Charcoal card with a short blue accent line near the upper left. Gray heading: "ASK AT YOUR NEXT BOARD OR ALCO MEETING". Large white question: "What percentage of our issued cards are active — and how does our processor define 'active'?" Smaller supporting text: "If your team can give you both, you have a number you can use." PDEX wordmark at the bottom left and pdex.com at the bottom right.

Last week's board question asked who at your bank is responsible for explaining changes in debit interchange income.

This week's is about a number that sounds like it needs no explaining.

"Active cards" reads as a simple percentage. Until someone asks what active means — a purchase this month, activity over a longer period, something else.

The definition is not fine print. Change it and the percentage changes, which means a comparison only tells you something when the definitions match.

This week's board question:

"What percentage of our issued cards are active — and how does our processor define 'active'?"

The percentage is useful. The definition is what tells you what you measured.

Originally posted on LinkedIn, September 24, 2026. The Board Question is presented by an AI narrator.

Presented by an AI narrator · PDEX · View the original post on LinkedIn