Frequently Asked Questions About eBill-Pay

What are the types of payment, and when are transactions processed?

There are two types of payment – CHECK and ELECTRONIC.

CHECKS are printed and mailed from Oklahoma City, OK on the same day they are processed. Please allow 5-7 days for postal delivery.

ELECTRONIC payment information is sent to the payees on the same day they are processed. Please allow at least 3 business days for electronic payments to reach the payee by due date.

Cut off time on both types of transactions is 12:00 noon each business day. Any entries received after this cut off time will be processed the next business day.

How are Holidays and weekends handled?

If a payment is entered on the weekend or a holiday, it will be processed on the next business day. If a previously scheduled payment falls on a holiday or weekend, it will be processed the Friday before the weekend or the business day before the holiday.

How long does a customer have to add, delete, or edit a payment?

You can add, edit, or delete a payment up to 2:00 a.m. CST for the 1st processing, and up to 12:00 noon CST for the 2nd processing, on the day the payment is sent.

How far in advance can a payment be set up?

Currently, a recurring scheduled payment can be set up in advance to any date in the future. A one time payment can be set up to be sent 5 years in the future.

How many payees are customers able to set up?

There is no limit to the number of payees a customer can have.

Can an existing payee that is already set up be edited?

The only thing that can be edited on an existing payee is the alias name on the account, and the account number. If the customer wants to change anything else, the payee must be deleted and re-entered.

Who, if anyone, are customers not allowed to pay?

Customers cannot send an electronic payment to a payee that is not in the electronic database. Payees are not verified for check payments.

How long does it take a payment to reach the payee?

For an ELECTRONIC PAYMENT, allow 3 to 4 business days from when the payment is submitted.

For a CHECK, we guarantee that the check will be in the mail on the same day the payment is submitted, if it is entered before 12 noon CST. (This is the same as if you wrote the check out of your checkbook, and put it in the mail on the same day). The only difference is that it will be printed and mailed from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma . Allow 5 to 7 business days for a check payment. (Just a note – we have no control over the U.S. Postal Service).

What is the maximum payment amount?

Electronic payments are validated against the account balance prior to processing, and check payments settle against the customer’s account like any other check; therefore, there is no dollar limitation on payments made through eBill-Pay. The customer is limited only by the amount of funds in his account.

Can customers place stop payments for bill pay checks?

Yes. After the check is printed and mailed, the payment history will show the check number for that payment. The stop payment would be added in the same manner as for a regular check written out of the customer’s checkbook.

Can an electronic payment be deleted once the customer has submitted it?

No. Once the payment is submitted, it will be processed. It will then be up to the customer to contact the payee for a refund, or request the bank to submit a claim.

When do funds for payments debit the customer’s account?

For an ELECTRONIC PAYMENT, funds are memo debited from the customer and memo credited to the bank’s clearing account the same day that the payment is sent, if the payment is sent before 12 noon CST. Electronic payments submitted after 12 noon CST are debited the next day during bill pay processing. CHECK payment funds are debited from the account when the check clears the account.

Are checks drawn against the customer’s account mailed to the payee?

Yes. All checks issued through eBill-Pay are encoded just as if they were a check from the customer’s own checkbook. The signature line on the check is usually printed as ‘Signature on File’, or ‘As Authorized by Accountholder’. The checks are printed and mailed from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

What will happen if a customer does not have sufficient funds for a payment?

CHECK payments are received in your incoming cash letter just like a regular check. They are handled in the same manner as a check written out of the customer’s checkbook against an insufficient balance.

ELECTRONIC payments are verified for funds availability during processing. If the funds are available, the customer’s account is debited for the payment, and the payment is processed. If the funds are not available, the customer will receive a message after processing informing him that the payment could not be processed due to insufficient funds. The payment will continue to be attempted until either the customer has the funds to let it go through or the customer deletes the payment.

How long will payment history be viewable online?

Payment history for active and deleted payees is viewable for 18 months.

How will the CUSTOMER be billed for using eBill-Pay?

The bank charges will appear on the monthly bank statement sent to the customer. The customer will be charged a $.50 fee for each transaction in excess of 10 transactions per month. 

How are checks that are issued numbered?

The computer automatically assigns a number in sequence of checks issued through eBill-Pay. The customer will be able to choose the first digit and the computer adds the following 5 digits when processed.