User Manual Owner's manual

13
BASIC OPERATION
The ATM sends the customer transaction request to a processor. A processor is a fi nancial intermedi-
ary, such as an Independent Sales Organization (ISO), bank, or other fi nancial institution that provides
transaction-processing services for ATMs. The ATM must be set up with a particular processor before
customer transactions can take place.
The processor routes the transaction to the appropriate ATM network. An ATM network is a regionally
or nationally organized clearing house for fi nancial transactions, that deals directly with the appropriate
fi nancial institution, such as the customer’s bank or credit card company, in order to complete the transac-
tion. The processor will select the appropriate ATM network to use based on factors such as the type of
ATM or credit card used, location of the customer’s bank, or other considerations. The transaction may
be transferred between several networks before ultimately reaching the customer’s bank or credit card
company.
The ATM network routes the transaction to the appropriate bank or other institution, confi rms successful
completion of the transaction, and sends a confi rmation message back to the processor. If the request was
for a cash withdrawal, an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) takes place to debit the funds (including any
surcharge fee, if applicable) from the customer’s bank account and credit the funds to the processor’s
bank account.
The processor forwards a confi rmation message to the ATM (and an authorization to dispense currency,
in the case of a cash withdrawal). The ATM dispenses the requested currency, if necessary, and provides
the customer with a printed receipt as a record of the transaction.
The processor credits the merchant’s account for the amount of any cash withdrawals (plus surcharge
fees, if collected), typically by the end of the next business day).