Create and maintain an AMEX SE Number request

Note: If the merchant requires linking to other merchants as part of a chain or franchise, you must first obtain an AMEX Franchise CAP number for the merchant (if it is a head quarter location) or assign an existing AMEX Franchise Cap number to the merchant when applying for an SE number. See AMEX Franchise CAP Setup.

Adding an American Express (AMEX) card plan requires that you request an AMEX Service Establishment (SE) number from AMEX.

You can submit a request to AMEX through Express via the AMEX Setup screen. After submitting your request, Express receives a response from AMEX acknowledging receipt of the request. Express then polls the AMEX network to receive the number when it is available. When the number is received, Express automatically populates the AMEX SE number in the corresponding field.

Note: All terminals associated with a store must have the same AMEX SE number.

To create or maintain an AMEX SE number request for a merchant:

1. At the Merchant Product Setup page, in the AMEX panel (see Set up a merchant for AMEX for more information and navigation instructions), click the Amex Setup button.

   The AMEX Setup (1) page opens.

   Note: To correct a new AMEX SE number request that has errors, select the item that you want to maintain from the 3rd Party Items table on the Work in Progress page to open the Merchant Product Setup page.

2. Enter information for the merchant's AMEX setup in the fields provided as follows; fields marked with a red asterisk are mandatory.

   Tip: You can click Save at any time to save the information you have entered up until that point.

   Order Information

   • Order Type: From the drop-down list, select one of the following options to indicate the AMEX order type:
     • Change Of Processor
     • SE Number Validation
     • New Account Setup
     • Maintain SPID
     • Involuntary Cancellation Request
     • Voluntary Cancellation Request
   • SPID: The 20-character alphanumeric Sales Person Identifier for this AMEX order.
   • Source Code: From the drop-down list, select the numeric identifier of the ESA for this AMEX order.
   • SIC: The four-character Visa Standard Industry Code for the merchant.
   • SE Number: This is where the AMEX Service Establishment Number identifier will appear when provided by AMEX.
   • CAP Number: This is where the AMEX Chain Affiliated Property (CAP) number would appear if one is assigned by AMEX and the merchant is headquarter/part of a chain, rather than the merchant having an SE number. See AMEX Franchise CAP Setup for more information.
   • Hierarchy: From the drop-down list, select the SE option to set up an SE number request. The other options available here are CAP or MAP, and you should select those in the case of a CAP or MAP setup.

   Alternate Address

   • Payment: Select this check box if you want to set up an alternate address for payment for the merchant's AMEX account. The Name, Address, Suite/Apt., Postal Code, City, and State fields are the auto-populated with the merchant's main address information, which you can edit as required.
   • Correspondence: Select this check box if you want to set up an alternate address for correspondence for the merchant's AMEX account. The Name, Address, Suite/Apt., Postal Code, City, and State fields are the auto-populated with the merchant's main address information, which you can edit as required.

     This Alternate Address can be for Payment, Correspondence, or both.

   AMEX Merchant Information

   • Corporate Name: The merchant's corporate name.
   • DBA: The merchants doing business as name as registered with American Express. This should be entered exactly as AMEX has registered the merchant's name. If the merchant's name is longer than 20 characters, enter the first 20 characters including spaces. Do not abbreviate the merchant name.
   • Phone / Ext: The merchant's phone number and extension number (if any).
   • Fax / Ext: The merchant's fax number and fax extension number (if any).
   • Contact: A contact person affiliated with the merchant for AMEX.
   • Address: The merchant's mailing street address. This information appears on receipts.
   • Suite/Apt.: The suite or apartment number component of the address.
   • Postal code: The merchant's 5-digit zip code. This information appears on receipts.
   • City / State: The merchant's city and state.
   • Website URL Address: The merchant’s website URL address.
   • Customer Service Email Address: The merchant’s email address where customer service communications should be directed.
   • Customer Service Phone Number: The full telephone number that should be used to contact the merchant for customer service related communications. This may or may not be the same as the Business Phone number.
   • Stock Symbol Code: Identifies the stock symbol assigned to the merchant’s publicly-traded stock, if applicable. This field is optional.

   Authorized Signer1

   • Name: The name of the authorized signer for AMEX.
   • Title: The authorized signer's title.
   • Home Address: The authorized signer's home address.
   • Postal Code: The authorized signer's home 5-digit zip code.
   • City: The authorized signer's home city.
   • SSN: The authorized signer's social security number.
   • DUNS Id: The unique nine-digit number assigned by Dun and Bradstreet to the merchant.
   • Federal Tax Id: The authorized signer's nine-digit federal tax identification number.
   • Phone: The authorized signer's phone number.
   • copy to Sig Owner 1: Click this button to copy the entries in the Authorized Signer1 panel fields into the Significant Owner 1 panel fields.

   Authorized Signer2

   • Name: The name of the second authorized signer for AMEX, if any.
   • Title: The second authorized signer's title.
   • SSN: The second authorized signer's social security number.
   • AMEX Number: The AMEX SE account number.

   Significant Owner 1, 2, 3, 4

   Tip: Click Collapse to hide and Expand to reveal each Significant Owner panel.

