Changelog

List Financial Institutions

Column's Financial Institutions List API allows you to query details of all financial institutions, supporting filters by country codes, routing number types, and name keywords. Our data are synchronized daily with the Federal Reserve Bank for ABA routing numbers, Swift for BICs, etc.

Updates to Check Delivery Events

We updated issued check delivery events and webhooks for checks issued and mailed with Column. Changes include:

• Removal of the international exit delivery status and webhook event

• Removal of the rejected delivery status

• Addition of a failed delivery status

• Update of re-routed to rerouted to ensure consistency across delivery statuses and webhook events

Entry Class Code Now Required on ACH Transfers

Rather than provide a default entry class code, Column now requires you specify an entry class code on all ACH transfers originated at Column. ACH transfers sent at Column typically have a CCD entry class code. Questions on which code to use? Reach out to us.

International Wire Transfer Tracking by UETR

We have improved our International Wire Tracking API to allow you to track processing details (routing, timing, charges, statuses, etc.) of international wires globally by their UETRs in addition to their Column transfer IDs. This allows you to track incoming international wire transfers to Column even before we receive them, which is very helpful if some incoming transfers are taking longer than expected because they are delayed or rejected by intermediary banks.

Improved idempotency support

Column's API now supports idempotency when creating bank accounts, account numbers, entities, and loans. Learn more about idempotency & working with the Column API here.

International Wire Transfer Billing

Column's International Wire Billing allows you to cover Column per-transfer fixed fees by automatically debiting your customer accounts at the transfer level in real time to avoid monthly invoices. In addition, it allows you to charge additional fixed fees and FX margin fees per transfer in real time to avoid complex accounting on your side.

Roles & Permissions Now Live

Roles & permissions are now available in Column’s Dashboard! All Dashboard users now have specific roles with specific permissions. Roles include Admin, Developer, Money Mover, and Viewer. Learn more about Column’s Roles & Permissions here. All platform owners should review users and update roles where needed. Custom roles and permissions coming soon!

International Wire Transfer Cancellations

Column's International Wire Cancellation API allows you to request to cancel outgoing international wire transfers sent by mistake easily. In addition, you can also automate the processing of cancellation requests of incoming transfers. You can read more details here.

International Wire Transfer Tracking

Column's International Wire Tracking API allows you to track processing details (routing, timing, charges, statuses, etc.) of international wires globally. You can read more details here.

Issue a Check with an Attachment

Column now allows you to add an optional attachment when issuing, printing, and mailing a check through our APIs. After uploading the document via API, include the document id when creating a check transfer. Column will mail both the check and document to the payee specified.

Check Imaging API in Beta

You no longer need a third-party processor to deposit checks with Column! Send Column raw, unformatted check images through our Check Imaging API. Column returns cropped, formatted images and MICR line details. You can then send those check images and metadata in our Check Deposit API to deposit a check at Column.

Improvements to FX Quotes for International Wires

You can now query FX rates, book FX quotes to use immediately or in the future, and cancel FX quotes you no longer wish to use with our FX Quote APIs.

Check Deposit API Now Live

Column's Check Deposit API makes it easy for you to deposit checks remotely without having to visit a physical bank branch. You can send a check image and metadata from your third-party processor to Column in our Check Deposit API to deposit a check. Column will then submit an image cash letter to the Federal Reserve and provide deposit status updates via webhooks so you have insight into the status of your deposit.

Issue, print, and mail a check with Column's APIs

You can now issue, print, and mail checks with Column's Issue Check API. When you include a message and payee address, Column will print and mail your check to the specified payee. You can download a PDF preview of the check and receive real-time delivery updates through webhooks as your check is processed by USPS.

International Wires APIs Live

International wires are now available to Column customers. Via our APIs, you can send and receive international transfers through the Swift network. Moreover, Column’s API exposes the raw Swift message for your incoming and outgoing international transfers. Alternatively, we can parse the Swift message and just provide the important fields in our API responses. Checkout our international wires APIs.

Check Return API Live

We have added a check return object and Check Return API allowing you to pull all returns associated with a check you have issued through Column. Learn more about issuing checks with Column here.

Wire Drawdown APIs Live

APIs for wire drawdowns (commonly referred to as reverse wires) are now publicly available. With these APIs it's possible to receive and approve wire drawdown requests. Upon approval, an outgoing wire transfer will be created automatically. See these docs for detailed information and checkout our APIs here.

Commercial bank account onboarding now available

Businesses can open commercial bank accounts through our improved self-service onboarding workflow. Register for an account and connect directly with our team to grow your business.

Cashed check image now exposed in check transfer object

The check transfer object now contains the front_image and back_image in TIFF format, Base64 encoded. The images are only available in the GET endpoint after the Column issued check is deposited by the payee.

