Programme Configuration
Account hierarchy structure
Basic Hierarchy - Two hierarchy levels
Complex Hierarchy - Three or more hierarchy levels
Billing and Settlement Options
American Express® offers a range of flexible and customised billing and settlement options for your Corporate Card Account, including:
Individually billed, individually settled
Each Cardmember receives a monthly billing statement from American Express. The Cardmember is responsible for submitting expense reports to the Programme Administrator within your company for reimbursement and for remitting payment back to American Express.
Benefits include:
- Reduces the amount of change for the Cardmember and your company at implementation stage
- Encourages timely submission of expense report, as Cardmember is responsible for reconciliation and payment
- Encourages accurate documentation of expenses
- Reduces corporate administrative workload and cost, since employees reconcile and pay monthly bills
Centrally billed, centrally settled
Combined billing pools all Cardmember transactions into a single billing statement. Your company remits payment for all charges upon receipt of the combined statement. Under this option, no individual billing statements are generated.
Benefits include:
- Simplified billing
- Improved cash flow
- Detailed expense documentation
- Cardmember convenience
Individually billed, centrally settled
This option itemises each transaction on a Cardmember basis. Each Cardmember receives an individual monthly billing statement, which identifies all charges. Your company submits – via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), electronic transmission or hard copy – both the remittance and back-up information on how to apply the funds.
Benefits include:
- Improved cash flow
- Your company retains control over payment
- Encourages accurate documentation of expenses
For information regarding payments please refer to How to Pay Your Account under Programme Management in main menu.
Card Liability Types
American Express is able to offer you two types of Corporate Card Liability, allowing you to control the level of risk exposure you carry when opening a Corporate Card Account. These can be applied to individual Cardmembers within your company, based on your specific requirements. Please contact your American Express Account Representative to identify the type of Liability set-up on your Corporate Card Account.
Company Liability
We recommend that you adopt the Company Liability option if you have strict internal policies preventing personal use of the Card, or in situations where staff are trusted fully with all expense claims – for example, Directors.
Key features:
- Your Company is liable for all charges incurred on the Card.
- You or your Company are not liable for any unauthorised use of the Card.
Combined Liability
*Country restrictions apply
You and the Cardmember shall be jointly and severally liable for all Charges incurred by the Cardmember.
Key features:
- You instruct the Cardmember that the Card is for use in accordance with your company’s expense management policy and they are liable for spend within policy. Should they spend outside of the parameters set by your policy the Company can waive liability to these charges.
- You or your Company are not liable for any unauthorised use of the Card.
Implementation Process
Before American Express begins the implementation of your Corporate Card programme, there are several tasks, which require completion. This includes your contract to be signed, inclusive of the following information:
- Application form complete with Authorised Signature
- Liability agreement
- Set-up of MI reporting
- Agreed hierarchy structure
There are many factors that have an impact on the implementation process and the speed at which it is completed. The flow chart below is a guide only; for further detail about the unique nature of your implementation process, please contact your Implementation Manager or your American Express Account Representative.