Payment Options for Commercial Customers

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2 Payment Options for Commercial Customers Choice is good especially when it comes to how you receive and pay your bills. That s why Con Edison offers you billing and payment options that are fast, convenient, secure, and help you better manage energy costs while protecting the environment. We also work hard to continually improve upon the choices that we provide you with. This is why we are pleased to announce that Con Edison can now accept electronic payments from commercial customers in two Automated Clearing House (ACH) formats: 1. Corporate Trade Exchange (CTX) 2. Cash Concentration and Disbursement plus Addendum (CCD+) Our commercial customers have consistently indicated that the CTX and CCD+ payment methods are highly preferred over payments made via paper check and other methods. Paying electronically improves cash flow management, as well as processing efficiency and accuracy. It also reduces costs. And, both originators and receivers benefit from improved transfer reliability and processing speed, as the number of manual processes necessary to transfer funds is greatly reduced thus leading to fewer inaccuracies. ACH also reduces the time between when a payment is processed and when the funds clear. In fact, ACH payments reliably clear on a next-day basis. For these reasons, we encourage all of our commercial customers who are capable of doing so to take advantage of ACH payments. Not familiar with ACH? Here s what you need to know The Automated Clearing House network is used by participating financial institutions in the United States to process debit and credit transactions. The National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA) and the Federal Reserve determine the rules and regulations that govern the network, which makes the system extremely reliable. Because of their reliability and cost benefits, the number and value of CTX and CCD+ payments that are processed each year have been on an upward climb since these methods first became available. In 2012 alone, $36.9 trillion dollars moved through the ACH transaction network. This represented an 8.8% increase as compared to

3 CTX and CCD+ transactions are not new ACH options, but they are new to Con Edison. And, we re pleased to be able to offer them as options to our commercial customers. We do not charge a fee for accepting ACH payments. And, while transaction software and network costs do apply, these are typically offset by a savings in manual payment-processing costs. Choosing the format that s right for you Corporate Trade Exchange, or CTX, payments are typically favored by corporations and government agencies that have multiple Con Edison accounts. CTX allows these customers to send one payment that can be applied to many different billing statements or accounts. In order for the payment to be processed correctly, the CTX addenda record must adhere to ANSI ASC X12 message or UN/EDIFACT standards and contain detailed filing and remittance information. More on this can be found on page XX of this booklet. Cash Concentration and Disbursement Plus, or CCD+, payments are typically used to pay a single invoice on one account. CCD+ allows for one addendum record that is limited to 80 characters of remittance information. Enrollment in the ACH network In order to make payments via CTX or CCD+, you must first be enrolled in the Automated Clearing House network. If you are not already enrolled, please contact your financial institution or the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA). 3

4 ACH remittance requirements NACHA Operating Rules stipulate the type of data that may be exchanged via ACH, and the formatting requirements for a payment s addenda records. In order to successfully process your payments, Con Edison also has a few stipulations. Account number Payments made via CTX or CCD+ require no manual processing, provided that your 15-digit Con Edison account number is included in the remittance detail (see bill image at right for location of account number). This information should be input in the REF02 field. It is very important that you include your account number in the proper field of the remittance detail. Failure to do so will require that we process your payment manually. This will lead to delays in posting the payment to your account, and may result in late payment fees and termination-of-service notices being issued. CTX payments with RMR detail One of the reasons that CTX payments are so convenient is that they allow customers to consolidate multiple payments into a single 4

5 transaction even if the payments are for several different accounts. But, if the remittance data is formatted improperly, it becomes much less convenient for both the payment s originator and receiver. All CTX payments submitted to Con Edison must be in an ANSI ASC X or UN/EDIFACT format. UN/EDIFACT The EDI format is made up of segments, each of which contains specific data elements. In order to process CTX payments, we require the following data elements: Header Segment ST Transaction Set Header BPR Beginning Segment for Payment Order/Remittance Advice TRN Trace REF Reference Identification N1 Name Detail Segment ENT Transaction Set Header RMR Beginning Segment for Payment Order/Remittance Advice Summary Segment SE Transaction Set Header 5

