Editing ATM (section)

== Reliability ==
[[File:DeLaRue ATM Crash.jpg|thumb|left|An ATM running [[Microsoft Windows]] that has [[blue screen of death|crashed]] due to a peripheral component failure]]

Before an ATM is placed in a public place, it typically has undergone extensive testing with both [[Test Money|test money]] and the [[Front and back ends|backend]] computer systems that allow it to perform transactions. Banking customers also have come to expect high reliability in their ATMs,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.managementjournals.com/journals/marketing/article27-p5.htm |title=Barking Up the Wrong Tree – Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction in Retail Banking in the UK - Page 5 |publisher=Managementjournals.com |access-date=2011-02-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110116061441/http://www.managementjournals.com/journals/marketing/article27-p5.htm |archive-date=16 January 2011 }}</ref> which provides incentives to ATM providers to minimise machine and network failures. Financial consequences of incorrect machine operation also provide high degrees of incentive to minimise malfunctions.<ref>{{cite news|author=Rebecca Allison |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,3604,875749,00.html |title=ATM gives out free cash and lands family in court &#124; UK news |newspaper=The Guardian |date= 2003-01-16|access-date=2011-02-11 |location=London}}</ref>

ATMs and the supporting electronic financial networks are generally very reliable, with industry benchmarks typically producing 98.25% customer availability for ATMs<ref>[http://www.ncr.com/en/self-service/services_v_1.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061122012524/http://www.ncr.com/en/self-service/services_v_1.pdf|date=22 November 2006}}</ref> and up to 99.999% availability for host systems that manage the networks of ATMs. If ATM networks do go out of service, customers could be left without the ability to make transactions until the beginning of their bank's next time of opening hours.

[[File:NCR Interactive Teller Machine.png|thumb|A NCR Interactive Teller Machine running uGenius software]]
This said, not all errors are to the detriment of customers; there have been cases of machines giving out money without debiting the account, or giving out higher value notes as a result of incorrect [[denomination (currency)|denomination]] of [[banknote]] being loaded in the money cassettes.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3667279.stm | work=BBC News | title=Double money in cash point error | date=2004-04-28 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115111715/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3667279.stm | archive-date=15 January 2009 }}</ref> The result of receiving too much money may be influenced by the card holder agreement in place between the customer and the bank.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/cards/documentation/ch_agreements/ch_agree_client.html |title=RBC Royal Bank Card Products - Consumer Visa Cards - Cardholder Agreement |access-date=2006-08-05 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060628204818/http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/cards/documentation/ch_agreements/ch_agree_client.html |archive-date=28 June 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4552288.stm |title=Europe &#124; Mad rush to faulty ATM in France |work=BBC News |date=2005-12-23 |access-date=2011-02-11 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115044752/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4552288.stm |archive-date=15 January 2009 }}</ref>

Errors that can occur may be [[Machine|mechanical]] (such as card transport mechanisms; keypads; [[hard disk failure]]s; envelope deposit mechanisms); [[software]] (such as [[operating system]]; [[device driver]]; [[application software|application]]); [[information transfer|communications]]; or purely down to operator error.

To aid in reliability, some ATMs print each transaction to a roll-paper journal that is stored inside the ATM, which allows its users and the related financial institutions to settle things based on the records in the journal in case there is a dispute. In some cases, transactions are posted to an electronic journal to remove the cost of supplying journal paper to the ATM and for more convenient searching of data.

Improper money checking can cause the possibility of a customer receiving [[counterfeit]] banknotes from an ATM. While bank personnel are generally trained better at spotting and removing counterfeit cash,<ref>[http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/286598582617402.php] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910100650/http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/286598582617402.php|date=10 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/banknotes/education/index.htm |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080511084240/http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/banknotes/education/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 May 2008 |title=Materials- Bank Notes- Bank of Canada |publisher=Bankofcanada.ca |access-date=2011-02-11 }}</ref> the resulting ATM money supplies used by banks provide no guarantee for proper banknotes, as the [[Federal Criminal Police Office (Germany)|Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany]] has confirmed that there are regularly incidents of false banknotes having been dispensed through ATMs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stern.de/wirtschaft/geldanlage/:Falschgeld-Bl%FCten-Geldautomat/523625.html |title=Falschgeld: Blüten aus dem Geldautomat? - Wirtschaft |publisher=Stern.De |date=2004-05-05 |access-date=2011-02-11}}</ref> Some ATMs may be stocked and wholly owned by outside companies, which can further complicate this problem.
[[Bill validator|Bill validation]] technology can be used by ATM providers to help ensure the authenticity of the cash before it is stocked in the machine; those with cash recycling capabilities include this capability.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wincor-nixdorf.com/internet/com/Products/CashSystems/CashRecycling/ProCash3100/index.html |title=Wincor Nixdorf Germany |language=de |publisher=Wincor-nixdorf.com |access-date=2011-02-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927225656/http://www.wincor-nixdorf.com/internet/com/Products/CashSystems/CashRecycling/ProCash3100/index.html |archive-date=27 September 2007 }}</ref>

In India, whenever a transaction fails with an ATM due to network or technical issues and if the amount does not get dispensed in spite of the account being debited then the banks are supposed to return the debited amount to the customer within seven working days from the day of receipt of a complaint. Banks are also liable to pay the late fees in case of delay in repayment of funds post seven days.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/FS_RTI_Diclosure_Logs.aspx?fn=9 |title = Reserve Bank of India - Function Wise Monetary}}</ref>