Understanding Visa's Commercial Enhanced Data Program

KNOW THE BASICS

A Guide to Visa CEDP

What is Visa’s Commercial Enhanced Data Program (CEDP)?

Visa’s CEDP is an initiative designed to improve the quality and consistency of data sent with commercial card payments. When businesses pay with corporate or purchasing cards, transactions are expected to include detailed invoice information like tax, shipping, PO numbers, and line items to make payments easier to validate and reconcile.

How do I qualify for “enhanced data” interchange rates?

Enhanced data refers to detailed Level 2 and Level 3 invoice information sent with a payment. CEDP emphasizes that this data must reflect real, accurate invoice details, not placeholders or generic values.

To qualify for enhanced data interchange rates, your transaction must include complete, accurate, and properly structured invoice data when it is submitted for payment.

This typically means:

Including all required header-level fields
Providing detailed line-item data
Ensuring all values are consistent and reconcile correctly
Submitting data in structured fields, not notes or PDFs

Even if you have the right information, transactions may not qualify if:

Data is incomplete or inconsistent
Fields are formatted incorrectly
Totals do not match across line items

Consistent data quality over time, not just one-off accuracy, is what determines whether you reliably qualify for lower rates.

Why is Visa CEDP happening?

CEDP reflects a broader shift in B2B payments.

Commercial card programs rely on high-quality invoice data for reporting, compliance, and reconciliation. When that data is incomplete or inconsistent, it creates more manual work and increases risk across the ecosystem.

B2B companies that consistently provide complete, accurate data are more likely to qualify for better rates, while poor-quality data leads to downgrades. Simply put, better data leads to better results.

Visa CEDP FAQs

How does Visa CEDP impact B2B companies and payment costs? CEDP raises the standard for invoice data. It’s no longer enough to simply send data with a payment, it must be complete, accurate, and properly structured. If it’s not, transactions may not qualify for the best processing rates, which can increase your costs and create reconciliation challenges.

What’s changing in the market?

Card networks, like Visa, are shifting from checking whether data is present to evaluating the quality of that data. This means:

Stricter formatting and accuracy requirements
More advanced validation (e.g., detecting mismatched totals or placeholder values)
Greater sensitivity of pricing outcomes to data quality

Bottom line: qualification now depends on consistent data performance, not just submission.

Is this just a Visa change, or will other card networks follow?

While CEDP is a Visa initiative, it reflects a broader industry trend toward data-driven validation, increased automation, and greater emphasis on accuracy and consistency.

It’s likely that similar standards will expand across payment networks over time.

What’s the difference between having data and having usable data?

Having data means the information exists somewhere, often in PDFs, notes, or disconnected systems. Usable data means it is structured, complete, consistent, and ready to be processed and validated automatically.

CEDP requires usable data, not just available data.

What are common reasons commercial card transactions get downgraded?

Common issues include:

Totals that don’t reconcile across line items
Missing ship-to information
Freight bundled into item pricing
PO numbers stored in notes instead of structured fields
Tax mismatches or incorrect indicators
Missing units of measure

Fixing these issues can significantly improve qualification rates.

What is a downgrade?

A downgrade occurs when a transaction fails to meet the requirements for a lower-cost processing category and is instead charged at a higher rate.

This often happens when required Level 2 or Level 3 data is missing, incomplete, incorrect, or poorly structured.

For example, a transaction may be downgraded if:

A PO number is missing or stored in a note instead of a structured field
Line-item totals don’t reconcile with the invoice total
Tax or shipping information is inconsistent

Downgrades can increase processing costs and reduce visibility into final fees.

In many cases, businesses are unaware downgrades are happening until they see higher-than-expected costs, making data quality a critical factor in controlling payment expenses.

What does “verified” vs. “non-verified” mean?

“Verified” businesses consistently send complete and accurate invoice data and are more likely to qualify for optimal rates.

“Non-verified” businesses send inconsistent or incomplete data and are more likely to experience downgrades and higher costs.

This new classification from Visa prioritizes consistency over time, not perfection.

What is Level 2 vs Level 3 data?

Level 2 and Level 3 data refers to enhanced transaction details that businesses submit with commercial card payments to qualify for lower processing rates.

Level 2 data includes basic additional fields such as:

Sales tax amount
Customer or department code
Invoice or purchase order (PO) number

Level 3 data includes everything in Level 2, plus detailed line-item information, such as:

Product or service descriptions
Quantity and unit price
Total per line item
Shipping, tax, and destination details

Under CEDP, Level 2 will no longer exist as a category for Visa starting April 2026. While the Level 2 classification will continue to apply for the other card networks, Visa is moving to a “qualified” or “non-qualified” model. And, qualification will be determined by AI.

