General Setup for SafePay Configurator
The process of setting up the Configurator in SafePay is very lengthy and the following detailed steps should help to make this setup easier. Before setting up the Configurator, make sure you have a printed copy of the format layout for the Positive Pay system from your bank. Because bank formats vary greatly, it is necessary to contact your bank and request these specifications for the file format. After receiving a printed copy of the output format from your bank, you can create your custom output format. The output format will contain details about which fields the bank will need, the order of those fields, the size of the fields and the overall structure of the file.
SafePay Configurator (To navigate to the SafePay Configurator, click on Microsoft Dynamics GP, point to Tools, point to Routines, point to Financial, point to SafePay, and click on Configurator)
Step 1. Name the Format
Bank Format – The Bank Format field should be an identifier for your format. Enter a unique name for this format, but typically this is the name of your bank.
Description – The Description field is used to enter an additional description for the Bank Format. This field is required.
Save the Format after Section 1 has been completed before moving on to Section 2 of the SafePay Configurator window.
Step 2. Create Output Record Lines
**You will only need to define the Output Record Lines that are relevant to SafePay. If a section is labeled as optional on the bank specifications, you do not need to set it up in the Configurator. The Detail Record Line is always a required section in a bank’s specifications.
** We recommend that all Output Record Lines be defined before the fields are configured. Enter and save the record lines sequentially before moving to the next record line. After this is done, we then recommend defining the fields for each Record Output Line in sequence.
Output Type – The Output Type field can be selected from the drop-down list as Fixed Field, Comma Delimited, or Tab Delimited. The bank determines which option from the list that you will select, so you will need to contact them if the format specifications do not state which format to use. This option only needs to be selected for the first Record Line only as it will automatically be assigned to the other Record Lines.
Record Type – The Record Type field can be selected from the drop-down list as Header-Transmission, Header-Account, Detail-Account, Footer-Account, or Footer-Transmission, which correspond to the sections required in your bank's specifications. However, all bank formats will require a Detail-Account Record Type, but the header and footer Record Types may be optional. Make sure to complete all the 'required' sections. A more detailed explanation of each Record Type can be found in the SafePay User’s Guide.
Line Name – The Line Name field is used as a description for your use only. This field will not appear on the transmission file. Enter a unique description for the Record Line that you are configuring. (Example, for the Detail-Account record type line, you may wish to name it 'Detail'.)
# of Fields – The number of fields indicates how many fields are to be defined in each Record Line. Enter the number of fields contained for each of the Record Lines being defined. This information needs to be entered for each Record Line that is required in the bank’s specifications. Each Record Line may contain a different number of fields.
# of Characters – The number of characters indicates the total number of characters for this Record Line. (The length of all the fields added together should equal the total number of characters for the line.) This only needs to be entered if using the Fixed Field Output Type. Generally, all Record Lines for Fixed Field Output Types contain the same number of characters.
Add, Up, Down, Remove, New buttons– These buttons are used to edit the Record Lines as a whole. After entering the information above to define a Record Line, you will want to select the Add button to populate the window in Section 2. Then you can select the line in Step 2 and use the Up or Down, or Remove buttons to move the lines around according to your format, or remove it completely. Click Save to save the current format, and then you will be able to add another line as needed.
Step 3. Edit Record Fields
From the 'Step 2 - Create Output Record Lines' section, click to highlight the Output Record Line that you wish to edit. This will populate the defined number of fields in the 'Step 3 - Edit Record Fields' section. Then double-click on the field you wish to edit to open the Output Fields window where you can define the criteria for this specific field.
**Define the fields that are relevant to SafePay. If there is a field on the bank’s specifications that cannot be defined with an existing Standard Field (from the drop-down list for Standard Fields) or does not need to be defined, then choose the Standard Field type of 'Filler'.
** Make sure to define all the fields associated with each record line that was entered.
Field Number - The Field Number will default in with the current field that you are editing. This will increment sequentially with the fields in the list in Section 3 and this field cannot be changed.
Field Name – The Field Name field will default in with "Field X" where X = is the Field Number, matching the field on the list that you are editing. Enter a descriptive name for the field that is unique to easily identify it from other fields for your reference only.
