Import ABA Payment Files, Payee and Payment Details Online

How do I import an ABA file into Online Banking?

Set up the file in your accounting software, then follow their instructions to download it to your desktop. When asked for the Direct Entry service number, simply use 000000.

In Online Banking

Select Payments and File imports
Select Import new file located on the right of the screen and under File type, select Direct Entry/Pay Anyone (ABA)
Use the Choose file button to find the ABA file to import from your desktop, then select Upload

Tip 1: If the file has been uploaded successfully it will display the status Imported. If an Import failed status is displayed, select View details to find out why – so you can fix any problems using your accounting software before attempting another import. Common problems are explained later in this guide.

Tip 2: To make a payment using the ABA file, go to the Imported files list, select View details to check you have the right file, then select Confirm.

How do I import Pay Anyone payees?

Create a spreadsheet with your payee’s details and save it as a CSV file.

In Online Banking

Go to Payments, then select File Imports
In the Imports section, select IMPORT NEW FILE
Select CSV as the file type, then select File contains payees only
Select payee group (optional) and Payee type - Payee
Select Choose File to browse and select a .csv file to upload

Tip: Match each column of your CSV file to the fields in Online Banking. Map the Payee BSB, Payee account number, Payee nickname (optional) and Payee account name then select Upload.

You'll see a File Imported message to confirm that your file has been uploaded. You can view your payees under View details.

How do I import BPAY® payees into Westpac?

Create a spreadsheet with your payee’s details and save it as a CSV file.

In Online Banking

Go to Payments, then select File Imports
In the Imports section, select IMPORT NEW FILE
Select CSV as the file type, then select File contains payees only
Select payee group (optional) and Payee type – BPAY®
Select Choose File to browse and select a .csv file to upload

Tip: Match each column of your CSV file to the fields in Online Banking. Map the Payee BSB, Payee account number, Payee nickname and Payee account name then select Upload.

You'll see a File Imported message to confirm that your file has been uploaded. You can view your payees under View details.

How do I import Pay Anyone payment file?

In Online Banking

Go to Payments and File Imports
In the Imports section, select IMPORT NEW FILE
Select CSV as the file type, then select File contains payment information. Select Choose File to browse and select a .CSV file to upload
Under Payment details, select Payment method – Pay Anyone and add the From account, Description (optional), Payer name and Payment date (up to two years in advance)
In the Mapping rules section, map each column of your .CSV file to the fields required. Include the Payee BSB, Payee Account number, Payee Account name, Payment description (optional), Payment amount and Nickname (optional), then select Upload
Select View details to review the payment

How do I import BPAY® payment file?

In Online Banking

Go to Payments and File Imports
In the Imports section, select IMPORT NEW FILE
Select CSV as the file type, then select File contains payment information
Select Choose File to browse and select a .csv file to upload
Under Payment details, select the Payment method – BPAY® and add the From account, Description (optional), and Payment date (up to two years in advance)
In the Mapping rules section, map each column of your .CSV file to the fields required. Include the payee’s Biller code, Customer reference number, Payment amount and Payee Nickname (optional), then select Upload
Select View details to review the payment

Frequently asked questions

Can I rename my ABA file?

Your ABA file is labelled with a ‘File description’ and this is what appears on a payee’s statement when a payment is made (e.g. ‘Company Salary’). Make sure when you set the file up it is labelled with the correct file description.
Some accounting software packages won’t let you change the file description before downloading it to your desktop, and file descriptions cannot be changed once a file is imported into Online Banking.

What if I have more than one Approver for payment tasks?

Why has my ABA file import failed?

First, get to know the file structure:

Each ABA file features a header row, with information about the payment such as WBC (which indicates Westpac), who the payment is coming from (i.e. you), the file description and the payment date.
Under the header, you’ll see the details of each payment you’re making including who you are paying, their account, the amount, and the ‘trace account’ (the account the money is to be paid from). You can only nominate one trace account per ABA file.
The last row is a summary featuring the number of payments you are processing and the sum of the payments.

Things to look out for:

BSBs must be 3 plus 3 numerals with a hyphen: 000-000
Account numbers should be 9 numerals
Payment dates need to be in the format DDMMYY
Payment dates cannot be more than 7 days in the past
Summary lines must add up to the payments listed.

How many payments can be made from an ABA file?

What payee types can I import?

How do I create a spreadsheet with payee details?

Import Pay Anyone payees

Using Microsoft Excel, create a spreadsheet with your payee’s details:

BSB
Account number
Account name
Nickname (optional).

Make sure you have formatted your BSB and account numbers as text, rather than general accounting or other Excel formats. Headings are not required.

Import BPAY payees

Using Microsoft Excel, create a spreadsheet with your payee’s details:

Biller code
Customer reference number
Nickname (optional).

Make sure you have formatted your Biller code and customer reference numbers as text, rather than general accounting or other Excel formats – and no headings are required.

What is importing a payment file?

The Import file feature Online Banking allows you to import a csv file, which consists of multiple payment details created using your accounting software.

Once the file is imported, the payments will be populated so that you can easily process them as part of a multiple Pay Anyone or BPAY® transfer with one debit from your chosen business account. This can be used to make payments to employees and suppliers.

Pay Anyone (BSB and account numbers) and BPAY® (biller codes and customer reference numbers) payments should be imported as separate files. Files should be saved as a .CSV.

What details are required before importing a payment file?

Import Pay Anyone payment file

Your file needs to include the following details (without any special characters):

Payee BSB
Payee Account number
Payee Account name
Payment description
Payment amount
Nickname (optional).
Example of .csv file for Pay Anyone payees

Import a BPAY® payment file

Your file needs to include the following details (without any special characters):

Payee’s Biller code
Customer reference number
Amount
Nickname (optional)
Example of .csv file for BPAY® payees.

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Things you should know

Read the Westpac Online Banking Terms and Conditions (PDF 392KB) at westpac.com.au before making a decision and consider whether the product is right for you.

BPAY® registered to BPAY Pty Ltd ABN 69 079 137 518.