How to create a Bank of America positive pay file
Bank of America protects business checking accounts with positive pay: you upload a check issue file listing every check you write, and the bank flags anything that doesn't match. QuickBooks and most accounting systems can't produce this file. Below is the format Bank of America expects and how to generate it for free.
Open the generator with the Bank of America format preselected
The Bank of America file format
- Classic 80-character fixed-width layout (legacy; BofA's current specs live behind CashPro and vary by setup)
- Account number positions 1–12 zero-filled;
Vvoid flag at position 13 - Check number 14–23; amount 24–35 implied-decimal; date 36–43 as
YYYYMMDD - Second void indicator at position 44; short payee/memo at 45–54
Important: this preset is reconstructed from ERP vendor documentation, not a current BofA publication. Generate a test file with it, then confirm the exact layout with your CashPro implementation contact, or recreate their spec sheet in the custom format builder in minutes.
This layout is reconstructed from third-party and ERP documentation, not a current bank publication. Verify it with the bank before relying on it. Source: nexlan.com.
Step by step
- Export your check register. From QuickBooks Online: Settings → Chart of accounts → your bank account → View register → filter to checks → Export to Excel. (Full QuickBooks walkthrough, including Desktop.)
- Convert it. Drop the export into the generator, confirm the detected columns, and enter your account number once. The generator applies the Bank of America layout above. Everything runs in your browser; your check data is never uploaded.
- Check the preview. The built-in validator flags missing dates, unreadable amounts, duplicate check numbers, and fields that exceed Bank of America's length limits before the bank ever sees the file.
- Upload to Bank of America. Log in to your business/treasury portal and upload under the positive pay or check protection menu. Verify the item count and total match the preview.
Voided checks
Mark voids in your register (a status column containing “void” works) and the generator emits Bank of America's void code automatically.
Always test your first file. Bank specs change and some are negotiated per customer. Send your first generated file through the bank's test facility or your treasury contact. If Bank of America has given you a different spec sheet, recreate it exactly with the custom format builder. It takes about five minutes.
Related reading: the positive pay file format guide explains fixed-width versus delimited layouts and void codes, the glossary defines the terms, and the QuickBooks guide covers exporting your check register.