Guide
How to clean card transaction descriptors.
Start by removing processor wrappers, preserving useful location and MCC hints, and returning confidence when the merchant is uncertain.
1. Reject sensitive input first
Card numbers, account numbers, full statements, emails, phone numbers, and addresses should fail before parsing.
2. Normalize wrappers
Handle Square, PayPal, Amazon marketplace, Apple billing, Toast, Stripe, and generic card-network patterns with deterministic rules.
3. Match and explain
Use reviewed merchant records where possible. Return signals and warnings where evidence is incomplete.