Standard Fields – The Standard Field is used to define each of the relevant fields for the Output Record Line. This field tells the Configurator what type of Output the field will contain. The choice that you make from the Standard Field drop-down list will affect the options that are available in the rest of the window. Choose a Standard Field from the drop-down list, which includes: Account Numbers, Check Numbers, Check Dates, Check amounts, Transaction Types. A detailed table of each of these Standard Fields and their descriptions is included in the SafePay User’s Guide. The Standard Field of 'Filler' would be used for a blank field or optional field that is not used.
Note: For the Check Amount field, you can set the currency with or without the decimals and with or without the currency symbol. For the Amount Type, the Field Amount is the most commonly used to display the actual check amount.
Field Type – The Field Type will default based on the Standard Field option that was chosen for that field. The table of Standard Fields in the SafePay User’s Guide lists which Field Type will default in for each Standard Field. The field can be changed from the default and the options in the drop-down list include: Currency, Date, Dynamics Data, Numeric, and Text. A detailed table of each of these Field Types and their descriptions is included in the SafePay User’s Guide.
Field Format – The Field Format is used to further define some of the Field Types that have been chosen for the field. There is a selection of Field Formats available for each Field Type, but not all Field Formats are available with all Field Formats. Each Field Type has a subset of Field Formats, but no Field Formats are available for the Text or Dynamics Data Field Types. A detailed table of each of these Field Formats and their descriptions is included in the SafePay User’s Guide.
Number of Characters – Define the Number of Characters to indicate the length of the field, if you are a Fixed Field Output Type and will be defined by your Bank's requirements. (Note: The number of characters of all the fields added together should equal the total # of Characters defined for the whole line.)
Constant Value – The Constant Value field can be used to enter a certain specific constant value to print in a field. This is only used if you have selected "Constant" for this field’s Field Type. Enter the value of constant that you wish to print in the field.
Filler Type – The Filler Type field is used to identify how you want the Filler areas to print. This is used only if you are using the Fixed Field Output Type. Choose from the options of zeros, spaces, or else enter a value that you want to print.
Justification – The Justification field is used to determine which side of the field the information will default to, while the remainder of the field prints with the chosen filler. Choose either left or right as the option, but generally text fields are left justified and numeric fields are right justified.
Total Line Characters – The Total Line Characters will default in from the Configurator window with the # of Characters that you entered. Again this is only used with the Fixed Field Output Type.
Field Example – The Field Example is a running example of what the current field will print out. However, the only time it will show current information is for the Date fields because the rest of the time the system does not know what the information will be until the upload is completed.
Save your changes to the Output Fields.
Step 4. Transaction Codes
While still in the SafePay Configurator window, go into the Transaction Codes Entry window by clicking on Codes Entry in the top menubar, and then click on Transaction Codes Entry. The Transaction Types Entry window will pop up. The Configurator requires that you set up the codes that need to be included in the output file for each transaction type for the detail lines, which currently only includes Checks and Voids. These codes must come from the bank and should be listed on the bank’s specifications. In the Transaction Types Entry window, you will see these fields:
Output Format – The Output Format field will default in with the name of your format that you entered in the SafePay Configurator window and is not editable.
Transaction Type – The Transaction Type field is used to identify what type of transaction you are entering the code for. Choose either Check, Void or EFT from the drop-down list as these are your only options and you cannot define new Transaction Types.
Matching Code – The Matching Code field is used to enter the code that corresponds with the Transaction Type that you have selected. Enter the Matching Code from the output format information required by your bank. (Most commonly a 'C' for check, a 'V" for void, and a 'C' for EFT, but refer to your bank to see what codes they require to be used for each.)
Options:
VoidsVoids Zero Amount - If you mark this checkbox, voids will be transmitted to your bank as $0 transactions instead of the original check amount. This option is only available when the Transaction Type of Void is selected.
Omit Checks with AlphasOmit Checks with Alphas – Mark this option to exclude any payments that have alphabetic characters in the check number. For example, you can exclude EFT payments if they are generated with alphabetic characters in the check number field. This option is only available when the Transaction Type of Check or EFT is selected.
SPECIAL NOTES TO REMEMBER WHEN SETTING UP SAFEPAY:
- You must have a printout of the file format specifications from your bank prior to setting up the SafePay Configurator.
