Five Things to Look for in a Next-Gen ACH Solution
Revitalized, real-time ACH processing makes transactions simple, safe and fast for customers
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ACH has long been a foundational element of digital payments, and it’s more relevant than ever. With the Same Day ACH dollar limit now at $1 million per payment, and ACH volumes continuing to surge, financial institutions are rethinking how to modernize their ACH operations to meet rising expectations for speed, transparency and risk control. The ACH Network moved 8.2 billion payments in the first quarter of 2024, led by growth in Same Day ACH and business-to-business (B2B) payments, according to Nacha. There were 273.7 million Same Day ACH payments, transferring $719 billion, in the first quarter of 2024 – increases of 47% and 27.2%, respectively, over the same time period in 2023. B2B payments grew 10.8% to 1.7 billion in the quarter.
Direct deposit, bill pay and person-to-person exchanges have become permanent expectations in consumers’ minds. Revitalized, real-time ACH processing makes those transactions simple, safe and fast for customers.
But for the back office with older ACH systems, manual or semi-automated ACH processes can be slow and error prone, exposing financial institutions to unnecessary risk.
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Enter ACHNext – the next generation ACH processing platform from º£½ÇÆƽâ°æ. Built on a modern, cloud-native architecture, ACHNext delivers some of the strongest risk capabilities in the market while enabling operational agility and future-ready scalability.
ACHNext helps financial institutions meet growing ACH volume – and emerging customer needs – with next-gen ACH processing capabilities that include five critical enhancements:
1. Advanced efficiency
Both the staff and the institution benefit from the reduction of slow, manual tasks. ACHNext automates exception handling and streamlines workflows using intelligent, rules-based processing. This reduces staff burden, accelerates processing across multiple cutoffs and SLAs, and ensures that only transactions requiring intervention are flagged—maximizing straight-through processing (STP).
2. Tighter integration
To avoid manual activities, today’s ACH solutions require a higher level of integration with APIs and between data files. Modern ACH platforms must integrate seamlessly with internal systems and fintech ecosystems. Tighter connections can speed up and improve data entry, account setup, confirmations, reconciliation, accounts payable and accounts receivable.Ìý
ACHNext is API-first and ISO 20022-native, enabling real-time connections with account processing platforms, OFAC/AML systems, and more. This tight integration improves data accuracy, reduces fraud, and supports faster onboarding and reconciliation.
3. System standardization
A unified payments infrastructure simplifies operations and enhances agility. Financial institutions that operate aÌýsingle payments system have a serious operational advantage over their competition and increase the value proposition of their technology. Proven workflows and training can be leveraged across the entire technology stack, enabling staff to support the payments environment more holistically. Processing, clearing and settlement are faster and more streamlined.Ìý
ACHNext supports a single, configurable platform that enables consistent workflows, training and support across your organization. With real-time visibility and orchestration, staff can manage exceptions as they arise – no more waiting for batch windows.
4. Processing flexibility
Next-gen ACH gives financial institutions the flexibility to continuously collect, clear and settle payments, including single-item settlements.Ìý
ACHNext breaks free from batch-based limitations. Its cloud-native design supports continuous processing, including single-item settlements and late-day cutoffs. This flexibility empowers financial institutions to meet customer demands for faster payments and real-time settlement
5. Data transparency
Customers now expect more timely and detailed information about their payments, whether they’re outgoing, incoming or cross-border payments. Financial institutions also need greater visibility into alerts and related account information.Ìý
ACHNext delivers live analytics, streaming data pipelines, and intuitive dashboards that provide actionable intelligence. Staff can resolve issues faster, and customers benefit from greater clarity and confidence in their payments.
ACH as a competitive differentiator
Financial institutions aren’t the only beneficiaries of next-gen ACH. Continuous inbound collection and increased STP result in faster processing, faster payments and faster settlement, which are differentiating features that also help customers.
To further your payments business, consider advancing one of the oldest tools in the payments business: ACH. Significant gains in functionality can provide long-term value for your institution and its customers.
ACHNext: Built for today, designed for tomorrow
ACHNext isn’t just a platform – it’s a strategic advantage. With industry-leading risk management, real-time intelligence and a future-ready architecture, ACHNext empowers financial institutions to modernize ACH operations without compromising control or compliance.
Discover how ACHNext can help your institution simplify complexity, amplify efficiency and lead in the next era of payments.ÌýLearn more about ACHNext or contact your º£½ÇÆƽâ°æ representative to schedule a personalized demo.