Input Controls
Input controls are designed to ensure that transactions are valid, accurate, and complete. Control techniques vary considerably between batch and real-time systems. The following input controls relate to revenue cycle operations.
Credit Authorization Procedures
The purpose of the credit check is to establish the creditworthiness of the customer. Only customer transactions that meet the organization’s credit standards are valid and should be processed further. In batch systems with manual credit authorization procedures, the credit department (or credit manager) is responsible for implementing the firm’s credit policies. In POS systems, the authorization process involves validating credit card charges and establishing that the customer is the valid user of the card. After receiving online approval from the credit card company, the clerk should match the customer’s signature on the sales voucher with the one on the credit card.
When credit checks are computerized, the organization’s credit policy is implemented through decision rules that have been programmed into the system. For routine transactions, this typically involves determining if the current transaction plus the customer’s current account receivable balance exceeds a pre-established credit limit. If the credit limit is exceeded by the transaction, it should be rejected by the program and passed to an exception file, where it can be reviewed by management. The credit manager will decide either to disapprove the sale or to extend the credit limit consistent with the manager’s authority.