Eric Kuvykin

Reviewed October 17, 2026. This practical guide replaces an earlier general overview. The original publication date and URL are retained.

A supplier receiving money still needs to know which invoices the payment settles. A payment-run worksheet should connect the approved liability, remittance detail and bank outcome before speed becomes the deciding factor.

Build an approved invoice set

Freeze the invoices included in the run and record supplier ID, invoice number, amount approved, credits and due date. Resolve duplicate invoice numbers and currency mismatches before generating instructions. Keep approval evidence distinct from the payment file so a later change to bank details does not silently change the approved commercial obligation.

Work through a credit allocation

For illustration, a supplier has invoices of $900 and $600 and an agreed $100 credit. A $1,400 payment needs remittance showing which invoice absorbs the credit. Simply emailing ‘payment sent’ leaves the supplier to guess. Preserve the allocation and ask the supplier to confirm any disputed credit instead of treating a successful bank transfer as acceptance of the deduction.

Verify a changed destination independently

Use a previously established contact channel when a supplier requests new payment instructions. Do not verify the request by replying to the same message or using its newly supplied telephone number. IC3 specifically recommends secondary-channel verification for account changes. Give payment staff authority to hold the run while the discrepancy is resolved.

Compare rails after the record is complete

Evaluate recipient acceptance, fees, delivery timing, exception handling and available remittance fields. Test one approved supplier before expanding the workflow. Ask how a rejected payment or duplicate submission is identified and who receives the notification. Faster delivery is useful only when the receiving business can apply the money and the sender can trace the final result.

Sources and next steps

Primary reference: IC3 business email compromise guidance. The worksheet and examples above are operational analysis, not reported customer results.

Continue through the AMS New Jersey merchant reading path. For the broader framework, explore Eric Kuvykin’s fintech, payments, alternative financing and AI topic guides and the alternative financing cost and cash-flow guide.