Answer
Lightning Payroll validates NZ bank account numbers when you save the employee and again when the direct entry file is built. Using the wrong format will block the pay from being saved or exported.
Required format
NZ bank account numbers are entered as four parts:
- Bank ID: 2 digits (e.g. 01 for ANZ, 02 for BNZ).
- Branch: 4 digits.
- Account: 7 or 8 digits.
- Suffix: 2 to 4 digits.
Where to enter it
Open the employee record and go to the Bank Accounts tab. Enter each part in its labelled field. Lightning Payroll combines them in the format BB-BBBB-AAAAAAAA-SSSS when building the direct entry file.
If validation fails
- Check there are no spaces, dashes, or letters in any field.
- Confirm the account number is 7 or 8 digits and the suffix is 2 to 4 digits - pad with leading zeros if needed.
- If the bank rejects the file, double-check the Bank ID matches the account holder's bank.
NZ direct entry files are exported in ISO 20022 pain.001 XML format, which is the format accepted by NZ internet banking. For more detail, see Why Does Direct Entry Export pain.001 XML Instead Of ABA, And How Do I Regenerate It?
