ACH PAYMENT PROCESSING

摘要

Efficiently processing ACH payments by processing batches of ACH payments in parallel. A processing system of an ACH operator receives an ACH file including multiple batches of ACH items. Each batch includes at least one ACH item. A control module of the processing system organizes data in the ACH file into multiple partitions according to a selected strategy. Each partition includes at least one of the batches. A processing module of the processing system separately processes each partition in parallel, validating the batches and ACH items and creating at least one output batch for each partition. If the control module determines that the ACH file is acceptable, based on this parallel processing, then the processing module settles the ACH items in the output batches and creates at least one new ACH file for transmitting the settled ACH items to one or more corresponding receiving depository financial institutions.

主权项

1. A method of an automated clearinghouse (“ACH”) operator system having a plurality of processors, comprising the steps of:
receiving, at a processor of the ACH operator system, an ACH file comprising a plurality of batches from an originating institution, at least one of the batches comprising at least two ACH items; validating, by processor of the ACH operator system, the ACH file to determine if the ACH file is in condition for processing; responsive to validating the ACH file and determining that a result of the validation is negative, returning the ACH file to an originating depository financial institution; responsive to validating the ACH file and determining that the result of the validation is positive, selecting, by processor of the ACH operator system, a partition strategy from a plurality of partition strategies according to at least one of a number of the plurality of batches in the ACH file and a number of ACH items in each of the plurality of batches; responsive to selecting the partition strategy, organizing, by processor of the ACH operator system, the plurality of batches of the ACH file into one or more partitions based on the selected partition strategy, each partition comprising at least one batch; using a threading application, determining, by the processor of the ACH operator system, a number of partitions that are to be handled by each processor of the plurality of processors; separately processing, by the plurality of processors, the one or more partitions in parallel using the threading application to generate a plurality of new batches,
wherein each processor of the plurality of processors processes the number of partitions that are assigned to the respective processor as determined by the threading application, andwherein each of the plurality of new batches is associated with a same receiving institution and the plurality of new batches comprise a first batch comprising only successfully validated ACH items and a second batch comprising at least one unsuccessfully validated ACH item, modifying, by the processor of the ACH operator system, one or more threading parameters associated with the threading application to ensure that each processor of the plurality of processors is not over-loaded or under-loaded; settling payment for each ACH item in the first batch; determining that (a) a first ACH item in the second batch should be settled for payment, and (b) a second ACH item in the second batch should not be settled for payment; and in response to the determining step, settling payment for the first ACH item in the second batch but not for the second ACH item in the second batch.