BACS Information

The Bacs Transmission Cycle

The Bacs Transmission Cycle is the sequence of days required to complete a Bacs submission. The minimum time required for the Bacs Transmission cycle is three consecutive working days; ‘Input Day’, ‘Processing Day’ and ‘Entry Day’. Working days are based on English bank working days and exclude Saturdays, Sundays and Bacs Holidays.

• Day 1: Input day: payment files are submitted to Bacs
• Day 2: Processing day: Bacs forward the payment instructions to the specified banks and building societies for processing
• Day 3: Entry day: payment instructions are applied by the banks and building societies

Bacs Service Opening Times

There are two service windows for Bacstel-IP during which different parts of the service are available. The two service windows are:

1. Submissions window
2. Bacs payment services window

Submissions window

The Submissions window is available from 07:00 hours every Monday morning until 22:30 hours every Friday evening excluding Bacs holidays. Live submissions can be made at any time during this period.

All submissions that complete their transmission by 22:30 hours will be input for the current day. Any transmissions completed after 22:30 hours will not be input until the next valid input day. For example if a file is transmitted on Friday 22:31 hours the next valid input day would usually be the following Monday unless it is a Bacs holiday in which case the next valid input day would be the following Tuesday.

Bacs payment services window

The Bacs Payment Services window is usually open from 07:00 hours on Monday until 23:00 hours on Friday excluding Bacs holidays, and is subject to change. Please refer to the Bacs Service User Guide for further information on Bacs opening times and Bacs Payment Services.

Submission Types

Bacs accepts files of various submission types e.g. Structural Test, Full Test or Live.

Submission definitions:

• Structural Test: A basic test to check the structure of the payment file is acceptable to Bacs
• Full Test: The payment file goes through full validation with Bacs and the Banks.
• Live: The Submission status where the payment file instructions are implemented and money is moved. THIS IS NOT A TEST MODE - THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE ACTIVE AND WILL BE COLLECTED

The submission type is displayed on the Bacs Transmission Form prior to submitting a file to Bacs.