Hi Myla ,

Thanks for reaching out. RBC might require a different file qualifier header format than what is typically provided by Sage 50. If an RBC Express agent is requesting an NL$$ in the file qualifier header instead of the standard PROD80 $$, this change may be necessary to support certain characters (e.g., French characters).

Sage 50 typically uses the header format $$AAPDSTD0152PROD80$$ for the New Royal Bank format, and it does not include NL$$ by default, which is not required for English-only characters.

To address this:

1. Check RBC Requirements: Verify with RBC if a specific header format including NL$$ is required for your file upload. The format change may be necessary if you are dealing with characters beyond the standard English set.

2. Adjust File Format: If RBC confirms the need for the NL$$ format, you may need to manually adjust the file format to " $$AAPDSTD0152[PROD[80$$ " as suggested.

3. Review Sage Documentation: For further guidance, you can refer to this Sage Knowledgebase article and RBC PDF for more details on the correct EFT setup with RBC.

4. Contact Sage Support: If manual adjustments are complex or you encounter further issues, reaching out to Sage Support with specific details about the error messages could help resolve the matter effectively.

Hope this helps! Please let us know if you need more assistance.

Warm Regards,
Erzsi

If this helps please mark it as verified :)

Thank you!  I'll do as you suggested.  

I'm having the same problem. Why does sage not automatically include the header the way RBC can receive it?

Also, I'm finding that by using RBC express it comes back through as a lump sum and I have to manually reconcile sage to the bank. Is there anything that can be done there? Or is using HR sage a better option?

I can't help you with your first question, however we use RBC Express for a few companies and have the same issue that a batch payment is posted as one entry in the bank.  We had to match the data entry with the reality of the transactions so we don't have to do math during bank recs.

I set up a Payment Clearing liability account near Accounts Payable with the Account Class Bank.  This way it can be set up as the default bank account for the Payables module (and payroll as well but you can set up a separate one for payroll if you wish).

Post all payments through the Payments module as you normally would but by default they go to the Payment Clearing Liability Account.  When all payments are done and you get the transaction reports from RBC Express on the date of the payment, our bookkeeper posts the entry in the image below that will credit the bank and identify the amount, Batch, vendor and RBC Express transaction ID (Line comment - some redacted and blurred).  In the image below we use ACH as an identifier because the RBC Express techs use that term but in reality the CAD transactions to Canadian banks are all EFT while US bank payments in USD are all through the ACH system.  After all your payments are recorded, the Payment Clearing account should balance back to zero again.

Wire transfers would be handled similarly but they are single transactions anyway, so they could be posted directly to the bank account by changing the bank account during data entry if you wish.

Note: we post these entries after the fact, not before as we do not upload a file.  However, I believe the clearing account option would work for you as well except you would likely not have the RBC Express transaction ID or Batch ID.

Aly Rizzo said:

Or is using HR sage a better option?

I don't see how a Human Resources program that tracks info for your employees will help with your vendor payments and bank recs.

What is sage HR good for? I was told (not through here) other companies use it for the payroll instead of RBC express.

They claim its better, but I'm just getting familiar with sage and I don't know what option is better.

I'm sorry but I don't use the program.  I have never been told that an HR program does banking or payroll.  It is for Human Resources and keeping track of your employees, their needs, requirements, benefits, holidays, etc.

I've also never used RBC Express for payroll.  For the companies we use RBC Express with, we use Sage 50 for the payroll calculations and tracking T4 info, and RBC Express to pay the employees.

See this website and the Features section as well as the FAQ "What are HR Apps".