Abstract: An automated electronic payment system wherein customer/buyer payment instructions are sent from a customer/buyer to a payment source, the system including: (a) invoice presentation means adapted to present billing data from an invoicer/seller for customer/buyer review and to request payment from the customer/buyer; (b) an electronic customer/buyer payment interface: (i) for receiving the billing data and the request for payment from the invoicer/seller; (ii) for providing the billing data for customer/buyer review and the request for payment to the customer/buyer; (iii) for receiving customer/buyer payment instructions from the customer/buyer in response to the request for payment; (iv) for transmitting the customer/buyer payment instructions from the customer/buyer to the payment source, the payment instructions including at least an invoicer/seller deposit account number, a payment amount and a customer/buyer payment account number; and (v) for providing remittance data associated with the payment from the