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Positive Pay in SinglePoint — Stop Check and ACH Fraud Before It Posts

Positive pay is the fraud prevention layer of SinglePoint. Every presented check and ACH debit compares against your issued file and whitelist of approved originators. Exact matches pay through automatically; mismatches route to the exception dashboard for pay/return decisions before the item posts to your account. Treasury teams stop altered checks, counterfeit items, and unauthorized ACH debits at the moment of presentment.

Check fraud and ACH fraud losses run into the billions each year across US commercial accounts. SinglePoint positive pay sits in the middle of the clearing flow — after presentment, before posting — giving reviewers a final chance to block fraudulent activity. The module supports standard check positive pay, ACH positive pay with originator whitelists, and reverse positive pay for accounts without maintained issued files.

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SinglePoint positive pay exception dashboard showing flagged check with altered payee, ACH debit from unknown originator, and pay/return decision buttons

Positive Pay in SinglePoint — Summary for Treasury Operators

  • Issued check file uploaded after every check run — fixed-width, CSV, or MICR extract formats accepted
  • Exact match on check number, amount, and payee clears automatically; mismatches land on the exception dashboard
  • ACH positive pay whitelists approved originators by company ID and SEC code; unknown debits hold for review
  • Reverse positive pay posts every check to the exception dashboard for accounts without a maintained issued file
  • Pay/return decisions before the daily exception deadline — defaults apply for missed reviews
  • Email and SMS alerts as exception deadlines approach to prevent default actions on legitimate items
  • Full audit trail on every exception: operator, decision, reason, timestamp retained seven years

Three Positive Pay Modes in SinglePoint

SinglePoint offers three positive pay configurations. Choose the mode that fits your check volume, issuance workflow, and ACH activity.

Check Positive Pay

Upload an issued file after every check run. SinglePoint matches presented checks against the file on check number, amount, and payee. Mismatches route to the exception dashboard for pay/return decisions.

ACH Positive Pay

Maintain a whitelist of approved ACH originators by company ID and SEC code. Unknown or non-whitelisted ACH debits hold for review. Whitelist extensions update during exception review.

Reverse Positive Pay

For accounts without a maintained issued file. Every presented check posts to the exception dashboard for review — default action pay, with operators flipping suspect items to return.

Positive Pay Types Compared in SinglePoint

Each positive pay mode has different operational requirements, fraud coverage, and default behaviors. Use the matrix to pick the configuration that fits each account.

Positive Pay TypeBaselineException TriggerDefault ActionFraud Coverage
Check Positive Pay — BasicIssued file (check number, amount)Unknown check number or amount mismatchReturnCounterfeit checks, altered amounts
Check Positive Pay — Payee MatchIssued file (check number, amount, payee name)Any field mismatch including payeeReturnAll basic coverage plus payee alteration
Reverse Positive PayNone — every check reviewedEvery presented checkPayReviewer-spotted fraud only
ACH Positive Pay — WhitelistApproved originator list (company ID + SEC)Non-whitelisted debit presentsReturn (R29)Unauthorized ACH debits, new originators
ACH Positive Pay — Block AllNo ACH debits allowed on accountAny ACH debit presentsReturn (R29)Complete block for debit-free accounts
ACH Positive Pay — Max AmountWhitelist with per-originator capWhitelisted debit exceeds capHold for reviewExpanded debits outside normal pattern

Positive pay operates under OCC commercial banking guidance. Funds cleared through positive pay sit in accounts insured by the FDIC up to the standard $250,000 per depositor per ownership category.

How SinglePoint Positive Pay Works End-to-End

From issued file upload through exception review, pay/return decisions, and audit retention — every step runs inside the SinglePoint positive pay module.

SinglePoint issued file upload dialog with validation results, duplicate check detection, and match baseline confirmation

Issued File Upload and Baseline

Treasury operators upload the issued check file immediately after every check run. SinglePoint accepts fixed-width text, CSV, and MICR extracts from payment printing systems. Each record contains check number, issue date, amount, payee name, and account. On upload, SinglePoint validates for duplicate check numbers, future-dated issues, negative amounts, and missing payees — problems block the file until corrected so fraudsters can't exploit upload errors. Void and stop instructions update the baseline for checks that shouldn't clear. Clean files become the matching baseline for presented items.

