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PayITSM

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Overview
Bill Payment offers an alternative to the traditional method of paying bills using your checking account(s).  Instead of writing a check and mailing the payment to the merchant, you can handle all of your payments through PayIT.  You can schedule payments to be made on certain dates.  Bill Payment gives you a confirmation number for every payment and keeps track of your payment history. Do you have questions about your payment?

Note:  PayIt, the bill payment service available through online banking, is an optional product that requires an ACU checking account. If you have not signed up for this service, the bill pay menu will not be listed when you are logged on to online banking. To have the service turned on simply send an email to ACU Member Services through the MailIT menu option of online banking.  Bill Pay is a free service if used on a monthly basis. However, when bill payment is not used during any given month a monthly service fee of $6.75 will be charged.

How to Use Bill Pay

Step 1: Set-up Your Merchant Accounts
To pay bills, the merchant(s) you want to pay must be added to your personal merchant list together with all of the account numbers you have with each merchant.  To set up a merchant's account you will need to enter the following information:

• Merchants Name
• Mailing Address
• Phone Number
• Account Number
• User Specified Account (nickname you give the account i.e., cell phone, water bill, etc.)

Once set up, you will be able to choose the merchant from your list to schedule/change payments.

Step 2: Set Up/Change Payments
To set up payments:
1. Choose the Set Up/Change Payments option under PayIT on the menu
2. Select the Merchant you want to pay by clicking on the merchant name
3. Use the payment calendar next to the date to determine when the payment will post
4. Set the payment amount
5. Set the account (checking accounts only)
6. Set the frequency of payment
7. Click OK to set up or CANCEL to cancel your payment as necessary

You may also use the Quick Pay option under PayIT to schedule a series of bills for payment. Quick Pay offers one convenient list of all of your merchants that do not currently have a payment scheduled.  It allows you to quickly key in the same information as the set up/change payments option.

Popup Calendar
All business days appear rust in color. All weekends and federal holidays are grayed out.  When you point to a payment date, it will indicate the delivery date of the payment. By using the arrow at the top of the calendar you can scroll through to later months.

Things You Should Know About Your Payments
Bill Payment uses one of the following methods to pay your bill:
 

• Electronic payments are made to merchants that are on the electronic network. When this method is used, you receive a recommendation on the payment screen to set up your payment at least two business days before the due date.
• Paper check payment to merchants who do not receive electronic payments. When this method is used, you receive a recommendation on the payment screen to set up your payment at least five business days before the due date.  (see note below)

Note: A recommendation to set up a payment at least five days in advance is designed to ensure that the Service delivers your payment to the merchant before the due date.  It is then the merchant's responsibility to post the payment in a timely manner. For merchants not on the electronic network, the recommendation is to pay more than five business days in advance so the merchant has ample time to actually post your payment.

If you do not provide the correct merchant and account information, your payments may not be successfully completed. In the details portion under payment history you can see how your payments were made, this includes the merchant name and other information.

How Bill Payment Manages Insufficient Funds
If you do not have enough money in your account to cover your payment, the payment is "failed," and the Service sends you a "failed payment" message through the Mail activity or public Internet alert (if set up).  Please note that if you have overdraft protection set up, your payment will be covered in the event of insufficient funds in your checking account.

Types of Payments

• One-time payment is paid at a time you specify.
• Automatic payment occurs as often and as many times as you specify for up to 10 years.

Payments that are made on future dates that you set up are called "scheduled payments".  These include one-time payments and automatic payments.  The first payment date may be no more than 18 months in the future.  Payments are processed on the scheduled date.  Payments scheduled for non-business dates (such as January 1 or weekends) are processed on the previous business day.

Scheduled Payments
Bill Payment's scheduled payments feature lets you review your scheduled payments (one-time and automatic) and delete a selected payment before the payment occurs.  You can also change information, depending on the type of scheduled payment:

 

• One-time payment - You can change the amount and date of the payment and the financial account from which the payment is to be made.
• Automatic payment - You can change the amount, next payment date, number of payments, frequency of payments, and the financial account from which the payments are to be made.  The changes affect all future payments.

Payment Calendar
A five week calendar is available to view all daily payments.  With this function you can see a list of all merchants, amounts scheduled for payment on that day, and the total amount of all payments scheduled for that day. You can also view payment history by clicking on any of the scheduled payment amounts.

Payment History
The Payment History feature lets you find payments by specifying the payment details.  You have several ways to select which payment(s) you want to review.  If you don't specify any criteria, you receive all available payment history.  If you specify:

• Merchant name - You receive all payments for that merchant.
• Payment dates - You receive payments from the start date to the end date.
• Payment amount - You receive all payments within plus or minus $10 of the specified amount.
• Confirmation numbers - Payments for a specific confirmation number 

If you want to direct the search to a more restricted list of past payments, specify a combination of payment details. 

Question about Your Payment?
If you have a question concerning a specific payment you have several resources available to you through online banking to research your payment.

• Payment Details - The payment details are available under Payment History once you highlight the merchant name/account to specify which payment you wish to investigate. Click on details at the bottom of the screen and the information include the merchant name, payment date and amount, the confirmation number, payment method, and check information if applicable will show.  
• Payment Research Request - You have the option to submit a payment research request online in the event that your payment did not post to your account with your merchant.  From the Payment Details page click on the research request button at the bottom of the page.  You will then be provided with a questionnaire to complete to begin the payment investigation process.  Payment research request may also be made by phone by calling ACU Member Services at (815) 267-7700 during regular business hours. 
   

How to End Your Session
Upon completion of your online banking activities, be sure to use the EXIT link that appears at the top of every page.  If you do not use the link upon leaving, you will be unable to access the system for approximately ten minutes.  If you try to re-enter, you will receive an error message indicating that you are already logged on to the system. 

Need Help?
When you have questions or need help, you have several resources: this guide to service, online help and ACU Member Services through the MailIT activity or by telephone.

• Online - help is available at the top of every online banking screen.  Simply select the screen that you need help with while online and click Help at the top right of the screen.
• Email - Use the MailIT activity in online banking to send a secure message to ACU Member Services.  Please note that responses to email questions will be returned during ACU E-Service hours shown below.
• By Phone - Call (815) 267-7700 or toll free (886) 469-6228 during business hours

ACU E-Service Hours:

Monday to Friday  9 am - 5
Please note that after hours calls are answered by a voice mail system.

Get Started | Overview | BankIT | Self Service | Service Terms & Conditions