# Glossary

This section explains the key terms you’ll see when working with the **Virtual Accounts API**.

- **Virtual Accounts**
BCB’s virtual sub-accounting solution. Think of it as a way to create multiple “sub-ledgers” under one main account, so you can keep funds neatly segregated.
- **Virtual account (sub-account)**
A named ledger that sits under a parent account. Each one is used to separate funds for specific purposes, clients, or workflows.
- **Parent account**
The main operational account that all virtual accounts are grouped under.
- **Settlement account**
The primary clearing account used for external cash movements in and out of the bank.
- **Client reference**
An identifier that you provide with transactions. This is especially useful for reconciliation across different systems.
- **Idempotency key**
An optional request header that lets you safely retry requests (like postings) without the risk of creating duplicates.
- **Pagination (cursor-based)**
Our pagination model uses `pageSize`, `pageToken`, and (optionally) `pageStart` to let you navigate large result sets without missing or duplicating records.