Correlating transaction records via user-specified identifier creating uncleared transaction
First Claim
1. A method of correlating transactions in an account ledger, comprising:
- creating an uncleared transaction record within the account ledger for an anticipated transaction, the uncleared transaction including a unique transaction identifier capable of uniquely identifying any transaction including deposits, checks, and withdrawals;
creating a real transaction record within the account ledger for an actual transaction, the real transaction record including the transaction identifier;
comparing the transaction identifier within the uncleared transaction record with the transaction identifier within the real transaction record; and
responsive to identifying a match between the transaction identifier within the uncleared transaction record and the transaction identifier within the real transaction record, merging the uncleared transaction record with the real transaction record.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A financial institution customer is permitted to create an uncleared transaction record within the financial institution'"'"'s account ledger for the customer in anticipation of actually making the transaction. Although maintained within the financial institutions electronic records for the account and appearing on monthly statements or printed transaction histories, uncleared transaction records are treated as account comments but the financial institution and are not employed in any manner to modify the account balance for the corresponding account. The uncleared transaction record may include a detailed description of the transaction as well as a unique transaction identifier, created by the customer or preprinted on a banking form such as a deposit slip. When the transaction is actually made, the real transaction record is annotated with the transaction identifier. Uncleared transaction records may subsequently be correlated to real transaction records utilizing the transaction identifiers during reconciliation. During reconciliation, corresponding uncleared and real transaction records may be merged with the transaction description within the uncleared transaction record appended to the transaction description in the real transaction record. Transaction records may be automatically merged or presented in pairs for manual merger.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of correlating transactions in an account ledger, comprising:
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creating an uncleared transaction record within the account ledger for an anticipated transaction, the uncleared transaction including a unique transaction identifier capable of uniquely identifying any transaction including deposits, checks, and withdrawals; creating a real transaction record within the account ledger for an actual transaction, the real transaction record including the transaction identifier; comparing the transaction identifier within the uncleared transaction record with the transaction identifier within the real transaction record; and responsive to identifying a match between the transaction identifier within the uncleared transaction record and the transaction identifier within the real transaction record, merging the uncleared transaction record with the real transaction record. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A mechanism for correlating transactions in an account ledger, comprising:
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a memory containing; a plurality real transaction records within the account ledger for actual transactions relating to an account within a financial institution, each real transaction record within the plurality of real transaction records including a transaction identifier capable of uniquely identifying any transaction including deposits, checks, and withdrawals; a plurality of uncleared transaction records within the account ledger for anticipated transactions relating to the account, each uncleared transaction within the plurality of uncleared transaction records including a unique transaction identifier matching a transaction identifier contained within a corresponding real transaction record; a processor coupled to the memory and comparing a transaction identifier within an uncleared transaction record to a transaction identifier within a real transaction record, wherein the processor, responsive to identifying a match between the transaction identifier within the uncleared transaction record and the transaction identifier within the real transaction record, merges the uncleared transaction record with the real transaction record. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer program product within a computer usable medium, comprising:
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instructions within the computer usable medium for creating an uncleared transaction record within an account ledger for an anticipated transaction, the uncleared transaction including a unique transaction identifier capable of uniquely identifying any transaction including deposits, checks, and withdrawals; instructions within the computer usable medium for creating a real transaction record within the account ledger for an actual transaction, the real transaction record including the transaction identifier; instructions within the computer usable medium for comparing the transaction identifier within the uncleared transaction record with the transaction identifier within the real transaction record; and instructions within the computer usable medium, responsive to identifying a match between the transaction identifier within the uncleared transaction record and the transaction identifier within the real transaction record, for merging the uncleared transaction record with the real transaction record. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification