NACHA files, including the ACH094 format, enable CommunitySuite to process ACH payments by generating a text file that can be uploaded directly to a bank's website. To generate a NACHA file, ACH credentials must be entered for both the vendor profile receiving the payment and the bank account making the payment. The payment option must be set to Electronic, and once the check is posted, the NACHA file can be downloaded from the Checks page and uploaded to initiate the ACH transfer.
ABA Files and CPA005 Files follow a similar process to NACHA and ACH094 Files but have their own requirements and fields.
Who: Finance or accounting teams who process ACH payments in CommunitySuite.
Set Up an Account for NACHA Use
To set up a bank account for NACHA use, assign a vendor to the account, and enter ACH credentials in the account settings.
- Navigate to the Accounts page.
- Click the bank account that is making the payment.
- Locate the row of buttons at the top of the record, and then click Edit.
- Enter the vendor name in the Vendor field and select the vendor from the drop-down list, and then click Save.
- Click the Settings tab.
- Click Configure in the ACH Account Settings field.
- The Balanced File option can be marked as yes or no.
- If marked yes, a file will be created with a debit record.
- If marked no, the debit record will be excluded for banks that do not require a debit record.
- The Balanced File option can be marked as yes or no.
- Enter the applicable ACH Options information, and then click Save.
Optional NACHA Fields
NACHA Org ID and NACHA Immediate Origin are optional NACHA fields. If these fields are not set up, the system will take the EIN from the System Data page. If the organization ID or the immediate origin number on the NACHA file is different than this EIN number, the fields will need to be set up to have the correct identifying numbers.
The account is now set up for NACHA file use.
Set Up a Vendor for NACHA Use
To set up a vendor for NACHA use, enter ACH credentials in the vendor's ACH Settings.
- Navigate to the Vendors page.
- Enter the vendor name in the Search Vendor field and select the vendor from the drop-down list.
- Click the Profile ID.
- Click Configure in the ACH Settings field.
- Enter the applicable ACH Options information, and then click Save.
The vendor is now set up for NACHA file use.
If a vendor will always be paid by electronic check, set the Default Payment Type to Electronic.
Download a NACHA File
To download a NACHA file in CommunitySuite, create and post a voucher with the Electronic payment option, then export the file from the Checks page.
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Create, Post, and Pay a Single Voucher.
- Select the NACHA Payment Account and select a Payment Date in the future.
Most banks will not accept same date ACH payments.
- The payment option must be Electronic for NACHA file use.
- Select the NACHA Payment Account and select a Payment Date in the future.
- Navigate to the Checks page.
- Click the account name.
- Click Download NACHA File in the left-side menu.
- Enter a Payment Date, and then click Export.
- Check the CSV Format box to download the NACHA file as a .csv file type.
- Check the CSV Format box to download the NACHA file as a .csv file type.
A text file will be exported that can be used to upload to a bank's website and start an ACH transfer.
If a NACHA file is exported more than once a day, a warning/confirmation message will appear for the subsequent exports because the file will contain records from all exports created on the same day. The warning is to help mitigate any chances of duplicate NACHA files being exported and submitted to a bank. If a duplicate file is submitted to a bank's website, there is a risk that payments may be double-charged to the ACH account.
NACHA Sample File
Attached below is a sample NACHA file that follows the NACHA format guidelines. It is attached in two formats: .csv and .txt. This file may be provided to your financial institution or payment processor as a sample file to format the NACHA functionality before using the functionality in CommunitySuite. Specific fields and formatting requirements may vary depending on the financial institution or payment processor.