- Every bank is different, so you cannot follow one standard format for all banks.
- The SafePay Configurator only needs to be setup once when first starting to use SafePay, and then you just keep uploading .TXT files from the bank to match this Configurator.
- SafePay must be installed on all workstations that are entering Checks or voiding Checks or else the voids will not be recognized from workstations that do not have SafePay installed.
- Resissued checks: In older versions of Microsoft Dynamics GP, transactions can be uploaded only once to the bank . Therefore, if you need to void and reissue the same check number, the reissued check must be dated the next day. Because of this, the Safe Pay file will not pick up the reissued check if it is voided and reissued on the same day as the original check, in older versions of Microsoft Dynamics GP. In more recent versions of Microsoft Dynamics GP, the order of the check, void and resissue will be listed as check, check, void, and you are not able to change the order that they are listed in the file, and many banks software may not read it correctly. To get around this, you would have to date the reissued check with the next day's date, so it would be listed as check, void, check on the file, if you wish for the order to be changed in the Safepay file.
-After activating Multicurrency, all historical voids will be included in the first Safe Pay file generated. This will only happen once.
-The Account Number is a required field. If you do not map this field in the configurator file, you will get the message "The bank account field is missing from this format ID." It has to be mapped somewhere in the file. If you do not want it in the file at all, you can get around this by mapping the field in the configurator file, but then you can go to the Checkbook setup and blank out the Account Number, as it is not a required field in the Checkbook Setup window. This will produce a blank field on the SafePay output file, and get past the system limitation as a required field for SafePay.
The process of setting up the Configurator in SafePay is very lengthy and the following detailed steps should help to make this setup easier. Before setting up the Configurator, make sure you have a printed copy of the format layout for the Positive Pay system from your bank. Because bank formats vary greatly, it is necessary to contact your bank and request these specifications for the file format. After receiving a printed copy of the output format from your bank, you can create your custom output format. The output format will contain details about which fields the bank will need, the order of those fields, the size of the fields and the overall structure of the file.
SafePay Configurator (To navigate to the SafePay Configurator, click on Microsoft Dynamics GP, point to Tools, point to Routines, point to Financial, point to SafePay, and click on Configurator)
Step 1. Name the Format
Bank Format – The Bank Format field should be an identifier for your format. Enter a unique name for this format, but typically this is the name of your bank.
Description – The Description field is used to enter an additional description for the Bank Format. This field is required.
Save the Format after Section 1 has been completed before moving on to Section 2 of the SafePay Configurator window.
Step 2. Create Output Record Lines
**You will only need to define the Output Record Lines that are relevant to SafePay. If a section is labeled as optional on the bank specifications, you do not need to set it up in the Configurator. The Detail Record Line is always a required section in a bank’s specifications.
** We recommend that all Output Record Lines be defined before the fields are configured. Enter and save the record lines sequentially before moving to the next record line. After this is done, we then recommend defining the fields for each Record Output Line in sequence.
Output Type – The Output Type field can be selected from the drop-down list as Fixed Field, Comma Delimited, or Tab Delimited. The bank determines which option from the list that you will select, so you will need to contact them if the format specifications do not state which format to use. This option only needs to be selected for the first Record Line only as it will automatically be assigned to the other Record Lines.
Record Type – The Record Type field can be selected from the drop-down list as Header-Transmission, Header-Account, Detail-Account, Footer-Account, or Footer-Transmission, which correspond to the sections required in your bank's specifications. However, all bank formats will require a Detail-Account Record Type, but the header and footer Record Types may be optional. Make sure to complete all the 'required' sections. A more detailed explanation of each Record Type can be found in the SafePay User’s Guide.
Line Name – The Line Name field is used as a description for your use only. This field will not appear on the transmission file. Enter a unique description for the Record Line that you are configuring. (Example, for the Detail-Account record type line, you may wish to name it 'Detail'.)
# of Fields – The number of fields indicates how many fields are to be defined in each Record Line. Enter the number of fields contained for each of the Record Lines being defined. This information needs to be entered for each Record Line that is required in the bank’s specifications. Each Record Line may contain a different number of fields.
