Raw

**Subject:** Approval of Big Chief’s Monthly Electronic Settlement Request  

**Situation:** Big Chief (account 8306) has asked to replace the current per‑ticket settlement with a single monthly prepaid payment supported by an electronic delivery‑ticket file.  

**Complication:** The new process will work only if the file contains all required identifiers and if the balancing and processing steps are clearly defined and followed.  

**Question:** Can Finance accept Big Chief’s proposed monthly electronic settlement?  

**Answer:** **Yes – we can approve the request, provided the conditions below are met.**  

**Conditions**  

1. **File content** – Every external file must include the parent number, outlet number, ticket number, ticket amount, and delivery date. If Big Chief cannot supply the parent or outlet numbers, Finance will add them from the customer master file.  

2. **Big Chief’s responsibilities** –  
   - Build an extraction program that produces a file in the format accepted by our national‑accounts cash‑receipt system.  
   - Send the file to Data Processing and forward the prepaid cheque, with a detailed listing, to the lockbox.  
   - Ensure the cheque total matches the file detail (net to zero).  

3. **Finance’s responsibilities** –  
   - Balance the received file against the cheque using the prescribed procedure.  
   - Run the balanced file through the national‑accounts system, match ticket numbers to statement history, and generate the corresponding billing records.  

**Next step:** Confirm that Big Chief can meet the file‑content requirement and that the extraction program will be ready for the next billing cycle. Once confirmed, proceed with the approved settlement process.