Positive Pay Release September 2026

What's new in Positive Pay by AFS

This release adds a standardized NACHA Return file for ACH decisions, a full set of NACHA return codes, and more flexible Fixed Length Decision File layouts. It also corrects two issues affecting permissions and holiday scheduling.

• NACHA Return Decision Files: Generate standardized NACHA Return files directly from Positive Pay by AFS and deliver them by email, API, or SFTP.
• Expanded ACH return reasons: Use NACHA return codes R01 through R85, with consistent return information across decisioning, history, reporting, APIs, imports, and Decision Files.
• Enhanced Fixed Length Decision Files: Add static and filler fields, choose a record terminator, use more date formats, and include the X9.37 Institution Item Sequence Number in Check Decision Files.

NACHA Return Decision Files and expanded ACH return reasons

Positive Pay by AFS now supports NACHA Return as an ACH Decision File format. Financial institutions can generate a NACHA-formatted file for eligible ACH transactions with a final Return decision and deliver it by email, API, or SFTP.

When NACHA Return is selected:

• The file includes return decisions only. The Include Return Decisions Only setting is automatically set to Yes.
• Delimiter, configurable column, and field-length settings do not apply.
• Return entries are created using information from the original uploaded NACHA transactions.
• The Decision Files Log shows the transactions evaluated, included, and excluded, along with exclusion reasons.
• Record terminators can be set to None, CRLF, LF, or CR.
• The File ID Modifier advances when additional files are generated for your institution on the same day.

The ACH return-reason catalog has also been expanded to support NACHA return codes R01 through R85 and their descriptions. Return codes and descriptions are available in applicable areas, including administrative configuration, Exception History, ACH Decision Files, APIs, imports, reports, and charts.

Existing return-reason IDs have been retained. Newly added return reasons are available for configuration but are not automatically enabled for existing financial institutions or Business Clients. Existing Delimited and Fixed Length Decision File layouts are not automatically changed.

As an FI user, how do I generate my ACH Return File in NACHA format?

1. Go to Settings > Decision Files.
2. Click Settings.
3. Click Add New and select ACH.
4. Enter a File Name.
5. Select NACHA Return from the Format Type dropdown and set the Record Terminator you want. The file follows the NACHA return file standard and is built from the original uploaded NACHA transactions, so there are no columns or layout to configure. Only transactions with a Return decision and a valid NACHA return reason code, loaded from a NACHA file, are included.
6. Set up your Email, API, and/or SFTP delivery options.
7. Click Save Settings.
8. Decision files will be generated daily after your designated ACH Default Decision Cutoff Time.

Action required to use NACHA Return files: Add a NACHA Return Decision File from Settings > Decision Files, using the steps above. Newly added return reasons are not automatically enabled, and existing Decision File layouts stay as they are.

BENEFIT: Financial institutions can generate NACHA Return files directly from Positive Pay by AFS and use consistent ACH return codes and descriptions across supported workflows.

Enhanced Fixed Length Decision File configuration

Fixed Length Decision File configuration now supports static fields, filler fields, selectable record terminators, additional date formats, and an additional Check Decision File field. These options support FIS IBS and other custom banking-core layouts without requiring a separate format type.

Static fields. The Fixed Length configuration wizard includes Add Static Field. Administrators can define the field name, static value, field length, and position within the output record. The static value is written exactly as configured. Positive Pay does not change its capitalization, casing, padding, or formatting. The number of characters in the static value must exactly match the configured field length, and a static field with a mismatched value and length cannot be saved. New static fields default to a length of 1. Administrators can edit, reorder, or remove them.

Filler fields. The wizard also includes Add Filler. Administrators can define the filler-field name, length, and position within the output record. The generated file contains spaces for the configured filler width. A filler field must have a length of at least 1. Filler fields can be edited, reordered, and removed.

Record terminators. For a Fixed Length format, a new Record Terminator setting replaces the Delimiter setting. This setting defines the character sequence added to the end of each record in the output file. Options are None, CRLF, LF, and CR. None is the default for new and existing Fixed Length configurations.

Additional field and date formats. Check Decision Files can include SequenceNb, which contains the Institution Item Sequence Number from X9.37 field 25.8. If the presented check was not received in X9.37 format, the output field is blank. Fixed Length configurations also support two new date formats: MMDDYYYY and YYYYMMDD. These enhancements are available in the shared Check and ACH Decision File configuration experience where applicable.

As an FI user, how do I use this?

1. Go to Settings > Decision Files.
2. Click Settings, then Add New to create a new Check or ACH Decision File configuration.
3. Select Fixed Length as the File Format.
4. Add the required standard fields.
5. Use Add Static Field for constant values.
6. Use Add Filler for required blank spaces.
7. Arrange the fields in the order your receiving system requires.
8. Select the Record Terminator and date formats you need.
9. Save the configuration.

Action required to use these options: Existing Fixed Length configurations are not changed automatically. Add the new fields, record terminator, or date formats when you create or update a configuration.

BENEFIT: Financial institutions can produce specialized Fixed Length layouts containing required constants, blank spaces, record endings, dates, and X9.37 sequence information by using the existing configuration wizard.

Also fixed

• Corrected an issue where View Account could override Manage ACH Rules or Manage Check Rules permissions and make ACH Companies or Check Payees read-only. Users with the applicable rule-management permission can now manage these records without also needing Manage Account.
• Corrected holiday scheduling to use each financial institution’s local date. This prevents holiday processing from ending too early and keeps default decisions, notifications, and Decision Files paused for the full local holiday.

No action required. These updates apply automatically.