Machining statement audit
Match gross captured card sales with deductions and separate account debits from one period.
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Illustrative example inputs
These starting values show how the math works. They are not industry averages, customer results or a quote.
| Input | Example value |
|---|---|
Gross captured card sales Do not use net bank payouts as the sales denominator. | $80,000.00 |
Captured card payments Count captured collections, not machining jobs. | 80 |
Fees deducted from settlements Only fees not counted again below. | $2,400.00 |
Separate processor account debits Exclude transfers and fees already counted. | $200.00 |
Example results
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
Complete fees Settlement deductions plus separate debits. | $2,600.00 |
Effective rate 3.25% in the fictional example. No rate when sales are zero. | 3.25% |
Average fee per payment 32.50 in the fictional example. Not the average invoice amount. | $32.50 |
Average payment 1,000 in the fictional example. | $1,000.00 |
Calculation detail
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| Settlement fee deductions | $2,400.00 |
| Separate account debits | $200.00 |
| Gross captured sales denominator | $80,000.00 |
| Captured payment count | 80 |
Model assumptions
- All starting values are fictional examples, not quoted prices or industry averages.
- Use one consistent period and actual written terms. Unknown costs are unresolved, not zero.
- Only aggregate amounts belong in this public tool. No card, bank, customer or health information.
Read alongside these results
- One complete matching period. Do not double count fees.
- Not an industry benchmark, an audit certification or a promise of savings.
Download this worked example (CSV). Use the interactive version to export your own inputs and results.
A machine shop card fee audit starts with the commercial invoices and ends with the fees actually paid. The percentage on the quote is not the whole account cost. Include processing deductions, separate account debits and the charges for each payment channel. Reconcile those charges to the same reporting period before comparing providers or asking a buyer to change payment methods.
Gather the complete processor statement, settlement reports and bank account statements for a one-month time period. Collect all the invoices (paid in full and in part) and include references to deposits. Some of your commercial customers will pay off several invoices in one payment, while others may pay off one invoice in several payments. The machining statement audit model is based on the payment records, not the sales records in your commercial sales system.
Use with this guide
buyer and purchase-order references
Keep buyer and purchase-order references attached to each commercial invoice during reconciliation.
customer drawing privacy checklist
Use the customer drawing privacy checklist when selecting which supporting records belong outside the production system.
Machine-shop monthly minimums: compare a quiet month
Review a machining merchant account’s monthly minimum during low collection volume. Use the cost worksheet to separate written minimum logic from other charges.
Browse the complete machine shop guides and worksheets.
Check your own costs: calculate your effective processing rate or upload a merchant statement for analysis.
Define the statement scope
The machining statement audit model reports your all-in effective rate and fee cost per payment. Enter card sales, payment count, processing charges deducted from settlements and other account fees paid separately. Confirm the two fee fields do not contain the same charge. The model totals them before dividing by card sales. It does not identify tax treatment, fee legality or an interchange qualification.
For an illustrative statement, $80,000 in card sales incurs $2,400 in deducted processing charges and $200 in separate account fees. Total cost is $2,600, producing an effective rate of 3.25%. If the month contains 80 payments, average fee cost is $32.50 per payment. Those inputs are fictional. The result is not a national machining benchmark or a BlueFinch merchant observation. Keep buyer and purchase-order references attached to each commercial invoice during reconciliation.
Sources for this section: BlueFinch: pre-conversion processing-cost methodology
Use matching sales and fee totals
Use settled amounts consistently. If your denominator is gross captured card sales, define how refunds and adjustments enter the fee total and retain the separate refund report. A net bank deposit is not automatically the right sales denominator. Deposits include fee deductions, timing shifts and other adjustments. Your bookkeeper should understand the basis before the percentage is used in a purchasing decision.
Audit your processing of commercial card sales, including purchase card sales. Qualification of sales for enhanced data savings does not necessarily relate to buyer, i.e. account holder. Other factors include card type, setup of your merchant account, transmission of data, processing arrangements with the bank, etc. Include a copy of current documentation published by Stripe, such as for Visa Product 3 sales, which are processed under the Commercial Enhanced Data Program, as opposed to Mastercard enhanced data processing requirements.
Trace invoice references into settlements
Make sure to separate payment channels from customer relationships. Even long-standing customers can now be directed to a remote link for payment, and they will be treated as a remote channel for accounting purposes. However, for in-store payments, even by an employee of the company, different collection processes are in place and so must be accounted for separately.
Record recurring charges by their purpose. Identify the gateway, virtual terminal, account service and required connectivity. Keep optional products separate. Annual charges should not disappear because your selected month did not contain the annual debit. For an offer comparison, convert those charges to an average monthly amount and label the treatment. For statement reconciliation, retain their actual posting dates.
Interpret the benchmark correctly
Bring unexplained entries to the provider with the statement line and affected settlement reference. Ask what triggered the charge, which agreement defines the amount and whether the charge will recur. Record the written response. Do not assume a fee is incorrect because its label is unfamiliar, and do not assume the original advertised rate covers every service your shop uses.
BlueFinch's published merchant-statement benchmark describes its own reviewed pre-conversion client accounts. It is not a national machine-shop rate or a guarantee for your buyers' card mix. Your statement audit should use your own account values. BlueFinch reviews the proposed arrangement and remaining account costs with the merchant before a change is accepted. Use the customer drawing privacy checklist when selecting which supporting records belong outside the production system.
Sources for this section: BlueFinch: pre-conversion processing-cost methodology
Keep the next audit reproducible
Protect buyer and job information during the audit. Use internal invoice references in the public calculator. Do not upload controlled drawings, card credentials or bank account details. Keep the actual statement in approved business storage and share sensitive records only through the agreed review process. The calculator runs a planning calculation, not a secure document repository or processor connection.
The inputs, period scope, and documentation for a given time period need to be stored for future reference. In the event that the rate changes for any reason, subsequent tracking of effective rate should include an analysis of the channel mix, activity levels, number of transactions, and all new charges.
Primary sources
BlueFinch last reviewed these sources on October 4, 2026. Payment rules and state requirements can change.
- BlueFinch: pre-conversion processing-cost methodology
- Square: current payment fees and plan differences
Use this page for general business information. It is not legal, tax, or accounting advice.
Related resources
- 2026 Credit Card Processing Cost Report
- Auto Repair Shop Payment Guide
- Auto Repair Shop Credit Card Processing Calculator
- Connect a machine-shop invoice to the correct buyer and purchase order
- Protect customer drawings when evaluating a machine-shop CRM
- Machine shop commercial cards: verify enhanced-data eligibility