The more complete and accurate your data, the more likely your transactions are to qualify for the best possible interchange rates.

What happens if my data doesn’t meet the requirements?

If required fields are missing or inconsistent, transactions can be downgraded to higher-cost categories. This can lead to:

Increased processing fees
Delayed visibility into final interchange costs
More manual work during reconciliation

What systems or teams are impacted by CEDP?

CEDP impacts multiple parts of your business, including:

Accounts Receivable (invoice creation)
Finance/Treasury (cost management)
ERP and related systems (data structure and integration)

Because invoice data drives payment outcomes, alignment across these areas is key.

What are some best practices about invoices that my team can follow?

To get started, your teams can:

Use structured fields on invoices instead of notes or PDFs
SKU/commodity codes and units of measure
Use invoice templates that require key fields
Ensure line-item math matches the invoice total
Contact your payment provider to ensure they support the additional transaction data collection

Small process improvements can lead to meaningful cost savings.

What does “good data” actually look like?

“Good data” means:

Required fields are complete
Line items are clearly defined
Totals reconcile across the invoice
Data is structured in fields, not buried in notes or PDFs

It’s not just about having data, it’s about having it in the right format.

How do I know if my transactions are at risk of downgrades?

You may be at risk if:

Key fields (PO, tax, shipping) are inconsistent or optional
Line-item data is incomplete or unclear
Your payment provider does not review or validate your data

Even small inconsistencies can lead to higher processing costs.

Can my current payment provider handle this by submitting the correct data? Most payment providers can submit enhanced data, but they depend on you to provide it correctly. If your provider does not work with you to ensure your invoice data is complete, structured, and consistent, your transactions may still fail to qualify for optimal rates.

How long does it take to prepare for CEDP requirements?

Preparation time depends on your current processes. B2B companies with structured, consistent invoice data may require minimal changes. Others may need to standardize fields and improve data capture processes.

How does invoice data quality impact payment reconciliation?

Better data improves reconciliation by:

Making transactions easier to match to invoices
Reducing manual corrections
Increasing visibility into payment details

Poor data has the opposite effect, more manual work and errors.

Who is responsible for getting the data right?

Responsibility is shared:

AR teams ensure invoice data is accurate and complete
Finance teams monitor cost impact and performance
Payment providers submit the data (the best providers work with you to ensure the invoice data aligns with CEDP requirements)

Success depends on coordination across all three.

Do I need to change my invoicing or payment process for CEDP?

Yes, in many cases but not necessarily in a disruptive way.

CEDP requires that invoice data be captured in a structured, consistent format before payment. If your current process relies on PDFs, notes, or inconsistent fields, adjustments may be needed to ensure your data meets the new standards.

What happens if I do nothing?

If your data does not meet CEDP requirements:

Transactions may be downgraded to higher-cost categories
You may experience less visibility into final costs
Manual reconciliation work may increase

Over time, this can significantly impact margins and operational efficiency.

LOWER PROCESSING COSTS

The essential parts of an invoice

If the information below is updated, accurate, and sent with the payment, you have a better opportunity to lower your processing costs.

Invoice header data:

Invoice or order ID
Purchase order (PO) number (in a structured field)
Tax amount and indicator
Merchant ZIP/postal code
Invoice date and currency

Line-item data:

Item description or SKU
Quantity and unit of measure
Unit price and total amount
Tax, freight, and discounts (clearly separated)
Ship-to ZIP code and country

Sample Bill360 Invoice Level 3

How Bill360 helps.

Visa’s CEDP is not a compliance update, it’s a structural shift in how B2B payments are validated and priced. While others are reacting to CEDP, Bill360 was built to capture complete and accurate invoice-level payment data from the start.

Own the full lifecycle

From invoice to payment, we connect every step so nothing gets lost of misaligned

Capture data at the source

We capture real invoice-level data at the source, not templates, assumptions, or third-party inputs

Built for CEDP

Your data is structured correctly, from the start, to meet evolving card network standards

Align your process

Standardize how your invoice data is created so it consistently meets CEDP requirements

Consistent outcomes, not chance

Transactions are designed to qualify, not dependent on fixes or guesswork

Understanding Visa’s Commercial Enhanced Data Program

A Guide to Visa CEDP

Visa CEDP FAQs

The essential parts of an invoice

How Bill360 helps.

Talk with an expert now.