Skip to content

Send to Bank (SFTP)

Overview

After generating an ACH file, you can transmit it directly to your bank using a secure SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) connection. This eliminates the need to manually upload files through your bank's web portal.

Prerequisites

Before you can send files, an organization administrator must configure at least one SFTP bank connection. See Organization Management for details on setting up bank connections.

Sending a File

  1. Navigate to the ACH Drafter Dashboard.
  2. In the Generation History section, find the file you want to send.
  3. Click the Send badge next to the file.
  4. The Send to Bank modal opens.
  5. Select the SFTP profile (bank connection) to use from the dropdown.
  6. Click Send to transmit the file.

Transmission Status

Each generated file shows a status badge in the Generation History:

Badge Meaning
Send The file has not been transmitted yet. Click to send.
Sent The file was successfully transmitted to the bank.
Failed The transmission encountered an error. You can retry.

Retry on Failure

If a transmission fails (e.g., due to a network issue or SFTP connection problem):

  1. The file status shows Failed with an error description.
  2. Click the badge to open the Send modal again.
  3. Verify the SFTP profile settings are correct.
  4. Click Send to retry the transmission.

The system automatically retries with exponential backoff when transient errors are detected, so most temporary issues resolve without manual intervention.

Audit Trail

All transmission attempts are logged in the SFTP Audit Log on the Organization page. Each log entry includes:

  • The file name and timestamp
  • The SFTP profile used
  • The outcome (success or failure with error details)
  • The user who initiated the transmission

Compatibility

FISTWorks uses the standard SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) and works with any SFTP-compatible server your bank operates — including MOVEit, Globalscape, GoAnywhere, IBM Sterling, and standard OpenSSH servers. No special configuration is needed for any specific platform.

For details on setting up your bank connection, see Bank Connections (SFTP).

Tips

  • Test your SFTP connection from the Organization page before sending your first file.
  • Verify that the SFTP profile's Upload Directory is set to the correct path expected by your bank.
  • If you have multiple bank connections, make sure you select the right one when sending.
  • Consider setting up Scheduled Transmissions for recurring file deliveries.