Payment chain
One coherent transaction story
Each part of the payment record should describe the same underlying transaction to the parties, banks and any later decision-maker.
Contract
The commercial basis and payment obligation.
Invoice
Amount, currency, recipient and purpose.
Bank route
Institutions, intermediaries and information requests.
Performance evidence
Documents proving the underlying supply or service.
Failure route
Rejected payment, refund, alternative performance and claim.
The transaction record
Payment documents must tell one coherent story
The contract, invoice, bank route and evidence of performance should describe the same underlying transaction. A mismatch may become important before payment, during a bank review or when funds must be recovered.