6 There are several potential inputs for each of the data elements that we require. They are: Numeric (Nn): N = numeric, n = decimal place Decimal (R): R = required decimal for decimal values (do not include fractions or negative values) Identifier (ID) String (AN): A series of alpha/numeric characters, such as a company name Date (DT): Date expressed as CCYYMMDD Time (TM) ANSI ASC X Like the EDI format, ANSI ASC X is made up of segments, and specific data must be input in each segment: Header Segment Transaction Set Header (ST): used to indicate the start of a transaction set and assign a control number; maximum length is 17 characters; format = ST*ST01*ST02; example = ST*820*

7 SEG Data Element Name ST Transaction Set Identifier Code ST Transaction Set Control Min/Max Characters Required Type Contents 3/3 Mandatory ID Identifier describes the payment order/remittance advice 4/9 Mandatory AN - String Customer message control number (where does this # come from??) In Example A the # is Beginning Segment for payment order/remittance advice (BPR): used to indicate the beginning of a Payment Order/Remittance Advice Transaction Set and total payment amount, or to initiate a transfer of funds and/or information from payer to payee; maximum length is 245 characters; format = BPR*BPR01*BPR02*BPR03*BPR04*BPR05*BPR06*BPR07*BPR08*BPR09*BPR10**BPR12*BPR13*BPR14 *BPR15*BPR16; example = BPR*C* *C*ACH*CTX*01* *DA* * **01* *DA* * \ 7

8 SEG Data Element Name BPR Transaction Handling Code BPR Monetary Amount BPR Credit/Debit Flag Code BPR Payment Method Code BPR Payment Format Code BPR DFI ID Qualifier BPR DFI ID BPR Account Qualifier Code BPR Bank Account 509 Originating Company ID Min/Max Characters Required Type Contents 1/1 Mandatory ID C = Payment accompanies Identifier remittance advice 1/18 Mandatory R Decimal Total payment amount for all items 1/1 Mandatory ID C = Credit, D = Debit Identifier 3/3 Mandatory ID Instruction to the origin bank Identifier on the method of payment ACH = Automated Clearing 1/10 Mandatory ID Identifier 2/2 Mandatory ID Identifier 8 House CTX = Corporate Trade Exchange CCP = (CCD+) Cash Concentration and Disbursement plus Addendum 01 = ABA Transit Routing 3/12 Mandatory AN - String Depository Financial Institution (DFI) ID # 1/3 Mandatory ID Type of Account DA = Identifier Demand Deposit 1/35 Mandatory AN - String Bank Account # of Company originating payment BPR /10 Mandatory AN - String Unique identifier designating the company initiating funds transfer instructions. BPR Originating 9/9 Optional AN - String Not used by Consolidated

9 1 Company Code BPR DFI ID 2 Qualifier BPR DFI ID 3 BPR01 4 BPR01 5 BPR Account Qualifier Code 508 Account 373 Payment Effective Date 2/2 Mandatory ID Identifier Edison 01 = ABA Transit Routing 3/12 Mandatory AN - String Depository Financial Institution (DFI) ID # 1/3 Mandatory ID Type of Account DA = Identifier Demand Deposit 1/35 Mandatory AN - String Consolidated Edison s Bank Account # at BNY Mellon- CONTACT X@coned.com to obtain the Con Edison BNY Mellon bank account # 8/8 Mandatory DT - Date Date expressed as CCYYMMDD Trace (TRN): used to identify the payment and to uniquely identify a transaction to an application; format = TRN*TRN01*TRN02; example = TRN*1* \ 9

10 SEG Data Element Name TRN Trace Type Code TRN Reference Min/Max Characters Required Type Contents 1/2 Mandatory ID 1 = Current Transaction Trace Identifier s 1/10 Mandatory AN - Customer Trace # (no spaces String or punctuation)- Customer Check Provides a unique identification for the transaction Reference Identification (REF): used to specify identifying information; maximum length is 120 characters; format = REF*REF01*REF02; example = REF*TN* \ SEG Data Element Name REF REF ID Qualifier REF Reference ID Min/Max Characters Required Type Contents 2/3 Mandatory ID TN = Trace / Check Identifier 1/10 Mandatory AN - Customer Trace (no String spaces or punctuation) Customer Check Provides a unique identification for the transaction Name (N1): used to identify a party by name, type of organization and code; maximum length is 159 characters; format = N1*N101*N102; example = N1*PE*CON ED (FDR STATION)\ 10

