How to Accept ACH PaymentsACH, or Automated Clearing House, payments move money

electronically from one bank account to another. Setting up your business to accept ACH payments gives you an alternative to credit

cards, cash or checks. Because the payments are not as easily reversed as credit cards, the transfers come with fees much lower

than those for a credit card transaction.

Set Up Your Account

It's a good idea to start with your current bank when beginning your search for a merchant services ACH provider. Working with your existing bank will be

simpler, and you may get better treatment because you're a long-term customer.

Set up an account with a merchant services company that sets up ACH payments.

Fill out all paperwork to enable your company for ACH payments.

In this case, the paperwork might be done entirely online. This paperwork

will set up your bank account to receive ACH payments.

Read the ACH payment setup forms.

Your merchant services provider will give you these -- again, they may be paper, electronic or both -- as part of

your welcome package.

Fill out a payment setup form for a client who wants to pay by ACH.

Although forms vary, most need the account number and routing number of the bank

account from which you will make an ACH payment, as well as the amount and date of

the payment.

Review the form with your client to confirm all information is correct.

Get an authorizing signature.

Transmit the ACH form to your merchant services provider.

Depending on the company, they may want this faxed, mailed or hand-delivered. Some

companies will use a web portal for instantaneous electronic transmission.

Wait for the funds to transfer into your bank account.

This typically takes 4 business days.

ACH payments aren't recommended for one-time, small payments.

They are best for regular payments on account, or for single, high-ticket transactions.

http://www.ach-payments.com/solutions/ach-processing/