ACH Origination
SinglePoint exception dashboard showing check image, issued file comparison, and pay/return decision buttons

Exception Review and Pay/Return Decisions

Presented checks that mismatch the issued file post to the exception dashboard with the reason — unknown check number, amount mismatch, payee alteration, or stale-dated item. Reviewers see the front and back check image, the issued record when available, and the presenting bank. For each exception, the decision is pay (release the item to post) or return (send it back through the clearing system). ACH debits that fail whitelist matching land on the same dashboard with originator company ID and SEC code visible. Reviewers whitelist the originator for future debits or return with R29 corporate customer advises not authorized. Every decision logs to the seven-year audit trail.

Wire Transfers
SinglePoint positive pay audit trail report showing every exception, decision, reviewer, and outcome for quarterly compliance review

Audit Trail, Reporting, and Integration

Every positive pay action generates an audit trail entry — file upload, exception creation, review, pay/return decision, whitelist change. Compliance teams pull quarterly reports for internal audit and external examination. BAI2 export carries positive pay outcomes to the treasury workstation so finance reconciles exceptions against the general ledger. ERP integration feeds exception data back to AP and AR systems for vendor research when returned items require counterparty follow-up. The audit trail retains for seven years, satisfying OCC and state banking examination standards.

ERP Integration

Fraud Types Positive Pay Stops in SinglePoint

Each fraud scheme exploits a different gap in check or ACH processing. SinglePoint positive pay closes them one at a time.

Counterfeit Checks

Fake checks printed with valid routing and account numbers but fabricated check numbers or amounts. The issued-file match flags them because the check number isn't in your file.

Altered Amounts

Legitimate check stolen and the amount changed. The amount field mismatches your issued record and the exception dashboard holds the item for review before posting.

Payee Alteration

Original payee name scrubbed or changed to a fraudster's name. Payee-match positive pay catches alterations the basic number-and-amount match misses.

Duplicate Presentment

The same check presented twice — once by the legitimate payee, once through mobile deposit by a fraudster. SinglePoint flags the second presentment as duplicate.

Unauthorized ACH Debits

An ACH originator not on your whitelist attempts to debit the account. SinglePoint holds the debit and lets you whitelist the legitimate originator or return with R29.

Business Email Compromise Follow-On

Fraudsters who convince payables to cut a check then alter or counterfeit it. Payee-match positive pay catches the manipulation at the presentment stage regardless of how the check was initially authorized.

Related SinglePoint Payment Modules

Positive pay sits alongside other payment and receivables modules in the SinglePoint Payments silo.

ACH Origination

ACH origination for outbound batch payments with NACHA upload, same-day cutoff, and return handling.

Wire Transfers

Wire transfers for Fedwire domestic and SWIFT international with OFAC screening and dual authorization.

Lockbox

Lockbox for inbound customer check collection with image capture, data extraction, and receivables posting.

Activate Positive Pay on Your SinglePoint Accounts

Stop check and ACH fraud before it posts. Upload issued files, maintain ACH whitelists, and review exceptions through SinglePoint positive pay. Follow the login guide to reach the exception dashboard or call +1-877-272-2265 for activation and ACH whitelist setup.

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Frequently Asked Questions About SinglePoint Positive Pay

Answers about issued file upload, exception review, ACH positive pay whitelisting, reverse positive pay, and default actions.

What is positive pay in SinglePoint?

Positive pay compares every presented check and ACH debit against a file of items you issued. Matches clear automatically; mismatches route to the exception dashboard for pay/return decisions before the item posts. Prevents counterfeit checks, altered amounts, altered payees, and unauthorized ACH debits. See ACH origination for the paired outbound controls.

How do I upload an issued check file?

Upload after every check run in fixed-width, CSV, or MICR extract format. Each record contains check number, issue date, amount, payee, and account. SinglePoint validates for duplicate check numbers, future dates, and missing fields before accepting the file as the matching baseline. Void and stop instructions update the baseline for in-flight items.

What is ACH positive pay?

ACH positive pay whitelists approved originators by company ID and SEC code. Non-whitelisted ACH debits hold on the exception dashboard for review. Operators whitelist legitimate originators going forward or return with R29 corporate customer advises not authorized. Covers payroll providers, tax agencies, insurance carriers, and leasing companies.

What is reverse positive pay?

Reverse positive pay posts every presented check to the exception dashboard for review — default action pay, operators flip suspect items to return. Suits low-volume accounts and legacy processes where maintaining an issued file isn't practical. Standard positive pay offers stronger fraud protection when the issued file is maintained cleanly.

What happens when I miss an exception deadline?

Missed exceptions default to the pre-configured action — typically return for check positive pay, pay for reverse positive pay. Treasury teams set defaults by risk appetite. Email and SMS alerts escalate as deadlines approach. The exception audit trail captures missed-deadline defaults under OCC supervisory expectations.