ACH Distribution Maintenance – Detail

Screen ID:  UIACHD-09
Screen Title: ACH Distribution Maintenance
Panel ID: 2250
Tool Number: Multiple
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This screen appears when you select an item on the ACH Distribution Listing screen and use "Change" or "View". It will also appear when adding a new ACH record manually.

Helpful Resources

Learn how to place a stop pay on ACH distribution.

Screen Overview

This screen is used to update the details for an individual ACH distribution item, including the base (sequence 99) record and any subsequent distributions to other member accounts. These records tell the system where funds should be distributed (or withdrawn) when the transaction is received via ACH. A single ACH deposit transaction can be distributed (split) among a maximum of 98 different member accounts (not including the base account where funds are initially deposited).

Each time the ACH debit is posted, a record will be added to your A/P vendor payment history along with all your other payments via checks. For the ACH items, the check/voucher # will be blank, and the invoice # field will be used to record the tracer # from the incoming ACH item. The item description will show “ACH/company name” using the company name from the incoming ACH item.

  • If you are already paying an ACH from a vendor, you can automatically this ACH debit to a vendor for historical tracking of a vendor payment by checking the "For GL tran types, tie to history for vendor #" box

  • This screen can also be used to flag a transaction so it does not hit a member's account, but rather should be returned via ACH to the originating company. Click here for more details on using Return Distribution Codes for these situations.

  • This screen includes a feature that allows a credit union to lock certain ACH distributions. This will ensure that a member cannot make changes in online banking. For example, if you have a member with a delinquent loan, yo u can lock changes to distributions on the user-end so that payments (set up by credit union) to the loans are being made.

  • This screen also includes a Global Search feature for account number, and a GL lookup option for ACH transactions to GL accounts.

Complete all fields (see “Field Descriptions” below for important tips), pressing Enter as needed to verify your entries. When ready, use Add/Update (F5) to save all changes and return to the previous screen.

Changing Posting Sequence

The Post sequence # field can be used to change the order in which distributions will be posted. (The base 99 record cannot be changed.) To change the sequence of an existing distribution, simply enter the new post sequence number (from 01 to 98) here. When the record is saved, all remaining distributions will be renumbered automatically.

Special Notes

  • G/L Distributions: If a Distribution tran type of “GL” is entered, the Acct/GL # field will be interpreted as the G/L account number and must be a valid G/L account, entered as follows

    • CCBBAAAAA (CC=Corp ID, BB=Branch ID, AAAAA=GL Acct#)

    • Ex: 014037011  (Corp 01, Branch 40, GL Account 370-11)

    • A GL distribution CANNOT be included along with other share and loan distributions on the same distribution master. Any ACH master record that is set up to receive debits or credits to a G/L account must be set up as Sequence 99, with no other distributions allowed in that same record.

  • If you are setting up more than one distribution, distribution code LC or LD (loan credits/debits) cannot be assigned to the base record (99). Even though 99 is always listed last, the system actually begins the distribution process by placing all funds into the base 99 account. Because distributions cannot be made from a loan account, the base 99 account should not be the loan. The only exception would be if the entire ACH transmission was to be deposited directly into a loan account; in that case, distribution code LC (or LD, if a debit) should be assigned sequence 99.

  • CU*BASE will not allow the Distribution tran type to be a deposit (credit) when the ACH Tran Code on the master record represents a debit, or vice versa. SEE ALSO:Understanding Distribution Code Edits

  • ACH Distributions follow 360-Mortgage rules; members can pay 360 mortgages via ACH Distributions. Refer to Mortgage Products: 360-Day Interest Calculation.

Field Descriptions

Field Name

Description

Post sequence #

This sequential number defines the order in which distributions will be posted to member accounts. The system will attempt to satisfy the distributions in sequence number order (1 to 98) until all funds from the incoming deposit are gone.

To change the sequence of an existing distribution, simply enter the new post sequence number (from 01 to 98) here. When the record is saved, all remaining distributions will be renumbered automatically.

  • Sequence 99 (the base record) cannot be re-sequenced.

Account or GL #

For each distribution to be made, enter the member's nine-digit account base in this field.

If a distribution code of GC or GD is entered for posting to a General Ledger account, this field will be interpreted as the G/L account number and must be a valid G/L account, entered as follows:

 CCBBAAAAA (CC=Corp ID, BB=Branch ID, AAAAA=GL Acct#)

Ex: 014037011  (Corp 01, Branch 40, GL Account 370-11)

Acct type

For each distribution to be made, enter the three-digit account type (suffix).

  • This field should be left blank for a GL distribution.

TIP: Use the spyglass icon to the right of this field to view all suffixes associated with the account.

Depositor ID

The depositor ID from the original ACH item.

Distribution type

For normal distributions such as deposits, withdrawals and payments, enter a valid alphabetic Distribution Code to indicate the type of transaction being performed. Click the lookup button 3 to choose from a list of valid codes.

If the incoming transaction should be returned, whether because of a member request or any other reason, enter a valid numeric Return Distribution Code.

This field is required, and must correspond to the account type entered for that distribution. For example, if a share account type is entered, the distribution code for a loan payment (LC) will not be accepted.

  • IMPORTANT: There may be government regulations which stipulate that certain payroll funds can only be deposited in certain types of accounts such as shares and share drafts. Consult ACH regulations when distributing government payroll transactions.

For GL tran types, tie to history for vendor #

Use the lookup or enter a vendor number to flag this distribution with an AP vendor number. When the ACH Debit item comes in and is posted, a record will also be written out to the payment history for the vendor.

If already paying an ACH from a vendor, you can automatically this ACH debit to a vendor for historical tracking of a vendor payment.

Transaction amount

Enter amounts for those distributions that have fixed transaction amounts. For example, if the member wants $50 distributed to a Christmas Club account, enter 5000 as the transaction amount.

  • If the distribution is to a loan account (code LC), leave the amount field blank to use the regular scheduled payment amount (regardless of the delinquency status of the loan).

For the base record (99), the amount field must be 0.00 (will show as blank on this screen).

Start post date
End post date

(Available only when editing distributions 1-98 on incoming ACH deposits.) Use these fields if the member wants the distribution to happen for only a limited period of time, or wants to delay the start of the distribution until some point in the future. You can enter a start date, an end date, neither, or both.

CU*TIPS:

  • The start date can be no more than 90 days into the future.

  • A start date of all zeros 00000000 means the distribution will begin immediately, the next time this ACH record is received.

  • An end date of all zeros 00000000 means the distribution will continue permanently.

  • Delete a date and the system will automatically fill the fields with all zeros.

  • Start/end dates relate to post dates, not the date the ACH item is received or its effective date. On occasion, an item may not post exactly on the date it is received or its effective post date. Also, if a distribution is marked to start as of payday on Friday, July 9, and the item happens to come in a little early and be posted on Thursday instead, the distribution won't start until the next time it is received.

Lock record to prevent changes in online banking

When this box is checked, ACH distributions are locked on the user-end of online and mobile banking. This means a member cannot make changes to their distributions.

NOTE: This option is helpful for collection arrangements with loan payments.

Last maintained by

The Employee ID of the last person to make changes to this record.

Last maintenance date

The date on which changes were last made to this record.

Buttons

Buttons

Description

Find G/L Account

This button allows you to select a G/L Account from a list.

Add/Update (F5)

This button saves any updates that have been made.

Global Search (F11)

This button will make it quick and easy to find what an individual's relationship is to your credit union.

Understanding Distribution Code Edits

One important component of an ACH distribution record relates to how the numeric ACH Transaction Code (22, 27, etc.) corresponds to the alphabetic Distribution Code used by CU*BASE (SD, LC, etc.). In the past, the system would check the account type for the base (sequence 99) distribution record and change the ACH Tran Code to match. Therefore, if the transaction originally used a Tran Code for a checking deposit, and a share account was entered as the base distribution, the system would change the Tran Code to the correct code for a share deposit instead. This caused many “Tran Code Mismatch” errors when incoming transactions were received and checked against the distribution master.

CU*BASE no longer cares whether the ACH Tran Code matches the Distribution Codes entered on the distribution record, as long as they aren't different from a debit or credit standpoint. CU*BASE will not allow a base distribution to be a deposit (credit) when the ACH Tran Code represents a debit. In other words, an item marked “SD” (share deposit) can be used with the ACH Tran Code for a share deposit or a checking deposit without problems.

In addition, the program that checks incoming ACH transactions no longer changes the Tran Code on the incoming ACH record to match the CU*BASE distribution master. If CU*BASE sees a Tran Code for either a share or checking deposit, and the distribution master record has an “SD” on the base distribution, the transaction will be processed without a Tran Code mismatch error or any modifications to the incoming record.

  • IMPORTANT: In order for the system to ignore mismatches between the incoming Tran Code and the distribution record, the Bypass Tran Code Edit flag must be set to “Y” in your credit union's system configuration. If this flag has been set to “N,” CU*BASE will not process a transaction unless the codes match exactly. Contact a client service representative for assistance in setting this parameter.

Additional Video Resources

Check out these additional video resources!

View more ACH-processing videos.

Visit the CU*BASE video library.