   • Ownership Percentage: The percentage of the business that the significant owner owns.
   • First Name: The first name of the significant owner.
   • Surname: The last name of the significant owner.
   • Taxpayer Identification Number: The significant owner's Taxpayer Identification Number.
   • Date of Birth: The significant owner's date of birth.
   • Address: The significant owner's address.
   • Postal Code: The significant owner's 5-digit zip code.
   • City: The significant owner's city.
   • State: The significant owner's state.
   • Country: The significant owner's country.
3. Click Next.

   The AMEX Setup (2) page opens.

4. Enter further information for the merchant's AMEX setup in the fields provided as follows; fields marked with a red asterisk are mandatory.

   Tip: You can click Save at any time to save the information you have entered up until that point.

   Site Information

   • Site Inspection: Select this check box if the merchant has had a site inspection.
   • Ownership Type: From the drop-down list, select one of the following ownership types for the merchant's business.
     • Corporation - Private
     • Corporation - Publicly Traded
     • Government
     • Limited Liability Corp - Private
     • Limited Liability Corp - Publicly Traded
     • Non - Profit
     • Partnership - Private
     • Partnership - Publicly Traded
     • Sole Proprietor
   • Time with Owner / YY / MM: Enter the amount of time in years (YY) and months (MM) that the owner has been in the present location.
   • Season / Start / End: If this is a seasonal businesses, enter the start month (Start) and end month (End) during which business is conducted.
   • Date Established / MM/YYYY: Enter the date on which the merchant's operation was established in MM/YYYY format.
   • IATA/ARC: The International Air Transport Association/Airline Reporting Corporation for the merchant; this is an identifier issued to merchants that provide travel services.
   • Card Not Present Percentage: The average percentage of transactions processed without a card present.

   Submission Information

   • Number of PIP Terminals: Enter the number of terminals routing (via an American Express terminal or software) Visa, MasterCard and Discover card transactions to a financial services provider and American Express transactions directly to American Express for both authorization and settlement.
   • Terminal Software: From the drop-down list, select one of the following types of terminal software the merchant will use to submit charges:
     • Oil/Gas
     • Retail
     • Lodging
     • Travel Dining
     • Service Communication
     • Auto Rental
   • Processor: From the drop-down list, select one of the following transaction processing entities for the merchant:
     • Visanet
     • MAPP
     • Multilink
     • Tandem
     • Buypass
   • Number of Reverse PIP Terminals: Enter the number of terminals routing (via a non-American Express terminal or software) Visa, MasterCard and Discover card transactions to a financial services provider and American Express transactions directly to American Express for both authorization and settlement.
   • Terminal Provider Number: From the drop-down list, select the AMEX account number assigned to the third party processor for the merchant.
   • Home Based: Select this check box if the merchant is a home-based business.
   • Descriptor: Enter the AMEX Standard Industry Code (SIC) for the merchant.
   • Pay in Gross Collection: From the drop-down list, select one of the following options to indicate the Pay in Gross Collection frequency for the merchant:
     • Monthly Pay
     • Daily Pay
   • Debit ABA Number: Enter the merchant's American Bankers Association routing number that directs electronic ACH deposits to the proper bank institution for AMEX debit.
   • Pay in Gross ACH Type: This field becomes available if you make a selection in the the Debit ABA Number field above. From the drop-down list, select one of the following options to indicate the Federal Reserve ACH type for the merchant.
     • Invoice
     • Direct Debit ACH
   • Debit DDA Number: Enter the merchant's Demand Deposit Account (checking account) for AMEX debit.

   Bank Information

   • Statement Cutoff Date: Enter the day of the month (1-31) that the merchant selects their payables to end.
   • ACH Type: From the drop-down list, select one of the following options to indicate how the merchant pays ACH:
     • ACH paid to checking account
     • Paper Check
     • ACH paid to Savings account
   • Credit ABA Number: Enter the merchant's credit American Bankers Association number. This is the merchant's routing number that directs electronic ACH deposits to the proper bank institution for AMEX credit.
   • Credit DDA Number: Enter the merchant's Demand Deposit Account number (checking account) for AMEX credit.
   • Name on Bank Account: Enter the name on the bank account for merchant credits.
   • Bank Name: Enter the name of the merchant's bank.

   Discount Data

   • Discount Rate Percentage: Enter the discount rate percentage communicated to the merchant for AMEX.
   • AMEX Annual Volume: Enter the merchant's anticipated AMEX annual charge volume. This value must be greater than zero.
   • Estimated Average Charge: Enter the merchant's average charge amount. This value must be greater than zero.
   • Pay Frequency: From the drop-down list, select one of the following options to indicate the frequency of merchant payments:
     • 2 Days
     • 3 Days
     • 10 Days
     • 15 Days
     • 30 Days
   • Flat Fee?: Select this check box if the merchant has requested a flat fee for processing.

   AMEX Franchise Setup

   • Enter Franchise CAP Number Request: You would only use this field and the adjacent franchise CAP Lookup button if you were chaining multiple merchant locations owned by the same company under one service agent Chain Affiliated Property (CAP) number. See AMEX Franchise CAP Setup and Assign an existing AMEX Franchise Cap number to a merchant.
5. Click Submit to Vendor.