• Centralize cash flow to help eliminate blind spots as transaction volume grows.
  • Match payment methods to customer behavior across every channel.
  • Protect funds with approvals, access controls, and real-time alerts.
  • Reduce reconciliation headaches with subaccounts and a "money calendar."

Ready to add headcount, expand markets, or grow transaction volume? Your banking system must scale with you. Follow these foundational banking decisions to prevent cash chaos.

Make Your Operating Deposit Account the Single Source of Truth

Route all card settlements, marketplace payouts, ACH credits, and refunds into a single operating account to avoid the error-prone processes of reconciling balances across disconnected accounts. Also, create subaccounts to add clarity and control:

  • A refunds/returns subaccount isolates chargebacks and refunds to prevent them from distorting your operating balance. The clarity also helps you identify unusual activities fast.
  • A sales tax subaccount automatically sweeps a fixed percentage of your daily deposit, setting cash aside for tax payments.
  • Location or line-of-business subaccounts provide visibility into performance by store or channel. Sweep the balance to the operating account daily to simplify reporting.

Offer Payment Methods to Match Customer Preferences

As your business grows, you'll need to accept different payment methods, such as online, in-store, in-app, curbside, or by invoice, to reduce friction in the buying process.

Enable contactless and digital wallets for in-store purchases and configure terminals with clear statement descriptors to reduce disputes. Prioritize digital wallets (e.g., Apple Pay®, Google Pay®), guest checkout, and address autofill for e-commerce, and use network tokens to increase authorization rates for returning customers.

B2B sellers may offer pay-by-link and ACH for large transactions to lower acceptance costs. Meanwhile, if you sell on marketplaces, standardize fees and payout timing so funds flow cleanly into your operating deposit account.

The right bank may be able to help you connect the dots and integrate all your channels. For example, PNC Merchant Services supports card acceptance and wallets across POS and e-commerce channels, providing you with unified reporting for accurate decision-making.

Safeguard Your Funds with Approvals, Entitlements, and Alerts

Implement these guardrails to keep transactions fast and safe as more stakeholders handle funds and finances:

  • Dual approvals for ACH and wires. Separate "create" and "approve," adding a second approver for transactions above a specific threshold.
  • Lease-priviledge entitlements. Limit the ability to add payees or release funds to finance leaders. Review access privilege quarterly.
  • Fraud controls. Enable Positive Pay with payee match for the remaining checks. Also, use ACH blocks or filters to default-deny unknown debits.
  • Real-time alerts. Route low-balance, large debit/credit, first-time payee, and ACH return alerts to two people with a simple after-hours escalation rule.

The right online banking features help you prevent costly mistakes without increasing administrative burden. For example, with PNC's PINACLE®, you may add enterprise-grade approvals and alerting for more control and visibility.

Establish Cutoffs, Cash Logistics, and a "Money Calendar"

Create a one-page "money calendar" for your team to reduce those “where’s the money?” escalations and speed your close. The document should specify daily deposit cutoffs for ACH, same-day ACH, wires, and merchant batches. Also, establish funding cycles for payroll, rent, utilities, freight, and tax remittances.

Include a location playbook to indicate who reconciles the books and by when, where cash deposits go (e.g., Smart Deposit ATM, scheduled courier), and who makes card exception decisions. Additionally, support your refund candence with a standardized "eligibility → approval → payout (RTP® or same-day ACH for speed) → automatic customer notice" workflow.

Follow This Pre-Expansion Checklist

Double-check that you have the right tools and safeguards in place:

  • Set up a single operating deposit account as your cash hub.
  • Create subaccounts to handle refunds and sales tax.
  • Accept various payment methods to cater to customers' preferences.
  • Implement dual approval and least-privileged access controls.
  • Use fraud prevention tools, such as Positive Pay and ACH blocks/filters.
  • Work with a bank that can support your growth plan.

Build a Banking Foundation that Grows with You

Wondering where your money is shouldn't be part of your growth journey. With a scalable banking structure, expansion no longer poses operational risks. A reputable bank like PNC provides the right tools at each stage to help you scale. Schedule an appointment and get an experienced banker in your corner.