Abstract: According to one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method and a system for facilitating settlement processing within a network of financial institutions may include receiving one or more payment items from a plurality of payment entities, at a centralized agent; aggregating the payment items into one or more categories; identifying a payee financial institution and a payor financial institution for each payment items, wherein the payee financial institution and the payor financial institution are different; determining whether the payee financial institution and the payor financial institution are within the network of financial institutions; for the payee and payor within the network, determining at the centralized agent a settlement path within the network of financial institutions for each payment item; and for the payee and payor that are not within the network, forwarding the payment items to a third party settlement entity.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method and a system for facilitating settlement processing within a network of financial institutions may include receiving one or more payment items from a plurality of payment entities, at a centralized agent; aggregating the payment items into one or more categories; identifying a payee financial institution and a payor financial institution for each payment items, wherein the payee financial institution and the payor financial institution are different; determining whether the payee financial institution and the payor financial institution are within the network of financial institutions; for the payee and payor within the network, determining at the centralized agent a settlement path within the network of financial institutions for each payment item; and for the payee and payor that are not within the network, forwarding the payment items to a third party settlement entity.

Abstract: An exemplary method and system may include receiving one or more payment items from a plurality of payment entities, at a centralized agent, wherein the one or more payment items comprise one or more electronic images and paper instruments; aggregating the payment items into one or more categories; identifying a payee financial institution and a payor financial institution for each payment items, wherein the payee financial institution and the payor financial institution are different; determining whether the payee financial institution and the payor financial institution are within the network of financial institutions; for the payee and payor within the network, determining at the centralized agent a settlement path within the network of financial institutions for each payment item; and for the payee and payor that are not within the network, forwarding the payment items to a third party settlement entity by the centralized agent for settlement processing.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method and a system for efficient transaction processing.

Abstract: A method and system of the present invention are directed to processing payment items at a central processing facility for a merchant with multiple merchant locations. A computer implemented method for processing payment items may involve receiving an envelope with a label wherein the envelope comprises payment items from a merchant location; wherein the label indicates to a sorter at a mail facility that the envelope is destined for a central processor and the envelope skips regular mail channels; encoding one or more of the payment items at the central processor; depositing the payment items into a single national account associated with a merchant entity, wherein the merchant entity comprises a plurality of merchant locations; clearing the payment items through one or more payor entities; and providing funds availability information to the merchant entity through an online interface.