An Australian Banking Association (ABA) file is a standard file used by Australian Banks to make multiple payments by uploading data to Internet Banking systems. It's also commonly known as a Direct Entry file or a Cemtext file. Click here for the ABA Format File Details.
The steps below are how to create a new Company Bank Account. If your organisation is changing bank accounts, you can create a new one, after which you will have to update all applicable employees to use the new Company Bank Account. Alternatively, you can edit your existing bank account and the change will flow through to your employees.
Create the Company Bank Account
Go to Payroll, Maintenance, General, EFT Parameters.
Click Add.
Select or enter the following fields:
The EFT Parameters fields:
Code - enter a unique alphanumeric code of up to 10 characters for this record.
Institution Name - contains the name of the financial institution.
Creditor Payments - is ticked to enable an EFT file to link to Creditor payments.
Identification Information:
Company Name - is to identify the company's payroll information and relates to your EFT identification number. The default value of this field is the Company Name entered in Common, Company Details but a different Company Name can be entered if required.
Remitter Name - is issued by the bank. It is generally an abbreviation of your Company Name and is included in the EFT file.
BSB Number - Select from the dropdown list. If the BSB is not in the list, right-click and add.
Bank Account Name - is the name of the account that your company uses to pay employees.
Bank Account Number - contains the account number that your company uses to pay employees. Do not include the BSB number.
Abbr. Bank Name - identifies a bank's name using an alpha code abbreviation.
EFT ID Number - contains the s number issued by your bank. The EFT ID Number is included in the EFT File and is used by the bank to identify your payment information.
The File Information fields
Self-Balancing Disk - Tick if required by the bank. This will add both debit and credit totals to the end of the EFT file.
EFT File Processing Method - inserts a flag in the file's header record that determines how the file is processed. The bank will advise you which method to use. The options are Standard, Trickle, Pre-Process or None.
General Description of Entries - contains the text that you would like to appear on your Employee's bank statement. For example, wages, salary etc.
EFT File Path - must contain both the drive and the directory path where the EFT File is created. The EFT File Path can either be typed in or located using the Browse button.
EFT File Name - enter the name given to the EFT file. The file extension .ABA is added automatically when the file is generated. Your bank will advise you if the EFT File name must follow a specific format.
Add the EFT Parameter to the Employee record.
This is the Company Bank account you want the funds to be paid out of to your employee:
Go to Payroll, Maintenance, Employee, Employee.
Edit the Employee.
Select Bank Details.
Edit the bank account.
Select the new bank account in EFT.
Click OK and OK again to complete the process.
If you are using creditor payments
Go to Payroll, Maintenance, General, Payroll Companies
Edit the Payroll Company.
In Creditors Details select the correct bank details that have been set up for Creditors from the dropdown.
Press OK.
Our suggestion would be to take a backup prior to completing these changes and then take another backup following the update of the details. If you would like to test the file, create one transaction for one employee, generate the EFT file and upload it to your bank representative to check that the output is correct.
If this is correct, you can then revert to the previous backup before generating the test transaction. You are now able to proceed with your maintenance and transactions.