Frequently Asked Questions

• Physically secure platform to anchor machine
• Local Area Network connectivity
• 110 volt, 30 amp dedicated electrical service
• Adequate access for servicing and filling machine
• Adequate lighting and security
• PC with Windows XP Pro or later; Windows Server 2003 or later
• Microsoft SQL Server for Workgroups 2005 or later

No one touches the cash but the armored car service and the customer; offers a lot of advantages for multi-yard companies. Safety for employees and customers is number one. Security is number two, the ability to assist in fraud prevention (check and internal) as well as the risk of robbery. The other benefits include process flow enhancements, central cash management, head count and peace of mind. Each benefit by itself has been the deciding factor in past purchases.

NCR ATMs come with a 90 day warranty that will cover both parts and labor. There are several options when it comes to service. You could even opt to have NCR service the equipment. Response time is something that can actually be written into the contract. For example, NCR has guaranteed two or four options that can be written into their agreement. There are two levels of service that you will need to have in place. First line maintenance will include any cash or paper jams and second line service will include hardware repair and replacement as well as second level diagnostics.

The ATM is normally anchored to the floor on each side of the unit. A dedicated 15 amp circuit for power and a Cat5e connection to the facilities data network. An indoor lobby ATM installation requires anchoring the ATM to the lobby floor and supplying the necessary wiring. Installation and placement of a through the wall exterior ATM necessitates the need for a hole to be cut into a wall. Once the hole has been cut, the machine can be moved into place and anchored to the ground in the same fashion as the indoor lobby ATM. Although the face of the ATM may be exposed to an outdoor environment the machine is actually behind the wall in a controlled environment. It is also recommended to wire up the alarm features found in the ATM. This would include alarm triggers such as vibration, heat and door switches. Your security company should also monitor prolonged power outages. Many customers who use the exterior model have the ATM in its own room and will have a separate alarm panel just for that space.

There are two ways that the delivery companies load cash. One is to load the money into the cassettes when they arrive on site or some companies may ask you to purchase an additional set of cassettes that are loaded at the vault and they simply swap them out with the existing ones. This is really a request or requirement that a particular service provider may have. Yes, the second option makes the actual delivery quicker. Usually you will just have a particular day of the week that the delivery takes place. For security reasons a lot of the delivery companies won’t give you an exact time but just a window of delivery. You may be able to set up a specific time with your service company but that would really have to be determined by that company and branch.

Reliability and ease of use has been the biggest change. Peddlers want cash, so the actual process has not changed much. Before 2008 our solution was based on refurbished NCR ATMs using cards that the ATM retained for each payment. TranAct is now an NCR authorized dealer and with NCR’s help we created a new solution specifically for the scrap metal industry. With bar code receipts we eliminated card issues and by adding a redundant dispenser we cut most of our system down service calls. Voice and video instructions at the ATM has also played a part in enhancing the customer experience.

The ATM machine can be purchased directly from TranAct and we are an NCR partner. Prior to shipping the ATM, we load all necessary software into the ATM and test for functionality. Upon arrival, you will need an installer or rigging company to set the machine into place. We can provide you with all the necessary installation instructions and service requirements.

A good example would be “Payment Time Regulations”, holding a payment for three days is configurable in EZcash and doesn’t require any system changes. The example of “you can’t buy copper for cash” would be handled in the Scale System. Procedures and changes are required in many Scale Systems as legislation changes. The use of JPEGger to capture images is often used for scrap theft issues.

We use encryption to verify the barcode data being sent from the ATM and check it against the EZcash database. Any unauthorized barcodes (such as one on a box) would be kicked back is invalid.

Typically we sell the machines out right. However, there are finance companies that would be willing to lease the machine to you. As far as transaction fees go, the ATM is yours and the transactions occur on your own private network and there are no fees to complete a transaction

This is normal procedure for the cash delivery companies. They will load the new cash order and deposit any unused cash from the previous cycle back into your account. They will also provide you with a balance sheet once the returned funds have been counted and verified.

When you order cash, you would request that it be “ATM ready”. When preparing the cash, the vault will remove any cash that it deems unfit for an ATM.

