AAP ACH File Structure and Record Types 3

Question 1

What is the maximum length of the 'Company Entry Description' field in an ACH Batch Header Record?

Accepted Answer

10 characters

Answer

The Company Entry Description field is exactly 10 characters and typically appears on the receiver's bank statement to describe the nature of the payment.

Question 2

The 'Total Debit Entry Dollar Amount' field in an ACH File Control Record includes which entries?

Accepted Answer

All debit entries across every batch in the file

Answer

The File Control Record's Total Debit Entry Dollar Amount is the grand total of all debit Entry Detail Records from every batch in the file, used for file-level balancing.

Question 3

What does the 'Originator Status Code' field in the ACH Batch Header Record identify?

Accepted Answer

Whether the originator is a government entity or other originator

Answer

The Originator Status Code is a one-character field that distinguishes government originators ('2') from non-government originators ('1'), affecting certain regulatory and processing rules.

Question 4

In an ACH Trace Number, what do the first 8 digits represent?

Accepted Answer

The ODFI's routing transit number (without the check digit)

Answer

The first 8 digits of the 15-digit ACH Trace Number are the ODFI's 8-digit routing transit number (the 9-digit RTN minus its check digit), uniquely identifying the originating institution.

Question 5

Which field in the ACH File Header Record identifies the entity that created or originated the ACH file?

Accepted Answer

Immediate Origin Name

Answer

The Immediate Origin Name field (23 characters) in the File Header Record identifies the originating entity — either the ODFI or the company that created the ACH file.

AAP - Accredited ACH Professional Practice Test

AAP - Accredited ACH Professional Practice Test

AAP ACH File Structure and Record Types 3