Check Issuing APIs Live

APIs for check issuing are now publicly available. With these APIs it's possible to issue checks, create check returns, and stop check payments. See these docs for detailed information on check processing, timing & notifications, returns, and fraud prevention.

Webhook events for ACH Notifications of Change (NOCs)

We have added a new type of webhook events ach.outgoing_transfer.noc to notify you ACH Notifications of Change (NOCs) sent by RDFIs for outgoing ACH transfers. See this doc for more information.

Business function code exposed in wire transfer object

The wire transfer object now contains the business_function_code that was present in the outgoing wire message sent to the FED. This can be useful to use along with the type_code and subtype_code.

API for wire reversal now available

We have released a new API that makes it very easy to reverse incoming wire transfers. If your platform has received a wire transfer in error, you can use our Wire Reversal API to initiate an outgoing transfer that sends back the funds to the financial institution that sent the original transfer. See these docs for more information.

On-us wire improvements

The data returned in the on-us wire object is now at parity with a typical wire transfer between 2 different financial institutions. "On-us" means that both the ODFI and RDFI for the transfer is Column. Previously on-us transfers were missing some key information, such as the originator and beneficiary information. It's important to note that on-us wire transfers will still not have an IMAD or OMAD. The Federal Reserve plays a part in setting both IMAD and OMAD, and since the Federal Reserve is not involved in on-us transfers, these IDs will not be set.

Settlement reports now available from the dashboard

Settlement reporting video0:23

We have added the ability to schedule and download settlement reports directly from the dashboard. Previously, these settlement reports were only able to be scheduled and downloaded via our API which required technical overhead to make these reports available to stakeholders. Now non-technical stakeholders can use the dashboard UI to generate their own settlement reports.

International addresses for entities

We now support international addresses when creating entities via our API. This unlocks the ability to create accounts for businesses and consumers with international addresses.

API for ACH Reversal Now Available

We have released a new API that makes it very easy to initiate an ACH reversal. If your platform has initiated erroneous or duplicated outgoing ACH transfers, you can use this API to reverse the ACH transfer. See these docs for more information.

Settlement Reporting API Live

We now offer a brand new API to schedule and generate on-demand settlement reports. These settlement reports provide structured data about your platform's accounts which greatly simplify workflows like internal accounting, generating customer statements, and regulatory reporting. These reports are customizable by date range and time zone, which means no more dealing with time zone conversions! We offer two types of settlement reports, which are available in .csv, parquet, and JSON formats.

• Bank Account Summary- provides a row for each bank account and opening and closing balances across a date range.

• Bank Account Transaction- provides a row for every transaction for all bank accounts across a date range.

Check out these docs for more information.

On-us ACH Debits Improvements

We have made two changes to the behavior of outgoing on-us ACH debit transfers. "On-us" means that both the ODFI and RDFI for the transfer is Column.

• On-us ACH Debits can now be submitted without knowing if there are funds in the receiver account. If there are no funds, then the RDFI will go through the same return process for NSF's as they would for a normal (non on-us) ACH debit on that account. More details here: https://beta.column.com/docs/ach/returns

• Previously, outgoing on-us ACH debits would settle immediately if funds were available in the RDFI account. Now, they will follow the same rules as normal ACH debit transfers, with a two business day delay in funds availability.

These changes maintain consistency and security for all Column accounts and ACH transfers.

Company ID configurability

• We now enable platforms to include their own company id when originating ACH transfers. Using a specific company id maintains continuity when migrating from other banking partners by reducing unauthorized returns. The company id is also often used for ACH positive pay. If you would like to use a specific company id in your ACH transactions, please contact us.

ACH Transfer object improvements

We have added a new field to the ACH object called payment_related_info, which provides an additional 80 characters to provide details on the ACH transaction on outgoing transfers. This is available on all SEC codes.

• On incoming ACH transfers, we will surface payment_related_info in our ACH object, which we receive in the addenda.

• Our goal is to enable you to configure all fields and expose all elements in an originated and received ACH file. If there are other addenda fields for specific SEC codes that you’d like to see supported, that we currently don't, we'd love to hear it! Please reach out.

IAT information improvements for ACH Transfers

• We have added an explicit iat sub-object for all IAT ACH transfers. An IAT is an ACH SEC code that is used for receiving internationally originated transfers. These are usually used as the domestic clearing leg in an international payment. They are considered a bit special according to the NACHA rules and have unique information associated with them - usually to help with OFAC screeing.

• The iat object surfaces specific information pertaining to the foreign bank and transaction such as foreign_payment_amount, foreign_trace_number, odfi_branch_country_code, odfi_name, originator_city_state_province, foreign_correspondent_bank_info, and more! You can read more about IATs and see a complete list of fields in the documentation.

