How to fix validation error on recurring gift direct debit payment

Nell SaundersScott

I'm a part-time, one person development team, and new to processing recurring gifts.  This morning I created a recurring gift batch by automatically generating transactions.  I created the transmission files, and committed the batch (there were no exceptions).  When I double checked the transactions in BBMS, one of the direct debits (first time processing a payment for this recurring gift) shows a validation error because of an invalid routing number.  The routing number that shows in BBMS is different than what is assigned to the bank in RE (BBMS an extra '4' at the end of the number).  I'm wondering 1) why does BBMS show a different routing number than the financial institution record in RE and how do I prevent that in the future? 2) what is the process for correcting and re-running this transaction in batch?  I think if I had checked BBMS before committing the batch the fix would have been easier, but still not sure what I would have done.  #learningasIgo 


Thanks in advance for input!

JoAnn Strommen

While routing #s are said to have 9 digits, RE and other ACH payment processing only use 8 digits. Sort of weird. Last digit is always missing in RE bank relationships.


Something I just learned today is that the numbers printed at the bottom of a check/deposit slip for some banks are not the routing number. We had a return for May that was entered using that printed # while actual routing # is quite different. Our finance department knew this and provided me the correct one. The only way I would have been able to correct myself would be to possibly contact the bank itself.


Once you figure out what issue is with that gift not processing, you will just need to enter that gift in a new batch and send it. You can't use the batch you have as it would resubmit everyone's payments.

James Kew

I don't think I can assist with BBMS, as we don't use it here, but regarding the 9th digit, it seems to be mathematically calculated from the preceding digits.  Here is something from Wikipedia, showing mathematics that is over my head -- or at least the "modulo" terminology is:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABA_routing_transit_number#Check_digit

Heather MacKenzie

This is not quite true - most checks do indeed have the routing number as part of their bottom number coding on them.  Deposit slips almost never do for what it takes for direct deposit, etc.  Occasionally, I've run into the situation where you are right and the number on the check doesn't match what's needed for this process.  Usually, it's been an investment account checking where I've run into that.