Overview:
Positive Pay layouts can vary from bank to bank. For this reason you may need to setup a layout that meets the specifications for your bank. This tutorial walks you through setting up both a Delimited file layout and a Fixed Width file layout.
For a visual tutorial, see the Set Up a Positive Pay File Layout video.
Steps: Setup a Delimited file layout
- Acquire the Positive Pay file layout from your bank.
- From the Bank Account Management menu, select Modify -> Positive Pay Layouts.
- Next, click the Add New Layout link.
- Enter a Layout Name that describes the file layout. (This is typically the bank name.)
- Select the File Format. After selecting Delimited, specify Field Delimiter as either a "comma" or "tab".
- Select the Record Delimiter from the drop-down list. (Each record is a row in the file.)
- Select the Include Decimal Point in $ Amounts? check box if it is required for your bank.
NOTE: Some banks assume that the last two digits of the an amount are the cents and therefore do not require a decimal point.
- Select the Date Format from the drop-down list and then select the Date Separator per your banks file specifications.
- Next, click on the Detail Record tab and then select the number of fields from the drop-down list.
- Starting with the first field, fill in each field for the columns specified on your banks Positive Pay file layout.
- When you are finished filling in the fields, click the Create Test File button located in the lower right-hand corner.
- Review the downloaded file to verify that the fields are specified correctly.
- When you are finished, click the Update button to save your changes.
- To assign this layout to your bank account, select Modify -> Bank Account Information from the top menu.
- Click the Edit icon next to your bank account that is going to use this Positive Pay file layout.
- Specify the new format on the Positive Pay Layout drop-down list and then enter the Positive Pay Bank Number, Record Type Check, and Record Type Void.
- When you are finished, click the Update button.
Steps: Setup a Fixed Width file layout
- Acquire the Positive Pay file layout from your bank.
- From the Bank Account Management menu, select Modify -> Positive Pay Layouts.
- Next, click the Add New Layout link.
- Enter a Layout Name that describes the file layout. (This is typically the bank name.)
- Select the File Format. After selecting Fixed Width, enter the "Record Length".
- Select the Record Delimiter from the drop-down list. (Each record is a row in the file.)
- Select the Include Decimal Point in $ Amounts? check box if it is required for your bank.
NOTE: Some banks assume that the last two digits of the an amount are the cents and therefore do not require a decimal point.
- Select the Date Format from the drop-down list and then select the Date Separator per your banks file specifications.
- Next, click on the Detail Record tab and then select the number of fields from the drop-down list.
- Starting with the first field, fill in each field for the columns specified on your banks Positive Pay file layout.
- When you are finished filling in the fields, click the Create Test File button located in the lower right-hand corner.
- Review the downloaded file to verify that the fields are specified correctly.
- When you are finished, click the Update button to save your changes.
- To assign this layout to your bank account, select Modify -> Bank Account Information from the top menu.
- Click the Edit icon next to your bank account that is going to use this Positive Pay file layout.
- Specify the new format on the Positive Pay Layout drop-down list and then enter the Positive Pay Bank Number, Record Type Check, and Record Type Void.
- When you are finished, click the Update button.
For additional information, visit the Financials Online Help.