch details. Take the image before the paper goes into a pocket, money bag, or glove compartment.
Load shedding and dim counters can make auto-flash wash out printed text, especially on glossy ATM slips. Coastal humidity can curl thin receipts, and folded corners often cover the exact reference finance needs for matching. A quick check on screen is part of the protocol, because unreadable proof is often discovered only at month-end.
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Weekly checks for deposit images
Photo protocol for deposit slips and ATM or branch receipts: capture the full page, readable time stamp, and any terminal or branch details needed for matching.
Review a few recent photos each week against the bank proof and the cash-up pack. Look for missing edges, soft focus on the reference line, and branch stamps that vanish in dark images. Small corrections to distance, lighting, or background usually fix the pattern before the filing stack grows.