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COBO & POBO

COBO (Collections on Behalf Of)

In COBO (Collections on Behalf Of) processes, the interaction between the Master Account and Sub-Accounts is designed to centralize the management of collections within a corporate group or across entities, optimizing cash flow and improving reconciliation efficiency. Below is an overview of how Master Accounts and Sub-Accounts interact in the COBO process, along with technical and operational details, based on current fintech practices:

I. Roles of Master Account and Sub-Account

  • Master Account:
    • Acts as a centralized funding pool, receiving all external collections (e.g., customer payments, supplier refunds) and holding actual funds.
    • Processes collections via the UQPAY interface or API.
    • Responsible for reconciliation, fund management, and compliance with local regulations.
  • Sub-Account:
    • Typically, a virtual account assigned to subsidiaries, branches, or business units within the group.
    • Does not directly hold funds but is used for bookkeeping to track collection activities for each entity.
    • Each Sub-Account is usually linked to a unique virtual account to identify collections from a specific subsidiary or department.

II. Interaction Workflow Between Master Account and Sub-Account

The following outlines the typical steps in the COBO process for Master Account and Sub-Account interactions:

  1. Collection Receipt:
    • External clients or payers deposit funds into the Master Account’s actual bank account, using the Sub-Account’s virtual account as the payment identifier. For example, a client pays to Subsidiary A’s virtual account (e.g., SG1234567890MY), but the funds flow into the Master Account.
    • UQPAY identifies the Sub-Account corresponding to the virtual account and notifies the enterprise’s financial system via API.
  2. Master Account Processes Collection:
    • The Master Account receives the funds and records transaction details (e.g., amount, payer, transaction reference number).
    • The Master Account allocates the collection to the corresponding Sub-Account via API or UQPAY interface, updating the Sub-Account’s virtual balance.
    • For example, if a client pays $10,000 to Subsidiary A, the Master Account receives the funds, and the UQPAY system records the amount to Subsidiary A’s Sub-Account, increasing its virtual balance.
  3. Reconciliation and Allocation:
    • The Master Account periodically reconciles with Sub-Accounts to ensure collection records match actual fund flows.
    • Sub-Accounts can access transaction reports to view collection history and virtual balances but do not directly control the Master Account’s funds.
    • The Master Account generates group-level collection reports, consolidating transaction data from all Sub-Accounts.
  4. Fund Management:
    • The Master Account centrally manages funds based on the enterprise’s funding pool strategy (e.g., Zero Balance Account, ZBA), eliminating the need for separate bank accounts for each Sub-Account.
    • The Sub-Account’s virtual balance is used solely for internal accounting, with actual funds held and managed by the Master Account for group-level cash flow management.

III. Technical Interaction Details

  • API and System Integration:
    • The Master Account receives and processes collections via UQPAY’s API, ensuring accurate association with the virtual account.
    • Sub-Account and Master Account interactions are facilitated through API or UQPAY interface, enabling virtual account management and collection allocation for COBO.
  • Role of virtual account:
    • Each Sub-Account is assigned a unique virtual account (e.g., SG1234567890MY) to tag collection sources.
    • virtual accounts allow banks and enterprises to track collections without requiring physical bank accounts for each subsidiary, simplifying reconciliation.
  • Funding Pool Technology:
    • The Master Account employs funding pool techniques (e.g., ZBA or Target Balance Account, TBA) to centrally manage collections, minimizing idle funds.
    • Collection funds remain in the Master Account, with Sub-Account virtual balances used for internal accounting and reporting.

IV. Key Benefits of Interaction

  • Centralized Management: The Master Account consolidates collections, reducing subsidiaries’ direct interactions with multiple banks, lowering bank fees, and simplifying operations.
  • Transparency: virtual accounts ensure each collection is traceable to a specific Sub-Account, facilitating reconciliation and audits.
  • Efficiency: Automated API processes accelerate collection allocation and reconciliation, reducing manual operations.
  • Regulatory Compliance: The Master Account handles compliance requirements for cross-border collections (e.g., anti-money laundering checks, KYC), alleviating the burden on Sub-Accounts.

COBO Flowchart

graph TD
    A[Customer Initiates Payment<br>Uses Sub-Account's Virtual Account] --> B[Main Account Receives Payment<br>UQPAY API Notifies Transaction]
    B --> D[Identifies Corresponding Sub-Account]
    D --> E[Updates Sub-Account's Virtual Balance<br>Increases by Payment Amount]
    E --> F[Main Account Records Transaction<br>Retains Actual Funds]
    F --> H[Generate Reports<br>Group-Wide Cash Flow]

POBO (Payments on Behalf Of)

In POBO (Payments on Behalf Of) processes, the interaction between the Master Account and Sub-Accounts forms the core of a centralized payment workflow, designed to streamline payment management within a corporate group or across entities. Below is an overview of how Master Accounts and Sub-Accounts interact in the POBO process, along with technical and operational details, based on current fintech practices:

I. Roles of Master Account and Sub-Account

  • Master Account:
    • Acts as a centralized funding pool, handling all external payments and holding actual funds.
    • Processes payments via the UQPAY interface or API.
    • Responsible for reconciliation, fund management, and compliance with local regulations.
  • Sub-Account:
    • Typically a virtual account or internal accounting account assigned to subsidiaries, branches, or business units within the group.
    • Does not hold actual funds but serves as a bookkeeping tool to track transactions and fund movements for each entity.
    • Each Sub-Account is usually linked to a unique Account ID to identify payment needs specific to a subsidiary or department.

II. Interaction Workflow Between Master Account and Sub-Account

The following outlines the typical steps in the POBO process for Master Account and Sub-Account interactions:

  1. Payment Request Initiation:
  • A Sub-Account (e.g., a subsidiary) initiates a payment request, such as paying a supplier invoice or employee salaries.
  • The request is submitted via API or the UQPAY interface, including payee details (e.g., bank account, amount, currency).
  • The Sub-Account’s Account ID tags the payment source, ensuring traceability to the specific business unit.
  1. Master Account Processes Request:
  • Payment requests are aggregated to the Master Account, which serves as the centralized payment hub for validation and processing.
  • The Master Account executes the actual external payment.
  • The Master Account may allocate funds from the central funding pool based on internal rules (e.g., Zero Balance Account, ZBA), eliminating the need for Sub-Accounts to hold actual cash.

III. Fund Movement and Bookkeeping:

  • Upon payment completion, the Master Account records transaction details and allocates the transaction to the corresponding Sub-Account via an internal reconciliation system.
  • The Sub-Account’s balance (virtual balance) is updated based on the payment amount, reflected in the internal accounting system, but actual fund movement occurs only at the Master Account level.
  • For example, if Subsidiary A initiates a $1,000 payment via its Sub-Account, the Master Account completes the payment, and Subsidiary A’s Sub-Account balance is reduced by $1,000 (bookkeeping adjustment), with actual funds disbursed from the Master Account.

IV. Reconciliation and Reporting

  • The Master Account generates group-level financial reports, consolidating transaction data from all Sub-Accounts.
  • Sub-Accounts can access transaction reports to view payment history and virtual balances but cannot directly manage the Master Account’s funds.

POBO Flowchart

graph TD
    A[Sub-Account Initiates Payment Request] --> C[Main Account Receives Request and Processes Payment]
    C --> D[Main Account Executes Payment<br>Funds Transferred from Main Account]
    D --> E[Updates Sub-Account's Virtual Balance<br>Decreases by Payment Amount]
    E --> F[Main Account Records Transaction<br>Maintains Actual Funds]
    F --> H[Generate Reports<br>Group-Wide Cash Flow]

Updated 3 days ago

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