ACH Universal > First Steps > Working in ACH Universal
ACH Universal includes both common and advanced features for creating and transmitting ACH files. In order to achieve maximum efficiency, it is important to understand the basic screens you will encounter. In addition, there are multiple ways to start most processes. Use the one that you prefer.
Welcome Screen
When you load ACH Universal for the first time, you will see the screen shown in Figure 1 (below). This is the Welcome Screen. ACH Universal is one of three products offered by Treasury Software. Click "ACH Universal sample account - demo" circled in red.
 Figure 1 - Welcome Screen |
ACH Universal Main Screen
Shown in Figure 2 (below), you will see the ACH Universal Main Screen. From this screen you can access all commands and options of ACH Universal.
 Figure 2 - ACH Universal Main Screen |
As seen in Figure 2, there are two panes.
Right Pane
There is a box that looks like Figure 3 (below):
 Figure 3- Account selection box |
In this box, you can quickly change to a different account. To learn more about accounts, see Accounts.
There are also four buttons that offer quick access to the basic features of any ACH file creation.
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Import Transactions Use this button to import a group of transactions into ACH Universal. Most commonly this is a file, but data can also be cut-and-pasted from Excel. (For single transactions, enter them manually using the Edit menu). |
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Import Customers, Employees, and Vendors Similar to Import Transactions, use this button to import a file containing vendor, customer, or employee profiles. Note that profiles are not required by ACH Universal. You can create and transmit ad hoc (or on-the-fly) payments without a profile by skipping this button. |
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Transmit to Bank After the file is created, it must be transmitted to your bank. Clicking this button does not transmit the files, but loads the Transmission Screen to allow you to confirm and then transmit the files. (Exact method of the transmission: FTP, web upload, email will vary by your bank's requirements. See Transmission Methods for more information). |
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Reports Running reports allows you to create, print, and export reports on imported transactions. These reports can be grouped on multiple criteria of your choosing and can be saved for easy access. |
Left Pane (Easy Steps)
Easy Steps are located in the left pane.
| • | "Home" brings you to the Main Screen shown in Figure 2. |
| • | "Getting Started" takes you through the steps outlined in the Self-Guided Tour |
| • | "Gather Data" provides information on proper file formats and how to obtain the necessary transactional data from your accounting or payroll systems. |
| • | "Import Data" does the same as the Import Transactions button (right pane) and ACH Transactions option from the Import menu (main menu). |
| • | "Transmit to Bank" does the same as the Transmit to bank button (right pane) and Transmit to Bank option from the Transmit menu (main menu). |
| • | "Reports" does the same as the Reports button (right pane) and Reports option from the Reports menu (main menu). |
| • | "Help" loads the User Manual. Can also access through Help Topics option from Help menu (main menu). |
Please do not worry if you do not yet understand some or all of this information. It is presented to give you an overall feel for the program. It is recommended you take the Self-Guided Tour to learn how to use these steps to create and work with ACH files.