• Authorisation Approval Code number
• Card account number and expiry date
• Date of Charge
• Amount of Charge, which must be the total purchase price of goods or services purchased, including tips, postage and packing charges. Any tip amount should be filled in by the Cardmember before you complete the total
• An acceptable description of the goods or services purchased
• Your business name, address and American Express Merchant number

To process Credits, follow these simple steps:

Imprint an American Express Credit Form with the Cardmember's Card. If the Card is not available, complete the Cardmember's name and account number by hand. Ensure that the account number on the Credit Form matches the account number on the original Record of Charge being credited.

Enter the total amount of the transaction. Please also enter the total amount on the Credit Summary Form. Your Agent Bank will debit your account for the net amount.

Enter the reason for the Credit (e.g. wrong size).

If possible, have the Cardmember sign the Credit Form.

Return the Card and Cardmember's copy of the Credit Form to the Cardmember. Retain the Service Establishment copy for reference and submit the "Amex" copies to American Express via your Agent Bank.

1. Obtain the following information from the authorized user for the Card (the Cardmember). This information should be captured in the written Meeting Sales Agreement between your Hotel and the Client.*
• Their name for the Card to prove that they are the authorized user and legitimate party for the card
• Their Card Account number
• The Card’s expiry date
• The Cardmember’s billing address - this address is to be confirmed by Authorizations
• The Cardmember’s billing telephone number. Do not accept mobile telephone numbers


2. Obtain an Approval Code electronically or via phone. For phone authorization, please call Authorizations. Please have your Merchant number and customer details ready when you call.
3. Complete Record of Charge (ROC) and write "Signature on File" on the signature line of the ROC.

• The first step for a meeting/event is the development of a contract, signed by both the Merchant (usually a hotel or venue) and the meeting planner (the Cardmember)
• This contract should stipulate that the American Express Card will be used as the form of payment and no charges can be put on the card without prior written authorization from the Cardmember
• The contract should list upfront all the agreed costs related to the meeting. Any amount that is not specifically agreed in the contract cannot be charged to the Card without prior agreement
• Ask for the Card number as a guarantee for no shows/cancellations and call the American Express Authorizations department to ensure that the proposed amount can be charged to the card

• Establish if the Cardmember is going to be present at the actual meeting. If he is not, advise the Cardmember that he will need to receive the invoice via email or fax after the meeting and ask him to fill out the “Charge Authorization Form” and submit to the Merchant in advance. This form provides confirmation that the Cardmember is authorizing these charges to be paid on Card
• If the Cardmember wants to authorize another person to charge on their behalf, he will also need to fill out the “Charge Authorization Form”, sign and submit to the Merchant. (As an added check it is suggested that you e-mail the person who looks after the account at the corporation and have the authenticity of the form confirmed)

• Prior to any charges to the Card, the hotel will need to send the final invoice to the meeting planner
• The meeting planner to review the invoice and ensure that they are in agreement with the charges

• You should not ask the Cardmember to fax a photocopy of the front and back of the Card (or any other card). This introduces a higher risk of fraud and therefore is not advisable
• Ensure that the Cardmember has completely reconciled the balance of charges and has given final approval to charge the event to their Card
• Contact your local American Express representative for a Charge Authorization Form if you do not have an in-house Form available