1. How Bank Payment Obligations (BPOs)
Work
Global Trade Risk Management
Strategies LLC

2. 2
Global Trade Risk Management
Strategies LLC
How Bank Payment Obligations Work
Buyer
Contract
(Purchase Order)
Seller
A Bank Payment Obligation (“BPO”) is an engagement by a bank that is issued
pursuant to a trade transaction. The BPO is requested by the buyer and contains
the bank’s undertaking to pay the seller’s bank based on presentation by the
seller’s bank of data specified in the BPO. The intent is that the data evidence
compliance of the seller with the contract between the buyer and seller, so the
starting point is the execution of such contract. The contract should specify what
data the seller is required to submit in order to trigger the payment obligation.

3. 3
Global Trade Risk Management
Strategies LLC
How Bank Payment Obligations Work
Buyer
Contract
(Purchase Order)
Purchase
Order
Data
Seller’s Bank
Purchase
Order
Data
Buyer’s Bank
Seller
The buyer applies for a BPO and transmits to his bank the data requirements that are specified
in the contract. Simultaneously, the seller alerts his bank that it will be receiving a BPO and
also transmits to this bank the data requirements that are specified in the contract and expected
to be in the BPO.

4. 4
Global Trade Risk Management
Strategies LLC
How Bank Payment Obligations Work
Buyer
Contract
(Purchase Order)
Purchase
Order
Data
Seller’s Bank
Purchase
Order
Data
Buyer’s Bank
Seller
Baseline
Submission
w/ BPO
Baseline
Submission
Transaction
Matching
Application
At the core of the BPO concept is the use of a computerized system that performs data
matching. This “Transaction Matching Application” may be hosted by one of the banks or by a
third party. The banks agree on what TMA they will use and each uploads the data requirements
provided by its customer. The buyer’s bank further indicates that it engages to pay the seller’s
bank upon presentation to the TMA of data that comply with the data requirements.

5. 5
Global Trade Risk Management
Strategies LLC
How Bank Payment Obligations Work
Buyer
Contract
(Purchase Order)
Purchase
Order
Data
Seller’s Bank
Purchase
Order
Data
Buyer’s Bank
Baseline
Match
Report
Baseline
Match
Report
Seller
Baseline
Submission
w/ BPO
Baseline
Submission
Transaction
Matching
Application
The TMA compares the data requirements files submitted by the two banks against one another
and notifies both of any mismatches. If the data requirements match, both banks are notified
that a “baseline” has been established and that the buyer’s bank’s BPO is now in effect.

6. 6
Global Trade Risk Management
Strategies LLC
How Bank Payment Obligations Work
Buyer
Contract
(Purchase Order)
Purchase
Order
Data
Seller’s Bank
Purchase
Order
Data
Buyer’s Bank
Baseline
Match
Report
Baseline
Match
Report
Seller
Baseline
Submission
w/ BPO
Baseline
Submission
Transaction
Matching
Application
The BPO itself is in favor of the seller’s bank, so there is an expectation that the seller’s bank
will engage with the seller to provide some sort of service, but the Uniform Rules for BPOs do
not specify what type of engagement the seller’s bank may enter into with the seller. It may be
merely an agreement to receive and upload a data file or it may involve a commitment from the
seller’s bank to pay the seller upon submission of a compliant data set.
Engage-
ment

7. 7
Global Trade Risk Management
Strategies LLC
Goods
How Bank Payment Obligations Work
Buyer
Contract
(Purchase Order)
Purchase
Order
Data
Seller’s Bank
Purchase
Order
Data
Buyer’s Bank
Baseline
Match
Report
Baseline
Match
Report
Seller
Baseline
Submission
w/ BPO
Baseline
Submission
Transaction
Matching
Application
Based on the arrangements in place, the seller ships the goods that the buyer ordered.
Engage-
ment

8. 8
Global Trade Risk Management
Strategies LLC
Goods
Documents
How Bank Payment Obligations Work
Buyer
Contract
(Purchase Order)
Purchase
Order
Data
Seller’s Bank
Purchase
Order
Data
Buyer’s Bank
Baseline
Match
Report
Baseline
Match
Report
Seller
Baseline
Submission
w/ BPO
Baseline
Submission
Transaction
Matching
Application Engage-
ment
All of the documents—invoices, transport documents, etc.— are sent by the seller directly to the
buyer.

9. 9
Global Trade Risk Management
Strategies LLC
Goods
Documents
How Bank Payment Obligations Work
Buyer
Contract
(Purchase Order)
Shipment
Data Set
Purchase
Order
Data
Seller’s Bank
Purchase
Order
Data
Buyer’s Bank
Baseline
Match
Report
Baseline
Match
Report
Seller
Baseline
Submission
w/ BPO
Baseline
Submission
Transaction
Matching
Application
Shipment
Data
Engage-
ment
The seller submits data about the shipment and to his bank in the manner specified in the
bank’s engagement. The bank compiles the data into a data set and uploads it to the TMA to
compare with the requirements described in the “established baseline.”

10. 10
Global Trade Risk Management
Strategies LLC
Goods
Documents
How Bank Payment Obligations Work
Buyer
Contract
(Purchase Order)
Shipment
Data Set
Purchase
Order
Data
Seller’s Bank
Purchase
Order
Data
Buyer’s Bank
Baseline
Match
Report
Baseline
Match
Report
Seller
Data
Set
Match
Report
Data
Set
Match
Report
Baseline
Submission
w/ BPO
Baseline
Submission
Transaction
Matching
Application
Shipment
Data
Engage-
ment
The TMA notifies both banks of the results of the data matching process. If there are no
mismatches, the BPO is triggered and the buyer’s bank is obligated to pay. If there are
mismatches, the buyer’s bank may accept or reject them.

11. 11
Global Trade Risk Management
Strategies LLC
Goods
Documents
Payment
Payment
How Bank Payment Obligations Work
Buyer
Contract
(Purchase Order)
Shipment
Data Set
Purchase
Order
Data
Seller’s Bank
Purchase
Order
Data
Buyer’s Bank
Baseline
Match
Report
Baseline
Match
Report
Seller
Data
Set
Match
Report
Data
Set
Match
Report
Baseline
Submission
w/ BPO
Baseline
Submission
Transaction
Matching
Application
Shipment
Data
Engage-
ment
Payment takes place outside the BPO framework, by normal bank-to-bank means. Based on its
own engagement with the seller, the seller’s bank pays the seller.

12. 12
Global Trade Risk Management
Strategies LLC
Goods
Debit
Documents
Payment
Payment
How Bank Payment Obligations Work
Buyer
Contract
(Purchase Order)
Shipment
Data Set
Shipment
Data
Purchase
Order
Data
Seller’s Bank
Purchase
Order
Data
Buyer’s Bank
Baseline
Match
Report
Baseline
Match
Report
Seller
Data
Set
Match
Report
Data
Set
Match
Report
Baseline
Submission
w/ BPO
Baseline
Submission
Transaction
Matching
Application Engage-
ment
The buyer’s bank turns to the buyer for reimbursement of the payment.

13. This set of slides comes from training classes
developed and taught by
Global Trade Risk Management Strategies LLC.
For Information about upcoming seminars
and webinars, visit
http://www.gtrisk.com/Upcoming_Seminars.html.
Global Trade Risk Management
Strategies LLC
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