Card-rate denominator map
Build a payment-channel denominator map for mixed-payment shops without understating card costs.
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| Collection source | Collected amount | Included in card statement? | Fee source | Reporting period | Treatment in comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer card payments | $40,000 | Yes, verified | Merchant statement | October | Include in card denominator |
- Use one row for each item described in the article.
- Record the source, unresolved difference and next action before marking an item complete.
- Review the actual business records separately. This worksheet does not connect to accounts or change your records.
Checks, ACH and cards all bring money into a shop, but don’t divide card fees by total revenue and call that the card-processing rate. That number looks lower because it counts money the processor never handled. Map each payment channel first. The overall cost burden is useful too, but it answers a different question from the all-in rate on settled card sales.
Use with this guide
merchant statement analyzer
Review the scope of merchant statement analyzer.
Books bookkeeping workspace
Review the scope of Books bookkeeping workspace.
Machine shop card fee audit: separate commercial invoice costs
Audit machine-shop card fees against gross captured sales, settlement deductions, and separate debits. Calculate the effective rate and average collection cost.
Define the denominator before entering figures
Use settled card sales for the merchant account and statement period you’re checking. Don’t toss insurer checks, unpaid invoices, or estimates into the denominator. Got several card accounts? Keep each account’s fees matched with its own volume before you combine them. Mix one processor’s fees with everyone’s volume, and you’ll understate the cost. Non-card collections do the same thing.
The merchant statement analyzer helps sort out the calculation, but check those extracted labels. A statement might show gross sales, refunds, and net deposits in different places. Make sure you know which number matches your chosen card-sales measure. If the label isn’t clear, ask for an explanation. Don’t pick the biggest amount just because it gives you a lower rate.
Use two separately labeled comparisons
An illustrative body shop collects $100,000 overall: $40,000 by card, and $60,000 through checks and ACH. Card processor fees total $1,400. To get the card effective rate, divide $1,400 by $40,000. That’s 3.5%. Those fees are also 1.4% of total collections. Both calculations work if labeled, but 1.4% isn’t the card-processing rate.
A business-wide cost review should also consider the actual costs associated with other payment channels. Don’t call an alternative free until you’ve checked the provider and business terms. A channel map is for an honest comparison, not making one method look costless by leaving out fees or the work it takes to run.
Keep accounting revenue and collections distinct
A machine shop may have invoices for completed work that customers still haven’t paid. A wrap shop may collect deposits before the work is done. The SBA explains how accounting methods affect timing, so reported revenue may differ from cash collected during the period. Use the Books bookkeeping workspace and the responsible accounting reviewer to interpret those figures correctly.
Your card statement is a processing record, not your full income statement. The IRS calls for records backing up business income and expenses. Keep invoices, collections, and processor evidence linked through your authorized systems. Do not force them into one identical monthly total if legitimate timing differences exist. Explain those differences and reconcile them through the proper process.
Sources for this section: SBA: manage your finances · IRS: supporting business records
Carry the same scope into a savings scenario
If modeling a change to eligible card charges, apply the assumptions to the appropriate card volume rather than all business sales. If the proposal treats credit and debit differently, keep them separate. Count the other account costs, too, and be clear about which payment channels the new deal covers. A 0% eligible merchant credit-card rate does not mean every dollar the business receives comes at zero cost.
Write the scope in the worksheet. The next reviewer shouldn’t have to piece it together. Use aggregate amounts and internal source references, not customer or bank identifiers. Get the denominator right, and the owner can compare proposals fairly, see the effect across the whole business, and avoid savings claims padded with checks or invoices that were never part of the card-processing bill.
If a customer pays one invoice partly by card and partly by check, count only the card portion in the card comparison. Don’t use the invoice total as proof of how it was paid, even when the whole job is paid.
Sources for this section: FTC: protecting personal information
Primary sources
BlueFinch last reviewed these sources on October 23, 2026. Check the linked sources for current requirements and product details.
Use this page for general business information. It is not legal, tax, or accounting advice.