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Understanding BACS Batch Statuses
User Guide: Understanding the BACS Batch Lifecycle
Overview
When you create a BACS batch in esenda, it progresses through a series of stages before being submitted for processing.
Understanding each stage will help you know when a batch can still be edited, when approval is required, and when changes are no longer possible.
Draft
What it means
A batch in Draft has been created but is still being prepared.
At this stage, esenda validates the uploaded file and highlights any warnings that should be reviewed before continuing.
For example, you may see a warning if the uploaded file appears to be a duplicate of one that has already been imported.
Can I amend the batch?
Yes.
While a batch is in Draft, you can:
- Review the payment instructions.
- Resolve any validation warnings.
- Replace the uploaded file if required.
- Delete the batch if it is no longer needed.
Action required
Review any warnings and confirm the batch is correct before progressing it.
Created
What it means
The batch has been successfully created and is ready to progress through your organisation's BACS process.
Depending on your organisation's configuration, the batch may either:
- Be ready to send to the bureau, or
- Require approval before it can be submitted.
Can I amend the batch?
Yes.
While the batch remains in the Created status, you can review the payment instructions and make any necessary changes before progressing it.
Action required
Check:
- Batch name
- Number of payment instructions
- Validation warnings
- Submission date
before sending the batch for approval or submission.
Batch Approval Required
What it means
The batch is awaiting approval before it can be sent to the bureau.
This stage only applies if your organisation has enabled BACS batch approvals.
Can I amend the batch?
Yes.
If the batch has already been approved but has not yet been sent to the bureau, you can remove the approval, make the required changes (such as excluding an individual payment), and send the batch for approval again.
Action required
Ensure the batch is complete and accurate before approving it.
Sent to Bureau
What it means
The batch has been successfully submitted from esenda to the bureau for processing.
At this stage, there may still be a limited opportunity to recall the batch before it is submitted to BACS. Whether this is possible depends on the submission date and how far the batch has progressed through the processing cycle.
Can I amend the batch?
No.
Once a batch has been sent to the bureau, individual payment instructions cannot be removed.
If the batch is still eligible to be recalled, the entire batch must be recalled. You can then exclude the payment(s) you no longer wish to process and submit the batch again.
Once the batch has been submitted to BACS, it can no longer be amended or recalled through esenda.
Action required
If you need to amend or cancel a payment after the batch has been sent to the bureau, contact [email protected] immediately.
The sooner you contact Support, the greater the chance that the batch can still be recalled before submission to BACS.
If the batch has already been submitted to BACS, you should contact your bank to discuss the options available.
Payment Instruction Statuses
Individual payment instructions within a batch may also have their own status.
Included
The payment instruction will be submitted as part of the BACS batch.
Excluded
What it means
The payment instruction has been deliberately removed from the batch and will not be submitted for processing.
The Excluded status allows one or more individual payment instructions to be removed without recreating the entire batch.
This provides greater flexibility when preparing a batch for submission.
Action required
No action is required unless the payment should have been included.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit a batch after it has been created?
Yes.
Batches in the Draft, Created and Batch Approval Required stages can still be reviewed and amended.
Can I remove a single payment after a batch has been sent to the bureau?
No.
Individual payment instructions cannot be removed once the batch has been sent to the bureau.
If the batch can still be recalled, the entire batch must be recalled before the unwanted payment can be excluded and the batch resubmitted.
Can a batch be recalled?
Sometimes.
If the batch has been sent to the bureau but has not yet been submitted to BACS, it may still be possible to recall the entire batch.
Once the batch has been submitted to BACS, it can no longer be recalled through esenda.
What do validation warnings mean?
Validation warnings highlight potential issues that should be reviewed before a batch is submitted.
For example, esenda may identify that an uploaded file appears to be a duplicate of one previously imported.
Warnings do not always prevent processing, but they should always be reviewed before the batch is approved or submitted.
Need Help?
If you need assistance with a BACS batch please contact [email protected] as soon as possible.