Bank Transmission File Format Page

Layout Code

Code identifying a bank transmission file layout. The same code applies to all records in the layout.

Select:

A - Accounts Payable - Indicates that the file contains accounts payable checks generated in Fund Accounting.
P - Payroll - Indicates that the file contains payroll checks generated in Human Resources.

The Layout Code continues to display as you begin each subsequent record. Do not change the code, unless you want to start a new file layout. Also, keep in mind that you cannot change a record’s code once the record is saved. Character/10

Description

Brief description of the file’s contents, for example, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE FORMAT or MIDLAND BANK FORMAT. Changing the description in one record changes it in all records associated with a layout. Character/25

Record Type

Code identifying the type of record being created within a file layout.

Select:

1 - File Header - Designates the current record as the header record for the entire file layout.
2 - Batch Header - Designates the current record as the header record for a batch within a file layout.
3 - Detail Record - Designates the current record as part of a check record.
4 - Batch Trailer - Designates the current record as the trailer record for a batch within a file layout. This record usually provides a summary of the batch, such as a count of the batch’s checks and the sum of all check amounts.
5 - File Trailer 1 - Designates the current record as the trailer record for the entire file layout. This record usually provides a summary of all records in the file, such as a count of the file’s checks and the sum of all check amounts.
6 - File Trailer 2 - Allows an additional trailer record for the transmission file, if specified by the bank.

• The sum of all records with a Record Type of 3 - Detail Record must not exceed 128 characters for a bank file layout (records sharing the same Layout Code).
• When you are setting up the batch header portion of a file layout, ensure that at least one of the Layout Code’s records with the 2 - Batch Header record type has the Batch Group checkbox selected. For details, refer to the Batch Group field description.

File Position

Number identifying a field’s location in a particular Record Type. Records must be entered and numbered in sequentially. Integer/4

Example: If the bank’s specifications call for a check detail record with five fields, enter a record for each field in the specified order, assigning 3-Detail Record as the Record Type and numbering the records from 1-5 in the File Position field.

Delimiter

Optional character for separating fields in a file layout, such as a comma or semicolon. This notifies the system where to start and stop when reading a field. Character/1

• When you enter a delimiter, it defaults to all records for the current layout. Changing the delimiter in one record changes it in all records with the same layout code.
• If you use a delimiter, you cannot access the Start Position and Stop Position fields for records with the current layout code. Instead, you must enter a length in the Field Length field.
• If you do not use a delimiter, you must complete the Start Position and Stop Position fields in each record for the layout code.

Field Name

Name of a check-related field in an AP or paycheck record. The field’s selections, which apply to either AP checks or payroll checks, include:

Both Check Types

Today's Date

• The Field Name field is optional if you are using the Literal field to create a blank field or the Count or Sum field to set up totals in trailer records. Refer to the descriptions of these fields for details.
• To use the A/P Record Status and HRM Record Status selections as field names, set up a translation table in Human Resources’ User Defined Codes table. For details, refer to User Defined Codes Table.
• The drop-down list’s Line Number and Detail Line Number selections do not appear in the above listings, because they are not being used.

Format

Defines a field’s format.

Select:

RIGHT - Right Justified - Aligns the last number or character in a value with the field's right-hand side. If specified in the Literal field, the system fills empty positions at the beginning with zeros or characters.
LEFT - Left Justified - Aligns the first character or number in a value with the field's left-hand side. If specified in the Literal field, the system fills empty positions at the end of the field with zeros or characters.
Date Formats - Determines the format of the month, day, and year in a date, for example, MM-DD-YYYY or YYYYMMDD. The selections include most widely-used formats, including Julian dating (YYDDD).

If the record is for a Literal value, the Format field is not used. A format selection is used only for records where you also chose a Field Name.

Literal

Multi-functional field. Your entry can include one of the following, depending on your bank’s specifications. Character/30

• A constant value for displaying in a record. For example, if you enter PAY as the literal and set the field length to 3, the word PAY will appear at the defined file position. In this case, do not select a field name. Character/30

• A value to use as a fill character when a field’s value does not meet the field’s defined length. Following are two examples:

  Field Name	AP Payee	AP Check Amount
  Format	Left Justified	Right Justified
  Length	20	10
  Literal	X	0 (zero)
  Original Value	A-1 SUPPLY INC	51425
  File Value	A-1 SUPPLY INCXXXXXX	0000051425

• The value BLANK allows you to use a record as a blank filler. For example, if you define a field’s length as 25 and enter BLANK as the literal, 25 blank spaces will appear at the defined position in the record.
• You can enter a literal in either upper/lower case or in all capital letters.

Note

If the bank file information includes single or double quotation marks, you must enclose the Literal entry in single quotation marks. For example, if 'test' or "test" is specified, enter ''test'' or '"test"'.

Start Position

Number identifying the position in a record where a field begins. Integer/4

This value must be one greater than the Stop Position of the previous field, unless the current record is a Record Type’s first field, in which case you must enter 1 as the Start Position. You cannot access this field if a Delimiter is being used.

Stop Position

Number identifying the position in a record where a field ends. You cannot access this field if a Delimiter is being used. Integer/4

Field Length

Number of positions in a field. If a Delimiter is not being used, the system calculates the length based on the values in the Start Position and Stop Position fields. Otherwise, you must enter the length. Integer/4

Important

As you define the detail record portion of a bank file layout, ensure that the sum of the Field Lengths for all the Layout Code’s 3 - Detail records does not exceed 128 characters.

Include Decimal Point

Checkbox indicating whether a decimal point should be included in a field’s numeric value.

• Select the box to use a decimal point, for example, in check amounts.
• If you leave the field blank, a decimal point would not be used but would be implied. For example, $545.45 would appear as 54545.

Batch Group

Checkbox determining how the system groups batches in your transmission file. This setting only applies if the Record Type is 2 - Batch Header. For each bank file layout where a batch header is used, ensure that at least one record with the 2 - Batch Header record type has this checkbox selected.

You can group checks by dates, status, or other criteria, based on your selection in the Field Name field. You can group your detail records based on a combination of fields as well.

Example: If a bank wants records grouped by date, select 2 - Batch Header in the Record Type field and AP Check Date in the Field Name field, then select the Batch Group checkbox. These settings create Batch Header records for each date. You must also set up a Batch Trailer record to follow each batch. Refer to the Record Type to Count field for an example.

Count or Sum

Indicates whether the current record must provide either a record count or total amount of the checks in a batch or file. This field only applies to 4 - Batch Trailer, 5 - File Trailer 1, and 6 - File Trailer 2 records.

Select:

C - Count records
S - Sum issued checks
B - Sum issued and voided checks

Leave the field blank if you are not setting up a count or sum record.

Record Types to Count (1-6)

Checkboxes for designating the Record Types that apply to a record count. The boxes correspond to the selections in the Record Types field. Select the boxes to indicate which Record Types to use in the count.

Note

If you want the Batch Trailer record to include the number of batches in the file, you must use the field name entered in the Batch Header Record.

Example: For a count of all checks in the batches created in the previous example (Batch Group field), set up the Batch Trailer record as follows:

In this case, the Field Name field in the Batch Header record was AP Check Date. Also keep in mind that to produce multiple batches, the Batch Header’s Batch Group field must be selected.