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Getting Started with Saturation Pay

Learn how to apply for, set up, and start using Saturation Pay for your production finance management.

Updated over a week ago

What is Saturation Pay?

Saturation Pay is a complete banking and expense management solution built specifically for film and video production teams. It provides a dedicated bank account with routing and account numbers, expense cards for your team, and bill pay services - all integrated with your Saturation budget.

Requirements and Eligibility

Business Requirements:

  • Must be a registered US business

  • Ability to verify business information through standard documentation

  • Currently only available in the United States

User Access: Only certain roles can access Saturation Pay features:

  • Owner: Full access to all banking functions

  • Admin: Complete banking management capabilities

  • Accountant: Full financial management access

Other team members can receive cards and use payment features but cannot access core banking functions.

Application Process

How to Apply: Submit your application through Saturation's banking section. You'll need to provide:

  • Business registration information

  • Tax identification details

  • Ownership verification documents

Approval Timeline: Applications typically process within 1-2 business days.

Verification Requirements:

  • Standard KYC (Know Your Customer) verification for all accounts

  • Additional ownership verification may be required if filling out information as an owner or on behalf of an owner

Understanding Workspace vs Project Banking

Workspace-Level Banking: Think of workspace banking as your company-level financial management. This is where:

  • All company funds are managed centrally

  • Owners and admins have complete oversight

  • Cards can be issued for company-wide use

  • Overall financial controls are set

Project-Level Banking: Project banking allows you to allocate specific amounts to individual productions:

  • Create spending caps for each project

  • Give project admins limited access to only their allocated funds

  • Perfect for freelancers or external project managers

  • Maintains financial privacy between different projects

When to Use Each:

  • Workspace: For production companies managing multiple ongoing projects

  • Project: When working with external teams or wanting to limit access to specific budget amounts

Setting Up Your Funds Account

Once approved, your Saturation Pay account includes:

  • Unique routing number

  • Account number

  • Real bank account functionality

  • FDIC protection

Account Activation: Your account becomes active after making your first deposit. There are no setup fees or minimum deposit requirements, but a deposit is required to start using Saturation Pay features.

Making Deposits

Access deposit options by clicking the "Deposit" button in your Banking section. You'll see your routing and account numbers plus three deposit methods:

ACH Transfer:

  • Standard bank transfer from existing accounts

  • Takes 1-2 business days to process

  • Most common method for regular funding

  • Use your Saturation routing and account numbers

Wire Transfer:

  • Fastest option for large amounts

  • Same-day processing available

  • Use your Saturation routing and account numbers

  • Higher fees but immediate availability

Direct Transfer:

  • Log into your existing bank account through Saturation

  • Pull money directly from connected accounts

  • Secure connection using bank-level encryption

  • Convenient for one-time or recurring transfers

No Limits: There are no maximum or minimum amounts for any deposit method.

Budget Integration

Automatic Actualization: Saturation Pay can automatically update your project budgets when expenses occur:

  • Card transactions can auto-assign to specific budget line items

  • Real-time budget updates as money is spent

  • No manual entry required for categorized expenses

Project Association: Banking automatically connects with your existing Saturation projects:

  • Allocate funds to specific projects

  • Track spending against project budgets

  • Generate real-time cost reports

Troubleshooting Common Setup Issues

Application Delays:

  • Ensure all business information matches official registration documents

  • Double-check tax ID numbers for accuracy

  • Respond promptly to any verification requests

Ownership Verification:

  • Have business registration documents ready

  • Prepare ownership percentage documentation

  • Ensure the person applying has authority to open business accounts

Deposit Problems:

  • Verify routing and account numbers are entered correctly

  • Check that your external bank allows the transfer amount

  • Allow full processing time (1-2 business days for ACH)

  • Contact your bank if transfers are blocked or delayed

Account Access Issues:

  • Confirm you have Owner, Admin, or Accountant role

  • Contact workspace owner to adjust permissions if needed

  • Clear browser cache and try logging in again

Getting Help: If you encounter issues during setup, contact Saturation support through the help system with your specific error messages and account details.

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