Documentation

ACH Types

There are two types of ACH transfers that can be originated or received: an ACH credit pushes money from your bank account to a counterparty bank account. An ACH debit pulls money from the counterparty account to your account. ACH credits are simpler as you're sending out money from an account you control. An ACH debit will usually generate more returns (e.g. insufficient funds, invalid account details, etc.) as you are pulling money from a counterparty (usually external) account into one you control. In some situations, Column will make you verify the counterparty using a company like Plaid or a system like micro-deposits.

ACH Speeds

There are two ACH "speeds" - standard and same-day. If you send a standard ACH before 11:15pm PST, it will normally be settled by 5:30am PST the following business day. If you send a same-day ACH before 1:45pm PST on a business day, the funds are settled the same day. Specific timing is discussed in the Timing section.

ACH Standard Entry Class Codes

A Standard Entry Class (SEC) code is a three-character code used to identify various properties of ACH transfers. Column supports all SEC codes for incoming ACH transfers. However, for outgoing ACH transfers that are initiated via our ACH Transfer API, only certain SEC codes are supported by Column. Please be sure to include an entry_class_code when creating an ACH transfer.

SEC	Description	Outgoing	Incoming
ACK	Payment Acknowledgment: Non-Monetary Entry initiated by an RDFI to provide an acknowledgment of receipt of a CCD request.
ARC	Accounts Receivable: Single Entry debit initiated by an Originator to the Receiver's account based on an Eligible Source Document provided to the Originator by the Receiver (1) via the U.S. mail or delivery service, (2) at a dropbox location, or (3) in person for payment of a bill at a manned location.
ATX	Financial EDI Acknowledgment: Non-Monetary Entry initiated by an RDFI to provide an acknowledgment of receipt of a CTX request.
BOC	Back Office Conversion: Single Entry debit initiated by an Originator to the Receiver's account based on an Eligible Source Document provided to the Originator by the Receiver at the point of purchase or at a manned bill payment location for subsequent conversion during back office processing.
CCD	Corporate Credit or Debit: Entry initiated by an Organization to transfer funds to or from an account of that Organization or another Organization.
CIE	Customer Initiated Entry: Credit Entry initiated by or on behalf of the holder of a Consumer Account to transfer funds to the account of the Receiver.
CTX	Corporate Trade Exchange: Entry initiated by an Organization to transfer funds to or from the account of that Organization or another Organization that permits the inclusion of payment-related remittance information in ANSI or UN/EDIFACT syntax.
IAT	International ACH Transaction: Entry that is part of a payment transaction involving a Financial Agency's office that is not located in the territorial jurisdiction of the United States. An office of a Financial Agency is involved in the payment transaction if it (1) holds an account that is credited or debited as part of the payment transaction, (2) receives payment directly from a Person or makes payment directly to a Person as part of the payment transaction, or (3) serves as an intermediary in the settlement of any part of the payment transaction.
MTE	Machine Transfer Entry: Entries initiated at an “Electronic terminal,” as defined in Regulation E, to transfer funds to or from a Consumer Account maintained with an RDFI, i.e., an ATM cash deposit or withdrawal.
POP	Point-of-Purchase Entry: Single Entry debit initiated by an Originator to the Receiver's account based on an Eligible Source Document provided to the Originator by the Receiver at the point of purchase or manned bill payment location to transfer funds from the Receiver's account.
POS	Point-of-Sale Entry: Debit Entry initiated at an “Electronic terminal,” as defined in Regulation E, to transfer funds from a Consumer Account of the Receiver to pay an obligation incurred in a point-of-sale transaction, or to effect a point-of-sale terminal cash withdrawal. Also an adjusting or other credit Entry related to such debit Entry, transfer of funds, or obligation.
PPD	Prearranged Payment and Deposit: Entry initiated by an Organization based on a standing or a Single Entry authorization from a Receiver to transfer funds to or from a Consumer Account of the Receiver.
RCK	Re-presented Check: Single Entry debit constituting a presentment notice of an item eligible.
SHR	Shared Network Transaction: Debit Entry initiated at an “Electronic terminal,” as defined in Regulation E, to transfer funds from a Consumer Account of the Receiver to pay an obligation incurred in a point-of-sale transaction, or to effect a point-of-sale terminal cash withdrawal. Also an adjusting or other credit Entry related to such debit Entry, transfer of funds, or obligation. SHR Entries are initiated in a shared network where the ODFI and RDFI have an agreement in addition to these Rules to process such Entries.
TEL	Telephone-Initiated Entry: Debit initiated by an Originator pursuant to an oral authorization obtained over the telephone to transfer funds from a Consumer Account of the Receiver.
TRC	Check Truncation Entry: Debit Entry initiated pursuant to a Check Truncation Program that permits the Truncation of a single Check drawn on the paying bank.
TRX	Check Truncation Entries Exchange: Debit Entry initiated based on a Check Truncation Program that permits the Truncation of multiple Checks drawn on the same paying bank.
WEB	Internet-Initiated/Mobile Entry: (1) a debit Entry initiated by an Originator to a Consumer Account of the Receiver based on (a) an authorization that is communicated, other than by an oral communication, from the Receiver to the Originator via the Internet or a Wireless Network, or (b) any form of authorization if the Receiver's instruction for the initiation of the individual debit Entry is designed by the Originator to be communicated, other than by an oral communication, to the Originator via a Wireless Network; or (2) a credit Entry initiated by or on behalf of the holder of a Consumer Account that is intended for the Consumer Account of a Receiver, regardless of whether the authorization of such Entry is communicated via the Internet or Wireless Network.
XCK	Destroyed Check Entry: Debit Entry initiated with respect to an item eligible.