ACH FAQs

Common FAQs

How do I know if the transaction is successful after an ACH payment is sent?
An ACH transaction status will begin as BATCH and return COMPLETE unless we hear otherwise. The funds will move (and post the first available FedWire after the cutoff window). You will get an ACH return if the transaction needs to return, but until you get an ACH return record, you assume the transaction succeeded.
Do you support AWS as a platform to receive files from us as well as to send files to us?
Yes. If you choose AWS as the transfer platform, we will use it to both receive files from you and send files to you. Please contact [email protected] with a copy to [email protected]_
Do you support the delivery of empty files?
Yes, this is an option that you can enable. To do so, please contact [email protected] with a copy to [email protected]_
Do you sanitize PII data?
Yes, this is an option that you can enable. To do so, please contact [email protected] with a copy to [email protected]_
Is the output file the same as the ACH return file? If not, will Tabapay provide the ACH return file if there are errors in the transaction because of non-sufficient funds, etc?
No, the Return.csv file is different from the Ouput.csv file. The Output file includes the trace number, if available, for each of your entries - the Fed provides the trace number.
The return file contains ACH returns. Yes, NSF errors would be present in the returns file.
We would like to try out same-day ACH. How can we do that?
You can try this out in the sandbox. Email [email protected], subject line: Test ACH in Sandbox
You have the instructions: "Email to [email protected] with a copy to [email protected]: subject: NAME ACH; total debits and $s, total credits and $s" Do we have to email every time we upload a file to your file server in the production environment?
Yes
You have the instructions: "Merchant deposits input file(s) into the file sharing tool."
Is this an SFTP server?
Yes, the SFTP Server
What does status Complete mean in the output file? Is it possible the status is Complete in the output file and the following day we receive ACH Return?
Yes, this is possible. Complete means that the ACH transaction was successfully submitted. If it fails for whatever reason - examples being not sufficient funds or an incorrect account number, the transaction will be in a return file on a later date.
Do you have a sample ACH Return file?
Yes, please contact [email protected]
The document says Company name - if allowed in Entry Description. Are we allowed to specify it? If so, can we put something else also besides company name as entry description allows only 10 characters.
Company Name is 16 bytes and shows up on the statement; it must include an identifier for the merchant
Entry Description can be set per payment and shows up on the statement, but a unique description creates a separate batch - which increases cost.
What I understood is if all entries in the outgoing file have the same Entry Description and Company Name, they could be put under the same batch and there will be no extra charge. Right?
Correct.
Can we download the Change Request file from your sftp server if it's generated by RDFI?
I believe you mean Notification of Change (NOC). We provide these to you in your ACH response files
As both processed and output files have almost the same format, will both files have the same values for the following fields for the same day ACH? Let's assume that the request file is uploaded before the cutoff window.
Processed Date, Settlement Date, Fee
Yes, all the same
How will TabaPay Clients know of errors in ACH processing. Where will these errors show and when?

Processed file is a file generated by TabaPay to indicate whether transactions have been sent to the bank for processing. TabaPay Clients can follow the status within the file to understand if the transaction was sent to the bank or not. If Rejected, TabaPay Clients can get the reason for reject from the Response Codes included in the record.

Status: Processed -> transaction has been sent to the bank
Status: Rejected -> transaction was rejected, status codes will be one of TabaPay Response Codes

Links:

Additional Questions

If the same-day ACH request is submitted before the cutoff window and there are no errors, will settlement and processed dates be the same?
Yes, the same.
Is it safe to assume the funds will be transferred to our corporate bank account on the settlement date?
Yes.
Most of our clients use corporate accounts but few use personal checking accounts. We are planning to use CCD for corporate accounts and PPD for personal checking accounts. Is this ok? So, we may have transactions for both CCD and PPD in the same input file. As this parameter is part of the batch, Tabapay will create two batches. Will there be an extra charge for the separate batch?
TabaPay will create two separate batches (and there is an extra charge for the separate batch)
According to the doc Output file delivered next business day; same format as Processed file - with Trace ID and processed time from bank. Should output file be available on the same business day for the same-day ACH?
Even for same-day ACH, the output file will be delivered next day. Also, output filed will only be provided if the bank generates it. There are cases were the bank does not generate output files.
Processed File: Will this be available 30 minutes after the request file is uploaded?
Best to check ~10AM Pacific and/or 6:30PM Pacific
Output File: I know it is available the next business day. What is the best time to download this file?
Check at 10AM next business day
Return File: We are planning to check this file every business day. Is there any specific time we should check?
Check at 10AM
Question on the First Name and Last Name fields in the ACH Request file. Are both fields required? If so, what should we do if someone does not have a last name?
You do not need to populate the Last name. You can leave this blank
According to the doc, both output and processed have the same format. Is it safe to assume both files have identical csv headers/columns? I didn't see message column under ACH Response File Sample. I know message will be populated only in the processed files when there is an error. Will message column be present in the output file?
ISO, MID, Status, Result, ACH Type, Processed date, Settlement date, Entry type, Entry description, Credit-Debit, Amount, Trace ID, IIN, First name, Last name, Account Type, RTN, Account, Fee (no Message column).
When will ACH retrieve status include all status types: "processed", "complete", and "returned"?
We will not be updating return statuses for Phase 1. This will be a later release slotted for later this year. Other statuses (processed/complete) will be updated and returned when you call RetrieveTransaction. To find the ACH transactions that have a return, follow the same method as the file-based (SFTP) method. All returns will be in your standard ACH return files (regardless if you submitted through the API or SFTP).
Can you confirm ACH Create Transaction API supports convenience fees in memo field as with Pull/Push Transactions if placed?
The ACH API currently does not support convenience fees in the memo. This capability will be supported when the file-based (SFTP) method supports convenience fees.
How far along are we in supporting ACH Input Files to include convenience fees via SFTP?
Still on track to be released this year. I will check with our project managers to see if we have a more granular date.
Are ACH API Transaction Reference IDs in actuality referring to IINs that which is used in the SFTP counterpart?
Yes. ACH API "referenceID" maps to the IIN in the ACH files.