Managing Your Money

Check Positive Pay

Summary of service

Protect against fraud by reviewing suspicious check items and returning any unauthorized checks with a single click.

Essentials to know

  • No change to standard CSV and text file mappings.
  • Your exceptions will be available for decisioning on July 19, 2022.
  • Action Item: If you import a comma delimited file, ensure that your file is formatted to remove any commas in the Check Amount field.
  • Action item: Custom mapping files will need to be re-created starting July 18, so please save these custom files from your current system.
  • Action item: Alerts won't be transferred to First Citizens. Please set up the Check Positive Pay alerts you rely on in Commercial Advantage starting July 18. See Alerts Quick Reference Guide (PDF) for step-by-step instructions for setting your alerts.
  • First Citizens supports next-day viewing of check exceptions.
  • The cutoff for decisioning exceptions will be 3:30 pm ET.
  • Paid checks will still be viewable in Commercial Advantage. Viewing outstanding issues will require enrollment in Full Account Reconciliation.

Additional resources

Positive Pay Quick Reference Guide

Here's everything you need to know to get started.

View our Positive Pay Quick Reference Guide PDF , Opens in a new tab

Alerts Quick Reference Guide

Learn how to add an alert, add a recipient and set up immediate alerts when certain conditions occur.

View our Alerts Quick Reference Guide PDF , Opens in a new tab

Decisioning Positive Pay Exceptions

Learn how to view and decision your positive pay exception items.

Watch a video on how to view and decision positive pay exception items

Positive Pay Payee Name Information

Learn how to prepare file formats.

View our Positive Pay Payee Name Information PDF , Opens in a new tab

Creating a Single Check Positive Pay Issue-Void Item

Learn how to create check issues and voids through positive pay.

Watch a video on how to create a single check positive pay issue-void file

Importing Positive Pay Issue-Void Files

Learn how to import, delete and approve a check issue-void file.

Watch a video on how to import positive pay-issue void files

FAQ
People often ask us

You'll upload your check issues files into Commercial Advantage. View our Positive Pay Quick Reference Guide (PDF) for instructions on uploading check issue files.

Images are available in Commercial Advantage once they've posted the day after overnight processing.

No. You won't be able to perform maintenance on your check issues once they've been submitted.

If an issued check or a whole check issue file needs maintenance after it's been submitted, contact Treasury Management for assistance.

Fraud alerts, such as Positive Pay Suspect Items and Positive Pay Cutoff Time is Approaching, should be established immediately on July 18, 2022. More information about alerts can be found in the Alerts Quick Reference Guide (PDF) or by viewing the Creating Alerts video.

Exceptions will be uploaded and available for decisioning after 9:45 am ET, Monday through Friday—excluding bank holidays.

The decision cutoff time is 3:30 pm ET.

You'll access history via the Reporting tab in Commercial Advantage. A rolling 65 days of history will be available to you.

Yes. The Payee Name field is limited to 80 characters. If transitioned Positive Pay file mappings contain a Payee Name longer than 80 characters, you'll receive an error message indicating so. This only affects Fixed Length file format.

No. You'll need to establish new custom mapping as early as Monday, July 18, 2022.

Files can be prepared using one of three possible layouts: Fixed Field, Comma-Delimited (.csv) or Tab-Delimited (.txt). Our preferred formatted is Fixed Field. For file specifications on each of the three layouts, visit our Positive Pay Payee Name Information Quick Reference Guide (PDF).

Links to third-party websites may have a privacy policy different from First Citizens Bank and may provide less security than this website. First Citizens Bank and its affiliates are not responsible for the products, services and content on any third-party website.

Bank deposit products are offered by First Citizens Bank. Member FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender. icon: sys-ehl.

NMLSR ID 503941