Accounts Payable FAQs

Question

What is ACH Vendor Payment?
ACH Vendor Payment is a system that deposits payment for goods and/or services that you have sold to El Paso County Community College District directly into your account at any financial institution that is a member of the Automated Clearing House Network.


Who is eligible for ACH Vendor Payment?
All vendors that provide goods and/or services to El Paso County Community College District who are now being paid by check through the District’s Accounts Payable Department.


What steps should I take to assure that my payment is deposited to my account?
Verify with your financial institution that the routing number used for wires into your account is the same as indicated on your check. If it is not the same, please obtain and provide the correct routing number from your financial institution.


When will my payment be deposited in my account?
Your payment will be deposited into your account based on the settlement date referenced on your direct deposit advise e-mail.


Is my payment safe?
Billions of ACH transactions were transmitted successfully across the country in 2008. This could not be done without numerous checks and balances built into the system NACHA manages the development, administration, and governance of the ACH Network. You may learn more at www.nacha.org.


What do I do if for some reason my payment is not deposited into my account?
One of the advantages of the ACH Network is that all transactions are traceable. Simply contact the Accounts Payable supervisor, and ask that your payment be traced, starting with the originating financial institution.


After I apply for ACH Vendor Payment, how soon can I expect to participate?
The target implementation date for changing over completely to ACH Vendor Payment is January 31, 2011. Beyond this date, all payments made by the District to all of its vendors will be made via ACH transaction. However, as the District transitions from the old “paper” method of paying vendors to ACH Vendor Payment, some vendors may begin to receive their payments via ACH transaction before January 31, 2011. In all cases, before a vendor receives their first payment via ACH transaction, they will receive an e-mail notifying them of the upcoming deposit.


What happens if I change financial institutions and/or accounts?
In the event that you change financial institutions, or account number within the same financial institution, simply provide a new ACH Vendor Payment Authorization Agreement and a voided check and mark the “Revision” box at the top. Until your account change has been completed, you may receive your payment by mail. It is the vendor’s responsibility to advise the District of any changes and to do so in a timely manner. The District requires fifteen (15) working days to process changes.


What if I want my payment to be forwarded to a financial institution outside the United States?
If you receive payments via direct deposit which are forwarded from a U.S. financial institution to a financial institution outside the U.S., please indicate YES in the ACH Vendor Authorization Agreement form and contact the Comptroller’s office at (915) 831-6391.


The District will transmit payment information AND invoice information (in the form of “addenda” information) to the vendor’s banks. What happens if my bank statement does not break down the invoices paid by the District?
Tell your bank that you will be receiving payments via ACH and that El Paso Community College will be including addenda information with our payment in the CCD Plus format.


What do I need to do?
Just follow these simple steps: Complete the ACH Vendor Payment Authorization Agreement. Attach a voided check which clearly shows the bank account holder’s: name account number financial institution’s name routing number Send the signed agreement and voided check to: El Paso Community College P O Box 20500 Attn: Accounts Payable El Paso TX 79998-0500