# of Characters – The number of characters indicates the total number of characters for this Record Line. (The length of all the fields added together should equal the total number of characters for the line.) This only needs to be entered if using the Fixed Field Output Type. Generally, all Record Lines for Fixed Field Output Types contain the same number of characters.
Add, Up, Down, Remove, New buttons– These buttons are used to edit the Record Lines as a whole. After entering the information above to define a Record Line, you will want to select the Add button to populate the window in Section 2. Then you can select the line in Step 2 and use the Up or Down, or Remove buttons to move the lines around according to your format, or remove it completely. Click Save to save the current format, and then you will be able to add another line as needed.
Step 3. Edit Record Fields
From the 'Step 2 - Create Output Record Lines' section, click to highlight the Output Record Line that you wish to edit. This will populate the defined number of fields in the 'Step 3 - Edit Record Fields' section. Then double-click on the field you wish to edit to open the Output Fields window where you can define the criteria for this specific field.
**Define the fields that are relevant to SafePay. If there is a field on the bank’s specifications that cannot be defined with an existing Standard Field (from the drop-down list for Standard Fields) or does not need to be defined, then choose the Standard Field type of 'Filler'.
** Make sure to define all the fields associated with each record line that was entered.
Field Number - The Field Number will default in with the current field that you are editing. This will increment sequentially with the fields in the list in Section 3 and this field cannot be changed.
Field Name – The Field Name field will default in with "Field X" where X = is the Field Number, matching the field on the list that you are editing. Enter a descriptive name for the field that is unique to easily identify it from other fields for your reference only.
Standard Fields – The Standard Field is used to define each of the relevant fields for the Output Record Line. This field tells the Configurator what type of Output the field will contain. The choice that you make from the Standard Field drop-down list will affect the options that are available in the rest of the window. Choose a Standard Field from the drop-down list, which includes: Account Numbers, Check Numbers, Check Dates, Check amounts, Transaction Types. A detailed table of each of these Standard Fields and their descriptions is included in the SafePay User’s Guide. The Standard Field of 'Filler' would be used for a blank field or optional field that is not used.
Note: For the Check Amount field, you can set the currency with or without the decimals and with or without the currency symbol. For the Amount Type, the Field Amount is the most commonly used to display the actual check amount.
Field Type – The Field Type will default based on the Standard Field option that was chosen for that field. The table of Standard Fields in the SafePay User’s Guide lists which Field Type will default in for each Standard Field. The field can be changed from the default and the options in the drop-down list include: Currency, Date, Dynamics Data, Numeric, and Text. A detailed table of each of these Field Types and their descriptions is included in the SafePay User’s Guide.
Field Format – The Field Format is used to further define some of the Field Types that have been chosen for the field. There is a selection of Field Formats available for each Field Type, but not all Field Formats are available with all Field Formats. Each Field Type has a subset of Field Formats, but no Field Formats are available for the Text or Dynamics Data Field Types. A detailed table of each of these Field Formats and their descriptions is included in the SafePay User’s Guide.
Number of Characters – Define the Number of Characters to indicate the length of the field, if you are a Fixed Field Output Type and will be defined by your Bank's requirements. (Note: The number of characters of all the fields added together should equal the total # of Characters defined for the whole line.)
Constant Value – The Constant Value field can be used to enter a certain specific constant value to print in a field. This is only used if you have selected "Constant" for this field’s Field Type. Enter the value of constant that you wish to print in the field.
Filler Type – The Filler Type field is used to identify how you want the Filler areas to print. This is used only if you are using the Fixed Field Output Type. Choose from the options of zeros, spaces, or else enter a value that you want to print.
Justification – The Justification field is used to determine which side of the field the information will default to, while the remainder of the field prints with the chosen filler. Choose either left or right as the option, but generally text fields are left justified and numeric fields are right justified.
Total Line Characters – The Total Line Characters will default in from the Configurator window with the # of Characters that you entered. Again this is only used with the Fixed Field Output Type.
Field Example – The Field Example is a running example of what the current field will print out. However, the only time it will show current information is for the Date fields because the rest of the time the system does not know what the information will be until the upload is completed.
Save your changes to the Output Fields.