Cash delivery will be handled by a courier service. Some of these companies also provide first and second line maintenance. In most cases the delivery company will at least provide first line support. As far as cash deliveries go, they will need to swap the cash and insert the new cash totals into the system. Actual maintenance would be performed by the first and second line personnel. Upon cash delivery the service provider will start a new “balance cycle” and input the cash figures into the system. On the next delivery they will start another new “balance cycle”, therefore ending the prior one. EZcash will provide you with the “balance cycles” start count, dispensed count, and remaining balance (amount returned to the bank). These figures can also be verified by detailed transaction reports as well as purchase reports from within your yard management software.

The cash will be provided by you. Yes, the cash services usually charge by drop. This cost can change based on geographic area, frequency and provider. Typically you would want to keep a little over a week worth of cash in the machine. This figure can be determined by your current payouts.

Most customers round up and down to the nearest dollar but coin is an option and mandatory in Canada and California. The ATM can pay exact amounts down to the penny or round to whatever increment is needed. Dispense limits are handled by EZcash and rules can be used to handle large payouts that may require multiple bundles of cash. Customers can easily set the maximum transaction value through the EZcash interface although it is most often managed by the Scale System.

There are definable rules within EZcash that will allow you to set certain parameters such as maximum dispense limit. Also, you should be able to set limits within your yard management software. There will be an ATM button on the your yard management software payment screen. When this button is clicked the payment information is passed to EZcash and a barcode is returned to your yard management software. The scale operator or cashier would then click the Receiver button to print the receipt with the barcode.

If you choose to use a cash delivery service the only thing you will have to contend with is the physical security of the ATM. In most cases the ATM is installed in its own room. This would allow you to lock and alarm the ATM separate from your main security system. Some customers also add a camera to their security system that is inside the ATM room. Also the ATM itself has some alarm capabilities. The ATM comes with a harness that can be tied into a security panel and includes functionality such as: door triggers, vibration and heat sensors. Your ADT installer would be able to have the system go off if any of these triggers occur. A custom decal or sign could be added on or next to the ATM with that message.

The ATM uses sensors to prevent any over dispensing. Each bill that passes through the machine is measured for thickness and length. If any bill does not fit this measurement it is placed into a divert cassette. This prevents any notes that could possibly be stuck together from dispensing

This is a matter of preference, you could create the payment at the scale if you wish or have the customers go to the cashier window for their receipt. I believe the ATM payments will be accounted for separately in your yard management software, same as cash and checks are separate.

EZcash software works with: Scrap Dragon, Mayer, Recy, RIMAS (Shared Logic), SAI and ScrapWare. Your software will send the payment information into EZcash and in return EZcash will send a bar code back to your software to be printed on the receipt. The EZcash Monitor can be installed on any computers on your system. The monitor will provide you with real time balance and transaction information, the data can also be exported to Microsoft® Excel.

If the amount of cash you are going through exceeds what the ATM can handle. Keep in mind, the current NCR model we are using has eight cassettes, each of which can hold around two thousand notes each. The typical denominations used would be: 100s or 50s, 20s, 5s, and 1s. Point being, that you can hold quite a bit of cash in one machine. You will hopefully be dealing directly with us and will offer you the best deal we can on the ATM hardware. We normally discount our EZcash software when a level of three or more licenses has been reached.

The transaction starts in the scrapyards scrap purchasing software (Scale System). A Scale System is required to calculate the purchase by commodity and weight and finally the dollar amount the customer is to receive. TranAct’s EZcash software is designed to work with any Scale System. When it is time to pay, the Scale System triggers EZcash, securing a barcode that is printed on the customers payment receipt. The customer then scans the receipt at the NCR Financial ATM or cash dispenser. EZcash authorizes the transaction and the ATM dispenses the cash to the customer. The EZcash client monitors the devices and the balancing tools facilitate balancing to the Scale System and the armored car service providers. TranAct’s JPEGger software captures all transaction images from scale to payout for auditing and security.

I don’t believe that adding the ATM will drastically affect your insurance premiums. I would recommend speaking with your agent about any actual increases that may occur.

We should have a discussion to make this determination. Some of the variables will include: ATM model type (lobby or thru wall), space, and customer flow.