Lending APIs are available in sandbox

• We have made a new set of APIs for lending publicly available for our sandbox platforms. They're currently powering charge card and term loan production use cases. Please reach out if you think you have a need that fits and we can enable them in your platform.

• These APIs are currently built around a charge card and term loan feature set. However, our plan is to expand their functionality to power other loan-oriented use cases this year. As we receive feedback from our customers, we will continue to make improvements and changes to these APIs before making widely available in production.

IAT

• We now have full support for receiving IAT ACH transfers.

• If you are interested in originating IAT ACH transfers please reach out.

Wire transfer object enhancements

• We have expanded the FedWire information we return in our wire transfer object such as beneficiary_account_number, beneficiary_name, originator_account_number, originator_name, imad, omad, and more! See the wire object documentation for a complete list.

OFAC manual review, ACH processing enhancement, and more

• OFAC Manual Review: Both incoming and outgoing wires which trigger OFAC alerts are blocked and require a manual review which Column will perform. The status will stay as PENDING_SUBMISSION until it's cleared.

  • Manual reviewed outgoing wires won't be instantly submitted to the Fed.

  • Manual reviewed wires won't be instantly settled.

Webhook Events

The following webhook events have been deprecated and merged to their corresponding events:

• ach.outgoing_return.initiated: deprecated, merged to ach.incoming_transfer.returned

• ach.outgoing_return.dishonored: deprecated, merged to ach.incoming_transfer.return_dishonored

• ach.outgoing_return.contested: deprecated, merged to ach.incoming_transfer.return_contested

• ach.incoming_return.initiated: deprecated, merged to ach.outgoing_transfer.returned

• ach.incoming_return.dishonored: deprecated, merged to ach.outgoing_transfer.return_dishonored

• ach.incoming_return.contested: deprecated, merged to ach.outgoing_transfer.return_contested

API Filtering

• API filters are added to /entites, /bank-accounts, /transfers/ach, /transfers/wireand and /transfers/book. These endpoints now support more complex filtering.

Dec 1, 2021

• A details block was added for requests to book transfers. Depending on your use case we may require additional metadata to be sent in this field for our transaction monitoring.

Pagination and hold/clear

• Pagination available for all list endpoints. You can learn more about it here.

• Book Transfers now support a hold then clear functionality.

  • This change adds a new balance called the "holding balance" to all accounts

  • Adds "hold" parameter to endpoint to create a book transfer

  • Adds endpoint to clear a book transfer

  • Adds endpoint to update a book transfer

  • Adds endpoint to cancel a book transfer

  • New webhook events are added for:

    • book.transfer.hold_created

    • book.transfer.updated

    • book.transfer.canceled

Nov 9, 2021

• Added more webhook events for ACH returns:

  • ach.outgoing_return.initiated

  • ach.outgoing_return.dishonored

  • ach.outgoing_return.contested

  • ach.incoming_return.initiated

  • ach.incoming_return.dishonored

  • ach.incoming_return.contested

Nov 3, 2021

Renamed counterparty.counterparty_id to counterparty.id to be consistent with other API responses.

Oct 11, 2021

• We’ve released idempotency! You can read about it here.

• We’ll be releasing pagination soon. You can read a draft of the docs here.

• Error response type and code will be changed to be all lower case.

  • ie: BANK_ACCOUNT_NOT_FOUND will be bank_account_not_found

  • transfers_{error} codes are now transfer_{error} codes

  • Docs will be updated and code will be released tonight or tomorrow.

• Events are being reformatted to {category}.{sub_category}.{action}, ie ACH_TRANSFER_INITIATED will now be ach.outgoing_transfer.initiated

• Docs will be updated and code will be released hopefully tomorrow.

• Docs starting tomorrow will now be gated by the dashboard login, as opposed to a master password.

Sept 15, 2021

• Introduced root entity and some special accounts underneath them.

• Added locked_balance as a balance type for accounts.

• Added the ability for an account to go negative through our overdraft feature.

Aug 16, 2021

• Published ACH return APIs:

  • File returns for received ACH credit/debit transfers (i.e., Column is the RDFI)

  • Retrieve the return processing details of an ACH transfer.

  • Retrieve the return processing details of all ACH transfers under your developer account.

Aug 5, 2021

Fixed bugs in entity request validation

Aug 4, 2021

Updated the LIST /transfer endpoint to have a unified schema for all transfer types

Aug 2, 2021

• Renamed the /sandbox routes to /simulate to avoid confusion. All of the routes are sandboxed and can be used with your test api-key. However, the simulate routes are sandbox only and enable you to simulate settlement of ACH and Wire transfers.

• Updated ACH documentation.

July 27, 2021

• Deprecated amount[cents] and amount[currency_code] in transfer requests and responses, and moved amount and currency to the top level.

• Removed update_mask from the entity update API.