Step 4. Transaction Codes
While still in the SafePay Configurator window, go into the Transaction Codes Entry window by clicking on Codes Entry in the top menubar, and then click on Transaction Codes Entry. The Transaction Types Entry window will pop up. The Configurator requires that you set up the codes that need to be included in the output file for each transaction type for the detail lines, which currently only includes Checks and Voids. These codes must come from the bank and should be listed on the bank’s specifications. In the Transaction Types Entry window, you will see these fields:
Output Format – The Output Format field will default in with the name of your format that you entered in the SafePay Configurator window and is not editable.
Transaction Type – The Transaction Type field is used to identify what type of transaction you are entering the code for. Choose either Check, Void or EFT from the drop-down list as these are your only options and you cannot define new Transaction Types.
Matching Code – The Matching Code field is used to enter the code that corresponds with the Transaction Type that you have selected. Enter the Matching Code from the output format information required by your bank. (Most commonly a 'C' for check, a 'V" for void, and a 'C' for EFT, but refer to your bank to see what codes they require to be used for each.)
Options:
VoidsVoids Zero Amount - If you mark this checkbox, voids will be transmitted to your bank as $0 transactions instead of the original check amount. This option is only available when the Transaction Type of Void is selected.
Omit Checks with AlphasOmit Checks with Alphas – Mark this option to exclude any payments that have alphabetic characters in the check number. For example, you can exclude EFT payments if they are generated with alphabetic characters in the check number field. This option is only available when the Transaction Type of Check or EFT is selected.
SPECIAL NOTES TO REMEMBER WHEN SETTING UP SAFEPAY:
- You must have a printout of the file format specifications from your bank prior to setting up the SafePay Configurator.
- Every bank is different, so you cannot follow one standard format for all banks.
- The SafePay Configurator only needs to be setup once when first starting to use SafePay, and then you just keep uploading .TXT files from the bank to match this Configurator.
- SafePay must be installed on all workstations that are entering Checks or voiding Checks or else the voids will not be recognized from workstations that do not have SafePay installed.
- Resissued checks: In older versions of Microsoft Dynamics GP, transactions can be uploaded only once to the bank . Therefore, if you need to void and reissue the same check number, the reissued check must be dated the next day. Because of this, the Safe Pay file will not pick up the reissued check if it is voided and reissued on the same day as the original check, in older versions of Microsoft Dynamics GP. In more recent versions of Microsoft Dynamics GP, the order of the check, void and resissue will be listed as check, check, void, and you are not able to change the order that they are listed in the file, and many banks software may not read it correctly. To get around this, you would have to date the reissued check with the next day's date, so it would be listed as check, void, check on the file, if you wish for the order to be changed in the Safepay file.
-After activating Multicurrency, all historical voids will be included in the first Safe Pay file generated. This will only happen once.
-The Account Number is a required field. If you do not map this field in the configurator file, you will get the message "The bank account field is missing from this format ID." It has to be mapped somewhere in the file. If you do not want it in the file at all, you can get around this by mapping the field in the configurator file, but then you can go to the Checkbook setup and blank out the Account Number, as it is not a required field in the Checkbook Setup window. This will produce a blank field on the SafePay output file, and get past the system limitation as a required field for SafePay.
-Several dates formats are available in the Safepay Configurator, however there are no date formats available with dashes such as MM-DD-YYYY. Your options include:
1) Ask the bank if they would accept a different format. (Date formats with slashes such as MM/DD/YYYY and formats with no characters at all such as MMDDYYYY are available.) Perhaps your bank will make an exception so it's worth asking.
2) Use MM/DD/YYYY instead and open the file in Notepad and do a Find/Replace to replace the '/' slash with a dash. It is important that you select the exact same format you need with a slash in place of where you need the dash, so it is the same number of characters wide and is easier to replace. You do not want to upset the length of the line. (This option assumes you do not have slashes '/' in other fields in the file such as the Payee or anywhere else.) Save and send the modified file to the bank.
3) Search the Partner Center for an ISV that may do a customization for you.
Note - Setting up your Safepay for you is considered a consulting service, which is a billable expense. It is best to consult your Microsoft Partner for assistance. Or for more information on consulting services, call the Microsoft Dynamics GP Support @ 1-888-477-7877 or log an e-mail support request for them at http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/support/default.mspx.
This article was TechKnowledge Document ID: 19398