Methods, devices and systems for electronic bill presentment and payment

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of presenting an electronic bill from a biller to a customer over a computer network includes steps of receiving biller-originated bill data and bill format data over the network into a bill presentment and payment database. The inputted bill data and bill format data are then stored in a first area of the bill presentment and payment database. The stored bill data and/or the bill format data is then validated and the validated bill data and/or the format data is swapped from the first area to a second area of the bill presentment and payment database, the second area being accessible to the customer. The bill, now incorporating the validated bill data and formatted according to the bill format data, may then be presented to the customer. A third, customer accessible area may be included in the database to archive the bills. The bill format data may include a plurality of bill templates, each of which may define a distinct appearance for the bill. A plurality of bill template selection rules may be applied to the validated bill data. Based on this evaluation, one of the plurality of bill templates may then be selected to format the bill presented to the customer.