NCPC EXAM BLUEPRINT
EXAM DEVELOPMENT
The NCPCTM Exam was developed by a team of subjects matter experts drawn from the ECCHOTM membership with varied professional experience and expertise. The Editorial Board worked under the guidance of the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO) to build a valid and fair certification process following professional and regulatory guidelines.
HumRRO is an independent, nonprofit corporation with expertise in all aspects of the credentialing field, bringing to the development of the NCPC Program more than 60 years of experience delivering hundreds of projects in job analysis and assessment.
EXAM BLUEPRINT
The NCPCTM Exam provides candidates the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise across the knowledge domains of check payments in the following categories:
Rules, Laws, and Regulations 34%
Demonstrate a working knowledge of key terms and concepts with respect to Electronic Check Clearing House Organization (ECCHOTM) Rules, NACHA Rules, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Articles 3 and 4, Regulation CC, Regulation J, Regulation E, and Federal Reserve Operating Circular 3 (OC3).
♦ Key rules, laws, and regulations and terms defined in these documents
♦ Eligible items
♦ MICR line repair
♦ Warranties
♦ Indemnification
♦ Error resolution, including adjustments
♦ Imperfect/Nonimageable Item
♦ Indorsements
♦ Presentment
♦ Representment
♦ Returns
♦ Disclosures
♦ Funds availability
♦ Bank settlement & finality
Fraud and Risk Mitigation 25%
Demonstrate knowledge required to identify fraud and mitigate risk associated with check products and services. This includes these aspects:
♦ Types of fraud (kiting, alterations, forged indorsement, counterfeit, forged drawer signature,
intentional duplicates, theft)
♦ Stale or postdated checks
♦ Consumer, bank, and commercial agreements
♦ Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML)
♦ Federal Financial Institution Examination Council (FFIEC) guidance
♦ Unique risks associated with remote deposit capture and remotely created checks
♦ Risk mitigation techniques (e.g., positive pay, security features)
♦ Data security and data breach
♦ Business continuity
♦ Disaster recovery
Operations 33%
Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of check operations. In addition, demonstrate awareness of key standards such as ANSI and ACH formats.
♦ Item processing
♦ Point of capture (customer, branch, lockbox, ATM, other bank, third party processor)
♦ Item Capture (paper and electronic)
♦ Quality control
♦ Proofing and balancing transactions
♦ Clearing, including Automated Clearing House (ACH) conversion
♦ Posting
♦ Reconcilement
♦ Bank settlement
♦ File control
♦ Rejected items and files
♦ Transmission and acknowledgement
♦ Exception handling
♦ Exception dispositioning
♦ Returns
♦ Adjustments
♦ Retention, retrieval, and destruction
♦ Statement processing
♦ Purpose of Automated Clearing House (ACH) format and ANSI Standards IRD format (X9.100-140),
MICR line X9.100-160, Parts 1 and 2), Image File Format (X9.100-187 and the UCD)
Products 8%
Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the types, benefits, and purpose of correspondent banking products and customer (commercial and consumer) products. These include the following products:
♦ Image cash letter
♦ Remote deposit capture
♦ Types of checks (remotely created checks, money orders, substitute checks, official checks,
treasury, government checks, warrants)
♦ Check conversion (ARC, POP, BOC, RCK) and replacement (WEB, TEL)
♦ Account reconciliation products (e.g., positive pay)
♦ Controlled disbursement
