Key Bank Positive Pay Upload and Error Review

Mikaela Laws

Apr 30, 2025

SOP Number: YES00043
Effective Date:  4/10/2025
Revision Date:  4/10/2025
Owner:  Payroll
Review Frequency: {Quarterly}

Purpose

Ensures that all live checks issued by our company are added to the Key Bank Positive Pay system. This process is critical to prevent check rejections when employees attempt to cash them. Additionally, this SOP outlines the steps for reviewing alerts on previously distributed checks to ensure accuracy and proper handling. (Note: Low frequency of cutting checks allows for swift and efficient manual upload, which is described below. The very end of this SOP will detail the process for uploading positive pay information in large quantities via a spreadsheet.)

Responsibilities

Responsibility of Payroll Staff

Definitions

Live Check: Printed paper check rather than direct deposit

Net Amount: The gross amount of a paycheck minus ALL taxes and other deductions

Key Bank Positive Pay Instructions

Uploading Positive Pay Records Manually

Print the Live Check:

Ensure that the check prints correctly and is legible.

Verify that the details on the printed check match the information in our payroll system (e.g., Employee Name, Check Number, Net Pay Amount).

Open the Positive Pay Spreadsheet:

Navigate to the Positive Pay Excel sheet located in SharePoint:
HR -> 3 - Payroll & Benefits -> Positive Pay Management

The spreadsheet maintains a sheet for each week of the year.

If the sheet for the relevant week does not exist, create a new sheet and copy Row 1 from a previous week. This row provides formatting guidance.

Enter Check Information:

Populate all required fields except for Column D, which is typically left blank.

Ensure all other fields, including check number, employee name, and net amount, are filled in correctly.

Each check must have its own row.

Location should always reflect the office where the check was issued, regardless of where it is being sent.

Net Amount: Double-check that the amount entered is the net pay, not the gross amount.

Log Into Key Navigator:

Open Key Navigator in a new tab and log in.

Select Payables from the main menu.

Navigate to Account Reconcilement and select Check Issue Maintenance.

Choose the correct Operating Account and set Service Option to "Add - Check Issue Record".

Enter Check Details in Key Navigator:

Enter the Check Number.

Enter the Net Pay of the check.

In the Other Data section, input the employee’s name in the Last, First Middle Initial format.

Click Next.

Verify the information and, if correct, click Accept.

Mark the Check as Uploaded in the Spreadsheet:

Return to the Positive Pay Spreadsheet.

Highlight the corresponding check row in yellow to indicate successful upload.

Reviewing Key Navigator for Alerts on Previously Cut Checks

Log Into Key Navigator:

Select Payables from the main menu.

Navigate to Fraud Services.

Select Next Day Positive Pay.

Check for Alerts:

Choose the Operating Account and click Go.

If any checks have warnings, they will be displayed with a description of the issue (e.g., missing Positive Pay entry, amount mismatch).

Review and Take Action:

Cross-check check details with our payroll records.

Select Pay to approve or Return to reject.

Conclusion

Following this SOP ensures that all issued checks are correctly recorded in the Key Bank system, preventing rejections and minimizing fraud risks. Regularly reviewing alerts ensures that any discrepancies are addressed promptly.

Positive Pay Upload Via a Spreadsheet (Only if necessary – In cases of 10+ checks needing to be entered at one time)

Uploading Positive Pay in Key Bank

Open an excel spread sheet

Format each column as follows:

A (Account number): Column width: 17 (right click on top -> Column width -> 17 -> OK)

Custom format: 17 zero padded (right click on top -> Format cells -> Custom -> under “Type”

enter seventeen zeros _> OK)

Type in our Paycheck account number (labeled PAYROLL in Key bank): 449681064290

The zeros will automatically be added at the beginning of the number to make it 17 digits.

B (Check number): Column width: 10 (right click on top -> Column width -> 10 -> OK)

Custom format: 10 zero padded (right click on top -> Format cells -> Custom -> under “Type”

enter ten zeros _> OK)

C (Date): Type date in 8-digit format with year first, then month, then day. Example: December

9th, 2021, would be written as 20211209.

D (Amount): Column width: 10 (right click on top -> Column width -> 10 -> OK)

Custom format: 10 zero padded (right click on top -> Format cells -> Custom -> under “Type”

enter ten zeros _> OK)

Type in amount with NO DECIMALS (decimal is implied). For example, $144.89 would be

written as 14489, and $120 written as 12000 (then the zeroes will be added at the beginning to

make number 10 digits long).

E (Void): Column width: 1 (right click on top -> Column width -> 1 -> OK)

If the check has been voided, type V in that column of the voided check.

F (Additional Information): Column width: 15 (right click on top -> Column width -> 15 ->

OK)

Add any additional information in this column (optional)

G (Payee Name): Column width: 75 (right click on top -> Column width -> 75 -> OK)

Enter last name, first name of payee.

*If copying & pasting information from the Positive Pay Spreadsheet in the shared drive,

be sure to paste to your excel sheet and select “Match destination formatting” (copy, then

right click onto correct column) in order to keep all columns formatted correctly. If any

columns are not correctly formatted, the file will be rejected.

Once information is entered for all checks printed for the day, save a copy of the file as

Formatted Text (Space Delimited) (*.prn) and add the date as the title.

To Upload file in Key Bank:

Select “File Transfer” under “File Services”

At the top of the page, select “Send Files” and then select “Send New file”

Click on “Select File,” and select the prn file that you just saved for today’s checks.

Under “File Type,” Select “Account Reconcilement”

Under ARP Bank, select “Utah – 4451

Then select “Send File.”

The newly uploaded file will appear on the list of submitted files on that page and you will

receive an email confirmation moments later confirming if the file was uploaded successfully or not.

Approval and Revision History

Version	Date	Approved By	Changes Made
1.0	4/24/2025	IT , ML	Initial Creation

Contact Information

For questions or support related to this SOP, contact:
Role/Department: HR
Email: [email protected]
Extension: 803