11 SEG Data Min/Max Name Element Characters Required Type Contents N Entity Identifier Code 2/3 Mandatory ID Identifier PE = Payee PR = Payer N Name 1/60 Mandatory AN - String Free Form Name Detail Segment Transaction Set Header (ENT): used to designate the entities that are party to a transaction and to specify a reference meaningful to those entities; maximum length is 222 characters; format = ENT*ENT01; example = ENT*1*\ SEG Data Element Name ENT Assigned Min/Max Characters Required Type Contents 1/6 Mandatory N- 1 a single entity is Numeric communicating with a single entity Beginning Segment for payment order/remittance advice (RMR): used to specify the accounts receivable open item(s) to be included in the cash application (an RMR string must be included for each statement for which the customer intends to pay); maximum length is 121 characters; format = RMR*RMR01*RMR02*RMR03*RMR04*RMR05; example = RMR*IV* *PO* * \ 11

12 SEG Data Element Name RMR Reference Identification Qualifier RMR Reference ID 1/30 Mandatory AN - String Min/Max Characters Required Type Contents 2/3 Mandatory ID IV Identifier Customer account as shown on the customer s billing statement Summary Segment Transaction Set Header (SE): used to indicate the end of the transaction set and to provide a count of the transmitted segments, including the beginning (ST) and ending (SE) segments; maximum length is 24 characters; format = SE*SE01*SE02; example = SE*10* SEG Data Element Name SE01 96 of included segments SE Transaction Set Control Min/Max Characters Required Type Contents 1/10 Mandatory N - Total number of segments Numeric included in a transaction set including SE segments 4/9 Mandatory AN - Transaction Set Control String must be identical to the Transaction Set Control in the ST Segment 12

13 Please also provide the following required X addenda fields: HEADER AREA Segment Contents Element Descriptions ST*820* \ Transaction Set ID: 820 Transaction Set Control : BPR*C* *C*ACH*CTX*01* *DA* * **01* *DA* * \ Transaction Handling Code: C Monetary Amount: $8, Credit/Debit Flag: C Payment Method Code: ACH Payment Format: CTX The following is Buyer information: (DFI) ID Qualifier: 01 (DFI) ID : Account Qualifier Code: DA Account : Originating Company ID: Originating Company Supplemental Code: N/A The following is Seller Information: (DFI) ID Qualifier: 01 (DFI) ID : Account Qualifier Code: DA Account : Effective Entry Date: TRN*1* \ Trace Type: 1 Reference /Check :

14 REF*TN* \ This segment is NOT REQUIRED. This segment duplicates the transaction reference information in the TRN segment above.. Reference Identification Qualifier: TN Reference Identification/Check : N1*PE*CON ED (FDR STATION)\ N1*PR*GRISEL GARDEN SHOPPE Entity Identifier Code: PE Name: CON ED (FDR STATION) Entity Identifier Code: PR Name: TEST PAYER GRISEL GARDEN SHOPPE in the example DETAIL AREA Segment Contents Element Descriptions ENT*1*\ Assigned : 1 RMR*IV* *PO* * \ RMR*IV* *PO* * Reference Qualifier: IV Reference : Payment Action: PO (optional) Monetary Amount: $3, without the $ or comma Invoice Amount: $3, without the $ or comma Reference Qualifier: IV Reference : Payment Action: PO (optional) Monetary Amount: $5, without the $ or comma Invoice Amount: $ without the $ or comma 14

15 SUMMARY AREA Segment Contents Element Descriptions SE*10* of Segments: 10 Transaction Set Control : Example: In this example, a customer provided all the required fields detailed on the previous pages in order to process a consolidated transaction for two separate statements. The first statement is shown on the following page. The account number is , and the balance due is $3, The second statement is not shown. But, let s assume that it has an account number of , and that $5, is due. A total of $8, is made for the two accounts. Each account number requires its own RMR*IV #. Please exclude all punctuation (dashes, commas, etc.). 15

