Direct Debit ABA File Generation

It is possible to create a bank upload file to process receipts in bulk using a direct debit to the customer’s account. This is achieved first by creating the receipts that represent the direct debits, then by collecting the data for these receipts and using it to create an ABA file to upload to the bank, just like the Automated remittance function in Accounts payable.

When you pay people (Employees or Suppliers), you can gather together all of the payments into a single file and upload it to the bank via their web portal. It is also possible to direct debit customers. Direct debit means you automatically take money from their account (because you have such an agreement), so that you don’t have to wait for them to pay. This is the same as you may do with bills at home.

The process below includes the steps required to gather multiple receipts that you have done in advance. Normally you would add a receipt when someone pays you money, but in this case, you are adding a receipt which says “they are paying me”. After adding the receipts, you follow the process below which creates an ABA file for the bank, which, instead of telling the bank to take money out of your account and pay someone, tells the bank to take money out of other people’s accounts and put it into yours.

At the end of the process you will have:

  • Multiple receipts that you created yourself for money that you wanted to take from people
  • A bank transfer file that you give to the bank to go and get that money

Setting up

  • Ensure you have the customisations activated in your system
  • Ensure you have filled in the direct debit data into the CUSTOM tab of your customer

Creating receipts to use for the bank upload

Accentis won’t automatically create the receipts for you, so you should create the receipts representing the data that will be used to direct debit your customers.

Creating the bank upload data

To create the ABA file for upload to the bank:

  1. Run Accounts Receivable > Report > Receipts > Direct debit ABA file generation
  2. Enter a date range
    1. All receipts that have not been reconciled:
      1. are within this date range
      2. are for customers that have direct debit details will be included in the generated file
  3. Select your customers' bank accounts
  4. Click Refresh
  5. The results displayed represent the content of the ABA file that will be generated:
    1. First Line = Descriptive record
    2. Last line = File total record
    3. The lines between represent the direct debits (Receipts)

Exporting the bank upload data

  1. Choose Special > Export report
  2. Choose “Raw text (*.txt)” in the Save as type field and choose a filename and location to save the file. Click Save to create the ABA file in the chosen location

Uploading the ABA data to the bank

To upload and transact this data to the bank, select the ABA file created and saved using the steps above and upload it to the bank via their web portal.