Level 3 • Visa CEDP / Product 3 • Mastercard Data Rate III
Make the numbers
prove the promise.
Use a comparable card mix and verified provider inputs. The useful question is whether the realized interchange difference exceeds every additional cost.
01 Gather the right inputs
| Input | Your value | Evidence to request |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly total card volume (USD) | Comparable statements | |
| Candidate eligible share (%) | Network + card mix | |
| Share of eligible volume actually qualifying (%) | Qualification report | |
| Baseline / qualified interchange rates (%) | Same card mix, current pricing | |
| Average eligible ticket (USD) | Eligible transaction sample | |
| Added monthly cost / fee per qualified transaction | All incremental fees | |
| Program fee rate / exact fee base | When and on which volume charged |
A submitted transaction can incur a program fee without receiving the expected discount. Verify the fee base. Do not assume every commercial card or every data-rich transaction qualifies.
02 Compare the incremental economics
Candidate eligible volumeTotal card volume × eligible share ÷ 100
Actually qualifying volumeA × observed qualification share ÷ 100
Gross modeled interchange differenceB × (baseline rate − qualified rate) ÷ 100
All incremental feesMonthly + per-transaction + program fees on their verified fee bases
Net monthly differenceC − D · A negative result means costs increase.
Break-even rate improvementD ÷ B × 100 percentage points · Undefined when B is zero.
The provider conversation
Eight questions.
Documented answers.
For each item, note the status, evidence, owner, and next action. Completing this worksheet does not certify your integration or qualify transactions.
Confirm network, card product, region, channel, and program-specific eligibility.
Ask about Visa CEDP / Product 3 and Mastercard Data Rate III where relevant.
Map legitimate invoice or ERP data. Identify gaps without inventing values.
Reconcile quantities, unit prices, discounts, freight, tax, and the captured amount.
Verify the full integration, supported transaction flow, timing, and exception handling.
Collect a written fee schedule, program fees and their bases, and contract terms.
Request settlement categories, exceptions, and an owner for correcting data failures.
Choose similar transaction periods and card mixes. Include every incremental fee.
Each step needs its own evidence. A gateway accepting a field does not prove a network awarded the intended interchange category.