The costs for installation and maintenance fluctuate based on the location and equipment type. Our typical installation is an exterior through the wall ATM like the side of a bank building. Some customers provide a private room and a cash dispenser for large payouts. Behind the counter cash dispensers with cashiers are not used as often as self service configurations. Whether you are putting it in a lobby, through the wall or adding a building the total costs change. NCR ATMs run from $13k to $38k, this range includes refurbished and new ATMs; EZcash is $10k per ATM. A new Arcatech 2600 cash dispenser is around $19k. The transactions themselves are private; there are no usage or transaction fees. TranAct’s precast ATM building sells for $15k plus shipping, power, slab and a cable crane. Our customers typically manage their own rigging for obvious reasons. The required local support include “first line” (cash/paper jams) and “second line” maintenance (hardware failure). Yards can expect to pay around $1,200 each per year for first line maintenance and software support $1,500.00 to $2,500 for second line maintenance. Cash replenishment can be contracted through an armored car company estimated at $70 to $90 per drop or managed locally by yard personnel who would then also do the first line maintenance. The average cost per transaction in a scrap yard works out to be around $.50. Cameras run from $350 to $2,500 plus software and hardware for recording.

For the software and hardware purchase, make sure the vendor can meet your requirements. An ATM is a fully contained self service device that is designed for outside exposure installation. Cash dispensers can be configured as a self service device but are not fully contained and are designed for office environments. One benefit of being fully contained is you can get one service contract on the entire payout solution. Balancing procedures for cash suppliers and Scale System should be reviewed. An enterprise solutions may be required if more than one device is needed. Due diligence should include good references for experience in this industry. A solution provider should guarantee that the system provided will perform for its intended purpose. Don’t forget to inspect the peddler’s process flow at the ATM; try to avoid entering data for single payout transactions. Local first line, second line and cash suppliers are typically contracted direct with the yard and many options for service providers.

Yes, some companies choose to load cash themselves. The maximum amount that a customer could receive from the ATM can be defined in EZcash and within your yard management software. I have noticed that several companies cap the dispense limit at around 2k, but again, this can be determined by your organization. In our professional opinion, the best option is to have a delivery company handle the cash. This is the safest and most secure way to handle your money.

No, in the scrap industry, companies typically do not charge a transaction fee. Remember, your ATM transactions are private and do not involve any banking networks. I can only think of one company that charges a cash convenience fee to their customers.

Things such as redundancy, security for large transactions and traffic flow should be considerations for the use of multiple units, but if the number of transactions is consistently exceeding 400 per day, the facility should certainly consider using two terminals.

There are companies that are selling systems that would allow you to pay customers using a prepaid debit card. We are actually developing this option ourselves and may have this solution available down the road. I am not sure what the costs are to implement this sort of solution but one of the obstacles that we have come across are the fees associated with the cards. The end user (your customer) and the card issuer (your company) are responsible for various transaction fees. Really the main argument for using this sort of solution is this; Customers prefer cash. If your competition is paying cash, customers may be more likely to sell their materials to them.

This will remain the same as your current process. You can choose to pay your industrial tickets or group of tickets via your yard management software using cash, checks or ATM.

This again will depend on the ATM model that is going to be purchased. Physical requirements for a thru the wall ATM will require a hole where the ATM is going to be placed. Other requirements that either ATM will need include power and network connectivity.

A lot depends on legislation but the next step for TranAct is a bank branded debit card. This solution is being used in some yards now. If you can get your customers to use this card for retail purchases, this model works. The merchants pay the transaction fees when the customer uses the card to buy goods. The problem is, Cash-Is-King and peddlers are skeptical about leaving the yard with a card. Also, if you calculate the cost to get cash, the transaction fees add up to much more than running a private ATM. Congress recently calculated that a banks average cost to do cash transactions at an ATM is less than $.50. TranAct’s scrap yard customers and banks own and operate their own high volume financial ATMs and the costs are similar, less than $.50 per transaction. Debit card providers often charge fees to move funds to cards that are $1.00 or more. Most retail ATMs in the US are owned by third parties and do much lower volume than bank machines driving up fees. The average ATM owners surcharge is over $2.50 in the US and the bank interchange charge adds $1.00 or more per cash withdrawal. We are up to $4.50 per transaction now. Most retail and bank ATMs limit daily cash payouts to $300.00 increasing the number of cash transactions. A cost affective debit card solution needs to include an all cash payout option without fees. TranAct’s debit card release will coincide with an ATM that can provide private and bank transactions. Peddler skepticism is hard to overcome but not taking anything away from them will help.