How to Create a Positive Pay File from Sage 100
Sage 100 is one of the few accounting systems that ships with a built-in positive pay export. It lives in the Bank Reconciliation module, not in Accounts Payable, and it needs per-bank setup before it produces a file your bank will accept. If you do not have the Bank Reconciliation module, or your bank's exact format is not one you can configure, the simpler path is to export a check history report and convert it with a free browser tool.
This guide covers both options. First, the native Sage 100 positive pay export and what it requires. Then, how to pull the right check report and turn it into a positive pay file using the free generator when the native export does not fit.
Does Sage 100 have a native positive pay export?
Yes. Sage 100's Bank Reconciliation module includes a Positive Pay Export. The menu path is Bank Reconciliation > Main > Positive Pay Export. You define an export setting, pick a file format, map the fields your bank requires, then run the export to produce a file.
Format options include Standard Fixed Format, Fixed Format Continuous String, Comma Delimited, and Comma Delimited with Quotes. You can choose a Single Record Type (checks only) or Multiple Record Types with header and footer records, and there is an Implied Decimal option for amounts. You also choose whether to export Issues Only, Issues and Reversals, or Issues, Reversals and Voids.
Two things to know before you rely on it. You must have the Bank Reconciliation module installed and your bank checks set up in it. And checks that are already cleared or reconciled will not be included in the export, so the native export only covers checks still outstanding in Bank Reconciliation.
When to use the free converter instead
The native export works well once it is configured. The free browser tool is the better choice when:
- You do not have the Bank Reconciliation module, so you have no native Positive Pay Export menu.
- Your bank's exact layout is not one of the built-in templates and you would rather not map fields by hand.
- You want a quick, one-time file without changing Sage 100 setup.
- Your bank changed its required column order or format and you need to adjust fast.
In those cases you export a check report from Sage 100, then map the columns yourself in the browser. Nothing is uploaded; the conversion runs locally.
Which Sage 100 report to export
The most useful report for this is the Accounts Payable Check History Report. The menu path is Accounts Payable > Reports > Accounts Payable Check History Report. It lists all checks printed for a period, including manual checks and voided checks, and you can filter by bank code and check date.
- Open Accounts Payable > Reports > Accounts Payable Check History Report.
- Set the date range to the checks you just printed, and filter by the bank code for the account your bank monitors.
- Use the include options to keep manual checks and voids if your bank wants voided checks reported, or exclude them if it does not.
- Click Export (or Data Only Export to skip header rows) and save as Excel or CSV.
The Check and Electronic Payment Register, which prints during Check Printing, also shows check number, payee, and net amount, but it is built as an audit printout and is harder to pull clean data from. The Check History Report exports more cleanly to a spreadsheet.
Column gotchas to check before converting
Sage 100 reports were not designed as bank files, so review the exported columns before you build the format:
- Check number sits in its own column on the Check History Report. Confirm it is the actual check number and not the internal payment or batch reference.
- Amount is the net check amount. Most banks want digits only with no dollar sign or comma. If your bank uses an implied decimal (for example
125000for$1,250.00), set that in the format builder. - Check date often exports as
MM/DD/YYYY. Many banks requireYYYYMMDDorMMDDYYYYwith no slashes. Reformat the date to match your bank's spec. - Voids. If you included voided checks, your bank usually wants them flagged with a void status code (often
V) rather than left as a normal issued check. See handling void checks. - Filter to checks only. The Check History Report can include electronic payments, wire transfers, and credit card transfers. Positive pay covers paper checks, so exclude or remove non-check rows before converting.
- Payee name. Only needed if you use payee positive pay. Strip any commas from names if your file is comma delimited.
Convert the export to a positive pay file
Once your spreadsheet has the right rows and clean columns, open the free positive pay generator in your browser and load the file.
- Upload the exported CSV or Excel file. The tool reads your columns and shows a preview.
- Map each Sage 100 column to a positive pay field: check number, amount, check date, account number, and a void flag if needed.
- Open the custom format builder and set the exact layout your bank requires. Fixed width or CSV, field order, date format, and amount style are all configurable. Read fixed width vs CSV if you are unsure which your bank uses.
- Generate the file, then run it through the validator to catch length or formatting errors before you send it.
If you are new to the format, the positive pay overview and the glossary explain the fields banks ask for. For the exact field positions your bank uses, check the specification sheet from your bank, since every bank's layout is slightly different. The official Sage 100 documentation for the native export is at Sage 100 Help.