Batch Payment - Support TXT file format
Allow a bank file that is supported by Coutts to allow batch payments to be made.
Iain Gordon
shared this idea
Hi Iain, having a quick search it appears that Coutts accept 2 file type formats, TXT and CSV.
It is currently possible to export a CSV file from batch payments - read more on Xero Central.
I've slightly adjusted the title of your idea here to request TXT format, however want to be open that we don't have plans for developing new file formats for batch payments at this time.
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Melissa Dawe
commented
Hi Kelly,
Yes, Xero can export a CSV. The main problem with it, is that it groups the routing number and account number into 1 field (despite being in 2 fields in Xero), and drops off leading zero's from the routing and account either on export or when you split the bank data into 2 columns.
So there's a lot of manual fiddling with bank account numbers required before you can upload it. Obviously that's both inefficient and prone to human error and fraud.
The Aus Xero software creates the ABA file beautifully. The US equivalent is a NACHA file, which Xero needs to develop for the US software to prevent the problems above. I'm sure there's another equivalent for UK banks too.
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James Lane
commented
Hi Kelly, not the original poster, but the issue is the file that's created is not importable into Coutts. Sage 200 (6 years ago when I last used it) for instance have the file in the correct format that can be directly uploaded to Coutts immediately on creation.
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Melissa Dawe
commented
The issue that I see, no matter which US Bank we use, is that the CSV file export from Xero does not split the routing and account in two columns. All banks require this split it seems. along with having some other fields (customizable would be ideal). I imagine it wouldn't be too much to dev on Xero's end.
More importantly, an export from Xero in Nacha file format (txt) would be the main thing we all need. Given the Aus version of Xero already has this equivalent in an ABA file, I can't see that a NACHA file would be that hard to dev out on the US side for Xero either. But then, I am no developer!