Overview

Creating Canadian Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) files with ACH Universal Online allows you to pay vendors, employees, or collect payments using CPA 005-compliant formats accepted by Canadian financial institutions. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step walkthrough to help you quickly set up Canadian EFT processing, create a test file, and prepare files to upload to your bank. Whether you are importing data from QuickBooks Online or importing an Excel/CSV file, this article will help you get started confidently.

Table of Contents

• Step-by-Step Setup Instructions
  • Step 1: Create a New Account
  • Step 2: Complete Canadian EFT Setup
  • Step 3: Import Transaction Data
  • Step 4: Create a Test EFT File
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Step-by-Step Setup Instructions

Step 1: Create a New Account

1. Open Treasury Software Online.
2. Click on the '+' across from 'Accounts' at the top of the left navigation bar.
3. Choose the 'EFT' radio button.
4. Enter a meaningful account name (for example, Operating or Payroll).
5. Click 'Create'.

Best Practice: Create a separate account for each bank account if you will be originating EFT files from multiple Canadian banks.

Step 2: Complete Canadian EFT Setup

1. Open the Canadian EFT Setup screen by clicking on the 'EFT Setup' tile
2. Select your bank. many default settings - such as the Destination Data Centre - will auto-populate. If your bank is not listed, select 'All Other Banks' and manually enter the Data Destination Centre provided by your bank.
3. Enter your company information, including: a) Short Company Name (up to 15 characters, uppercase, no spaces)  b) Long Company Name (up to 30 characters)  c) Originator / Company ID (assigned by your bank)
4. Review bank-specific settings (bank-specific articles are linked beside each bank option)
5. Click 'Save' to complete the setup.

Step 3: Import Transaction Data

You can create Canadian EFT files using data from several sources:

• QuickBooks Online - import transactions through the QuickBooks Online Integration window.
• Excel / CSV Files - import a spreadsheet containing at a minimum:
  • Name
  • Amount
  • Account Number
  • Financial Institution Number + Branch Transit Number

Profiles can also be used to securely store bank information for vendors, customers, or employees

Step 4: Create a Test EFT File

1. Review imported transactions to ensure accuracy.
2. Select the transactions you want to include.
3. Click 'Create EFT File'.
4. Save the file to your local machine.
5. Upload the test file to your bank for validation before submitting live transactions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do I need bank approval before creating EFT files?

Yes. Your bank must enable EFT services and provide you with required setup details such as the Originator ID and Destination Data Centre.

2. Which Canadian EFT formats are supported?

Treasury Software Online support CPA 005 formats, including the 1464-byte layout for all banks and the 80-byte layout for TD bank.

3. Can I import data from Excel instead of QuickBooks Online?

Yes. Treasury Software Online support Excel and CSV imports if your file includes required fields.

4. Should I create a test file before sending live payments?

Absolutely. We strongly recommend sending a test EFT file to your bank to validate formatting before processing live transactions.

Need Help?

Still have questions? Contact Treasury Software Support or visit www.treasurysoftware.com for personalized assistance.

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