EFT Program

This program applies to all Kroger affiliates.

The Kroger Co. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) program automates the transfer of funds and remittance information for all the Kroger division invoices received from their vendors. The EFT program will eliminate the manual process of printing and mailing checks for these invoices.

The EFT program will consolidate payments for all Kroger divisions into one payment made to a particular vendor on a given day. Electronically transferring the funds and remittance detail benefits both The Kroger Co. and its vendors. Integrating the payment information with a company's existing cash management system and payment application processing, will maximize these potential benefits. To begin an EFT program with The Kroger Co., please review this document.

The Kroger Co. does not feel a contract is necessary for beginning an EFT program with a vendor and will not participate with vendors who make a contract a requirement.

The EDI document will be sent within the CTX electronic document. The CTX document, in its entirety, will be communicated by Kroger's bank to the vendor's bank.

PROCESSING REQUIREMENTS FOR EFT

INITIAL CONTACT

• All invoices must already be set up on EDI for warehouse or NEX/DEX for direct store delivery.
• Complete the "EFT Vendor Set Up Form" and return to your Kroger Co. primary department contact (i.e., Merchandising, Buying, Facility Engineering, Operations, Real Estate Dept., etc.)

VENDOR BANK CONTACT

• The vendor's bank must be capable of receiving the payment order and remittance information.
• Determine, with the bank, how the remittance detail Kroger's bank will be transmitting will be supplied to you, the vendor.
  • A full service EDI bank will be capable of providing the information in an EDI document, data format or a printed report.
• Complete all testing between you and your bank
  • Data Communication Testing.
  • Correct and complete remittance reporting.

EVALUATION PROCESS

• Kroger will contact you to start the evaluation process.
• When a vendor is evaluated to begin an EFT program, an analysis of actual terms for the vendor's check payments is completed. Actual terms are defined as the length of calendar days between the invoice date and actual transfer of funds.
• If applicable, EFT discounts or additional days will be negotiated to remain float neutral.
• The invoice must reflect the new EFT terms.

TESTING

• The Kroger Co. and vendor will create a tentative schedule for the small dollar test and conversion to production.
• Small Dollar Test
  • Kroger will send a payment order to Kroger's bank for a small dollar amount netting down to $0.05. Below is the remittance information included in the small dollar test:

    RMR*IV*
    (NONE)*ER*.08*.08~

    DTM*003*99991231~
    RMR*IV*

    (NONE)*ER*.02*.1*.03~
    DTM*003*99991231~

    ADX*-.05*ZZ~
    RMR*AP*
    (NONE)*ER*-.05~
    DTM*133*99991231~

• Via the EFT Confirmation Form, vendors will verify in writing the transfer of the small $ test (.05) into their account and the validity of the remittance detail.
  • The $0.05 deposit will be received within at least two bank business days
• Kroger will send no more than 3 small dollar tests. The vendor is responsible for completing all testing between them and their EFT bank prior to the small dollar test.

REMITTANCE/820

Currently any EDI trading partners that want to be EFT will not have the option to receive 820 directly from Kroger via EDI. The vendor’s bank that the EFT deposit is sent to will have to provide the remittance/820 information to you. All remittance/820 is sent to each vendor’s bank by US Bank and the vendor is responsible to retrieve this remittance from their bank.

To avoid any remittance issues, please verify with your bank before going EFT that they can provide the remittance to you in the proper format. There is no test sent from Kroger to your bank for this but is a standard 820 and mapping is available at:

http://edi.kroger.com/maps_kr/820NEFT.pdf

If you are unable to receive the remittance/820 detail from your bank, there are two other options available:

1. Go to the vendor portal located at http://kroger.demandtec.com. If you don’t have a sign-on and password, please send a request to vendorportal@kroger.com.

2. Email corpvps@kroger.com requesting a copy of the remittance/820 for a fee of $25.00 per remittance.

PRODUCTION

• After a successful small dollar test, a production date will be mutually agreed on by Kroger and the vendor.
  • The vendor will verify again in writing the transfer of the small $ test into their account, the validity of the remittance and agreed upon production date
• Please retain copies of all communications and documentation related to the EFT setup for your reference

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• For security purposes, any bank change request will be declined unless the correct existing bank information is provided at the time of request.
• Questions regarding the detail and timing of specific remittance information will be forwarded by the vendor to the appropriate Kroger Accounting Center.

FOR PAYMENT STATUS:

Please contact only research contacts below:

Fred Meyer (Non food)--fmnonfoodpayables@kroger.com

Kroger/Smiths/Dillon/Ralphs-- krogercorrespondence@prgx.com

Peyton-- krogercorrespondence@prgx.com

Payments scheduled to be made on weekends and bank holidays will be processed on the next bank working day. Kroger will observe the Federal Reserve Holiday Schedule.

For payment status please call 1-855-574-2228. Hours are 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM.

Suppliers who are new to EDI can direct questions regarding start-up via e-mail to edi@kroger.com.