---
title: Statement descriptor
slug: concepts/payments/cos-card-payments/statement-descriptor
description: A statement descriptor shows transaction info on customer statements. Cross River supports static or dynamic descriptors to help identify charges and reduce disputes.
docTags: 
createdAt: 2024-08-12T08:12:30.921Z
---

## Cross River statement descriptors

A *statement descriptor* is the text that appears for each transaction listed on the monthly statement sent to your customer. The statement descriptor gives the cardholder information to identify each transaction.

You can configure the text of a statement descriptor for your organization.

Statement descriptions are important because:

- Bank customers need an easy way to identify the charges that appear on their bank statements.
- Banks and card networks need information to help end-customers understand their bank statements.
- Chargeback and return-risk increases if end-customers don’t recognize a transaction by its description.

Cross River supports 2 kinds of statement descriptors: *static* and *dynamic*.

When you onboard to Cross River you supply your merchant name and abbreviated name. Tell your payments implementation manager whether you prefer a static or dynamic descriptor. If you're configured for dynamic descriptors your sub merchant name will be used.

## Static descriptor format

This text is always the same and also appears as part of the dynamic descriptor. Tell your implementation manager which types of static descriptor you prefer:

- Merchant name
- Abbreviated name and merchant name

For example, if the merchant name is **Cross River** and the abbreviated name is **CRBT**, the descriptor could appear in these ways:

- `CrossRiver*`
- `CRBT*CrossRiver`

Some processors automatically append city and state to the descriptor:

- `CrossRiver* Newark, NJ`
- `CRBT*CrossRiver Newark, NJ`

## Dynamic descriptor format

The statement descriptor depends on how the Partner is configured. If static, then the statement descriptor is just the Partner name.

If dynamic, then the statement descriptor is now the Partner Name\*\{Second Part}

**Scenario 1 **

Parent merchant: "ACME Payments"
Sub-merchant: "Widget Store"
Initiator name (override): "Widget Store - Returns Dept"

**Statement descriptor → ACME\*Widget Store - Returns Dept**


**Scenario 2 **

Parent merchant: "ACME Payments"
 Sub-merchant: "Widget Store"
 Initiator name: (not provided)

**Statement descriptor → ACME\*Widget Store**


**Scenario 3 **

Parent merchant: "ACME Payments"
 Sub-merchant: "ACME Payments"
 Initiator name: (not provided)

**Statement descriptor → ACME\*(empty)**