The cash receipts process begins in the mail room, which is staffed with many employees who have the responsibility of receiving and opening both routine mail (catalogs, advertisements) and mail containing customer payments. Each mail clerk opens the envelope and separates the check and remittance advice. The clerk reconciles the two and then manually adds each receipt to a common remittance list. When all customer payments have been so processed, the finished remittance lists and the associated checks are sent to the cash receipts department. The remittance advices are sent to the AR department.