Creating Bank Transmission File Formats

The Bank Transmission File Format table allows you to create templates to convert your check data into a format that your bank's software can store and read. You set up these templates in Bank Transmission File Format Page. Following are details on how you set up a file layout.

Menu Path: Fund Accounting > Reference Tables > Reference Tables > Bank Transmission File Format

File Elements

Three elements need to be accounted for in a layout template: files, records, and fields. To understand the formatting process, it is helpful to review some basics:

A file is a collection of records. It can also be a collection of files. For example, a bank file can contain multiple files that store checks by their dates. These smaller files are referred to as batch files.
In addition to records, a file includes header and trailer records. Generally, the header identifies the file, while the trailer summarizes its contents.
Records are divided into fields. For example, check records in Fund Accounting include eight fields. However, only three of these might be requested by your bank, for example: Check Number, Payee, and Amount. In addition, the fields must conform with the bank's data requirements.

Record Types

The files used to transmit check data can include up to six types of records:

File Header	Defines the information for the file's header record, such as the date, bank identification number, and your tax number.
Batch Header	Defines the information for the header records for a batch in the file, such as the check date and bank account number.
Detail Record	Specifies the information to include from each check, such as the check number, payee name, and check amount.
Batch Trailer	Summarizes the records of a batch within the file, such as the total number of checks issued and their total amount.
File Trailers 1 & 2	Summarize the records in the file, such as the number of batches, total number of checks, and their total amount.

Your bank's format may not require all these Record Types. For example, if the bank only accepts one batch at a time, its format can include just three types of records: File Header, Detail Record, and File Trailer.

File Formatting

A file layout requires multiple table records, one for each field in each record type. The primary components of these records include:

Layout Code - Identifies the layout and ties all of its records together.
Record Type - Determines the type of record in the transmission file.
Field Name - Identifies a field within a record.

Format can be one of the following:

Right Justified	Data is stored beginning on the right-hand side of a field. Usually, numeric fields are right justified.
Left Justified	Data is stored beginning on the left-hand side of a field. Usually, character fields are left justified.
Date Format	Dates are stored in a format such as MMDDYY (month-day-year) or YYYYMMDD (year-month-day).

If a field's data does not fill the entire field, you can have the system add zeroes or characters to the beginning of the field for right-justified fields and at the end for left-justified fields. For example, $75 can be stored as 0000007500 in a right-justified field that contains 10 positions.

Start/Stop Positions - Define a field's length and where the field starts and stops within a record. For example, a check record might include a total of 50 positions:
Start
Field
Length
Format
Stop
01
Check Number
10 numeric
Right justified
10
11
Payee Name
30 character
Left justified
40
41
Check Amount
10 numeric
Right justified
50
Literal - Defines either filler, blank spaces, or a constant value. For example, a literal can specify a character or number to fill blanks in a field or can attach the same information to each check, such as your site's name.
Batch Group - Enables you to create separate batches within a file, one for each check date.

Format Example

Following is an example of a bank file layout, organized by Record Type. The specifications you receive from your bank will differ in layout and content, but will be similar in terms of the type of information provided.

	Start	Field	Length	Format	Stop
File Header	01 07 17	File Date Bank # Client Name	6 numeric 10 numeric 30 character	MMDDYY Right Justified Left Justified	06 16 46
Batch Headers	01 11	Account # Check Date	10 numeric 8 numeric	Right justified, 0 fill MMDDYY	10 18
Detail Records	01 09 39	Check # Payee Name Check Amt	8 numeric 30 character 10 numeric	Right justified, 0 fill Left justified, X fill Right justified, 0 fill	08 38 48
Batch Trailers	01 07	Total Batch Checks Total Batch Amt	6 numeric 10 numeric	Right justified Right justified	06 16
File Trailer	01 07	Total File Checks Total File Amt	6 numeric 10 numeric	Right justified Right justified, decimal	06 16

Important

Each line in the chart requires a record. For example, the File Header below includes three fields and each must have its own record.

Detail Record Length

When you define formatting for 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.

Checking the length of a bank file layout's table records with a Record Type of 3 - Detail

Select Fund Accounting > Reference Tables > Reference Tables > Bank Transmission File Format.
In the Search Criteria section, define your search as follows:
- Enter the appropriate code in the Layout Code field.
- Enter 3 in the Record Type field.
Click Find. The system lists all the records for the detail portion of the bank file layout.
Make note of the Field Length for each record listed. [Character/128]

Start	Field	Length	Format	Stop
01	Check Number	10 numeric	Right justified	10
11	Payee Name	30 character	Left justified	40
41	Check Amount	10 numeric	Right justified	50