16 Consolidated Edison Statement #1 RMR #1 Account (RMR02) Payment Amount $3, (RMR04) Consolidated Edison Statement #2 RMR #2 Account (RMR02) Payment Amount $5, (RMR04) 1 (ACH File Header Record) 5220ORIG-COMPANY NAM CTXAR PAYMNT CON ED-FDR STAT ISA*00* *00* *01*TEST-ORIG *ZZ*CON ED (FDR STA*110315* *U*00401* *0*P*>\GS*RA*TEST-ORIG*CON ED (FDR STA* *1453* *X*004010\ST*820* \BPR*C* *C*ACH*CTX*01* *DA* * 7052* **01* *DA* * \TRN*1* \REF*TN 705* \N1*PE*CON ED (FDR STATION)\N1*PR*GRISEL GARDEN SHOPPE\ENT*1*\RMR*IV 705* *PO* * \RMR*IV* *PO* * \ SE*10* \GE*1* \IEA*1* \ (ACH File Trailer Record) 16

17 Notes: 1) Total amount due (Statement 1 + Statement 2+ statement.. ) 3) C*ACH*CTX: C Credit (if D then Debit) ACH Payment Method Code CTX Payment Format 2) Transaction Set Control Buyer Information 4) 01* ID Qualifier * Buyer ID 5) Originating Company ID Seller Information 6) 01* ID Qualifier * Seller ID 7) Account 8) Effective Entry Date 9) TRN*1* Trace Type * Reference 10) N1*PE*CON ED (FDR STATION) PE = Entity Identifier Code * CON ED (FDR STATION) 11) N1*PR*GRISEL Garden SHOPPE PR = Entity Identifier Code * PAYOR S NAME RMR #1 Section 12) *IV* - Reference Qualifier 13) Reference (Account ) 14) * Monetary Amount * Invoice Amount (Amount Due) RMR #2 Section 15) *IV* - Reference Qualifier 16) Reference (Account ) 17) * Monetary Amount * Invoice Amount (Amount Due) 18) SE*10* of Segments* Transaction Set Control * Please do not include additional identifiers in the Reference (Account ) field (line 13 above). Our paymentprocessing system identifies your account using the first 15 digits in this field. 17

18 CCD+ with RMR remittance detail CCD+ allows for one addenda (705) record, where your account number can be provided. In order to properly process your payment, we require that your account number be included in the RMR02 element of the RMR segment. Example: The proper placement of your account number in a CCD+ payment is illustrated below. In this example, the account number is Please be sure to exclude all punctuation (dashes, commas, etc.). 1 (ACH File Header Record) 5220ORIG-GRISEL GARDEN SHOPPE CCDMISC PAY CONSOLIDATED EDISON CO RMR*IV* \ (ACH File Trailer Record) 18

19 For standards information Questions concerning the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA) operating rules and standards should be directed to NACHA at: NACHA-The Electronic Payments Association Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 100 Herndon, Virginia Phone: 703/ Fax: 703/ Questions concerning the ANSI ASC X12 Committee, X12 Standards and Updates, or Data Interchange Standards Association, should be directed to the ANSI ASC X12 Secretariat at: Data Interchange Standards Association, Inc. (DISA) 7600 Leesburg Pike Falls Church, VA Phone: Fax:

20 Contact us If you have questions about Con Edison s ACH remittance requirements, please us at EDIanswers@conEd.com. 20

21 Appendix A ACH Record Format Specifications 21

22 CCD+ record format: Continued on next two pages 22

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25 CTX record format: Continued on next page 25

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27 EFT enrollment Please include: Customer Account : Customer Name: Invoice (s) you are paying: As listed on your statement or invoice. As listed on your statement or invoice. As listed on your statement or invoice. Your Bank Institution and Account Information: Name of Financial Institution: Contact Name and : ABA Routing : Business Checking Account: 27

28 ACH Payment Method CTX (preferred method allows multiple invoices in one payment) CCD+ Within the remittance detail, please provide one or both of the following X12 segments, so that your payment is posted quickly. CUSTOMER ACCOUNT NUMBER Segment Element Value Comments REF = Account 02 Account # Account number as appears on statement. INVOICE NUMBER Segment Element Value Comments RMR 01 IV IV = Invoice 02 Invoice # Invoice number as appears on statement. 03 Not used N/A 04 Amount Paid Amount paid on invoice in RMR02. 28