Positive Pay File
Create a positive pay file on demand with the BK Create Positive Pay File (BKUTPP) utility or generate the file automatically during disbursement using APOHPPPA. Either way, based on the various common codes, the system reads check details from BK Update Check/Deposit Info (BKUPCD) and creates a file for submitting to a bank via FTP or another bank approved upload product. The client is responsible for transferring the file from the application server to the bank.
The positive pay file layout is developed by a series of common codes that have a Code Category of BKPP; these codes must be defined prior to attempting to create the file. The various codes will create a file with the finest granularity, from the transmission header to the transmission footer. See Common Code Setup, Positive Pay section, for a complete list of common codes used with Positive Pay processing.
Note that the positive pay file will not be overwritten. Even when using the Append feature (see BKPP/xxGEN), records will be added to the existing day's file. The Append feature works in concert with the Final Pay flag on BKUTPP. While the flag says "No" (the default), meaning "this is not the Final Report", each file generated for a given day will continue to add check records to the file. Once the flag is updated to "Yes," the Final Report will be generated and ready to load to a bank. Answering "Yes" to the Final Report question will also add the Transaction Footer, if defined. The Transaction Header will display consistently, but the Transaction Footer will close the Final Report, if defined (BKPP/TRFOOTER).
When the Append feature is not active, then each file generated in a given day will be given a unique name and should include a Transaction Footer. However, the display of the Transaction Footer will present when the file is generated as a Final Report. When not using Append, consider updating the default for the BKUTPP question "Is this the Final Report?" from NO to YES. These settings are advanced features within BusinessPlus yet configure a file and test the setup repeatedly. See the How to Create a Positive Pay file section below or consult with a BusinessPlus professional on this feature as needed.
Additional options are available to further customize the positive pay file that involve advanced settings, such as using Workflow and VBScripts to prompt BKUTPP to run nightly at a schedule time; consult with a BusinessPlus professional for additional details on this feature as needed.
Creating a Positive Pay File during APOHPPPA
Create a file automatically during a check run by defining the BKCS/BK200 common code and put "BK967" in the short description.
The automatically-generated positive pay file may be created using the append feature or not. However, when using Append, use the default file name. See BKPP/xxGEN for setting up the file name and turning the append feature off or on.
Architecture of a Positive Pay File
The positive pay file is framed using BKPP common codes (see Common Codes Setup , Positive Pay section). To assist with this endeavor, the common codes may use secondary codes called "Output Codes" to increase the number of data elements that may be extracted into the positive pay file. These dynamic codes enable processing a file with any combination of details.
How to Create a Positive Pay File
Step | Goal | Activities Involved |
|---|---|---|
First | Rough Sketch | Sketch what needs to be in the file, where in the file, the file format, and familiarize with the various codes and code combinations. Get a grasp of the potential and breadth of data elements and items that may be reported. For instance, some codes will limit records displayed or may hard code a word to act as a title or blank space. Review the various common codes below where the code category/value is BKPP/XXXX and XXXX represents a code value. |
Second | Scope | Which documents will be included for positive pay? Payroll, EFTs, only AP? Will one standard file be adequate for all bank IDs? or define multiple templates, one template per CKID? Will the file need to be ledger specific? Create the file during a check run, on demand using BKUTPP at a scheduled time, or both? Enable the Append feature? Or each run will be a Final Report? |
Third | Components | Build the structure by pulling in the data elements to be included within each line of the positive pay file, to ultimately customize the file to meet bank specifications. Each element to display within a line may be further filtered or formatted per the common code setup. The common code setup may also point to Output Codes to deliver a greater range of detail, options, clarity, format, and so on, within each file. |
Fourth | Test | Use BKUTPP to print test files repeatedly; use multiple bank IDs and no date or check number ranges to pull in and see lots of data during these test runs. Develop an understanding as to which level of the file is doing what, where, and how. If needed, modify the various common codes and output codes to rearrange the file. When content looks correct, validate the setup with the bank. MPE Label displays when using APPEND (BKPP/xxGEN) and the Final Report Flag is set to No (unchecked). Flipping the Final Report flag to "Yes" will remove MPE label. A bank typically prefers the final file without the MPE label. |
Fifth | Perform | Submit a test file to the bank using the bank-approved method for the file upload. Make adjustments as necessary and verify file contents load in perfect order. |
Rough Sketch Layout
Data Element | Line # | Common Codes |
|---|---|---|
File Intro | Line 1 | xxTRHEAD |
File header | Line 2 | xxHead01 xxHead02 xxhead03 |
First Record - detail | Line 3 | xxDETL01 xxDETL02 xxDETL03 xxDETL04 |
| Line 4 | xxSUBD01 xxSUBD02 xxSUBD03 |
| Line 5 | xxEXTD01 xxEXTD02 xxEXTD03 |
Second Record - detail | Line 6 | Same fields as above - Each check will have 3 lines of data |
| Line 7 |
|
| Line 8 |
|
Third Record - detail | Line 9 | Same fields as above - Each check will have 3 lines of data |
| Line 10 |
|
| Line 11 |
|
Control Total Grouping by Issue Date or Bank ID | Line 12 | xxCTRL01 xxCTRL02 xxCTRL03 xxCTRL04 |
Fourth Record - detail | Line 9 | Same fields as defined above, but different Issue Date (or Bank ID) 3 lines of data |
| Line 10 |
|
| Line 11 |
|
Control Total Grouping by Issue Date or Bank ID | Line 12 | Summary of records with the Issue Date (or Bank ID) |
Fifth Record and so on | Line 13… | The number of records that fit into a file depend on several factors, like how many lines per record or fields per line are defined (detail, sub, external, or control)? |
| Line 100 |
|
File Footers - | Line 101 | xxFOOT01 xxFOOT02 xxFOOT03 |
Closing File (tells the bank no more file) | Line 102 | xxTRFOOT |