AAP ACH File Structure and Record Types 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a NACHA ACH file, what is the 'blocking factor' and what value does it have?
- The number of records per block; value is 10 (Correct answer)
- The encryption level of the file; value is 128-bit
- The maximum number of batches allowed; value is 999
- The minimum transaction dollar amount; value is $0.01
Correct answer: The number of records per block; value is 10
The blocking factor is 10, meaning ACH files must be padded with '9' records so the total record count is a multiple of 10 (one block = 10 records × 94 characters = 940 bytes).
Question 2: How is the 'Hash Total' in an ACH Batch Control Record calculated?
- By summing all dollar amounts in the batch
- By summing the 8-digit RDFI routing transit numbers of all entries (Correct answer)
- By counting the total number of entries and addenda records
- By adding the debit and credit totals together
Correct answer: By summing the 8-digit RDFI routing transit numbers of all entries
The hash total is the sum of all 8-digit routing transit numbers (RTNs) of the RDFIs for entries in the batch, used to detect data integrity errors.
Question 3: What format does the 'Effective Entry Date' field use in the ACH Batch Header Record?
- MM/DD/YYYY
- YYYY-MM-DD
- YYMMDD (Correct answer)
- MMDDYY
Correct answer: YYMMDD
The Effective Entry Date field uses the 6-character YYMMDD format as specified by NACHA, with the two-digit year appearing first.
Question 4: What is the length of the 'Individual Name' field in an ACH PPD Entry Detail Record?
- 15 characters
- 22 characters (Correct answer)
- 30 characters
- 35 characters
Correct answer: 22 characters
The Individual Name field in an Entry Detail Record is 22 characters long and identifies the name of the receiver (individual or company) for the transaction.
Question 5: In an ACH Entry Detail Record, the 'Transaction Code' field (2 digits) specifies which of the following?
- The SEC code for the transaction
- The account type (checking/savings) and debit or credit direction (Correct answer)
- The originating bank's Federal Reserve district
- The priority processing level of the transaction
Correct answer: The account type (checking/savings) and debit or credit direction
The Transaction Code identifies both the account type (checking or savings) and the direction (debit or credit), for example '22' for a checking credit and '27' for a checking debit.
Question 6: What dollar amount must a 'Prenote' ACH entry always contain?
- $0.01
- $1.00
- $0.00 (Correct answer)
- Any amount under $1.00
Correct answer: $0.00
Prenote entries always carry a dollar amount of zero; they are zero-dollar test transactions used to validate receiver account information before live entries are sent.
Question 7: What fills the unused record positions at the end of an ACH file to satisfy the blocking factor requirement?
- Null bytes (0x00)
- Space characters (0x20)
- Records filled entirely with the digit '9' (Correct answer)
- Records filled entirely with the digit '0'
Correct answer: Records filled entirely with the digit '9'
Padding records consisting entirely of the digit '9' are appended to the end of an ACH file so the total record count is a multiple of 10 (the blocking factor).
AAP ACH File Structure and Record Types 2
In a NACHA ACH file, what is the 'blocking factor' and what value does it have?