Description

Introduction

The Core Payment Processing & Lifecycle training provides a comprehensive understanding of how payment systems operate from initiation to final settlement. It covers the full journey of transactions, including authorization, capture, classification, fee handling, and post-settlement processes like accounting and customer statements. Whether you’re new to the payments domain or seeking deeper insights, this course equips you with essential knowledge to navigate the modern payments landscape.

Prerequisites

To get the most out of this training, participants should have:

• A basic understanding of financial services or banking operations

• Familiarity with payment methods (credit cards, bank transfers, etc.)

• Some exposure to accounting or transaction management systems (preferred, not mandatory)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Payment Processing
    1.1 Overview of Core Payment Systems
    1.2 Stakeholders in the Payment Ecosystem
    1.3 Key Concepts and Terminologies

2. Understanding Transactions
    2.1 What is a Payment Transaction?
    2.2 Types of Transactions (POS, Online, Recurring, etc.)
    2.3 Lifecycle of a Transaction

3. Payment Authorization
    3.1 What is Authorization?
    3.2 Authorization Flow and Participants
    3.3 Risk Checks and Fraud Prevention
    3.4 Authorization Failures and Reversals

4. Transaction Processing
    4.1 Transaction Routing
    4.2 Real-time vs Batch Processing
    4.3 Handling Failed Transactions

5. Transaction Capture
    5.1 Capturing Authorized Transactions
    5.2 Timing of Capture and Impact on Funds
    5.3 Pre-Authorization Holds

6. Transaction Classification
    6.1 Purpose of Classification
    6.2 Merchant Category Codes (MCCs)
    6.3 Categorization for Reporting and Analytics

7. Fee Processing
    7.1 Types of Fees (Interchange, Service, Gateway, etc.)
    7.2 Fee Calculation and Application
    7.3 Fee Transparency and Reconciliation

8. Accounting in Payment Systems
    8.1 Accounting Entries for Transactions
    8.2 Revenue Recognition
    8.3 Reconciliation and Audit Trails

9. Customer Statements
    9.1 Statement Generation and Formats
    9.2 Line Item Details and Descriptions
    9.3 Dispute Handling and Chargebacks

10. Clearing & Settlements
     10.1 What is Clearing and Settlement?
     10.2 Interbank Settlement Processes
     10.3 Timelines and Exceptions

11. Direct Debit Processing
     11.1 Introduction to Direct Debits
     11.2 Direct Debit Lifecycle
     11.3 Mandate Management

12. ECS Mandate Management
     12.1 What is ECS?
     12.2 ECS Mandate Registration and Validation
     12.3 ECS vs. Other Debit Mechanisms

13. Compliance and Regulatory Overview
     13.1 PCI-DSS and Data Protection
     13.2 AML and KYC Requirements
     13.3 Regional Regulatory Variations

14. Emerging Trends in Payment Processing
     14.1 Real-time Payments (RTP)
     14.2 Open Banking & APIs
     14.3 Blockchain in Payments

15. Wrap-up and Q&A
     15.1 Recap of Key Concepts
     15.2 Practical Use Cases
     15.3 Interactive Q&A and Feedback

This training offers a solid foundation in the operational, technical, and regulatory aspects of payment processing. By understanding each stage of the payment lifecycle, participants will be better equipped to support, manage, or innovate within modern payment ecosystems.
Whether working in banking, fintech, or payment operations, this knowledge is critical for staying compliant, efficient, and competitive.